Deus Ex: Icarus Effect

Deus Ex: Icarus Effect is a science fiction novel written by James Swallow. Set in the Deus Ex universe, it serves as an introduction into the Deus Ex: Human Revolution game. The book was published in the United States by the Del Rey division of Random House Inc and was released on Febuary 22nd, 2011. This is the first Deus Ex novel.

Summary
Deus Ex: Icarus Effect follows two protagonists: Secret Service agent Anna Kelso and former SAS officer Ben Saxon. Through the events of the novel, they both take on the forces behind a massive conspiracy bent on influencing the evolution of the human race.

Work in progress

Anna Kelso is a recovering stimm addict, working for the United States Secret Service. She credits fellow Secret Service Agent Matt Ryan will saving her from her addiction and keeping her career. At the opening of the novel, she is on a VIP protection mission to guard a meeting between Senator Skyler and Garret Dansky, CEO of Caidin Global (a major augmentation manufacturer). The two are meeting to discuss U.S. policy towards augmentations. Before the meeting can take place, the group is attacked by a black-clad special ops team. Matt Ryan is killed, and the assailiants make sure to shoot Dansky in the head and kill him, letting Senator Skyler live.

Ben Saxon is a former member of the United Kingdom's Special Air Service, retired from the military and working for Belltower Associates Incorporated, a private military contractor corporation. At the opening of the novel, Saxon is team leader for Strike Six, a elite commando force within Belltower. Strike Six is taking part in "Operation Rainbird," supposedly a quick strike against rival forces in Austrailia's civil war. The operation never takes place, as the transport plane is suddenly attacked by drone aircraft that Belltower intelligence said were not there. Saxon's team is wiped out and he barely survives.

Kelso recovers from her injuries, and rejects the official explanation that the Senator's meeting was attacked by Triad gangsters, and tries to tell her superiors that the true target was Dansky. Her investigation is shut down by Ron Temple of the Secret Service.

Meanwhile, Saxon is recovering from his injuries and is approached by Jaron Namir to join The Tyrants, a completely independent special operations team that he says is dedicated to protecting the world. Saxon agrees to join.

Characters
This is a list that contains most of the characters present in the book. Spoilers may be present.
 * Main Protagonists
 * Anna Kelso
 * Ben Saxon
 * Main Antogonists
 * Jaron Namir
 * Lawrence Barrett
 * Yelena Federova
 * Scott Hardesty
 * Gunther Hermann
 * Other Important Characters
 * Matt Ryan
 * Senator Skyler
 * Sam Duarte
 * Ron Temple
 * Hank Bradley
 * D-Bar
 * Janus
 * Juan Ivanovich Lebedev

Trivia

 * In an early portion of the book, Gunther Hermann takes a careful sip from a can of orange soda before asking Saxon a question.
 * A scene in the book shows Ben Saxon and the Tyrants discussing the attack on Sarif Industries; the same attack featured at the start of the game, Deus Ex: Human Revolution. Saxon is worried about one of the security cops, Adam Jensen, and advises precaution.
 * Later in the book, Lebedev mentions a small coalition of independent militia groups called the New Sons of Freedom, hinting at the start of the NSF, as known in the first Deus Ex game.