<I>Slanted Jack</I>:  a novel that bobs and weaves, takes you on a headlong race through a strange but believable future, and never slows down. <P>  <P>The job looks simple enough:  Jon Moore, the nanotech-enhanced, world-weary, soldier of fortune, agrees to help a con man, a friend from a part of his past he'd rather forget, protect a very special young boy.  The deal doesn't stay simple, as each move Jon and Lobo make results in more danger and more enemies.  The situation grows even more complicated when a beautiful woman with an unclear agenda joins them in their quest. <P>  <P>The best con man Jon's ever known, a ruthless gang boss, a heavily armed group of religious fanatics, and an interstellar government out to clean up a dangerous frontier world rush together toward an explosive climax—and Jon and Lobo are caught in the middle. <P>  <P><I>Slanted Jack:</I> the second novel in the Jon & Lobo series. <P>