Only a few decades from now, the world has become a lot darker. As old social systems collapsed, the international corporation known as Global-1 took over, gradually gaining influence in every walk of life. And now their power is finally becoming truly evident. As more and more people get the facts of their existence permanently recorded on their very bodies in the form of a bar code tattoo, a select few resist the trend, fighting it with all their energy. One such rebel is Kayla Reed, who’s seen her family torn apart by this strangely menacing symbol of conformity. Her continued refusal to get the tattoo proves ever more troublesome as her life collapses around her, especially once she falls in with a group called Decode. On the run from the forces trying to place a stranglehold on society, Kayla is pushed to her limits, ultimately discovering the dark secret behind Global-1’s bar code tattoo initiative, as well as embracing her own untapped potential.

The Bar Code Tattoo is a chilling story spinning out of a logical progression; where it falls short is halfway through, with the introduction of psychic powers and a kind of forced evolution. The concept is fascinating, and the reasoning behind it all is sound, though the plot occasionally relies a little too heavily on coincidence and abrupt developments. Overall, Weyn turns in a solid thriller with room for more development in future stories.