★★★☆☆ Average
(SF Action/Adventure; Draiken) Draiken and Thorne seek out a torturer they once knew in hopes he can lead them to surviving leaders of the organizations they once worked for but are now sworn to destroy. (22,290 words; Time: 1h:14m)
Recommended By: 👍GTognetti+2 👍RHorton.r+2 👍STomaino+2 (Q&A)
This is third in a series, but reading the first two isn’t critical to enjoying this one
"Blurred Lives," by Adam-Troy Castro [bio] (edited by Trevor Quachri), appeared in Analog Science Fiction and Fact issue 01-02|18, published on December 15, 2017 by Penny Publications.
Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)
Review: 2018.002 (A Word for Authors)
Pro: We get a strong idea of what sort of person Draiken is: strong, honorable, kind. When he gives Edifice her freedom at the end, it’s completely in-character.
We learn enough about Thorne that it should have been obvious that Silver’s place of torture would be a paradise for her. It was less clear that she loved Draiken enough to want him to share it with her.
Con: It opens with an enormous infodump, partly because this isn’t the first story in the series, but it seems excessive even so.
Thorne is so crazy that it defies belief that Draiken puts up with her.
Silver is also a bit hard to believe. He wants to die from old age, but he also wants to see if someone like Draiken can beat his system—except that he deliberately leaves a weakness in it. Not sure what he gets out of any of that.
Other Reviews: Search Web, Browse Review Sites (Issue 01-02|18)
Adam-Troy Castro Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
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Pro: We get a strong idea of what sort of person Draiken is: strong, honorable, kind. When he gives Edifice her freedom at the end, it’s completely in-character.
We learn enough about Thorne that it should have been obvious that Silver’s place of torture would be a paradise for her. It was less clear that she loved Draiken enough to want him to share it with her.
Con: It opens with an enormous infodump, partly because this isn’t the first story in the series, but it seems excessive even so.
Thorne is so crazy that it defies belief that Draiken puts up with her.
Silver is also a bit hard to believe. He wants to die from old age, but he also wants to see if someone like Draiken can beat his system—except that he deliberately leaves a weakness in it. Not sure what he gets out of any of that.
Other Reviews: Search Web, Browse Review Sites (Issue 01-02|18)
Adam-Troy Castro Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
Follow RSR on Twitter, Facebook, RSS, or E-mail.
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