Doubleblind by Ann Aguirre
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This third book of the Grimspace
series takes place entirely on the xenophobic planet of Ithiss-Tor. Jax
has finally arrived to act as Ambassador to the "Bugs" who are
desperately needed to strengthen the Conglomerate's position against the
Morgut. There is danger every step of the way as Jax navigates the
treacherous waters of diplomacy with a mostly hostile species. Intrigue,
betrayal, and the nuances of cross-cultural communication make this a
fascinating read - a definite change of pace from the previous
action-packed installments.
Jax's relationship with March also develops significantly, repairing my dissatisfaction from Wanderlust.
I don't want to spoil anything, but I was much happier with their story
this time around. I also really enjoyed Jax's growing friendship with
Vel, which gets significant attention since they are on Vel's home world
and he is Jax's lifeline.
I did find one aspect of the story
annoying. In order to keep us informed about what is happening "back
home" while Jax is risking everything on Ithiss-Tor, there are news
feeds interspersed throughout. I found the switches from first person
narrative to news feed or interview transcript jarring. The tone did
enhance the feeling that these exchanges take place far in the future,
but I felt that they interrupted the flow and made me feel more like a
distant observer. Aside from that, this was a strong chapter in the Grimspace series, and I'm looking forward to reading more.
View all my reviews
No comments:
Post a Comment