Jack Glass by Adam Roberts

3 Stars

3 crimes scenes, 1 man

Mass murder Jack Glass is on loose and the Solar System is not safe. Enveloping theoretical physics and power dynamics, Roberts offers this suspense. It questions values from loyalty to the ever present, does the ends justify the means.

Broken down into three separate vignettes, it's not immediately obvious that these are sequential events, but the impetus for Jack's actions unfolds. The first vignette, "In the Box", I loved; it was gritty science fiction and a big surprise--Big! My favorite easily. The second part, "The FTL Murders" was very slow in comparison and it spent a great deal of time developing two characters, where the conflict of human versus science are anthropomorphized, too much time is you ask me. Dawdled. The third vignette, "The Impossible Gun", brings the stories full circle connecting them in the third crime scene. I liked this better than the FTL, but not as much as Box, but that was probably because I'd figured out the resolution or rather one version of possible resolutions--and I liked mine better than the real ending. I got the science part 100%, the human part, not as much; therefore, I was disappointed in how it drifted and settled. I guess the surprise in that one was one that I didn't see the basis for it existing, but then again I don't think it was suppose to be rational. Ended with me going, really Jack?

So, the fluffy ending and saggy middle kinda deflated the joy from this one. Eh.