Thumbs up for Undercity by Catherine Asaro. Science fiction.
Ah, the Skolian Empire! Where the women are all kick-ass, the men all gorgeous, the architecture stunning, the sexual tension thick, the politics complex, the psions fascinating, the enemies deliciously evil, the technology actually useful…. It’s impossible to convey how fun Catherine Asaro’s books are, on every level—world-building, character, dialogue, plot, action, romance, technology. I’m quite a bit behind on the series, but when I had the chance to get this review copy of the first book featuring a new character, I pounced. Then I gulped it down with a giant gleeful grin on my face. Undercity follows a female (and kick-ass, natch!) ex-military P.I. tasked to recover the runaway-or-kidnapped cloistered son of a aristocratic family. It’s not deeply intertwined with all of the complex politics and family relations of the rest of the series, so, if you’re unfamiliar with the universe, it’s a great place to start. And if you’re not already reading Asaro—you should definitely start.
I set the gun on the ground. “You have guts.” What an incredible understatement. He had just bluffed one of the most brutal criminals on the entire planet with a water pistol.
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted section HAS NOT been checked against the final print edition because the final print edition is not yet available.
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