Sunday, October 7, 2018

Stealing life by Antony Johnston




This is a soft science fiction book that is actually a caper story.  As science fiction stories go, there is not much science; it's more of a science fantasy story.  I enjoyed this book and had no problem staying interested.  It was written by the author of "Atomic Blonde" and this initially made me want to read the book.

Nicco Salarum is a thief in the fictional world of Azbatha; he is approached by a wizard named Xundus (yes there are wizards in this book) to steal a precious necklace from his rival, Werrdun, the governor of Hurrunda.  The caper begins; Nicco accepts an apparently impossible task of stealing the necklace and then, quite cleverly, pulls off the caper.  After he is paid, he learns that the necklace kept Werrdun alive (he is 90+ years old) and his death will bring political instability to Hurrunda.  So, the powers that be put pressure on him, and to survive, he must steal the necklace back.

The plot has twists and turns and, although extremely clever, Nicco gets in some jams he has a hard time getting out.  It is an enjoyable read that science fiction fans will enjoy.  Recommended 4/5 stars. 

Publication date: November 1, 2018

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