Fatal Image | |||||
Jim Hurst | |||||
Creative Arts Book Company, 171 pages | |||||
A review by Lisa DuMond
Oh! That's right. Kurt Sloane is the one trying to kill you. And just about everyone else he can get to.
And he doesn't even need to touch you. Talk about small mercies...
Something is definitely amiss in San Francisco, and Surety Insurance appears to be
the epicentre of the troubles. It seems only fitting that the first person
to suspect is Trib reporter, David Chan, especially since one of the clues
almost flattens him during his morning coffee. Charging in to get a lead on the
developing story, Chan senses danger in the normally dull insurance office, and
puts a face on the trouble from the moment he meets the unbalanced, creepy,
computer expert Kurt. Now, Chan just has to get someone to believe his
fantastic theory before even more people die.
Subliminal persuasion isn't a new topic; it's been a charge made against advertisers
for decades. Hurst, though, has put the plot device to good use. From the
nightmarish first scene, he has your attention in a headlock and hangs on
tight until the frantic final confrontation. (A too-neat epilogue weakens the
impact of the closing scene. Do yourself a favour and keep your eyes off that page.)
This is an action story, through and through. A few attempts to explore the
characters trail off in the rush of the next fast-paced passage. Readers get
a better look at the twisted psyche of Kurt, although not enough to explain
his strange behaviour. Forays into the mind and personal life of David Chan
are interesting, but never actually penetrate beyond the events in
Fatal Image. It is possible that this lack of information will be corrected in another installment.
That's right -- I smell a sequel.
A deeper understanding of the sensitive, courageous Chan would not be unwelcome.
Just think of the possibilities for a likeable reporter as a lead character!
Hurst has a way with action sequences. Fatal Image is a quick read,
racing from one wild scene to the next, and piling up an impressive amount of
gore along the way. Sex is not forgotten, either, and it comes in a wide
range for a wider range of tastes. Did I mention this isn't exactly YA fare?
Go read it for the action. If you want to read a character story, pick up
Phyllis Gotlieb's Flesh and Gold. If you have doubts about the true
effectiveness of subliminal imagery, just sublimate them and go along for the
ride. If you are already suspicious about computers, maybe you'd better just
take a nap. Let's not make things worse than they are in the paranoia department.
Lisa DuMond writes science fiction and humour. She co-authored the 45th anniversary issue cover of MAD Magazine. Previews of her latest, as yet unpublished, novel are available at Hades Online. |
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