redRobe (Paperback)

When redRobe starts Axl is bored and unhappy. Things go down hill for Axl from there. With in a couple of chapters he's just glad to be alive and then the rest of the book is spent with Axl dodging a growing number of enemies. There's a talking gun, a Buddhist prayer wheel in space and a vampire Cardinal, lots of political jokes and some very weird science.

People either love or hate Jon Grimwood's work. I'm definitely one of the former, but there is no doubt that this one is far and away the best of Grimwood's novels. Redrobe is fast, very funny and slyly thoughtful. Qualities that are too often absent in most SF.

It's also on the short list for this year's BSFA award and I think it stands a good chance of winning.

redRobe is a colossal pisstake of a powerplay between huge media corporates and the church - which impacts on some wonderfully bizarre and corrupt characters.

Judging by other reviews, the talking gun already appears to be a star in its own right, and Axl Borja as the bleak, broken, ex-assasin "hero" deserves to reappear in a future novel.

redRobe works on three levels: Firstly, it's fun - almost slapstick - in the way the protagonists kill, maim, and slice their way through the plot. There's also a constant humour, albeit dark and venous, that keeps a (virtual) grin on your face throughout.

Secondly, Jon manages that neat trick of making his futures believable - almost inevitable. It's not enough just to dazzle readers with lots of clever techie ideas; for a book to grab you by the balls the author has to make the plot work independently of all the gizmos and gadgets. With a minor nip and tuck, the plot could be transposed to today's date and STILL be as engrossing. But, as the other reviews mention, Jon is absolutely awesome with his technological invention. Really impressive stuff.

Thirdly, after you've finished it, you'll find great big chunks of philosophy oozing around in your head. For example: we're all losing our geography right now, as national boundaries are being blurred by the net and assorted media. Speed that process up and you'll end up with armies that belong to the highest payer rather than some arbitrary piece of land. Can you see the Microsoft Marines yet, parking their tanks on your front lawn? The Sony SAS? Or even the Amazon Army (Literary Battalion)?

Then the armies of the church and banks aren't such a long way away. See what I mean about Jon's futures becoming almost inevitable?

Alternatively, heard of Bluetooth? That protocol which is going to let your fridge restock itself over the net, or let your VCR decide for itself to tape something you're interested in? Suddenly, a gun with AI isn't such a leap of faith after all....

Finally - yeah, you have to concentrate a bit on the loops and rolls of the plot, but surely that's a good thing. And this particular jaded and much-read reviewer actually laughed out loud at the twist that appears as the very last line...

Buy it. Read it. Enjoy it.