rhydermike

An interesting collection of real-life stories.

A madcap murder mystery

Funnily enough, I bought my copy of this book from the author himself while at a comic-con.

This quick read is a story of murder set within the seamy underside of the collector convention scene, where shagging, gore, betrayal and often disgusting dark humour abound. Comedy can be a personal thing, but for me, the jokes, poking fun at celebrity culture, science fiction and fandom, mostly hit their mark. It's a quick read that takes on a breakneck pace by the halfway point and I enjoyed it overall.

Disclaimer first: I know Michelle through social networking sites, and she was one of the first people to review my book. In the case of Checkmate, I even looked over the first chapter and made some suggestions, and I'm listed in the acknowledgements.

Having already read a bit of it, I was keen to see how things panned out, and I can report that it's a fun ride! An accidental swap of memory cards sends a nearly indestructible military combat robot on the loose and the story follows the various attempts by our heroes to destroy it. I happen to know that the author has worked in the technology field, so it's not much of surprise that much of the story involves the world of hi-tech. Rather than going for something profound, this one is a straight techo adventure with comical elements, and it's a quick read. It seems to be equally influenced by films like Short Circuit and 80s-style action movies. Recommended if you like your science fiction action-packed with a few laughs along the way.