Castro, Adam-Troy: Emissaries From the Dead
Emissaries From the Dead: An Andrea Cort Novel (2008)
Writer: Adam-Troy Castro
Genre: Science Fiction
Pages: 387
I bought this book before I became a little cynical about SF series starring A WOMAN!!! And let me explain, because one would think that this, of all things, wouldn't be something I'd bitch about. So I shall clarify: I've noticed, more and more, SF series in which the heroine's name is the BRAND of the series: Ky Vatta. Honor Harrington. Priscilla Hutchins. Kris Longknife. Okay, so Ky Vatta isn't entirely fair, as that series is technically called Vatta's War, but can you see how all of this looks on the outside? As is with urban fantasy, you have a series of books that focus on a woman of a predictable nature doing predictable, butt-kicking things, and of the four I just mentioned, I've read two, and while one was much better than the other, neither one did much to excite me.
So here's another: Andrea Cort. I'd bought this pretty much for its oh-so-pretty Chris McGrath cover and solid reviews I'd found on the internet. I'd let it sit until now, getting more and more suspicious of the book and the bad taste I was getting in my mouth regarding BRAND NAME women in SF. And admittedly, that bias is probably largely because I'm so used to it in urban fantasy I don't want to see it in SF. But I digress. I decided to read it, and read it I did.
The premise: Andrea Cort is considered a traitor to humanity and given just enough of a leash by her government to hang herself with should she see fit. Until then, she's essentially working off her life sentence by investigating whatever cases her government throws her way, and this one in particular is unique: an insanely large habitat created by the AIsource, an AIsource-breed sentient species, and the murders of two humans on an expedition observing those sentient species. It's up to Andrea to get to the bottom of it, but there's one problem: all evidence points to the AIsource, and she's been told that no matter what happens, the AIsource cannot be found guilty. If they were, it'd mean an all-out war that could completely annihilate humanity. Getting a scapegoat should be an easy thing then, but Andrea's never been one to shy away from the truth, no matter where it takes her.
Spoilers, yo.
So let me cut to the chase: the prologue and first two chapters need some serious work in terms of order. I don't mind the prologue where it is, though it was disconcerting to start out with the sense of seeing through the "Monster's" eyes and then realizing the monster is really human; but the first chapter was something to fumble through, getting hints that our narrator is actually the monster in the prologue, and then the second chapter flashes back and explains what happened when she woke up from the dreams we hear about in the prologue and gets the assignment to go to One One One. And we learn beyond a doubt in the second chapter that Andrea is, indeed, that monster.
Once we get to the third chapter and back to a more traditional ordering of a timeline, I had to wonder why in the hell the first and second chapters are ordered they way they are. It makes no sense to me, as it doesn't create tension and the first chapter leaves me unsettled enough not to want to keep reading. Maybe that was kinda the point (not the stop reading part, but the unsettled part) because of the setting itself being so upside-down and backwards. Which I'll give credit to Castro for, it took a while for me to wrap my head around this setting, but once I did, what a genius setting it was. But I would've really, really, REALLY liked chapter two to be chapter one and chapter one to be chapter two. It just makes more sense that way, and it's an easier way to ease into the book. So what if chapter two pretty much opens with Andrea waking up? It still works, thanks to the prologue.
Anyway, that's my one major complaint about the book. The one thing that made me worry. But as I got to reading and getting to know more of Andrea's character and getting the feel for the setting, the more intrigued I became. It reached a point where I really didn't want to put the book down. I suppose that might say how engrossed I was in the book, but I wasn't completely glued and drooling to the pages. Simply, I was fascinated enough to justify long periods of sitting on my butt reading instead of taking breaks to do something more productive. Still a compliment, I know, but I could put the book down without frothing at the mouth, so it's important to make that difference.
I really liked how so many of the characters were misanthropes. It's kind of refreshing to see in fiction, particularly science fiction. There was a nice tension here that pulled the reader along and kept us invested in the mystery, because for all of Andrea's disdain for humanity, she's got a job to do and she's determined to do it well. So many philosophies are presented in this book, namely about knowing the truth that no human is free, that we are all owned, and that some of us just get to pick our masters. This becomes a major theme in the book where the AIsource treads a fine line between being deus ex machina and merely some arrogant god-like thing that looks down from its pedestal and refuses to help the suffering masses. Oh, the questions raised, and the answers we get regarding the AIsource and its rogues (aka Andrea's Unseen Demons--LOVED THAT BACKSTORY, btw) are completely compelling and more than enough philosophical juice for the series. How long that juice will last, I don't know, but by time I finished the book, I'm more than excited to find out. Fortunately, I don't have to wait too long for the next installment.
Also fascinating, though frustrating from my own professional POV (if my SF thesis is ever published and you read it and this book, you'll know why), was the Porrinyards. I really, really, REALLY liked Castro's take on cylinked minds and what it means to be one mind in two bodies. He did some things that surprised me and did some things that made sense. But what was really beautiful was what the Porrinyards become to Andrea, and vise-versa. There's a certain sensitivity in the way that relationship is depicted that I wouldn't have expected from a male writer (sorry, guys!), and now I know better. This is another reason I look forward to the series. It's not a romance by any means, but the personal and physical connection Andrea has with the Porrinyards is something special and I'm looking forward to seeing how it grows.
Now one could, I think, criticize Andrea's character, or rather her function as a woman. After all, her backstory is such that she's immediately stripped of any human identity, including gender, and she wears her burden of monster in such a way that she freely accepts such a disconnect from the rest of humanity. I pondered whether or not this bothered me, but Andrea grows and changes during the course of this book (however controversially), so I can accept her past and the erasure of self now that we're starting to see her fill in the blanks. Oh, and what a past. At first I was ambivalent to the incident that made her a monster, and not even sure why such an incident made her such a monster if she was just one of many, but when we get the facts, and when we realize she popped out her father's eyes (which looked like jewels) just to play with them (Because, whatever else I'd become, I was also still a little girl, attracted to shiny things), oh, that was just wonderfully chilling.
There's so many interesting and enjoyable nuggets in this novel. How all the plot and subplots are handled, the creation and philosophy of the Brachiators, the philosophy and conflict between the AIsource and the rogues, it's all really fascinating, especially figuring out Andrea's overall role in it all. I was surprised by her decision to defect: I didn't see it coming but once it did, it made sense. Manipulative as hell on the part of the AIsource, but it made sense.
My Rating
Worth the Cash: and I say that wholeheartedly. This isn't your usual kick-ass military heroine out to save the world. This heroine is a monster who doesn't know how to save herself and only saves her fellow human beings because she takes pride in her job and doesn't have the courage to off herself just yet. Emissaries From the Dead is a surprisingly complex novel that has a driving mystery and fascinating characters, none of whom are truly heroic but are interesting and human enough to make you wonder how it's all going to end up and who the villains really are. I was sort of dreading this book when I picked it up, because I was expecting your usual military kick-ass heroine, but now I can't wait for the sequel, so kudos to Castro. I'm glad to have discovered a new SF series to enjoy.
Next up:
Midnight Never Come by Marie Brennan
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