Gameboard of the Gods (Age of X)
Mead, author of popular urban-fantasy series for adults and young adults, introduces a new character in this series for adult readers. Justin March used to investigate questionable religious groups; now down-and-out and living in exile, he’s shocked when a member of the Republic of North America’s police force, the Praetorians, enlists his aid in tracking down a serial killer. Set in a near-future society in which religious extremism has nearly destroyed the world, this fast-paced and suspenseful book features a pair of protagonists whose whose ideological dissimilarities provide lots of opportunities to explore their growing relationship. Justin, who was at the top of his field before he self-destructed, is a very well-designed character, with plenty of depth and enough dark psychological corridors to keep us glued to the page, and his Praetorian partner, the beautiful and troubled Mae, has her own set of internal struggles. The author’s fans should note that the book is quite a bit different from her usual urban-fantasy fare: this is straight-up sf, with a well-realized near-future world and technologies. A promising first book in a projected series. --David Pitt