by John Scalzi

A Science Fiction, 2018 by Tor Books, 335 Pages

What I Didn’t Like:

The opening chapter was weird. It’s written as a news article, so it’s assuming you know everything about this world and sport. Obviously, since it’s not a real world or a real sport, this isn’t the case. There were things I didn’t understand, which is a weird vibe to start a book with.
There are some time jumps I didn’t love. Of course that could be because I wanted to spend more time in this world so skipping anything felt like being cheated.

The premise is intriguing, again. This is a great way to follow-up the content of the first book. We’re using some of the same characters but in a different and unique way. I loved using the sport as a way to explore some of the consequences for this world.
The technology, again, is intriguing and solid. It reads realistic and is highly compelling yet it is also written in a way that makes it clear the use of it is typical for these characters. We’re shocked by what it can do, they’re not.
The police procedure reads accurate. It’s not an instant solution, there’s mistakes, things are overlooked on the first pass.
Great dialogue. There’s a good banter between these characters and the dialogue works.

Fans of technology Sci Fi books. This is an excellent one because it feels completely possible and plausible. Of course, if you’re a huge tech scifi fan, start with Lock In which will give you more background to enjoy the technology.
Fans of detective novels who aren’t afraid of something NEW and different. Although this focuses on an essentially robotic detective, it’s well written and fun to read! If you’re interested more in the detective nature of the book than the technology, this would work fine as a stand alone. You’re given plenty of background on the technology to understand.

This blends advanced technology Scifi with a detective novel in a highly pleasing way, maximizing the beauty of both without compromising. This is an excellent example of genre blending!