OK, it’s not
really a story in a story, but rather, a story with some extended
flashbacks. But the last flashback
nearly stole the show for me – thus the title.
But I’m getting ahead of myself. The Negative’s Tale is the story of
Allon Wu, a rare ‘negative’ who can tap into the psychic abilities of others,
e.g., their clairvoyance, telepathy, etc.
When the Vice Admiral of the Space Guards, Allon’s wife, can trust no
one else to unravel a mysterious death on the Kostya station, she calls on her reclusive, somewhat burned-out
husband for help.
One of the
early flashbacks develops Allon’s character and introduces us to his world by
way of his psychic skills, martial arts, and science training. I found it fascinating. But as I said above, it was a final flashback
that rivaled the main plot. It involves
Allon’s exploits on a hostile planet inhabited by a psychic, crustacean-like species. It is a fast, fun, and highly descriptive
sequence, bound to leave the reader with some strange and entertaining images.
The primary plot – investigating the death of Bertie
Lindermann – is a more traditional murder mystery. It even ends with a scene in which Allon
confronts the suspects in a big reveal.
But like the flashbacks, the author has saved a few twists for his primary
story-line, just to keep us readers guessing.
For me, the integration of science fiction and mystery in The Negative’s Tale was handled
perfectly, with enough touches of advanced technology, the paranormal, and ethical/cultural
issues to appeal on many different levels.
It’s a story well worth the read.
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