Another pleasant surprise from Harrison
I am a fan of Harrison's work and think his Viriconium series is one of the most underated in the genre. I also found Nova Swing to be a small gem of a book. In newer science fiction, I hope to find one of 3 things: compelling characters, a strong sense of place and/or new concepts. Amazingly, this book has all three.

It is set in a run down future city which gives the reader a pervasive feeling of decay as in the movie Touch of Evil. Through the city, however, and enclosed by shifting boundries runs the Kefahuchi Tract. This zone changes all who enter it as the cost of retreiving biological artifacts, destabalising technologies and unfathomable organisms.

Tour operater Vic Seratonin evades law enforcement authorities who try to limit the importing of strangeness from the zone. The plot moves along quickly and the dialogue between the characters is pitch perfect with few words wasted; coming close to the artistry of Raymond Chandler.

One other point: Harrison is very adept at naming his characters so that they enhance the character without hitting the reader over the head. You will meet Seratonin, Paulie Degraaf, Fat Antoyne, Emil Bonaventure and Vic's foil, Lens Aschemann.

If you like Light and Nova Swing, try the Viriconium books now available in a single volume.

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