MarzAat

The Alexander Jablokov series continues.

Raw Feed (1991): “The Death Artist”, Alexander Jablokov.

This tale of a decadent far future was a disappointment given the author and subject matter: suicide as an art form amongst constantly regenerated immortals and, the corollary, the manipulation of events among the Bound, unfortunately mentioned little more than in passing, to create spectacular mass deaths for them. (This is sort of like the manipulation of alternate histories as art in Jablokov’s “At the Cross-Time Jaunters’ Ball“)

So, here again, are some of Jablokov’s characteristic themes: art, death, and, perhaps, guilt.

The story of a sadistic man being killed by his sister and her guilt causing his personality to be reborn in her, could be compelling.

It wasn’t here, though.

However, I did like cyborg Abias loyalty to Orfea cum Elam.

The ending, where Abias is killed and the Elam personality reasserts its sadistic self for good over Orfea seemed just a horror story cliche: the evil that would not die. Appropriate, I suppose, for a story dealing with immortals.

More reviews of fantastic fiction are indexed by title and author/editor.