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Longevity Law Enforcement #0.5
The Third Curse
2052. Longevity Law Enforcement detective Chris McGregor and his rookie partner Meg Dalton are hit with a new case: U.S. Congressman Dustin Meacher and 22 other people have been killed in a domestic terrorism attack in a D.C. restaurant. Chris and Meg are ordered to solve the case quickly – to find the ‘right kind’ of perpetrator - or risk fueling the protests that threaten to send the city up in flames. Again. Neither Chris nor Meg finds the murky official solution to their case acceptable. They stubbornly fight to change the game to one they have a chance of winning, even if it kills them.
While The Third Curse is a prequel to the Longevity Law Enforcement 2107 Trilogy (Longevity, The Burning Rivers, The Dog on the Moon) it can easily be read as a stand-alone work of near future science fiction. For those who have read the trilogy, The Third Curse reveals how it all began for the two legendary detectives who virtually created LLE.
"Technological immortality is the prospect for much longer life spans made possible by scientific advances in a variety of fields: nanotechnology, emergency room procedures, genetics, biological engineering, regenerative medicine, microbiology, and others." - "Immortality" in Wikipedia
While The Third Curse is a prequel to the Longevity Law Enforcement 2107 Trilogy (Longevity, The Burning Rivers, The Dog on the Moon) it can easily be read as a stand-alone work of near future science fiction. For those who have read the trilogy, The Third Curse reveals how it all began for the two legendary detectives who virtually created LLE.
"Technological immortality is the prospect for much longer life spans made possible by scientific advances in a variety of fields: nanotechnology, emergency room procedures, genetics, biological engineering, regenerative medicine, microbiology, and others." - "Immortality" in Wikipedia
- GenresScience Fiction
190 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2013
About the author
S.J. Hunter
11 books19 followersI write science fiction. As a sideline, I write humor/suspense meant for animal lovers. My science fiction is set in the near future and uses trends to project what might have an impact on the lives of the people who could be our grandchildren and great-grandchildren. It's the way we confront the big issues that interests me most. For example, how are we going to deal with each other when some of us, and only some of us, can afford the genetic engineering that can offer us perpetual youth and near-immortality?
In the words of one reviewer, my speculative fiction "adroitly juxtaposes action scenes with subtle social commentary and character development."
No matter how serious the subject - murder, kidnapping, corrupt politicians, the collapse of civilization - so far I find that twinges of humor crop in. It seems unavoidable. My favorite characters all seem to agree with George Bernard Shaw: "Life does not cease to be funny when people die any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh."
My work is suitable for adults and YA.
In the words of one reviewer, my speculative fiction "adroitly juxtaposes action scenes with subtle social commentary and character development."
No matter how serious the subject - murder, kidnapping, corrupt politicians, the collapse of civilization - so far I find that twinges of humor crop in. It seems unavoidable. My favorite characters all seem to agree with George Bernard Shaw: "Life does not cease to be funny when people die any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh."
My work is suitable for adults and YA.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 8, 2013
I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest, non-reciprocal review.
S. J. Hunter's The Third Curse is a hard-boiled detective novel disguised as a work of speculative fiction. It takes place in Washington D.C., in the year 2052. This is a world that has discovered Longevity, a mysterious procedure which lets those who can afford it choose a youthful age they wish to stay at, while stretching out their lives up to 200 years. Naturally, there isn't universal approval of this new discovery for a number of reasons: you have to be well-off to afford it, which only serves to exacerbate already existing class-distinctions; many don't think humans should be tinkering with the natural order; there is the fear of creating a genetically-superior master-race, etc.
Along with the new scientific discoveries come new laws to control them, and the Longevity Law Enforcement (LLE) police to enforce them as best it can in a world where rioting in the streets and bombing of government buildings in order to express displeasure with policies is commonplace.
The Third Curse sees LLE detective Chris McGregor investigating the murder of a Congressman from the Naturals Only Party. The potential suspects include "long-lifers" who oppose his party's position on Longevity, as well as the Congressman's supporters who may want to use his "martyrdom" to further their party's aims. Whoever is blamed, there is a fear of anger and a backlash, in the streets and at the voting booth. McGregor just wants to find the truth, without worrying about who this hurts. He is a sympathetic, yet damaged protagonist, still grieving the death of his wife, while trying to navigate between political pressures and his need to put the bad guys away.
The dialogue between police officers, and between officers and suspects, is sharp and realistic. But Hunter's greatest strengths are in the details of her fictional world, where genetic tinkering and neuro-enhancements are commonplace, to the point that there is even an unregulated black market which offers these upgrades at discount prices. As the police investigate the congressman's murder, the reader is left to ponder all the tampering of nature that is going on, and how this affects society as a whole, as well as the relationships between different characters.
If there is one small complaint, it's that the time spent on solving the murder and achieving some sort of justice is relatively brief, and a few more setbacks could have served to build up more tension. But this is a minor problem over-all, and may not be one at all for many readers. Either way, if you enjoy a well-realized depiction of a future that in some ways is very probable, as well as believable, distinctive characters and an engaging story-line, then The Third Curse is definitely worth reading.
(A final point: I didn't particularly like the title at first, and had no idea how it related to the story, until I finished the book and discovered that the title is in fact very well-chosen. It just goes to show you that first impressions aren't always the best.)
S. J. Hunter's The Third Curse is a hard-boiled detective novel disguised as a work of speculative fiction. It takes place in Washington D.C., in the year 2052. This is a world that has discovered Longevity, a mysterious procedure which lets those who can afford it choose a youthful age they wish to stay at, while stretching out their lives up to 200 years. Naturally, there isn't universal approval of this new discovery for a number of reasons: you have to be well-off to afford it, which only serves to exacerbate already existing class-distinctions; many don't think humans should be tinkering with the natural order; there is the fear of creating a genetically-superior master-race, etc.
Along with the new scientific discoveries come new laws to control them, and the Longevity Law Enforcement (LLE) police to enforce them as best it can in a world where rioting in the streets and bombing of government buildings in order to express displeasure with policies is commonplace.
The Third Curse sees LLE detective Chris McGregor investigating the murder of a Congressman from the Naturals Only Party. The potential suspects include "long-lifers" who oppose his party's position on Longevity, as well as the Congressman's supporters who may want to use his "martyrdom" to further their party's aims. Whoever is blamed, there is a fear of anger and a backlash, in the streets and at the voting booth. McGregor just wants to find the truth, without worrying about who this hurts. He is a sympathetic, yet damaged protagonist, still grieving the death of his wife, while trying to navigate between political pressures and his need to put the bad guys away.
The dialogue between police officers, and between officers and suspects, is sharp and realistic. But Hunter's greatest strengths are in the details of her fictional world, where genetic tinkering and neuro-enhancements are commonplace, to the point that there is even an unregulated black market which offers these upgrades at discount prices. As the police investigate the congressman's murder, the reader is left to ponder all the tampering of nature that is going on, and how this affects society as a whole, as well as the relationships between different characters.
If there is one small complaint, it's that the time spent on solving the murder and achieving some sort of justice is relatively brief, and a few more setbacks could have served to build up more tension. But this is a minor problem over-all, and may not be one at all for many readers. Either way, if you enjoy a well-realized depiction of a future that in some ways is very probable, as well as believable, distinctive characters and an engaging story-line, then The Third Curse is definitely worth reading.
(A final point: I didn't particularly like the title at first, and had no idea how it related to the story, until I finished the book and discovered that the title is in fact very well-chosen. It just goes to show you that first impressions aren't always the best.)
July 29, 2013
We are a society obsessed with staying young. Forever, if possible. Currently, we're living longer, and looking younger, than in any other point in history. But what about the future? S.J. Hunter answers this question in her unique Longevity Law Enforcement Series.
Set in Washington, DC in the not too distant future, this is a world where people not only look young, but have the ability to remain young, provided they're willing to pay for it. This sets up a whole new kind of class warfare, between the long lifers and the 'naturals'. In order to forestall a new world order where the long-lived wealthy dominate the short-lived poor, the government passes laws to limit biomedical enhancement and longevity. Of course, there can't be laws without lawbreakers, and so the Longevity Law Enforcement is born.
Chris McGregor is a fairly recent widower, his wife was a staunch proponent of the laws limiting longevity. As one of the elite members of LLE, he's called upon to investigate a terrorist attack which could have everything to do with the political factions for and against Longevity. The kind of cop who scares rookies and who likes to work alone, McGregor is forced to pair up with a smart young officer named Meg Dalton. Together they must solve the mystery behind the Congressman's murder before others are murdered and the riots begin.
I was intrigued by the premise and impressed by the execution of this novel. It's very well written with some great action sequences. The pacing was a bit off for me. It started well with the introduction of McGregor and firebombing, but then there was a lot of medical, technical, and political information which really stalled the action. Once that was out of the way, however, the plot sped forward again to a satisfying conclusion. In all, I enjoyed reading this and expect that this series will find many eager readers.
Set in Washington, DC in the not too distant future, this is a world where people not only look young, but have the ability to remain young, provided they're willing to pay for it. This sets up a whole new kind of class warfare, between the long lifers and the 'naturals'. In order to forestall a new world order where the long-lived wealthy dominate the short-lived poor, the government passes laws to limit biomedical enhancement and longevity. Of course, there can't be laws without lawbreakers, and so the Longevity Law Enforcement is born.
Chris McGregor is a fairly recent widower, his wife was a staunch proponent of the laws limiting longevity. As one of the elite members of LLE, he's called upon to investigate a terrorist attack which could have everything to do with the political factions for and against Longevity. The kind of cop who scares rookies and who likes to work alone, McGregor is forced to pair up with a smart young officer named Meg Dalton. Together they must solve the mystery behind the Congressman's murder before others are murdered and the riots begin.
I was intrigued by the premise and impressed by the execution of this novel. It's very well written with some great action sequences. The pacing was a bit off for me. It started well with the introduction of McGregor and firebombing, but then there was a lot of medical, technical, and political information which really stalled the action. Once that was out of the way, however, the plot sped forward again to a satisfying conclusion. In all, I enjoyed reading this and expect that this series will find many eager readers.
September 13, 2013
The Third Curse is another great book in the Longevity Law Enforcement series. For a change of pace, Hunter has stepped back in time and given us a look at the early years of Detective Chris McGregor, including his pairing with Detective meg Dalton, a rookie at this point in the past. Since this is the early days of LLE, we are privy to many discussions that give us an idea of the ethical questions these Detectives had to deal with, as they picked their way through the complexities of a society that was tearing apart from the jarring implications brought on by Longevity science. Ultimately, we also see how LLE begins to develop its own brand of justice. This is an interesting time to explore such ethical questions, even as here in the United States, we are wrestling with the ethical questions that arise from our struggles against terrorism and the often heavy-handed responses that come out of that.
McGregor is fleshed out more in this book, though he still remains a bit of a mystery. His cold, pragmatism is more understandable since the specter of his wife's death is far more fresh in his memory. I think this has a great impact on his views of justice as well. Dalton, a detective we see in limited sections of the first three books of the series, gets as much page time as McGregor this time around. While there are similarities between her and Livy (McGregor's partner from the first three books), Dalton is certainly a different partner for the withdrawn McGregor. She is more combative, willing to stand up and fight for her job as "partner", which McGregor is unwilling to allow. She eventually breaks down his reticence, and together they accomplish their goals.
Hunter continues to build a fantastic world, and through these characters, continues to explore the radical changes in society that have come out of the new science of Longevity. The Third Curse is great fun and thought provoking all at the same time.
McGregor is fleshed out more in this book, though he still remains a bit of a mystery. His cold, pragmatism is more understandable since the specter of his wife's death is far more fresh in his memory. I think this has a great impact on his views of justice as well. Dalton, a detective we see in limited sections of the first three books of the series, gets as much page time as McGregor this time around. While there are similarities between her and Livy (McGregor's partner from the first three books), Dalton is certainly a different partner for the withdrawn McGregor. She is more combative, willing to stand up and fight for her job as "partner", which McGregor is unwilling to allow. She eventually breaks down his reticence, and together they accomplish their goals.
Hunter continues to build a fantastic world, and through these characters, continues to explore the radical changes in society that have come out of the new science of Longevity. The Third Curse is great fun and thought provoking all at the same time.
May 26, 2013
This is a welcome addition to Hunter's Longevity Law Enforcement series, and delivers yet another high-quality piece to an already excellent body of work. In this prequel to the already-published trilogy of stories, Hunter seamlessly integrates near-future SF with murder-mystery detective fiction, political intrigue and high-octane action.
The quality of writing is such that it creates an absorbing self-consistent universe in which it's easy to lose yourself from the first page to the last - exactly as a good book should.
The central premise of longevity via molecular biology is told primarily through it's impact on law enforcement, but also through the subtle background of social changes at the individual level, and the more violent reaction at the political level.
This book works equally well as a stand-alone story or as part of the series, and as ever with Hunters' writing, is bursting with the seeds of more stories yet to be told (here's hoping!).
I highly recommend this book.
The quality of writing is such that it creates an absorbing self-consistent universe in which it's easy to lose yourself from the first page to the last - exactly as a good book should.
The central premise of longevity via molecular biology is told primarily through it's impact on law enforcement, but also through the subtle background of social changes at the individual level, and the more violent reaction at the political level.
This book works equally well as a stand-alone story or as part of the series, and as ever with Hunters' writing, is bursting with the seeds of more stories yet to be told (here's hoping!).
I highly recommend this book.
September 20, 2013
Though it started slow and it took me a while to get into it, I really ended up enjoying the futuristic detective novel The Third Curse. Set in the year 2052, scientists are now able to extend people's lives - if they can afford it. The backdrop of the novel is a conflict between "long-lifers" and those who believe that people should simply live our their natural life spans. When a Congressman from the Naturals Only Party is murdered, Longevity Law Enforcement (LLE) police detective Chris McGregor is tasked with bringing the person or persons responsible to justice. Meg Dalton, a rookie cop, is assigned as his partner. Though McGregor is fleshed out well, I would have liked to have seen more of Dalton. I enjoyed the interaction between the two as they work to bring the murderers to justice while deftly dancing around the politics inherent in the case. The identity of the killers as well as the ultimate resolution (which of course I won't reveal here)when justice failed to work was a little predictable, but still a fun ride. I'll look forward to reading more of S.J. Hunter's work in the (pun definitely intended) future.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest, non-reciprocal review.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest, non-reciprocal review.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews