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Peacemaker #1
Peacemaker
Virgin Jackson is the senior ranger in Birrimun Park - the world's last natural landscape, overshadowed though it is by a sprawling coastal megacity. She maintains public safety and order in the park, but her bosses have brought out a hotshot cowboy to help her catch some drug runners who are affecting tourism. She senses the company is holding something back from her, and she's not keen on working with an outsider like Nate Sixkiller.
When an imaginary animal from her troubled teenage years reappears, Virgin takes it to mean one of two things: a breakdown (hers!) or a warning. Dead bodies start piling up around her, so she decides on the latter. Something terrible is about to happen in the park and Virgin and her new partner, U.S. Marshall Nate Sixkiller, are standing in its path...
When an imaginary animal from her troubled teenage years reappears, Virgin takes it to mean one of two things: a breakdown (hers!) or a warning. Dead bodies start piling up around her, so she decides on the latter. Something terrible is about to happen in the park and Virgin and her new partner, U.S. Marshall Nate Sixkiller, are standing in its path...
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
12 people are currently reading
1051 people want to read
About the author
Marianne de Pierres
37 books488 followersMarianne de Pierres is the award winning author of the acclaimed Parrish Plessis, Sentients of Orion and Peacemaker science fiction series.
Marianne is an active supporter of genre fiction and has mentored many writers. She lives in Brisbane, Australia. Her Night Creatures series, Burn Bright, Angel Arias and Shine Light has been very popular among young adult fiction readers.
Marianne is also the Davitt award-winning author of the Tara Sharp humourous crime series under the pseudonym Marianne Delacourt.
Visit her websites at:
www.mariannedepierres.com
www.mariannedepierresbooksforchildren...
www.burnbright.com.au
www.glitterrose.wordpress.com
www.sentientsoforion.com
www.colonelthorn.home.blog
Marianne is an active supporter of genre fiction and has mentored many writers. She lives in Brisbane, Australia. Her Night Creatures series, Burn Bright, Angel Arias and Shine Light has been very popular among young adult fiction readers.
Marianne is also the Davitt award-winning author of the Tara Sharp humourous crime series under the pseudonym Marianne Delacourt.
Visit her websites at:
www.mariannedepierres.com
www.mariannedepierresbooksforchildren...
www.burnbright.com.au
www.glitterrose.wordpress.com
www.sentientsoforion.com
www.colonelthorn.home.blog
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
February 19, 2014
When park ranger Virgin Jackson witnesses a murder in Birrimun Park, the last natural landscape on earth, things quickly spiral out of control. With an unwanted partner by her side in the form of US Marshall Nate Sixkiller, can she get to the bottom of things? But what do the strange occurences have to do with Aquila, the mysterious eagle that has been appearing to her since she was a child?
I got this from Angry Robot via Netgalley.
Peacemaker is a sf mystery set in the future. Virgin Jackson, stubborn and bull-headed as she is, drags the reader from one catastrophe to another, and takes quite a beating in the process. Her partner on the case, Nate Sixkiller, is a very capable US Marshall who works with the Spiritual Service, monitoring events of a mystic nature.
It's really to pull off a story that uses mysticism in a technologically advanced time period but it works very well in Peacemaker. It brought back memories of how William Gibson was able to pull off a similar feat in Count Zero with the voodoo loas.
The fully urbanized future depicted in Peacemaker is a fairly bleak one. Imagine a world were the only natural landscape left is a park where tourists visit. The combination of Australian and Western culture present around the park makes for an interesting setting indeed, as do the various factions Virgin has to go to for help.
As you can tell, I liked a lot about this book. There were plenty of twists, turns, and double crosses. I loved that Virgin and Nate didn't get their genitals entangled at any point, which is a refreshing change of pace.
However, I did have a few minor gripes. I thought the plot with the Mythos could have been explained better and elaborated upon but I have a feeling that will be explored in the sequels. I also found Virgin's lack of trust and stubbornness to be infuriating at times but that helped drive the plot.
Peacemaker is a good sf mystery for people looking for something a little different. Four stars.
I got this from Angry Robot via Netgalley.
Peacemaker is a sf mystery set in the future. Virgin Jackson, stubborn and bull-headed as she is, drags the reader from one catastrophe to another, and takes quite a beating in the process. Her partner on the case, Nate Sixkiller, is a very capable US Marshall who works with the Spiritual Service, monitoring events of a mystic nature.
It's really to pull off a story that uses mysticism in a technologically advanced time period but it works very well in Peacemaker. It brought back memories of how William Gibson was able to pull off a similar feat in Count Zero with the voodoo loas.
The fully urbanized future depicted in Peacemaker is a fairly bleak one. Imagine a world were the only natural landscape left is a park where tourists visit. The combination of Australian and Western culture present around the park makes for an interesting setting indeed, as do the various factions Virgin has to go to for help.
As you can tell, I liked a lot about this book. There were plenty of twists, turns, and double crosses. I loved that Virgin and Nate didn't get their genitals entangled at any point, which is a refreshing change of pace.
However, I did have a few minor gripes. I thought the plot with the Mythos could have been explained better and elaborated upon but I have a feeling that will be explored in the sequels. I also found Virgin's lack of trust and stubbornness to be infuriating at times but that helped drive the plot.
Peacemaker is a good sf mystery for people looking for something a little different. Four stars.
January 28, 2014
Just to stir up some spoiler-free hype... I've been lucky enough to read the book ahead of publication, and I loved it. As a world-builder, Marianne de Pierres is better than a huge percentage of authors out there - especially when it comes to creating dangerous, ghetto-like areas with violent inhabitants - and Peacemaker is no exception. The author is also really good at avoiding the 'damsel in distress' trope without making her heroines go too far into two-dimensional 'I am strong woman, hear me roar' territory, and the new protagonist, Virgin Jackson, doesn't disappoint in this area.
Fans of the Parrish Plessis series may notice that there are some slight thematic overlaps between that universe and this one, though the two aren't actually connected as far as I noticed. Marianne has gone back to her dystopian-Australia creative roots for this book, and has laced supernatural elements throughout the action/crime-based plot. And let's not forget about the horses, the national park in the middle of a dense urban environment, and the Wild West quarter of the city. Did I mention the horses?
Fans of the Parrish Plessis series may notice that there are some slight thematic overlaps between that universe and this one, though the two aren't actually connected as far as I noticed. Marianne has gone back to her dystopian-Australia creative roots for this book, and has laced supernatural elements throughout the action/crime-based plot. And let's not forget about the horses, the national park in the middle of a dense urban environment, and the Wild West quarter of the city. Did I mention the horses?
January 8, 2016
Peacemaker by Marianne de Pierres is a blend of paranormal fantasy, mystery, crime, western and little bit of sci-fi; it had me hooked within a couple of pages.
The novel is set in the future in Australia and the world de Pierres has created is believable and detailed. The cities in Australia have merged into a megalopolis and parklands are rare. Virgin Jackson is a ranger in Birrimun Park and devoted to its preservation. The park has, however become the sole wild west theme park in the Southern Hemisphere – tourist dollars are saving Australia.
At the end of her park rounds, when the park is supposed to be closed and empty, Virgin witnesses a murder. She is attacked by what appears to be a crow and the murderer escapes. This coincides with the arrival of Marshal Nate Sixkiller from the US who is ostensibly investigating drug running within the park. On the same day, after witnessing the murder, Virgin becomes the target of a hitman. You can tell already that de Pierres is setting a cracking pace, can’t you?
Virgin and Sixkiller’s investigations lead them through the seedier parts of the city. Like all cities, this one has its respectable and tourist areas along with its disreputable quarters and the grunge in these places is almost palpable. The reader gets to see the western themed section of town, and a quarter devoted to the supernatural – tarot, fortune telling etc and the areas controlled by feuding gangs, both of whom are heavily armed.
The fantasy elements of the plot revolve around different realities and the notion that creatures from myth and folklore are real. While this is a concept many fantasy readers will be familiar with, it is the blending of genres in de Pierres' novel that makes all the difference and creates a unique world.
I don’t want to divulge any more of the plot save to say that it is intricate and there are many twists and turns.
The characterisations in Peacemaker are excellent. Each of the characters is complicated and different. Virgin is stubborn, independent, intelligent, courageous and reckless. She is a kick-arse heroine, but she is also often wrong and I loved her for her mistakes.
Peacemaker was refreshingly different and de Pierres does blend a variety of genres into a fast paced story that you will not want to put down. (I immediately started reading the sequel!)
Four Stars!
The novel is set in the future in Australia and the world de Pierres has created is believable and detailed. The cities in Australia have merged into a megalopolis and parklands are rare. Virgin Jackson is a ranger in Birrimun Park and devoted to its preservation. The park has, however become the sole wild west theme park in the Southern Hemisphere – tourist dollars are saving Australia.
At the end of her park rounds, when the park is supposed to be closed and empty, Virgin witnesses a murder. She is attacked by what appears to be a crow and the murderer escapes. This coincides with the arrival of Marshal Nate Sixkiller from the US who is ostensibly investigating drug running within the park. On the same day, after witnessing the murder, Virgin becomes the target of a hitman. You can tell already that de Pierres is setting a cracking pace, can’t you?
Virgin and Sixkiller’s investigations lead them through the seedier parts of the city. Like all cities, this one has its respectable and tourist areas along with its disreputable quarters and the grunge in these places is almost palpable. The reader gets to see the western themed section of town, and a quarter devoted to the supernatural – tarot, fortune telling etc and the areas controlled by feuding gangs, both of whom are heavily armed.
The fantasy elements of the plot revolve around different realities and the notion that creatures from myth and folklore are real. While this is a concept many fantasy readers will be familiar with, it is the blending of genres in de Pierres' novel that makes all the difference and creates a unique world.
I don’t want to divulge any more of the plot save to say that it is intricate and there are many twists and turns.
The characterisations in Peacemaker are excellent. Each of the characters is complicated and different. Virgin is stubborn, independent, intelligent, courageous and reckless. She is a kick-arse heroine, but she is also often wrong and I loved her for her mistakes.
Peacemaker was refreshingly different and de Pierres does blend a variety of genres into a fast paced story that you will not want to put down. (I immediately started reading the sequel!)
Four Stars!
September 6, 2016
There’s already a lot of discussion about Marianne de Pierres' genre-blending new series - kicking off with this action-packed instalment (out in April).
Marianne has built a career writing (and successfully combining) a range of genres, and Peacemaker brings quite a few of them together. But genre labels can be so distracting, so the best way I'd describe Peacemaker is as an intricate and highly original page-turner with elements of science fiction, western adventure, supernatural mystery and crime thriller.
Early chatter focused on the sci-fi/western hybrid, and thoughts (mine certainly) went to Joss Whedon’s Firefly franchise. Peacemaker is a very different take on the way those two genres can work together, although it’s equally populated with interesting characters who aren’t all who they appear to be, and is perhaps a more layered approach to speculating about the future.
Marianne’s view of the not-too-distant future is thought-provoking and not so far removed from our own world to make it alien. Her society - a giant east-coast metropolis on the fringes of a protected Outback desert (the world’s last natural landscape) - is segmented into cultural and socio-demographic enclaves. There is no one face of the future, there are many in this sprawling city.
Which is what makes Virgin’s role as a horse-riding, gun-toting park ranger so unique. In Peacemaker, she’s quickly caught up in rare and violent criminal activity in the desert. It spills over into her personal life back in the city, bringing with it an enigmatic Native American US Marshall and a mythical supernatural creature from Virgin’s childhood.
In trying to figure out what’s going on - and clear her name - Virgin must rely on her friends and contacts: journos, strippers, chefs, mercenaries and underworld figures. She also grapples with questions about her father’s death and his connection to a rising and shadowy new threat.
There's a subtle Australia flavour in Peacemaker, although there are plenty of other cultural influences at work here (it's tragically plausible that an Australian outback tourist attraction, in a world bereft of natural landscapes, would feature North American ‘western’ touches).
There are a lot of threads at play (which start to come together by the of this instalment), and plenty of colourful characters who will no doubt feature more in the next book.
Peacemaker is a thoroughly original read and I'm looking forward to seeing where Marianne takes us in the next book.
Marianne has built a career writing (and successfully combining) a range of genres, and Peacemaker brings quite a few of them together. But genre labels can be so distracting, so the best way I'd describe Peacemaker is as an intricate and highly original page-turner with elements of science fiction, western adventure, supernatural mystery and crime thriller.
Early chatter focused on the sci-fi/western hybrid, and thoughts (mine certainly) went to Joss Whedon’s Firefly franchise. Peacemaker is a very different take on the way those two genres can work together, although it’s equally populated with interesting characters who aren’t all who they appear to be, and is perhaps a more layered approach to speculating about the future.
Marianne’s view of the not-too-distant future is thought-provoking and not so far removed from our own world to make it alien. Her society - a giant east-coast metropolis on the fringes of a protected Outback desert (the world’s last natural landscape) - is segmented into cultural and socio-demographic enclaves. There is no one face of the future, there are many in this sprawling city.
Which is what makes Virgin’s role as a horse-riding, gun-toting park ranger so unique. In Peacemaker, she’s quickly caught up in rare and violent criminal activity in the desert. It spills over into her personal life back in the city, bringing with it an enigmatic Native American US Marshall and a mythical supernatural creature from Virgin’s childhood.
In trying to figure out what’s going on - and clear her name - Virgin must rely on her friends and contacts: journos, strippers, chefs, mercenaries and underworld figures. She also grapples with questions about her father’s death and his connection to a rising and shadowy new threat.
There's a subtle Australia flavour in Peacemaker, although there are plenty of other cultural influences at work here (it's tragically plausible that an Australian outback tourist attraction, in a world bereft of natural landscapes, would feature North American ‘western’ touches).
There are a lot of threads at play (which start to come together by the of this instalment), and plenty of colourful characters who will no doubt feature more in the next book.
Peacemaker is a thoroughly original read and I'm looking forward to seeing where Marianne takes us in the next book.
June 9, 2015
I’ve been meaning to read something by Marianne de Pierres for ages. I don’t know if this was a good place to start, but I usually enjoy Angry Robot books; they usually have interesting ideas, and they’re quick reads. And I got this on Netgalley before I cut down my requesting habits, so I have finally, finally got round to reading it. And I enjoyed it! It keeps up a hell of a pace, there’s a bunch of interesting mysteries (some characters are mysteries in themselves, there’s a larger mystery which causes all the mayhem, and there’s an ongoing question yet to be solved, presumably awaiting further books), etc.
In some cases, it felt a little too scattered, waiting for something to pull it all together: why is Heart so involved in Virgin’s life? Why does Hamish care? How much does any given character know about what’s going on? And some things felt a little too convenient/easy. The park is easy to picture, but other areas less so: Virgin doesn’t spend nearly as much time describing anywhere but the park, which makes sense with her character, but still. The near-future setting kept throwing me: where exactly is the technology in relation to ours? Etc.
Overall, it’s fun. A bit Western-y, a bit urban fantasy, a bit near-future spec-fic. There’s a pretty diverse cast of characters, and nearly all of them have a role to play — there’s no, or at least few, throwaway characters who are just there to prop up a bit of the plot.
Originally posted here.
In some cases, it felt a little too scattered, waiting for something to pull it all together: why is Heart so involved in Virgin’s life? Why does Hamish care? How much does any given character know about what’s going on? And some things felt a little too convenient/easy. The park is easy to picture, but other areas less so: Virgin doesn’t spend nearly as much time describing anywhere but the park, which makes sense with her character, but still. The near-future setting kept throwing me: where exactly is the technology in relation to ours? Etc.
Overall, it’s fun. A bit Western-y, a bit urban fantasy, a bit near-future spec-fic. There’s a pretty diverse cast of characters, and nearly all of them have a role to play — there’s no, or at least few, throwaway characters who are just there to prop up a bit of the plot.
Originally posted here.
April 18, 2014
http://www.mybookishways.com/2014/04/...
Virgin “Ginny” Jackson loves working at Birrimun Park, a protected piece of land set against the city sprawl of the Western Quarter. She particularly enjoys watching the sunset in the park, and one night, she discovers that she’s not alone. In fact, there’s one dead body where moments before she had heard two distinct voices. She can’t linger at the scene, however, because she’s been tasked with picking up US Marshall Nate Sixkiller from the airport. He’s arrived to help her with the increasing problem of drug runners at the park, but Virgin doesn’t really want his help. Sixkiller is brooding and enigmatic, and Virgin isn’t quite sure she can trust him, but when she’s threatened in her own home, he’s got her back, and when she starts seeing an eagle she’s named Aquila that hasn’t shown itself since she was a teen, Nate seems to know more than he’s letting on. It doesn’t help that the detective in charge of the investigation of the death in the park seems to be gunning for her, and Virgin is the prime suspect. She’ll have to go to some pretty dangerous places to find out what is really going on, and as she follows the evidence, some of it seems to lead back to her father’s death, which she’s never thought was an accident. Luckily, she’s got Sixkiller, her off and on lover, Heart, and her best friend Caro, an investigative journalist, on her side, but will it be enough to keep her out of increasingly hot water?
Tired of the same old thing when it comes to urban fantasy? Look no further than Virgin Jackson. First off, it’s sent in a future Australia teeming with oddities, outlaw enclaves, and some fun future tech, and second, it’s just…different. I love the idea of a huge preserved oasis in the midst of a future urban coastal sprawl (even if it is as a result of human environmental damage). It’s a bit like Westworld, but without, you know, the automatons. Virgin patrols the Park on her enhanced horse Benny and the Western Quarter is packed with bars that are a mash up of different themes, like gangsta and western. Then the author throws in spirit animals and gang turf wars and it elevates things to a whole new level of awesome. Most of the action takes place outside of the Park, so I’m hoping we’ll get to explore it a little more in the next book, but I really like the headstrong Virgin, and also the fact that there wasn’t a heavy focus on her romantic life. She has one, but it fits in with her no-nonsense attitude and it’s certainly not the main focus of this fun book. Virgin gamely takes on everything that’s tossed at her (physically and spiritually) and begins to discover something much bigger than your everyday criminal activity. Much of the book sets up what will obviously be a series, and the author kind of throws the kitchen sink at Virgin at book’s end, which definitely makes one anxious for the next book, which is ok, because I personally like that anticipation. I’ll hang out with Virgin anytime, and am really looking forward to the next book!
Virgin “Ginny” Jackson loves working at Birrimun Park, a protected piece of land set against the city sprawl of the Western Quarter. She particularly enjoys watching the sunset in the park, and one night, she discovers that she’s not alone. In fact, there’s one dead body where moments before she had heard two distinct voices. She can’t linger at the scene, however, because she’s been tasked with picking up US Marshall Nate Sixkiller from the airport. He’s arrived to help her with the increasing problem of drug runners at the park, but Virgin doesn’t really want his help. Sixkiller is brooding and enigmatic, and Virgin isn’t quite sure she can trust him, but when she’s threatened in her own home, he’s got her back, and when she starts seeing an eagle she’s named Aquila that hasn’t shown itself since she was a teen, Nate seems to know more than he’s letting on. It doesn’t help that the detective in charge of the investigation of the death in the park seems to be gunning for her, and Virgin is the prime suspect. She’ll have to go to some pretty dangerous places to find out what is really going on, and as she follows the evidence, some of it seems to lead back to her father’s death, which she’s never thought was an accident. Luckily, she’s got Sixkiller, her off and on lover, Heart, and her best friend Caro, an investigative journalist, on her side, but will it be enough to keep her out of increasingly hot water?
Tired of the same old thing when it comes to urban fantasy? Look no further than Virgin Jackson. First off, it’s sent in a future Australia teeming with oddities, outlaw enclaves, and some fun future tech, and second, it’s just…different. I love the idea of a huge preserved oasis in the midst of a future urban coastal sprawl (even if it is as a result of human environmental damage). It’s a bit like Westworld, but without, you know, the automatons. Virgin patrols the Park on her enhanced horse Benny and the Western Quarter is packed with bars that are a mash up of different themes, like gangsta and western. Then the author throws in spirit animals and gang turf wars and it elevates things to a whole new level of awesome. Most of the action takes place outside of the Park, so I’m hoping we’ll get to explore it a little more in the next book, but I really like the headstrong Virgin, and also the fact that there wasn’t a heavy focus on her romantic life. She has one, but it fits in with her no-nonsense attitude and it’s certainly not the main focus of this fun book. Virgin gamely takes on everything that’s tossed at her (physically and spiritually) and begins to discover something much bigger than your everyday criminal activity. Much of the book sets up what will obviously be a series, and the author kind of throws the kitchen sink at Virgin at book’s end, which definitely makes one anxious for the next book, which is ok, because I personally like that anticipation. I’ll hang out with Virgin anytime, and am really looking forward to the next book!
June 10, 2018
In the not too distant future, humanity has swallowed all the natural land and covered it with concrete and fluorescent lights. Around the world a few nature parks and reserves have been maintained and one of them is Birrimun Park, in what I suspect is today's NSW. Virgin Jackson’s father was instrumental in establishing the park and now he is dead, but Virgin is a ranger there and is passionately protective of it.
Then she is landed with a US marshal for no apparent reason and the story progresses. Not quite dystopian, possibly sci-fi, arguably YA this is a fun book in many ways. I loved the world building and would have been delighted to see more of it; the examination of how society and individuals can change has always been one of the things that most draws me to sci-fi.
Despite the excellente potential inherent in the world building, this book did not completly rock my socks. I found the characters flat and elements of the story unlikely within even the fairly broad parameters the author had established. The reasons for that are are mostly So, Virgin herself. Aside from being annoying one has to wonder how she is employed still. Sure, everyone knew and loved her father, but she is a graceless, mouthy, pain in the arse. Her existence just seems less and less likely the more you read about her.
Lets start with age: She reads like someone barely out of their teens, with no emotional intelligence, no life skills, no ability to compromise, knuckle down to a job or any other virtue. Yet she tells us she has "three degrees"!!!??? In what? We never find out,but that's fine because she is a very vapid empty character, even ecology would not be convincing. Wait, three degrees? Lets assume universities became privatised - how did she afford them.... no, never mind, but if a degree took at least three years after high school (a bare minimum in Australia today), that would have to make her no less than twenty six, even if she was so academically skilled (roflol) she finished high school at 16-17.... DO you see my problem? The real problem is, that she was so two dimensional that I was thinking this while I was reading about her adventures.
Then, and this got me really annoyed; did we have to do the "I am seeing things I must be mad" cliche? I know it is indelibly etched in fiction, so much so that everyone believes it is a thing. It is not! I have seen people cope with seriously weird stuff, the one thing they do not often do is think themselves mad (except in fiction stories) mostly, they ignore it, forget it, pretend it is normal. They don't go to shrinks because they are seeing extinct eagles.
And goddammit! Once she is told again and again and again and again the eagle is not imaginary does she appreciate it? No. Does she thank it for saving her life? No. She is never nice or kind to this lovely mythic bird that is saving her life, the only appreciation it ever gets is a head scritch from the American. That nasty little Virgin chick deserves a good slap around her slefish head followed by a seminar in EQ.
I could go on.
It is a good premise for a story, despite the rotten cover (don't get me started on THAT), shaky grammar and dialogue that is at best ok and at times very, very clumsy. The cardboard characters are disappointing, but still no worse than many other books offer. There is good conceptual world building and I did enjoy the overall story. The pace is fast, leaning to frantic so you won't get bored, and if you do not love the lead character then at least you won't hate her.
I wish I could give half stars; it does not really deserve two stars, but I do kind of balk at giving it three since that discredits some other books I have rated at three.
Then she is landed with a US marshal for no apparent reason and the story progresses. Not quite dystopian, possibly sci-fi, arguably YA this is a fun book in many ways. I loved the world building and would have been delighted to see more of it; the examination of how society and individuals can change has always been one of the things that most draws me to sci-fi.
Despite the excellente potential inherent in the world building, this book did not completly rock my socks. I found the characters flat and elements of the story unlikely within even the fairly broad parameters the author had established. The reasons for that are are mostly So, Virgin herself. Aside from being annoying one has to wonder how she is employed still. Sure, everyone knew and loved her father, but she is a graceless, mouthy, pain in the arse. Her existence just seems less and less likely the more you read about her.
Lets start with age: She reads like someone barely out of their teens, with no emotional intelligence, no life skills, no ability to compromise, knuckle down to a job or any other virtue. Yet she tells us she has "three degrees"!!!??? In what? We never find out,but that's fine because she is a very vapid empty character, even ecology would not be convincing. Wait, three degrees? Lets assume universities became privatised - how did she afford them.... no, never mind, but if a degree took at least three years after high school (a bare minimum in Australia today), that would have to make her no less than twenty six, even if she was so academically skilled (roflol) she finished high school at 16-17.... DO you see my problem? The real problem is, that she was so two dimensional that I was thinking this while I was reading about her adventures.
Then, and this got me really annoyed; did we have to do the "I am seeing things I must be mad" cliche? I know it is indelibly etched in fiction, so much so that everyone believes it is a thing. It is not! I have seen people cope with seriously weird stuff, the one thing they do not often do is think themselves mad (except in fiction stories) mostly, they ignore it, forget it, pretend it is normal. They don't go to shrinks because they are seeing extinct eagles.
And goddammit! Once she is told again and again and again and again the eagle is not imaginary does she appreciate it? No. Does she thank it for saving her life? No. She is never nice or kind to this lovely mythic bird that is saving her life, the only appreciation it ever gets is a head scritch from the American. That nasty little Virgin chick deserves a good slap around her slefish head followed by a seminar in EQ.
I could go on.
It is a good premise for a story, despite the rotten cover (don't get me started on THAT), shaky grammar and dialogue that is at best ok and at times very, very clumsy. The cardboard characters are disappointing, but still no worse than many other books offer. There is good conceptual world building and I did enjoy the overall story. The pace is fast, leaning to frantic so you won't get bored, and if you do not love the lead character then at least you won't hate her.
I wish I could give half stars; it does not really deserve two stars, but I do kind of balk at giving it three since that discredits some other books I have rated at three.
March 8, 2014
Oh man. I really wanted to like this book. Not least, I must admit, because I actually own SEVEN other books by the author which are in my TBR backlog (hey, they looked fun!).
This one went to the top of the list because I got it from NetGalley. (Thanks to NetGalley and Angry Robot for the copy.)
Near-future Australian Park Ranger Virgin (yes, that's her name) finds a dead body at the end of her shift. Together with a Native American U.S. Marshal, her endlessly-resourceful best friend Caro, and the support of her hunky stripper friend-with-benefits Heart, she has to stay alive, stay out of jail, and solve the crime.
The story felt very much like a pilot episode of a low-budget action-oriented TV show aimed at teens. It introduces the characters, walks them through a basic plot, and leaves room for plenty more to come.
The writing is the weakest part - it's barely more than a screenplay. Actually, screenplays are usually carefully and precisely crafted. This reads almost as if, after outlining the story, the author orally narrated it into a tape recorder and then said, "It's done" - awkward grammar, not-quite-right words, over-colloquial phrasing, plot inconsistencies, and all.
I have to admit, I may be feeling more-than-usually critical of the language because I read this concurrently with a book by a Pulitzer Prize-nominated author who inarguably has a greater-than-average facility with words, and whose use of language displays a true grace. This author does not aim for that. The words are there to tell you what each character said and did next - that's all.
One extra star because I liked the sci-fi Australian setting, and the characters and concepts, although cartoonish, were pretty fun. If this were actually a tv show, I'd probably even watch it.
This one went to the top of the list because I got it from NetGalley. (Thanks to NetGalley and Angry Robot for the copy.)
Near-future Australian Park Ranger Virgin (yes, that's her name) finds a dead body at the end of her shift. Together with a Native American U.S. Marshal, her endlessly-resourceful best friend Caro, and the support of her hunky stripper friend-with-benefits Heart, she has to stay alive, stay out of jail, and solve the crime.
The story felt very much like a pilot episode of a low-budget action-oriented TV show aimed at teens. It introduces the characters, walks them through a basic plot, and leaves room for plenty more to come.
The writing is the weakest part - it's barely more than a screenplay. Actually, screenplays are usually carefully and precisely crafted. This reads almost as if, after outlining the story, the author orally narrated it into a tape recorder and then said, "It's done" - awkward grammar, not-quite-right words, over-colloquial phrasing, plot inconsistencies, and all.
I have to admit, I may be feeling more-than-usually critical of the language because I read this concurrently with a book by a Pulitzer Prize-nominated author who inarguably has a greater-than-average facility with words, and whose use of language displays a true grace. This author does not aim for that. The words are there to tell you what each character said and did next - that's all.
One extra star because I liked the sci-fi Australian setting, and the characters and concepts, although cartoonish, were pretty fun. If this were actually a tv show, I'd probably even watch it.
May 7, 2014
I had fairly high hopes here after reading the blog, so I quickly requested a copy from NetGalley, which they provided.
That said, my hopes weren't entirely met. I did enjoy the story, and I very much liked the characters and the 'near-future' Australia setting with a Western (USA) flavored theme park. It really had the feel of a good blend of Western and Urban Fantasy.
The story wasn't disappointing, it just didn't stand out and wow me. There was a lot going on with the plot and it seemed to take a lot to keep up with all of it. Most of it came together fairly well by the end, except of course what we'd expect to linger in order to move the story from a novel to a series.
I'm fairly interested in where the series plot could go and I'd like to see more development of the characters. But since I wasn't amazed by this one, I'm not sure when I'd get a chance to explore any sequels. There aren't any out yet, and I'm not sure this will stick with me very much by the time the next one is available. Still, we'll see. There's certainly room to grow here.
That said, my hopes weren't entirely met. I did enjoy the story, and I very much liked the characters and the 'near-future' Australia setting with a Western (USA) flavored theme park. It really had the feel of a good blend of Western and Urban Fantasy.
The story wasn't disappointing, it just didn't stand out and wow me. There was a lot going on with the plot and it seemed to take a lot to keep up with all of it. Most of it came together fairly well by the end, except of course what we'd expect to linger in order to move the story from a novel to a series.
I'm fairly interested in where the series plot could go and I'd like to see more development of the characters. But since I wasn't amazed by this one, I'm not sure when I'd get a chance to explore any sequels. There aren't any out yet, and I'm not sure this will stick with me very much by the time the next one is available. Still, we'll see. There's certainly room to grow here.
February 19, 2014
Good stuff!
Set in Australia in an undetermined point in the future, it's future noir. Park Ranger Virgin Jackson and a US Marshall reluctantly team up to solve an impossible murder, and Jackson learns there's much more to her world than she ever suspected.
This book has great characters and character interactions, an interesting setting and world building, and so much possibility. And pretty much no one is who they seem at first glance, or at least everyone has secrets.
Great ending too: satisfying, but leaves room for sequels.
Set in Australia in an undetermined point in the future, it's future noir. Park Ranger Virgin Jackson and a US Marshall reluctantly team up to solve an impossible murder, and Jackson learns there's much more to her world than she ever suspected.
This book has great characters and character interactions, an interesting setting and world building, and so much possibility. And pretty much no one is who they seem at first glance, or at least everyone has secrets.
Great ending too: satisfying, but leaves room for sequels.
November 30, 2016
‘Peacekeeper’ caught my eye in the library because it has a badass-looking lady cowboy on the cover and is by Marianne de Pierres. Years ago I read her Code Noir series, which I remember being utterly ridiculous but quite a lot of fun. (The heroine wore a pleated nylon catsuit - let that sink in.) I expected the same from this: sci-fi nonsense, with a neo-wild West vibe in this case. That is essentially what the book provides, however I fear I have become more demanding since I last read de Pierres and this one just felt too slapdash. The characters each had a couple of basic traits that were barely developed, the setting was potentially interesting yet scarcely explored, and the plot failed to convince or really engage me. There were also quite a few typos, which got on my nerves. In a certain respect, the one dimensional nature of the main character was interesting, though. She is a hardbitten loner with daddy issues, too quick to take a drink, slow to trust anyone, banging a stripper with a heart of gold but not willing to consider that a relationship, and only truly affectionate to her horse. Switch the pronouns and that is a stock character that turns up all the damn time, especially in noir. Thus it’s rather chastening that a female iteration of said tropes feels less convincing. I’ve got so used to such characters being male that similarly flimsy characterisation of a man would have been easier to shrug off, in a ‘Dead Dove Do Not Eat’/"I don’t know what I expected" sort of way. Perhaps de Pierres is using Virgin Jackson the lady cowboy as a clever commentary. However that does not explain the lazy plotting.
The narrative deals with some sort of conspiracy, which has a confusing mixture of elements: organised crime, people trafficking, culture wars, supernatural creatures, intelligence agencies, and alternative universes (I think?). Virgin is caught up in this because… I wasn’t completely sure. A mixture of her job putting her in the wrong place at the wrong time and something to do with her father? What I never understand with these sort of conspiracies is why the conspirators decide to frame an inconvenient person for murder, rather than just straight up murdering them. The lack of explanation for this kind of thing irritates. When the main character seems to be alive and not in jail simply because they are the main character, it's grating. Moreover, Virgin kept making bad decisions and repeating herself. Of the former, perhaps the most egregious example is when she’s recovering from severe blood loss, on a covert stakeout, and decides to do three shots of vodka on an empty stomach. WHY. I found it hard to sympathise with her or any of the other characters. It is perhaps revealing that I put down the book twenty pages before the end because I needed to do other things, then felt no great inclination to pick it up again as I wasn't really interested in what would happen. Indeed, as I expected, the ending gives no real closure and is clearly setting up an ongoing series. Not one that I intend to read, though. The concept of ‘Peacemaker’ is potentially interesting and just plain fun, however the execution is disappointing.
The narrative deals with some sort of conspiracy, which has a confusing mixture of elements: organised crime, people trafficking, culture wars, supernatural creatures, intelligence agencies, and alternative universes (I think?). Virgin is caught up in this because… I wasn’t completely sure. A mixture of her job putting her in the wrong place at the wrong time and something to do with her father? What I never understand with these sort of conspiracies is why the conspirators decide to frame an inconvenient person for murder, rather than just straight up murdering them. The lack of explanation for this kind of thing irritates. When the main character seems to be alive and not in jail simply because they are the main character, it's grating. Moreover, Virgin kept making bad decisions and repeating herself. Of the former, perhaps the most egregious example is when she’s recovering from severe blood loss, on a covert stakeout, and decides to do three shots of vodka on an empty stomach. WHY. I found it hard to sympathise with her or any of the other characters. It is perhaps revealing that I put down the book twenty pages before the end because I needed to do other things, then felt no great inclination to pick it up again as I wasn't really interested in what would happen. Indeed, as I expected, the ending gives no real closure and is clearly setting up an ongoing series. Not one that I intend to read, though. The concept of ‘Peacemaker’ is potentially interesting and just plain fun, however the execution is disappointing.
May 6, 2014
4.5/5
Wow. Just … wow.
Peacemaker is an exciting and creative narrative that skilfully combines elements of westerns, science fiction, fantasy and crime to create one of the most engaging books you’ll read this year.
The book is set in a future Australia unlike any other I’ve read: one where overpopulation has created a mega-city spanning the entire east coast and Australia’s desert is the only natural landscape left. It has been preserved as a national park, and Virgin Jackson is the senior park ranger. Moreover, the natural park has been turned into ‘Wild-West’ themed tourist attraction, where folk can roam around on horse-back and take a tour of the outback (complete with imported cacti!). I find it to be a fascinating and terrifying future for Australia, particularly in terms of the ‘asylum seekers war’ hinted at in the narrative, because it’s something I can see happening.
In addition to the unique setting of the novel, I loved the characters that de Pierres has created for this story. There’s our feisty park ranger protagonist, Virgin, and her enigmatic partner US Marshal Nate Sixkiller, her journalist best friend Caro and computer genius colleague Totes, and her lover, Heart. They all play major roles throughout the story, with Gin turning to each of them in turn for help when she’s embroiled in a murder investigation. Virgin is a great protagonist because she’s not really exceptional at anything, but her bravery and tenacity help her get through an extremely tough time in her life. It was also amazing to see Virgin interact positively with the men and women in her life, as too often female relationships are shown to be destructive, rife with cattiness and jealousy.
As I mentioned earlier, this novel really has a bit of everything, and I loved ever minute of it. What begins as a crime novel set in a SFF Western world quickly weaves in elements of mythical and urban fantasy, and the result is as clever as it is exciting. Virgin’s investigation into a murder she witnessed inside the park takes her into the criminal underbelly of her world, and she ends up getting help from a wide and weird variety of sources including a chef, an exotic dancer, and a mercenary.
Subtly woven throughout the crime drama is the mystery of the mythical creature that Virgin used to see as a child, one she’d convinced was imaginary, that has reappeared, and the mystical events that follow. It doesn’t take centre-stage in this novel, but there are strong hints that there is a lot more to discover about Gin’s ‘disincarnate’. I can’t wait to read Dealbreaker and find out!
Peacemaker showcases de Pierres’ brilliant writing and world-building skills, and is not to be missed by fans of her earlier works and those who enjoy genre-blended stories.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for review.
You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic .
Wow. Just … wow.
Peacemaker is an exciting and creative narrative that skilfully combines elements of westerns, science fiction, fantasy and crime to create one of the most engaging books you’ll read this year.
The book is set in a future Australia unlike any other I’ve read: one where overpopulation has created a mega-city spanning the entire east coast and Australia’s desert is the only natural landscape left. It has been preserved as a national park, and Virgin Jackson is the senior park ranger. Moreover, the natural park has been turned into ‘Wild-West’ themed tourist attraction, where folk can roam around on horse-back and take a tour of the outback (complete with imported cacti!). I find it to be a fascinating and terrifying future for Australia, particularly in terms of the ‘asylum seekers war’ hinted at in the narrative, because it’s something I can see happening.
In addition to the unique setting of the novel, I loved the characters that de Pierres has created for this story. There’s our feisty park ranger protagonist, Virgin, and her enigmatic partner US Marshal Nate Sixkiller, her journalist best friend Caro and computer genius colleague Totes, and her lover, Heart. They all play major roles throughout the story, with Gin turning to each of them in turn for help when she’s embroiled in a murder investigation. Virgin is a great protagonist because she’s not really exceptional at anything, but her bravery and tenacity help her get through an extremely tough time in her life. It was also amazing to see Virgin interact positively with the men and women in her life, as too often female relationships are shown to be destructive, rife with cattiness and jealousy.
As I mentioned earlier, this novel really has a bit of everything, and I loved ever minute of it. What begins as a crime novel set in a SFF Western world quickly weaves in elements of mythical and urban fantasy, and the result is as clever as it is exciting. Virgin’s investigation into a murder she witnessed inside the park takes her into the criminal underbelly of her world, and she ends up getting help from a wide and weird variety of sources including a chef, an exotic dancer, and a mercenary.
Subtly woven throughout the crime drama is the mystery of the mythical creature that Virgin used to see as a child, one she’d convinced was imaginary, that has reappeared, and the mystical events that follow. It doesn’t take centre-stage in this novel, but there are strong hints that there is a lot more to discover about Gin’s ‘disincarnate’. I can’t wait to read Dealbreaker and find out!
Peacemaker showcases de Pierres’ brilliant writing and world-building skills, and is not to be missed by fans of her earlier works and those who enjoy genre-blended stories.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for review.
You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic .
April 21, 2014
eARC provided by Netgalley.
In the future, Earth's wildernesses have been decimated, the landscape dominated by megacities. Only one natural place remains - Birrimun Park. Its senior ranger is Virgin Jackson, a tough-talking, stubborn woman who loves the park, though she is not overly fond of the American West themes inflicted on the Australian park in order to feed the tourist trade.
The park is supposed to be inviolate, a fact that Virgin believes until she witnesses a murder within its boundaries. At the time time, she begins to see Aquila, an "imaginary" eagle that she has seen since she was a child, and relegated to a product of her tempestuous teenage years.
Virgin becomes a target, though she has no idea who is targeting her, and is forced to delve into her own past as well as the mysteries of what happened in the park in order to guarantee her own safety.
Peacemaker sets a hectic pace, with Virgin and Nate stumbling from one dangerous situation to the next. de Pierres manages to balance this tumult of action with calmer scenes, all of which work to develop the world and Virgin herself.
Virgin Jackson is a heroine that science fiction needs to see more of. She is real - she hesitates sometimes, and other times she tumbles head over heels into situations that the reader will fairly be screaming at her to run away from. She gets beaten up a lot, and yet she always gets up again. She breaks gender roles in a multitude of ways, and yet de Pierres hasn't fallen back on any tropes in making her strong in this sense. She can stand with any of them men in this world, and yet she also possesses a softness and vulnerability that the reader is allowed glimpses of.
Readers will also find the romance in this refreshing - after the first few chapters, I had feared that things were being set up for a love triangle. Nothing of the sort ensues, though the romance is by no means easy or simple.
It is clear that de Pierres has developed a wonderful world here, and it feels very much like this book only skims the surface of it. There are many tantalising hints of depths, especially in terms of the spiritual side of the world, and of Nate Sixkiller.
I am very glad to see that at least one sequel to this book will be coming out, and I hope to see many more after it, de Pierres willing to write more. de Pierres is an extremely talented author who has produced an exceptional variety of works, and if you haven't read any of her work before, Peacemaker is a great place to start.
In the future, Earth's wildernesses have been decimated, the landscape dominated by megacities. Only one natural place remains - Birrimun Park. Its senior ranger is Virgin Jackson, a tough-talking, stubborn woman who loves the park, though she is not overly fond of the American West themes inflicted on the Australian park in order to feed the tourist trade.
The park is supposed to be inviolate, a fact that Virgin believes until she witnesses a murder within its boundaries. At the time time, she begins to see Aquila, an "imaginary" eagle that she has seen since she was a child, and relegated to a product of her tempestuous teenage years.
Virgin becomes a target, though she has no idea who is targeting her, and is forced to delve into her own past as well as the mysteries of what happened in the park in order to guarantee her own safety.
Peacemaker sets a hectic pace, with Virgin and Nate stumbling from one dangerous situation to the next. de Pierres manages to balance this tumult of action with calmer scenes, all of which work to develop the world and Virgin herself.
Virgin Jackson is a heroine that science fiction needs to see more of. She is real - she hesitates sometimes, and other times she tumbles head over heels into situations that the reader will fairly be screaming at her to run away from. She gets beaten up a lot, and yet she always gets up again. She breaks gender roles in a multitude of ways, and yet de Pierres hasn't fallen back on any tropes in making her strong in this sense. She can stand with any of them men in this world, and yet she also possesses a softness and vulnerability that the reader is allowed glimpses of.
Readers will also find the romance in this refreshing - after the first few chapters, I had feared that things were being set up for a love triangle. Nothing of the sort ensues, though the romance is by no means easy or simple.
It is clear that de Pierres has developed a wonderful world here, and it feels very much like this book only skims the surface of it. There are many tantalising hints of depths, especially in terms of the spiritual side of the world, and of Nate Sixkiller.
I am very glad to see that at least one sequel to this book will be coming out, and I hope to see many more after it, de Pierres willing to write more. de Pierres is an extremely talented author who has produced an exceptional variety of works, and if you haven't read any of her work before, Peacemaker is a great place to start.
February 21, 2014
First of all, thanks to the Angry Robot overlords for making my kindle happy.
Now, you should all run over and see my friend, Dan Schwent, he wrote a way better review of this than I will. This was another pleasant suprise for me, I think maybe I should open my mind a bit more (shudder at that thought) and take more chances on authors I have never heard of.
Very interesting story, I liked the characters, it sort of came across as a cop drama meets Longmire meets Blade Runner. Let that one run through your mind a bit.
Go check it out, I will be returning for more, Ms. de Pierres.
Now, you should all run over and see my friend, Dan Schwent, he wrote a way better review of this than I will. This was another pleasant suprise for me, I think maybe I should open my mind a bit more (shudder at that thought) and take more chances on authors I have never heard of.
Very interesting story, I liked the characters, it sort of came across as a cop drama meets Longmire meets Blade Runner. Let that one run through your mind a bit.
Go check it out, I will be returning for more, Ms. de Pierres.
April 9, 2014
*I received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
This was a refreshing idea. Can I just say the bland narration and flat characters ruined that potential?
Question: Choose the correct answer -
Who will Virgin fall in love with at the end of this series?
a) Nate
b) Totes
c) Heart
d) Hamish
Me: *gags*
The writing reminded me of telling someone the synopsis of a book (this happens, that happens and blah blah) instead of drawing pictures in my head.
Definite thumbs down.
ETA: a formatted revview can be found here - http://spraypaintedtunnels.blogspot.i...
This was a refreshing idea. Can I just say the bland narration and flat characters ruined that potential?
Question: Choose the correct answer -
Who will Virgin fall in love with at the end of this series?
a) Nate
b) Totes
c) Heart
d) Hamish
Me: *gags*
The writing reminded me of telling someone the synopsis of a book (this happens, that happens and blah blah) instead of drawing pictures in my head.
Definite thumbs down.
ETA: a formatted revview can be found here - http://spraypaintedtunnels.blogspot.i...
May 19, 2014
Enter my international giveaway for a copy of Peacemaker here: Books, Bones & Buffy. Ends Friday May 23!!
The nitty-gritty: A quirky mix of old west and sci-fi, a kick-ass heroine who can’t seem to stay out of trouble, and just a bit of romance, in all the right places.
Heart without the smile was a good looking guy with a great body. With the smile he became a weapon of mass destruction.
I was immediately intrigued by this book when I first saw the eye-catching cover by Joey Hi-Fi, an artist who has done many of the Angry Robot covers. And can I just say, this cover perfectly captures the tone of Peacemaker. It’s a kick-ass western/sci-fi/urban fantasy that was unlike anything else I’ve read, and I had a blast reading it. Marianne de Pierres has a compact and finely honed writing style, filled with snappy dialog reminiscent of great noir fiction. Not only is this story an awesome genre mash-up, but it takes place in Australia, which for me, added to its charm. I’m happy to say that this is only the first book in de Pierres’ new series, and I am anxiously awaiting book two.
Virgin is a park ranger who patrols and cares for Birrimun Park, one of the last sprawling natural parks around. Her father taught her to respect the land and its natural resources, and she’s taken that lesson to heart, especially after his suspicious death inside the park. But a new Marshall named Nate Sixkiller has come to town to monitor some suspected drug trafficking, and now he’s Virgin’s responsibility. When Virgin witnesses a murder in the park after dark, all hell breaks loose, and she and Nate must figure out why they’re being targeted by a group called Korax. Virgin suspects that Nate knows more than he’s telling her, and he may even know what happened to her father. When an imaginary eagle from Virgin’s past named Aquila shows up unexpectedly, she knows things are only going to get weirder. With so many mysteries to unravel, what’s a girl to do?
My favorite thing about Peacemaker was Virgin’s first person narration. She’s sassy and quick with the snarky retorts, and she doesn’t take shit from anyone. Virgin has a lover—not a boyfriend, mind you—who she spends one night a week with, a hot male stripper named Heart. I adored their relationship, mostly because I loved the way Virgin only wants Heart for sex, and nothing else. It was such a great way to turn the tables on what is usually a stereotypical male relationship scenario. Virgin is the type of woman who knows what she wants, and doesn’t let anyone stand in her way.
When Sixkiller comes into the picture—and boy, do I love his name!—I thought at first a love triangle might be brewing. And in a way, there is one, but it was skillfully done and didn’t take over the story. This is most decidedly not a romance, but it had romantic elements that felt natural and fit within the fast-paced mystery without bringing the action to a screeching halt. Sixkiller is one of those characters with lots of secrets, and it was fun watching Virgin try to figure him out.
de Pierres’ dialog is so good, I just have to share a snippet with you, like this scene between Sixkiller and Virgin’s friend Corah:
“Caro Jenae, and Marshall Nate Sixkiller,” I said by way of introduction. “Meet…um…Corah.”
“Marshall Sixkiller. What a shame…all the best men are always in law enforcement,” she said, completely ignoring Caro.
“Well I take that as a compliment, ma’am,” said Sixkiller in his broadest drawl. “And hope you don’t hold it ag’in me.”
“I’d like to hold many things ag’in you Marshall. Perhaps I could make you a list.”
The genre mash-up I mentioned earlier really makes Peacemaker stand out from the usual fare of science fiction. The story has an overall feeling of a western, what with all the pistols and gun-toting characters. But small sci-fi details remind us that we’re not in the old West, details like the invisible force field that covers Birrimun Park, and the dissolving gloves that Virgin uses in one scene.
The city itself, which lends an urban fantasy vibe to the story, is divided into small factions that employ their own methods of law enforcement, rather than rely on the government to help them. Society is slowly falling apart, and parts of the city are downright dangerous, such as Mystere, a place where you can go to get your tarot read, but if you wander too far off the main road, you’re likely to be shot for looking at someone the wrong way.
The story has many funny moments, and I found myself laughing out loud more than once. One particular running gag was perfectly done. When someone breaks into Virgin’s apartment and Sixkiller saves her by killing the intruder, the police tape outline of the murder victim almost becomes a character itself, when Virgin names it “John Flat.”
My only issue with the book is that there is a lot going on, and I lost track a few times of what the characters were doing. But there is so much to love about Peacemaker: colorful characters, references to mythology, lots of mysteries to solve and some complex relationships that leave lots of fodder for book two. Several surprises are revealed near the end, which makes me want to read the next installment even more. If you are ready for a story that stands out from the crowd with a unique feel all its own, Peacemaker is truly worth your time.
Big thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy.
The nitty-gritty: A quirky mix of old west and sci-fi, a kick-ass heroine who can’t seem to stay out of trouble, and just a bit of romance, in all the right places.
Heart without the smile was a good looking guy with a great body. With the smile he became a weapon of mass destruction.
I was immediately intrigued by this book when I first saw the eye-catching cover by Joey Hi-Fi, an artist who has done many of the Angry Robot covers. And can I just say, this cover perfectly captures the tone of Peacemaker. It’s a kick-ass western/sci-fi/urban fantasy that was unlike anything else I’ve read, and I had a blast reading it. Marianne de Pierres has a compact and finely honed writing style, filled with snappy dialog reminiscent of great noir fiction. Not only is this story an awesome genre mash-up, but it takes place in Australia, which for me, added to its charm. I’m happy to say that this is only the first book in de Pierres’ new series, and I am anxiously awaiting book two.
Virgin is a park ranger who patrols and cares for Birrimun Park, one of the last sprawling natural parks around. Her father taught her to respect the land and its natural resources, and she’s taken that lesson to heart, especially after his suspicious death inside the park. But a new Marshall named Nate Sixkiller has come to town to monitor some suspected drug trafficking, and now he’s Virgin’s responsibility. When Virgin witnesses a murder in the park after dark, all hell breaks loose, and she and Nate must figure out why they’re being targeted by a group called Korax. Virgin suspects that Nate knows more than he’s telling her, and he may even know what happened to her father. When an imaginary eagle from Virgin’s past named Aquila shows up unexpectedly, she knows things are only going to get weirder. With so many mysteries to unravel, what’s a girl to do?
My favorite thing about Peacemaker was Virgin’s first person narration. She’s sassy and quick with the snarky retorts, and she doesn’t take shit from anyone. Virgin has a lover—not a boyfriend, mind you—who she spends one night a week with, a hot male stripper named Heart. I adored their relationship, mostly because I loved the way Virgin only wants Heart for sex, and nothing else. It was such a great way to turn the tables on what is usually a stereotypical male relationship scenario. Virgin is the type of woman who knows what she wants, and doesn’t let anyone stand in her way.
When Sixkiller comes into the picture—and boy, do I love his name!—I thought at first a love triangle might be brewing. And in a way, there is one, but it was skillfully done and didn’t take over the story. This is most decidedly not a romance, but it had romantic elements that felt natural and fit within the fast-paced mystery without bringing the action to a screeching halt. Sixkiller is one of those characters with lots of secrets, and it was fun watching Virgin try to figure him out.
de Pierres’ dialog is so good, I just have to share a snippet with you, like this scene between Sixkiller and Virgin’s friend Corah:
“Caro Jenae, and Marshall Nate Sixkiller,” I said by way of introduction. “Meet…um…Corah.”
“Marshall Sixkiller. What a shame…all the best men are always in law enforcement,” she said, completely ignoring Caro.
“Well I take that as a compliment, ma’am,” said Sixkiller in his broadest drawl. “And hope you don’t hold it ag’in me.”
“I’d like to hold many things ag’in you Marshall. Perhaps I could make you a list.”
The genre mash-up I mentioned earlier really makes Peacemaker stand out from the usual fare of science fiction. The story has an overall feeling of a western, what with all the pistols and gun-toting characters. But small sci-fi details remind us that we’re not in the old West, details like the invisible force field that covers Birrimun Park, and the dissolving gloves that Virgin uses in one scene.
The city itself, which lends an urban fantasy vibe to the story, is divided into small factions that employ their own methods of law enforcement, rather than rely on the government to help them. Society is slowly falling apart, and parts of the city are downright dangerous, such as Mystere, a place where you can go to get your tarot read, but if you wander too far off the main road, you’re likely to be shot for looking at someone the wrong way.
The story has many funny moments, and I found myself laughing out loud more than once. One particular running gag was perfectly done. When someone breaks into Virgin’s apartment and Sixkiller saves her by killing the intruder, the police tape outline of the murder victim almost becomes a character itself, when Virgin names it “John Flat.”
My only issue with the book is that there is a lot going on, and I lost track a few times of what the characters were doing. But there is so much to love about Peacemaker: colorful characters, references to mythology, lots of mysteries to solve and some complex relationships that leave lots of fodder for book two. Several surprises are revealed near the end, which makes me want to read the next installment even more. If you are ready for a story that stands out from the crowd with a unique feel all its own, Peacemaker is truly worth your time.
Big thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy.
August 10, 2016
Originally published at SFFWorld.
Peacemaker (Peacemaker #1) is Marianne de Pierres’ new novel out from Angry Robot Books. With a combined setting of both future Australian mega-city and Wild West style landscape expanse, Peacemaker dips its toes into multiple genres. With such a unique and interesting setting to play with the question of whether this is too much for the story is present from the offset. However, de Pierres manages to keep everything in check while delivering a quick and action packed story.
Virgin Jackson is a ranger in Birrimun Park, the last natural landscape on the planet, her days taken up with the general maintenance of such a large reserve. With public access limited and strict controls in place to monitor the park, it comes as somewhat of a shock to Jackson when she walks into a gunfight in the park, one with people who should not – cannot – be there. Ending up embroiled in a murder investigation, one which paints her firmly as the chief suspect, is not her typical day, and with no evidence to corroborate her side of the story the situation starts to get messy.
With the arrival of Marshall Nate Sixkiller, a stoic and somewhat reserved American cowboy, and the reappearance of her childhood imaginary companion, the eagle Aquila, Jackson has more on her hands than she bargains for. Following up with her own investigation into the murder she discovers even more strange occurrences within Birrimun Park, and also in the wider city, all of which leads her to places and people on the murky edge of society.
My first impression of Peacemaker was, quite simply, cool. The setting – a Wild West style landscape set in the future – cried out to me as somewhere that could tell some very interesting stories. While the sci-fi side of the coin is perhaps not quite as prevalent as I would have hoped, it really didn’t matter. There were touches here and there to remind you that this was the future, but it was the western elements that really enriched the story.
One of the reasons that Peacemaker works so well is its main character, Virgin Jackson. The story is told through her eyes, dealing with situations as they arise, viewing – and judging – other people based on her values and opinions, and generally driving the narrative without much pause. There isn’t much let up in the pacing because of this, and it works that Virgin is determined and strong willed to keep the story going. I liked her because of her strengths as well as her flaws. She is judgmental, and the biggest issue this causes is the way she views Nate Sixkiller. She doesn’t give him an inch, and it feels like she’s fighting against him the whole time despite his actions. Having two very strong characters could have been an issue, but it isn’t and they do complement each other – to an extent. However, despite how much I enjoyed Sixkiller’s character and the time he’s present on the page, Peacemaker is very much about Virgin Jackson.
There are also mystic elements to Peacemaker, particularly in Virgin’s spirit pet, Aquila. When she turns up it sets many aspects of the story into motion, and Virgin’s understanding of why and how she is there is never firm. Something that is clear from the outset is that Sixkiller is a font of knowledge, but he rarely offers opinions, and Virgin doesn’t trust him to delve and ask questions. When this starts to resolve later in the novel it opens up even more questions about Virgin, Sixkiller, and the world in general.
Being quickly paced and entertaining, Peacemaker is successful, if slightly uneven, in its delivery. Enough questions are raised early on to keep the pages turning, and the world de Pierres has created is deep and rich, begging for further exploration. I, for one, look forward to the next novel in the series, especially after the revelations in the closing pages…
Peacemaker (Peacemaker #1) is Marianne de Pierres’ new novel out from Angry Robot Books. With a combined setting of both future Australian mega-city and Wild West style landscape expanse, Peacemaker dips its toes into multiple genres. With such a unique and interesting setting to play with the question of whether this is too much for the story is present from the offset. However, de Pierres manages to keep everything in check while delivering a quick and action packed story.
Virgin Jackson is a ranger in Birrimun Park, the last natural landscape on the planet, her days taken up with the general maintenance of such a large reserve. With public access limited and strict controls in place to monitor the park, it comes as somewhat of a shock to Jackson when she walks into a gunfight in the park, one with people who should not – cannot – be there. Ending up embroiled in a murder investigation, one which paints her firmly as the chief suspect, is not her typical day, and with no evidence to corroborate her side of the story the situation starts to get messy.
With the arrival of Marshall Nate Sixkiller, a stoic and somewhat reserved American cowboy, and the reappearance of her childhood imaginary companion, the eagle Aquila, Jackson has more on her hands than she bargains for. Following up with her own investigation into the murder she discovers even more strange occurrences within Birrimun Park, and also in the wider city, all of which leads her to places and people on the murky edge of society.
My first impression of Peacemaker was, quite simply, cool. The setting – a Wild West style landscape set in the future – cried out to me as somewhere that could tell some very interesting stories. While the sci-fi side of the coin is perhaps not quite as prevalent as I would have hoped, it really didn’t matter. There were touches here and there to remind you that this was the future, but it was the western elements that really enriched the story.
One of the reasons that Peacemaker works so well is its main character, Virgin Jackson. The story is told through her eyes, dealing with situations as they arise, viewing – and judging – other people based on her values and opinions, and generally driving the narrative without much pause. There isn’t much let up in the pacing because of this, and it works that Virgin is determined and strong willed to keep the story going. I liked her because of her strengths as well as her flaws. She is judgmental, and the biggest issue this causes is the way she views Nate Sixkiller. She doesn’t give him an inch, and it feels like she’s fighting against him the whole time despite his actions. Having two very strong characters could have been an issue, but it isn’t and they do complement each other – to an extent. However, despite how much I enjoyed Sixkiller’s character and the time he’s present on the page, Peacemaker is very much about Virgin Jackson.
There are also mystic elements to Peacemaker, particularly in Virgin’s spirit pet, Aquila. When she turns up it sets many aspects of the story into motion, and Virgin’s understanding of why and how she is there is never firm. Something that is clear from the outset is that Sixkiller is a font of knowledge, but he rarely offers opinions, and Virgin doesn’t trust him to delve and ask questions. When this starts to resolve later in the novel it opens up even more questions about Virgin, Sixkiller, and the world in general.
Being quickly paced and entertaining, Peacemaker is successful, if slightly uneven, in its delivery. Enough questions are raised early on to keep the pages turning, and the world de Pierres has created is deep and rich, begging for further exploration. I, for one, look forward to the next novel in the series, especially after the revelations in the closing pages…
July 27, 2015
Marianne de Pierres’s Peacemaker is a richly imagined genre-bender, a sci-fi Western grounded by a fascinating supernatural mythology and further realised by a murder mystery shrouded in suspense; lead by stoic and relentless, headstrong and independent Virgin Jackson with the help and support of US Marshall Nate Sixkiller, best friend Caro and professional stripper/intimate lover Heart (among others!), all likeable, all memorable, to the point of presenting symptoms of separation anxiety once the final page hit.
Having created the world of Virgin Jackson and Peacemaker with a 12 page comic previously in 2011, de Pierres had time to develop the characters and the story, transforming a short, streamlined story into a full-length novel, detailing and further expanding the futuristic rural Australian landscape. The setting is saturated visually by juxtaposing colours and tones as Virgin travels between the tranquil and last remaining parkland Birrimun Park, which she is a ranger for, and the expansive metropolis, which teems with an abundance of cultures and noise. Peacemaker is evidence of years of nurturing and development, the characters distinctly crafted and the SFF/Western world thoroughly lived in, every aspect of Peacemaker fleshed out to believability.
Virgin Jackson commits to her work as a ranger and protector of Birrimun Park more than she commits to her love life. Her father fought for the protection of the land before her, so it is only acceptable that she continues his legacy and does the same. So when, one night, Virgin witnesses a murder in the park, a murder quite uncanny and unfathomable, Virgin makes use of all her resources to understand the true nature of the crime before she herself is locked away by Detective Chance, who for some reason is determined to put Virgin behind bars for a crime she did not commit, and also before a criminal underbelly gets to her too. When US Marshall Nate Sixkiller enters the picture, there’s more to the case than meets any normal eye, with something of the supernatural nature that ties the two together.
Although Peacemaker follows Virgin, with the murder mystery entirely wrapped around her, the novel truly involves an ensemble cast, just like de Pierres’s young adult trilogy (Night Creatures). Each friend, acquaintance or colleague of Virgin adds weight to the plot and to Virgin as a character; they all contribute to the story one way or another. Virgin could just as well be someone who befriends people until their useless, but she’s not that sort of person. Rather, Virgin respects each individual, those she has known for years and those she has only just come to know, always thinking about their safety more than her own in harmful situations.
In a genre (speculative) that is quite filled nowadays with epic fantasy series and space operas, Peacemaker is a breath of fresh air (and how ironic considering this series (?) is as much about environmental protection than anything else). I believe – I finally say ‘I’ – that Peacemaker could be a great television show, possibly in line with recently aired Killer Women or The Bridge and Haven. With a lot more to discover in future instalments, concerning the Mythos and Virgin’s eagle Aquila, this series could only get better.
Having created the world of Virgin Jackson and Peacemaker with a 12 page comic previously in 2011, de Pierres had time to develop the characters and the story, transforming a short, streamlined story into a full-length novel, detailing and further expanding the futuristic rural Australian landscape. The setting is saturated visually by juxtaposing colours and tones as Virgin travels between the tranquil and last remaining parkland Birrimun Park, which she is a ranger for, and the expansive metropolis, which teems with an abundance of cultures and noise. Peacemaker is evidence of years of nurturing and development, the characters distinctly crafted and the SFF/Western world thoroughly lived in, every aspect of Peacemaker fleshed out to believability.
Virgin Jackson commits to her work as a ranger and protector of Birrimun Park more than she commits to her love life. Her father fought for the protection of the land before her, so it is only acceptable that she continues his legacy and does the same. So when, one night, Virgin witnesses a murder in the park, a murder quite uncanny and unfathomable, Virgin makes use of all her resources to understand the true nature of the crime before she herself is locked away by Detective Chance, who for some reason is determined to put Virgin behind bars for a crime she did not commit, and also before a criminal underbelly gets to her too. When US Marshall Nate Sixkiller enters the picture, there’s more to the case than meets any normal eye, with something of the supernatural nature that ties the two together.
Although Peacemaker follows Virgin, with the murder mystery entirely wrapped around her, the novel truly involves an ensemble cast, just like de Pierres’s young adult trilogy (Night Creatures). Each friend, acquaintance or colleague of Virgin adds weight to the plot and to Virgin as a character; they all contribute to the story one way or another. Virgin could just as well be someone who befriends people until their useless, but she’s not that sort of person. Rather, Virgin respects each individual, those she has known for years and those she has only just come to know, always thinking about their safety more than her own in harmful situations.
In a genre (speculative) that is quite filled nowadays with epic fantasy series and space operas, Peacemaker is a breath of fresh air (and how ironic considering this series (?) is as much about environmental protection than anything else). I believe – I finally say ‘I’ – that Peacemaker could be a great television show, possibly in line with recently aired Killer Women or The Bridge and Haven. With a lot more to discover in future instalments, concerning the Mythos and Virgin’s eagle Aquila, this series could only get better.
February 21, 2014
Birrimun Park, one of the world’s last remaining natural landscapes, is Ranger Virgin Jackson’s domain. She is more committed to it than to any human in her life, and she takes her duty to protect it seriously. When a Marshall is sent in from the US, Virgin begins to wonder whether there’s more going on with her Park than anyone is letting on. She has worked and loved the Park for years, and her father fought, and possibly died, for it before her. Unless Virgin’s boss is keeping something from her, there isn’t anything in the Park that Virgin can’t handle just as well as Marshall Sixkiller.
Then, while leaving the Park one night, Virgin witnesses a murder that could not scientifically happen and her ordered world is thrown into chaos. With hitmen from a bizarre, underground gang closing in on her, she needs to pool her resources and find out what’s happening before it’s too late for her.
Peacemaker is one of those novels that crosses genres entirely seamlessly. It seemingly starts out as a futuristic Western but, as we get deeper into Virgin’s world, it opens up. There’s some paranormal in there, a good dose of mystery and a dash of action. It’s obvious from reading Peacemaker that Marianne de Pierres has written in several of these genres already. Her confidence and success in melding them together is too expert for someone who didn’t understand them.
As with the previous novels that I’ve read by de Pierres, the motley crew of Virgin’s friends, colleagues and acquaintances are the thing that charmed me into the story. They all have very different personalities, temperaments and reasons for rallying around Virgin. Virgin, in some ways, acts as the glue to keep these odd characters and the storyline together. The action happens on her, but the resolution might just as easily unfold because of one of her friends. Caro has access to secrets and people who live and play outside of the law. Corah knows who to contact about the ins and outs of the mystical side of things. Sixkiller is steady in a gunfight, or fistfight, or pretty much any other kind of a fight. All of their skills come into play as the plot unwinds.
The pace set here is fast. It’s the kind of writing that draws you in and hurtles you along until you lose sense of time. Despite the fact that Virgin is never far from danger, the plot is tempered with periods of reflection long enough for you to get your bearings – and no longer.
Peacemaker is a slightly confounding but thoroughly enjoyable mix of old-Western charm, modern sensibilities and futuristic technology, wrapped into a neat package. It’s not one that you’ll want to put down but it makes for a quick read and, if you’re lucky, you won’t have to.
Peacemaker – Marianne de Pierres
Angry Robot (May 2014)
ISBN: 9780857664198
Then, while leaving the Park one night, Virgin witnesses a murder that could not scientifically happen and her ordered world is thrown into chaos. With hitmen from a bizarre, underground gang closing in on her, she needs to pool her resources and find out what’s happening before it’s too late for her.
Peacemaker is one of those novels that crosses genres entirely seamlessly. It seemingly starts out as a futuristic Western but, as we get deeper into Virgin’s world, it opens up. There’s some paranormal in there, a good dose of mystery and a dash of action. It’s obvious from reading Peacemaker that Marianne de Pierres has written in several of these genres already. Her confidence and success in melding them together is too expert for someone who didn’t understand them.
As with the previous novels that I’ve read by de Pierres, the motley crew of Virgin’s friends, colleagues and acquaintances are the thing that charmed me into the story. They all have very different personalities, temperaments and reasons for rallying around Virgin. Virgin, in some ways, acts as the glue to keep these odd characters and the storyline together. The action happens on her, but the resolution might just as easily unfold because of one of her friends. Caro has access to secrets and people who live and play outside of the law. Corah knows who to contact about the ins and outs of the mystical side of things. Sixkiller is steady in a gunfight, or fistfight, or pretty much any other kind of a fight. All of their skills come into play as the plot unwinds.
The pace set here is fast. It’s the kind of writing that draws you in and hurtles you along until you lose sense of time. Despite the fact that Virgin is never far from danger, the plot is tempered with periods of reflection long enough for you to get your bearings – and no longer.
Peacemaker is a slightly confounding but thoroughly enjoyable mix of old-Western charm, modern sensibilities and futuristic technology, wrapped into a neat package. It’s not one that you’ll want to put down but it makes for a quick read and, if you’re lucky, you won’t have to.
Peacemaker – Marianne de Pierres
Angry Robot (May 2014)
ISBN: 9780857664198
March 30, 2014
I first encountered Peacemaker protagonist Virgin Jackson in de Pierres' story "Gin Jackson: Neophyte Ranger" (first published in the Agog! Smashing Stories anthology in 2004, and reprinted in FableCroft's Australis Imaginarium in 2010). I was delighted to read Peacemaker in graphic version in 2011, and was a bit sad when that format was unable to continue, so it was with huge anticipation I started on the novel version! And I have not been disappointed.
Virgin Jackson is a senior ranger in a themed conservation park; odd things have started to happen to her, and not just finding herself saddled with a US Marshall who is himself just a little strange. When she first finds a dead body where it's almost impossible for anyone to be, she is essentially accused of the murder, and then is attacked in her home. Not one to stand idly by and let things happen, Virgin starts to investigate for herself, with the help of friends in useful places, and the odd Marshall Sixkiller. What she finds is not at all what she expects…
There are several changes that have occurred from the original short story to the novel-length edition. Focus is by necessity shifted for the longer form, and while the book is still (in my eyes) very Australian, I can also see where some elements have been altered to give the story a more international tone, and that both works very well on a plot level as well as being a sensible move in terms of audience.
In another incarnation, de Pierres writes crime fiction, and her experience in both a science fictional setting and a mystery one offer a deftness of touch here. Peacemaker rollicks along at a cracking pace, and I found myself holding my breath in anticipation at times, which is always a good sign! The character of Virgin is vivid and wonderfully acerbic, and I found both she and the supporting cast so well realised they really bounced off the page. With that combination, I got to the end of the book and flipped the last page in disappointment, because while the story ended well (albeit definitely set up for the next volume), I simply didn't want it to stop. Bring on the next instalment!
Virgin Jackson is a senior ranger in a themed conservation park; odd things have started to happen to her, and not just finding herself saddled with a US Marshall who is himself just a little strange. When she first finds a dead body where it's almost impossible for anyone to be, she is essentially accused of the murder, and then is attacked in her home. Not one to stand idly by and let things happen, Virgin starts to investigate for herself, with the help of friends in useful places, and the odd Marshall Sixkiller. What she finds is not at all what she expects…
There are several changes that have occurred from the original short story to the novel-length edition. Focus is by necessity shifted for the longer form, and while the book is still (in my eyes) very Australian, I can also see where some elements have been altered to give the story a more international tone, and that both works very well on a plot level as well as being a sensible move in terms of audience.
In another incarnation, de Pierres writes crime fiction, and her experience in both a science fictional setting and a mystery one offer a deftness of touch here. Peacemaker rollicks along at a cracking pace, and I found myself holding my breath in anticipation at times, which is always a good sign! The character of Virgin is vivid and wonderfully acerbic, and I found both she and the supporting cast so well realised they really bounced off the page. With that combination, I got to the end of the book and flipped the last page in disappointment, because while the story ended well (albeit definitely set up for the next volume), I simply didn't want it to stop. Bring on the next instalment!
April 17, 2014
Marianne de Pierres latest novel is a fusion between the paranormal urban fantasy and detective novel. De Pierres lets the paranormal mystery unfold gradually. While there are plenty of instances of attacks and counters by spirit animals, there is no great reveal. We have to slowly come to grips with the role of the paranormal. It keeps the suspense higher. The reader will have to judge whether de Pierres is successful.
Virgin Jackson (what a name) is a park ranger at a great preserved wilderness park in the Outback. There has been a drug bust at the park. The authorities are worried. Jackson is being partnered up with Nate Sixkiller, the grandson of a legendary American Indian lawman, who is being flown in. But before she can pick him up, Jackson witnesses a murder in the Park and is attacked and clawed by a mysterious crow. The crow wound will not stop bleeding! This is not the only visit from strange paranormal animals. Jackson also sees her familiar or disincarnate - Aquila a large wedge tailed Eagle, which she has not seen since she was 15. Aquila fights off another large crow when someone tries to kidnap Jackson right from her room. Sixkiller kills the intruder.
Soon there is action a plenty as Jackson and Sixkiller get involved in an odd gang war between the two leading factions in the City. They find an odd totem on someone following them. There are other crow attacks against Jackson and Sixkiller. Why is Jackson being targeted? Why are their more sightings of crows? Who is the new gang muscling into town?
Jackson will have to dig deep, trust her new partner and her disincarnate to figure who is attacking not only her park but her world.
Its a pretty interesting novel. Jackson and Sixkiller are good characters. I thought de Pierres could have done a little more, but she does a lot with the little we get here and the ending is open for the inevitable sequel.
Virgin Jackson (what a name) is a park ranger at a great preserved wilderness park in the Outback. There has been a drug bust at the park. The authorities are worried. Jackson is being partnered up with Nate Sixkiller, the grandson of a legendary American Indian lawman, who is being flown in. But before she can pick him up, Jackson witnesses a murder in the Park and is attacked and clawed by a mysterious crow. The crow wound will not stop bleeding! This is not the only visit from strange paranormal animals. Jackson also sees her familiar or disincarnate - Aquila a large wedge tailed Eagle, which she has not seen since she was 15. Aquila fights off another large crow when someone tries to kidnap Jackson right from her room. Sixkiller kills the intruder.
Soon there is action a plenty as Jackson and Sixkiller get involved in an odd gang war between the two leading factions in the City. They find an odd totem on someone following them. There are other crow attacks against Jackson and Sixkiller. Why is Jackson being targeted? Why are their more sightings of crows? Who is the new gang muscling into town?
Jackson will have to dig deep, trust her new partner and her disincarnate to figure who is attacking not only her park but her world.
Its a pretty interesting novel. Jackson and Sixkiller are good characters. I thought de Pierres could have done a little more, but she does a lot with the little we get here and the ending is open for the inevitable sequel.
May 16, 2014
With the number of books I read it is seldom that a book or new author takes me completely by surprise. This was one of those books. The cover grabbed my attention, it looked like a mix of old school western, and classic science fiction. The story was even better than that. It reads like a cross between Robert A Heinlein and a Clint Eastwood spaghetti western. From the first few pages I struggled to put the book down. It was an addictive read. This book contains great characters, awesome storyline and stunning attention to details.
The two main characters Virgin Jackson a local park ranger, and Nate Sixkiller a US Marshall that has been brought in and Virgin is not happy. With a murder in the park and an attempted kidnapping of Virgin the book starts at a quick pace and does not let down. The story set in Australia, Virgin's father lobbied for a preserve. But he also died in a way that Virgin does not believe the circumstances. With a cop trying to pin the first murder on her, Virgin must trust some friends for help and consult with criminal elements to get to the truth.
This was a great read. It was my first book by Marianne de Pierres and I can only say it will definitely not be the last.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More.
The two main characters Virgin Jackson a local park ranger, and Nate Sixkiller a US Marshall that has been brought in and Virgin is not happy. With a murder in the park and an attempted kidnapping of Virgin the book starts at a quick pace and does not let down. The story set in Australia, Virgin's father lobbied for a preserve. But he also died in a way that Virgin does not believe the circumstances. With a cop trying to pin the first murder on her, Virgin must trust some friends for help and consult with criminal elements to get to the truth.
This was a great read. It was my first book by Marianne de Pierres and I can only say it will definitely not be the last.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More.
February 18, 2014
More coherent thoughts here: bit.ly/1fd0tae
Initial raw reactions. This debut somehow underwhelms, a confused tale that's an intriguing mix of suave urban fantasy, magical realism and action.
While the narrative was flowy enough, there wasn't enough happening to keep track of, except for perhaps inside the protagonist park ranger Virgin Jackson's troubled head. Finished this book in 2 sittings, testament to the great pacing but for an urban fantasy, the world building was a little undercooked and not realized enough for me to imagine this futuristic Australia. Still collecting my thoughts about this book.
Initial raw reactions. This debut somehow underwhelms, a confused tale that's an intriguing mix of suave urban fantasy, magical realism and action.
While the narrative was flowy enough, there wasn't enough happening to keep track of, except for perhaps inside the protagonist park ranger Virgin Jackson's troubled head. Finished this book in 2 sittings, testament to the great pacing but for an urban fantasy, the world building was a little undercooked and not realized enough for me to imagine this futuristic Australia. Still collecting my thoughts about this book.
May 2, 2014
Well written mix of about a dozen genres. Can be confusing and a little nuts at times, but it works it sings. The ending got a little out of control, every single person was hiding something and the revelations kept coming like a procession at a funeral. But i liked it, and I really want to see what happens to Ranger Jackson next.
June 18, 2014
originally posted at: http://thebookplank.blogspot.com/2014...
Earlier this year I saw the release list of Angry Robots for 2014 and one title directly caught my eye, Peacemaker by Marianne de Pierres. One thing that is becoming more and more to show in the fantasy fiction is writing crossovers, this can be a tricky bit but I am always in for when authors try to do something new and Peacemaker really had this to offer. The synopsis of the book already reveals something stating the words megacity which indicates something of a near future setting taken together with the cover of the book, flying cars etc, but then also the mentioning of cowboys, you know, I am still a guy, how cool is that! Also after some research I found that Marianne de Pierres is an acclaimed writer and with her other books she has been nominated often and won awards as well. So basically with this, Peacemaker, couldn't turn out wrong. And it didn't, Marianne de Pierres has created an interesting new series with Peacemaker, one that will keep you intrigued from start to finish.
The story of Peacemaker takes place in the near future, Earth has been changed drastically and the only peaces of nature you can get to enjoyed are set forth in parks. One of those parks is the Birrimun Park, where Virgin Jackson, our main protagonist has a job as a park ranger. Virgin is clearly devoted to keep the Birrimun Park in tip top shape but slowly American tourist custom start to encroach on this Australian park. Not really a custom though, but a few pages into the story there is a drug bust in the park and the authorities call into reinforcements for Virgin, a U.S. Marshall who goes by the name of Nate Sixkiller, back in the U.S. he has quite the reputation, being the son of an legendary Indian police officer. However one her way to picking up Nate, Virgin is attack and left with a wound that won't stop bleeding. This is the point where in the story of Peacemaker starts to pick up pace. Luckily for Virgin, with Nate around the corner her bleeding can be stopped. But why couldn't she stop bleeding herself? Just within these few pages Marianne de Pierres raises many question surrounding her storyline and they all come down to this, what is going on the in the park and more importantly with Virgin. Nate has most of the answers for Virgin but their relation is utterly precarious, Virgin isn't one to let someone easily into her life and Nate as nice as he tries to be might just do too much... Where the beginning of the story of Peacemaker shows everything a bit in the natural line, drug busting in the Birrimun Park, it soon turns into the supernatural urban fantasy lines; because Virgin starts to see Aquila - her Eagle Familiar, yes I know pretty weird but all good stuff! Trust me.
You have stubborn character and you have stubborn character and you have Virgin Jackson. I really pity the man who ever winds up with her. But yes she does make up for a funny and interesting protagonist! From the introduction onwards you get to learn Virgin as one headstrong character, one that pushes her opinion through everyone and everything. If you want her as a friend you have to win her trust, this probably owed to the strange death of her father and not having ever known her mother, though this is far from easily achieved but once you have it you have it forever. It was fun to read to see how fast and snappy Virgin can be and this is often shown in the dialogues between the characters of the book, at certain points Virgin can be serious down to business and sharp but on the other side witty, quick and funny, this added a great more livelihood to her character than just being a serious pain in the ass. Quite on the opposite side of Virgin stand the mysterious U.S. Marshall Nate Sixkiller, ok so you're a famed and well respected Marshall, wearing a gun and called Sixkiller, what cooler than that? I enjoyed reading about Nate's character, a lot of the background information surrounding his character are kept behind and only steadily along the way more hints of his role in the story are being dropped and why he is crucial to the storyline. Another addition to the storyline is Heart Williams who has an complicated relation with Virgin, well actually not that complicated more just for several benefits... Heart works as a stripper but does seem to have his eyes set on Virgin and wants perhaps more from their relation than just the occasional visit. These three characters, Virgin, Nate and Heart do make up the most of the story and Marianne de Pierres
Next to the mysterious and interesting characters that Marianne de Pierres introduces, she also creates a very rich world in the story of Peacemaker. I already mentioned that Peacemaker is a genre mash-up of science fiction, fantasy and hints of urban fantasy. Each of these genres does have their own set of rules and a bit of the standard elements that you can come to expect, with such a mash-up of genres it can be a daunting task just to get the ratio's right, and this is something that Marianne de Pierres managed to do just right. From the beginning of the story you are confronted with several aspects of the world, like the near futuristic setting of the book, however the influence of the tech aspect in science fiction there are enough hints towards a more standard fantasy setting especially when looking to some of the history of the characters. The urban fantasy setting comes directly from the supernatural that has paid a visit to the main protagonist Virgin Jackson. With creating just the right setting Marianne de Pierres has created a world with a lot of questions and keeps you wanting to read on and on just to discover what happens next, highly addicted.
The ending of the Peacemaker was very unexpected to me, yes we learned more about some specific persons in the life of Virgin and that her father was involved in something big and that his death wasn't as it was described by the authorities. But in the last few chapters of the book Marianne de Pierres really introduces some major plot twists that I hadn't seen coming. These twists and turns will give a great entry into the sequel, they will definitely leave you wanting more.
With Peacemaker, Marianne de Pierres has created a very cool and fresh introduction into both the science fiction, fantasy and urban fantasy genres. I have read a few genre mash-ups/hybrid before but none featuring these elements. I have been wanting to read more of the western style of fantasy and I am more than satisfied on this part with what I got in Peacemaker. Peacemaker is in essence a mix of western and science fiction that goes towards the urban fantasy. Now you might think how can this all work together in a western setting? Just read this book and you will find you just how deftly Marianne de Pierres has woven them together. I have to be honest that I did have some reservations from the beginning but I needn't have to worry at all, Marianne de Pierres really shows that she has some great skills when it comes down to both writing in an addictive way and creating an engaging environment. Last and definitely not lately are the characters that you get to learn in Peacemaker, they are kept mostly on a need to know basis, a lot of the personalities and character histories are only learned along the way and what you need at that moment. With this a certain mysterious air is created around them, great stuff right there. Also this really leaves you wanting to find out just what happens next, the sequel can't come soon enough! Peacemaker is a unique book and will definitely appeal to fans of a many type of different genres.
Earlier this year I saw the release list of Angry Robots for 2014 and one title directly caught my eye, Peacemaker by Marianne de Pierres. One thing that is becoming more and more to show in the fantasy fiction is writing crossovers, this can be a tricky bit but I am always in for when authors try to do something new and Peacemaker really had this to offer. The synopsis of the book already reveals something stating the words megacity which indicates something of a near future setting taken together with the cover of the book, flying cars etc, but then also the mentioning of cowboys, you know, I am still a guy, how cool is that! Also after some research I found that Marianne de Pierres is an acclaimed writer and with her other books she has been nominated often and won awards as well. So basically with this, Peacemaker, couldn't turn out wrong. And it didn't, Marianne de Pierres has created an interesting new series with Peacemaker, one that will keep you intrigued from start to finish.
The story of Peacemaker takes place in the near future, Earth has been changed drastically and the only peaces of nature you can get to enjoyed are set forth in parks. One of those parks is the Birrimun Park, where Virgin Jackson, our main protagonist has a job as a park ranger. Virgin is clearly devoted to keep the Birrimun Park in tip top shape but slowly American tourist custom start to encroach on this Australian park. Not really a custom though, but a few pages into the story there is a drug bust in the park and the authorities call into reinforcements for Virgin, a U.S. Marshall who goes by the name of Nate Sixkiller, back in the U.S. he has quite the reputation, being the son of an legendary Indian police officer. However one her way to picking up Nate, Virgin is attack and left with a wound that won't stop bleeding. This is the point where in the story of Peacemaker starts to pick up pace. Luckily for Virgin, with Nate around the corner her bleeding can be stopped. But why couldn't she stop bleeding herself? Just within these few pages Marianne de Pierres raises many question surrounding her storyline and they all come down to this, what is going on the in the park and more importantly with Virgin. Nate has most of the answers for Virgin but their relation is utterly precarious, Virgin isn't one to let someone easily into her life and Nate as nice as he tries to be might just do too much... Where the beginning of the story of Peacemaker shows everything a bit in the natural line, drug busting in the Birrimun Park, it soon turns into the supernatural urban fantasy lines; because Virgin starts to see Aquila - her Eagle Familiar, yes I know pretty weird but all good stuff! Trust me.
You have stubborn character and you have stubborn character and you have Virgin Jackson. I really pity the man who ever winds up with her. But yes she does make up for a funny and interesting protagonist! From the introduction onwards you get to learn Virgin as one headstrong character, one that pushes her opinion through everyone and everything. If you want her as a friend you have to win her trust, this probably owed to the strange death of her father and not having ever known her mother, though this is far from easily achieved but once you have it you have it forever. It was fun to read to see how fast and snappy Virgin can be and this is often shown in the dialogues between the characters of the book, at certain points Virgin can be serious down to business and sharp but on the other side witty, quick and funny, this added a great more livelihood to her character than just being a serious pain in the ass. Quite on the opposite side of Virgin stand the mysterious U.S. Marshall Nate Sixkiller, ok so you're a famed and well respected Marshall, wearing a gun and called Sixkiller, what cooler than that? I enjoyed reading about Nate's character, a lot of the background information surrounding his character are kept behind and only steadily along the way more hints of his role in the story are being dropped and why he is crucial to the storyline. Another addition to the storyline is Heart Williams who has an complicated relation with Virgin, well actually not that complicated more just for several benefits... Heart works as a stripper but does seem to have his eyes set on Virgin and wants perhaps more from their relation than just the occasional visit. These three characters, Virgin, Nate and Heart do make up the most of the story and Marianne de Pierres
Next to the mysterious and interesting characters that Marianne de Pierres introduces, she also creates a very rich world in the story of Peacemaker. I already mentioned that Peacemaker is a genre mash-up of science fiction, fantasy and hints of urban fantasy. Each of these genres does have their own set of rules and a bit of the standard elements that you can come to expect, with such a mash-up of genres it can be a daunting task just to get the ratio's right, and this is something that Marianne de Pierres managed to do just right. From the beginning of the story you are confronted with several aspects of the world, like the near futuristic setting of the book, however the influence of the tech aspect in science fiction there are enough hints towards a more standard fantasy setting especially when looking to some of the history of the characters. The urban fantasy setting comes directly from the supernatural that has paid a visit to the main protagonist Virgin Jackson. With creating just the right setting Marianne de Pierres has created a world with a lot of questions and keeps you wanting to read on and on just to discover what happens next, highly addicted.
The ending of the Peacemaker was very unexpected to me, yes we learned more about some specific persons in the life of Virgin and that her father was involved in something big and that his death wasn't as it was described by the authorities. But in the last few chapters of the book Marianne de Pierres really introduces some major plot twists that I hadn't seen coming. These twists and turns will give a great entry into the sequel, they will definitely leave you wanting more.
With Peacemaker, Marianne de Pierres has created a very cool and fresh introduction into both the science fiction, fantasy and urban fantasy genres. I have read a few genre mash-ups/hybrid before but none featuring these elements. I have been wanting to read more of the western style of fantasy and I am more than satisfied on this part with what I got in Peacemaker. Peacemaker is in essence a mix of western and science fiction that goes towards the urban fantasy. Now you might think how can this all work together in a western setting? Just read this book and you will find you just how deftly Marianne de Pierres has woven them together. I have to be honest that I did have some reservations from the beginning but I needn't have to worry at all, Marianne de Pierres really shows that she has some great skills when it comes down to both writing in an addictive way and creating an engaging environment. Last and definitely not lately are the characters that you get to learn in Peacemaker, they are kept mostly on a need to know basis, a lot of the personalities and character histories are only learned along the way and what you need at that moment. With this a certain mysterious air is created around them, great stuff right there. Also this really leaves you wanting to find out just what happens next, the sequel can't come soon enough! Peacemaker is a unique book and will definitely appeal to fans of a many type of different genres.
April 13, 2017
I will give this nonsense ONE STAR because I finished it. It is a star most grudgingly given.
There are plot holes, contradictions and logic flaws that even a preliminary proof read should have flagged.
All of the names in the book are terrible except for Benny, who is a horse.
The tagline for this book is pretty much "A park ranger, who prides herself on her independence and intuition, but who never listens to anything that anyone ever says to her, is surprised to find out that everyone around her is leading a double life."
Spoiler: The worst thing that happens, in my opinion, is the part where Virgin discovers that her coworker has illegally bugged her apartment, but shrugs it off on the advice of a female friend because he's "harmless". He later gives her a handmade doll of herself as a gift. Which she keeps. And again excuses this demented behaviour by saying that he's just smart and screwed up but you can't hold it against him. You absolutely can and I can't believe I'm getting this rape culture bullshit from a female author. Spoiler continuation, that asshole is actually working for the feds, but Virgin didn't know that and she should have been waaaaaay more wary of those kinds of red flags. Women now wouldn't stand for that shit, never mind a steely eyed ranger in a bladerunner-esque future.
The most offensive part is the way Indigenous cultures have been dealt with. Firstly, calling it a singular culture. Secondly, this bullshit of associating Indigenous people with a static traditional spiritual past, where they know secret magic truths lost to the rest of humanity, which is apparently the only way to be "authentically" indigenous. Thirdly, although apparently the shadowy cabal is trying to take over the world by hijacking Indigenous mysticism, there are no Indigenous Australians in the book (except a brief one sentence mention about how there was a native title claim on the land the park was built on that got overturned because money) and a stereotypical Native American with long black hair and razor blade cheek bones got co-opted in because apparently all Indigenous cultures are equivalent. Because Virgin is so against the idea of talking to anyone ever, it never occurs to her to talk to a tribal elder to find out what power this supposed cabal might gain from this "indigenous magic". But of course she can't, can she? Because "real" Indigenous people only live in the outback, and there's no outback in the future. Only city, where Indigenous people don't belong.
I'm so angry right now. Ugh.
There are plot holes, contradictions and logic flaws that even a preliminary proof read should have flagged.
All of the names in the book are terrible except for Benny, who is a horse.
The tagline for this book is pretty much "A park ranger, who prides herself on her independence and intuition, but who never listens to anything that anyone ever says to her, is surprised to find out that everyone around her is leading a double life."
Spoiler: The worst thing that happens, in my opinion, is the part where Virgin discovers that her coworker has illegally bugged her apartment, but shrugs it off on the advice of a female friend because he's "harmless". He later gives her a handmade doll of herself as a gift. Which she keeps. And again excuses this demented behaviour by saying that he's just smart and screwed up but you can't hold it against him. You absolutely can and I can't believe I'm getting this rape culture bullshit from a female author. Spoiler continuation, that asshole is actually working for the feds, but Virgin didn't know that and she should have been waaaaaay more wary of those kinds of red flags. Women now wouldn't stand for that shit, never mind a steely eyed ranger in a bladerunner-esque future.
The most offensive part is the way Indigenous cultures have been dealt with. Firstly, calling it a singular culture. Secondly, this bullshit of associating Indigenous people with a static traditional spiritual past, where they know secret magic truths lost to the rest of humanity, which is apparently the only way to be "authentically" indigenous. Thirdly, although apparently the shadowy cabal is trying to take over the world by hijacking Indigenous mysticism, there are no Indigenous Australians in the book (except a brief one sentence mention about how there was a native title claim on the land the park was built on that got overturned because money) and a stereotypical Native American with long black hair and razor blade cheek bones got co-opted in because apparently all Indigenous cultures are equivalent. Because Virgin is so against the idea of talking to anyone ever, it never occurs to her to talk to a tribal elder to find out what power this supposed cabal might gain from this "indigenous magic". But of course she can't, can she? Because "real" Indigenous people only live in the outback, and there's no outback in the future. Only city, where Indigenous people don't belong.
I'm so angry right now. Ugh.
June 23, 2014
My review of Peacemaker originally appeared on the Newtown Review of Books - http://newtownreviewofbooks.com.au
In the future Australia of Peacemaker we seem to be managing. There have been ructions, wars and incidents due to water shortages, asylum seekers and the other things most of us already see coming, but things are relatively stable in the vast megalopolis that extends along the eastern seaboard – Melbourne merging into Sydney merging into Brisbane – despite the loss of state governments and the welfare system. Of course there are technological advances too, but in this world created by author Marianne de Pierres, the technology has a ‘future contemporary’ feel that doesn’t intrude into her still-recognisably-Australian but somehow more cosmopolitan cityscape. It’s a city that also includes a vast walled pleasure zone, Birrimun Park, modelled on a Wild West Death Valley-type experience, which doesn’t seem out of place given our current penchant for Warner Brothers’ Movie Worlds and Disneylands.
In this park works Ranger Virgin Jackson who, despite her Christian name, is anything but naive. In fact, in a genre currently swamped by adolescent heroines like Katniss Everdeen of The Hunger Games and Divergent’s Beatrice Prior, Jackson is a welcome representation of a grown woman who knows what she wants and how to get it. That’s not to say she doesn’t have her flaws and her demons. She’s a very self-contained character, with only a small circle of friends she has chosen to trust; but if you found yourself in a scrape, you’d definitely want her in your corner.
This is familiar territory for de Pierres, who has established a strong line of female characters, starting with the totally badass Parrish Plessis in a trio of far-future cyberpunk novels, followed up by Baroness Mira Fedor in her space opera quartet The Sentients of Orion series and – writing in the contemporary crime genre as Marianne Delacourt – the smart-mouthed and quick-with-a-punch Tara Sharp. Jackson is another fine example of these very readable women and she really drives the narrative along.
The plot of Peacemaker starts as a straightforward murder mystery but gains in complexity quickly as it takes on supernatural overtones. Jackson witnesses a murder in the Park at closing time, however when she goes to help the victim the killer disappears and she is viciously slashed by a crow, which also vanishes. She then meets Nathan Sixkiller, an almost legendary US Marshall who has been drafted in to help with a suspected drug-smuggling operation occurring elsewhere in the Park. Jackson resents the intrusion but has to play nice and welcome him to the city. As they share dinner on that first evening she hallucinates a large wedge-tailed eagle – one that she used to see when she was a teenager and which she’d named Aquila back then and put down to an adolescent mental aberration. Seeing it now as an adult, she’s worried she’s losing it, but then Sixkiller reveals he can see it too, and admits he has a ‘disincarnate’ of his own.
Following a trail of clues, Jackson is forced to venture into the seamier side of the megalopolis, where Sixkiller’s unfamiliarity with the city brings them into violent conflict with one of the street gangs. But Jackson has contacts on the wrong side of the law and she uses them to gain an audience with one of the gang leaders, a big Islander called Papa Brise – an at once fearsome and comedic character – who swears like a trooper and identifies a feathered artefact Jackson found on one of the dead bodies currently littering her life as a ‘vodun’ or voodoo warning symbol. Which means Jackson will have to find and confront the ‘stone witch’, Kadee Matari, for help in understanding the symbol’s true meaning and origin.
For a book that has to service sci-fi, crime and supernatural tropes the story is light and fast and very enjoyable. The dialogue crackles and Jackson has a great set of one-liners and put-downs as she faces street gangs, shady ‘clairvoyants’ and downright scary voodoo priestesses in the lawless conurbations of the megalopolis, with Sixkiller at her side. There are plenty of incidents, fights and life-threatening scrapes along the way as Jackson finds that the single murder she witnessed leads her deeper into a plot involving organised crime, people-smuggling, a secret society and, possibly, the end of reality as we know it, and the book ends on a high note with some startling personal revelations for Jackson and the promise of more mystery to come in the next instalment of the Peacemaker series, Dealbreaker, due summer 2015.
Peacemaker is definitely a cut above the standard for books of this type: intelligent, witty and with a good heart. If you’re looking for a fast read that surprises and engages, then look no further.
In the future Australia of Peacemaker we seem to be managing. There have been ructions, wars and incidents due to water shortages, asylum seekers and the other things most of us already see coming, but things are relatively stable in the vast megalopolis that extends along the eastern seaboard – Melbourne merging into Sydney merging into Brisbane – despite the loss of state governments and the welfare system. Of course there are technological advances too, but in this world created by author Marianne de Pierres, the technology has a ‘future contemporary’ feel that doesn’t intrude into her still-recognisably-Australian but somehow more cosmopolitan cityscape. It’s a city that also includes a vast walled pleasure zone, Birrimun Park, modelled on a Wild West Death Valley-type experience, which doesn’t seem out of place given our current penchant for Warner Brothers’ Movie Worlds and Disneylands.
In this park works Ranger Virgin Jackson who, despite her Christian name, is anything but naive. In fact, in a genre currently swamped by adolescent heroines like Katniss Everdeen of The Hunger Games and Divergent’s Beatrice Prior, Jackson is a welcome representation of a grown woman who knows what she wants and how to get it. That’s not to say she doesn’t have her flaws and her demons. She’s a very self-contained character, with only a small circle of friends she has chosen to trust; but if you found yourself in a scrape, you’d definitely want her in your corner.
This is familiar territory for de Pierres, who has established a strong line of female characters, starting with the totally badass Parrish Plessis in a trio of far-future cyberpunk novels, followed up by Baroness Mira Fedor in her space opera quartet The Sentients of Orion series and – writing in the contemporary crime genre as Marianne Delacourt – the smart-mouthed and quick-with-a-punch Tara Sharp. Jackson is another fine example of these very readable women and she really drives the narrative along.
The plot of Peacemaker starts as a straightforward murder mystery but gains in complexity quickly as it takes on supernatural overtones. Jackson witnesses a murder in the Park at closing time, however when she goes to help the victim the killer disappears and she is viciously slashed by a crow, which also vanishes. She then meets Nathan Sixkiller, an almost legendary US Marshall who has been drafted in to help with a suspected drug-smuggling operation occurring elsewhere in the Park. Jackson resents the intrusion but has to play nice and welcome him to the city. As they share dinner on that first evening she hallucinates a large wedge-tailed eagle – one that she used to see when she was a teenager and which she’d named Aquila back then and put down to an adolescent mental aberration. Seeing it now as an adult, she’s worried she’s losing it, but then Sixkiller reveals he can see it too, and admits he has a ‘disincarnate’ of his own.
I lounged, or tried to lounge, on the couch, as if relaxed. Truth is, I was jumpy as a feral cat in a cage. Seeing Sixkiller touch Aquila in the van had messed hard with my sense of reality. If only he and I were seeing the eagle, what did that mean? Or had I imagined that he was scratching the bird?
Chance interrupted my crazy thoughts by entering and planting her backside on the seat opposite. She carried a small tablet, which she prodded at with the dexterity of a lame cow.
‘I want you to tell me about last night, beginning from when you went back into the Park to get your phone. We have everything on the Park cams up until then.’
I retold my story to make out that the person who stabbed the dead guy had already disappeared when I arrived. Y’know … rather than say he turned into a bird and flew away!
‘Then why are there only two sets of footprints?’ asked Chance. ‘Yours and the dead guy’s.’
I laughed. ‘Footprints? In the desert. You are shitting me.’
‘We can tell more than you think.’
‘People come and go through that Interchange all the time.”
‘But you just happened to go back into the park without any monitoring devices?’
‘I was in a hurry to get to the airport.’
‘Aaaah, yes. Mr Sixkiller.’ Chance began tapping notes into her tablet. ‘So you claim to have never met the deceased before?’
‘Which deceased?’
‘Which one would you prefer to tell me about?’
Following a trail of clues, Jackson is forced to venture into the seamier side of the megalopolis, where Sixkiller’s unfamiliarity with the city brings them into violent conflict with one of the street gangs. But Jackson has contacts on the wrong side of the law and she uses them to gain an audience with one of the gang leaders, a big Islander called Papa Brise – an at once fearsome and comedic character – who swears like a trooper and identifies a feathered artefact Jackson found on one of the dead bodies currently littering her life as a ‘vodun’ or voodoo warning symbol. Which means Jackson will have to find and confront the ‘stone witch’, Kadee Matari, for help in understanding the symbol’s true meaning and origin.
For a book that has to service sci-fi, crime and supernatural tropes the story is light and fast and very enjoyable. The dialogue crackles and Jackson has a great set of one-liners and put-downs as she faces street gangs, shady ‘clairvoyants’ and downright scary voodoo priestesses in the lawless conurbations of the megalopolis, with Sixkiller at her side. There are plenty of incidents, fights and life-threatening scrapes along the way as Jackson finds that the single murder she witnessed leads her deeper into a plot involving organised crime, people-smuggling, a secret society and, possibly, the end of reality as we know it, and the book ends on a high note with some startling personal revelations for Jackson and the promise of more mystery to come in the next instalment of the Peacemaker series, Dealbreaker, due summer 2015.
Peacemaker is definitely a cut above the standard for books of this type: intelligent, witty and with a good heart. If you’re looking for a fast read that surprises and engages, then look no further.
January 29, 2018
the world building was fun and the premise was certainly unique, but I found myself thinking two things the entire time:
1. OH MY GOD, GET TO THE POINT.
2. How does she STILL NOT believe in the incarnates/mythos????!?!
1. OH MY GOD, GET TO THE POINT.
2. How does she STILL NOT believe in the incarnates/mythos????!?!
August 11, 2016
If you're a sci-fi/fantasy enthusiast, how often have you read a book and, whether or not you liked the story-telling, felt like it was really nothing but a rehash of an already over-used scenario? Move over stale f/sf themes; enter: Peacemaker, a wholly original and thrilling fantasy adventure.
Set in the future, when urban sprawl has decimated much of the earth, Australia's Birrimun Park, an ecological haven in the middle of a coastal megalopolis, the story focuses on Virgin Jackson, the park's ranger. Virgin is asked to look after visiting US Marshall, Nate Sixkiller. Virgin, who can be a bit strong-willed and bullish, takes her job very seriously. She loves the park, as did her father (who died under suspicious circumstances). There's a police officer determined to pin a murder wrap on Virgin, and her on-again-off-again boyfriend stripper boyfriend seems a bit jealous of Marshall Sixkiller. To add to Virgin's troubles, she's having visions of an 'imaginary' eagle, a sort of familiar or totem, which she has seen since she was a child. No one else has ever seen her eagle ... until Nate Sixkiller!
This book is a fascinating blend of western, fantasy, mystery, thriller. I was exciting by the western-ness of the story, while understanding the fantasy aspect at the same time. It's a blending of genres that typically haven't worked well together (with the possible exception of Joss Whedon's Firefly television series). Then, just a little bit in to the book, I was excited by what I felt was a strong Native American sensibility. It was more than just Nate Sixkiller's background and name... it was a conveyance of tone and theme such as one might find in N. Scott Momaday or Leslie Marmon Silko. It was beautiful.
On top of the Native American and American Western genres comes the mystery. Or rather ... mysteries. Who killed the man Virgin found in the park? Who attacked Virgin in her home, and why? Who killed Virgin's father, and is there a connection? Who is Nate Sixkiller? Who is Virgin's boyfriend, Heart Williams? Who is...who is...who is... and why, why, why? You can practically see the rings around Virgin's head as she tries to piece together all the different variables in her life, but just as she seems to be about to get a handle on one, she is thrown a curve.
The mega-city is filled with lawless and organized gangs, and Virgin works every angle she can, drawing some of the criminal element in to her circle in order to protect the park.
Author Marianne de Pierres has done a remarkable job creating a world that is at once totally recognizable and believable. She has also given us a large variety of characters who are unique from one another and also totally believable in their environment. And she's given us a story with non-stop action and plenty of mystery.
But I think what impresses me the most is the incredible blending of genres. Listed as science fiction/fantasy in the publisher's catalog, this is just as easily a mystery with fantasy elements, or a thriller, or... I haven't been this excited about a book that engages me on so many different levels, in a long time.
With all my praise and hype, there are two down-sides to the book. The first being my usual issue with 'serial' books in that there are too many questions left unanswered. Clearly an attempt to get us excited for the next book in the series, this has the effect of not being a complete book, to me. Nate Sixkiller can't tell Virgin what division of the U.S. Marshall's he belongs to without our wanting to know more. Virgin's offer at the end of the book, and Nate's declaration are clear plot points for an over-arching storyline, but leave this particular book with an unsatisfying ending. As a book-buyer, I may have to start doing with books, what I did with comics years ago...stop buying the individual issues/books and wait for the compilation graphic novel/book set. This move, which I suspect is more publisher oriented than writer oriented, is certainly not regarded in high favor. Plenty of successful authors have written books in a series with a recurring character and each book is a complete story. I could list them, but any reader older than thirteen could also list them.
The second point that was less than remarkable was Virgin's super-heroic ability to take punishment and keep on going. The attack on Virgin and Nate near the end of the book was over-done and their survival seemed super-human. Interestingly, I've recently read Neil Gaiman's Ocean at the End of the Lane with a similar styled attack.
I will look forward to the next book in this incredibly original adventure, and I hope I see more of the same cross-blending of genres. It works very well.
Looking for a good book? This action-packed, genre-blending sci-fi/fantasy/mystery/western will have you turning pages quickly as you get sucked in to the story.
This review originally published in the blog Looking For a Good Book.
Set in the future, when urban sprawl has decimated much of the earth, Australia's Birrimun Park, an ecological haven in the middle of a coastal megalopolis, the story focuses on Virgin Jackson, the park's ranger. Virgin is asked to look after visiting US Marshall, Nate Sixkiller. Virgin, who can be a bit strong-willed and bullish, takes her job very seriously. She loves the park, as did her father (who died under suspicious circumstances). There's a police officer determined to pin a murder wrap on Virgin, and her on-again-off-again boyfriend stripper boyfriend seems a bit jealous of Marshall Sixkiller. To add to Virgin's troubles, she's having visions of an 'imaginary' eagle, a sort of familiar or totem, which she has seen since she was a child. No one else has ever seen her eagle ... until Nate Sixkiller!
This book is a fascinating blend of western, fantasy, mystery, thriller. I was exciting by the western-ness of the story, while understanding the fantasy aspect at the same time. It's a blending of genres that typically haven't worked well together (with the possible exception of Joss Whedon's Firefly television series). Then, just a little bit in to the book, I was excited by what I felt was a strong Native American sensibility. It was more than just Nate Sixkiller's background and name... it was a conveyance of tone and theme such as one might find in N. Scott Momaday or Leslie Marmon Silko. It was beautiful.
On top of the Native American and American Western genres comes the mystery. Or rather ... mysteries. Who killed the man Virgin found in the park? Who attacked Virgin in her home, and why? Who killed Virgin's father, and is there a connection? Who is Nate Sixkiller? Who is Virgin's boyfriend, Heart Williams? Who is...who is...who is... and why, why, why? You can practically see the rings around Virgin's head as she tries to piece together all the different variables in her life, but just as she seems to be about to get a handle on one, she is thrown a curve.
The mega-city is filled with lawless and organized gangs, and Virgin works every angle she can, drawing some of the criminal element in to her circle in order to protect the park.
Author Marianne de Pierres has done a remarkable job creating a world that is at once totally recognizable and believable. She has also given us a large variety of characters who are unique from one another and also totally believable in their environment. And she's given us a story with non-stop action and plenty of mystery.
But I think what impresses me the most is the incredible blending of genres. Listed as science fiction/fantasy in the publisher's catalog, this is just as easily a mystery with fantasy elements, or a thriller, or... I haven't been this excited about a book that engages me on so many different levels, in a long time.
With all my praise and hype, there are two down-sides to the book. The first being my usual issue with 'serial' books in that there are too many questions left unanswered. Clearly an attempt to get us excited for the next book in the series, this has the effect of not being a complete book, to me. Nate Sixkiller can't tell Virgin what division of the U.S. Marshall's he belongs to without our wanting to know more. Virgin's offer at the end of the book, and Nate's declaration are clear plot points for an over-arching storyline, but leave this particular book with an unsatisfying ending. As a book-buyer, I may have to start doing with books, what I did with comics years ago...stop buying the individual issues/books and wait for the compilation graphic novel/book set. This move, which I suspect is more publisher oriented than writer oriented, is certainly not regarded in high favor. Plenty of successful authors have written books in a series with a recurring character and each book is a complete story. I could list them, but any reader older than thirteen could also list them.
The second point that was less than remarkable was Virgin's super-heroic ability to take punishment and keep on going. The attack on Virgin and Nate near the end of the book was over-done and their survival seemed super-human. Interestingly, I've recently read Neil Gaiman's Ocean at the End of the Lane with a similar styled attack.
I will look forward to the next book in this incredibly original adventure, and I hope I see more of the same cross-blending of genres. It works very well.
Looking for a good book? This action-packed, genre-blending sci-fi/fantasy/mystery/western will have you turning pages quickly as you get sucked in to the story.
This review originally published in the blog Looking For a Good Book.
March 6, 2014
The first thing that jumped out at me as I was reading through Peacemaker was how fantastic a character Virgin is. Most female characters in westerns tend to be reduced to their choice of femme fatale, swooning hostage, or strumpet. Rarely do we get to see them in a leading role, and rarely are they so well developed and interesting as Virgin Jackson. It’s something I’ve mentioned in other reviews, but it is distressingly rare to see a female protagonist treated like a whole person, with family history, a relationship that informs her character without defining it, and who has wants, needs, and feelings without being treated as some fragile creature who mostly just waits to be rescued from things. Virgin does have to struggle to hold her own ground when working alongside Nate Sixkiller, but that’s more a function of his extreme competence than any knock against her. In the same way that Eowyn (The Lord of the Rings) is a perfectly great character in her own right who gets things done, but if you put her on a battlefield with Legolas, she might not have much to do. Despite that, Virgin frequently takes the lead and most importantly, when she does get an assist from her co-star, it is played completely in the line of duty, with no remarks from Nate about any weakness on her part, and nothing in her internal monologue about feeling anything other than like the person watching her back successfully watched it.
The second thing to jump out at me in this story was the excellent building and use of mythology, spirituality, and other supernatural elements which are otherwise so rare in a mostly western sci-fi story. The fantasy elements are interwoven very naturally, and you rarely feel like anything is out of place, even when a possibly-imaginary eagle is attacking people with semi-automatic machine guns. A lot of these elements are only touched upon, however, especially since one of Virgin’s defining qualities at this stage of the story is her doubt that any of this part of her life is even real. There is no doubt, however, that this world of spirits and myths goes a lot deeper. I have great hopes for the later books of this series to explore these elements, if simply because there’s so little sci-fi that ever includes this kind of thing.
My only real criticism of this book is the tendency towards the end for a whole pile of plot twists to be dumped on me at once. While this has the advantage of setting up a whole lot of potential plot points for future books in the series, it was a bizarre left turn from an otherwise pretty straitlaced Western, even with all the other fantasy and sci-fi elements. One or two unexpected reveals are fine, in fact I love the odd curve ball, but this was a little excessive. The ending of the story comes so abruptly in the middle of trying to synthesize several new revelations that it was a little jarring. That said, since all it really did was make me want to read the next book in the series to find out where it goes, it’s not even much of a criticism.
Fans of the western style wedded to sci-fi or fantasy elements should definitely check out The Dead of Winter by Lee Collins, which has the benefit of a great female protagonist, as well. For more of the spirituality with a modern setting, Charles De Lint is always my go-to suggestion. For people who want it all, and simply want more from Virgin and De Pierres, the next book in this series, Dealbreaker is slated for release in Summer 2015.
Dan received an ARC of this book courtesy of Angry Robot Books via NetGalley
You can read this review, other reviews, articles, interviews and more at our website http://www.speculativepost.com
The second thing to jump out at me in this story was the excellent building and use of mythology, spirituality, and other supernatural elements which are otherwise so rare in a mostly western sci-fi story. The fantasy elements are interwoven very naturally, and you rarely feel like anything is out of place, even when a possibly-imaginary eagle is attacking people with semi-automatic machine guns. A lot of these elements are only touched upon, however, especially since one of Virgin’s defining qualities at this stage of the story is her doubt that any of this part of her life is even real. There is no doubt, however, that this world of spirits and myths goes a lot deeper. I have great hopes for the later books of this series to explore these elements, if simply because there’s so little sci-fi that ever includes this kind of thing.
My only real criticism of this book is the tendency towards the end for a whole pile of plot twists to be dumped on me at once. While this has the advantage of setting up a whole lot of potential plot points for future books in the series, it was a bizarre left turn from an otherwise pretty straitlaced Western, even with all the other fantasy and sci-fi elements. One or two unexpected reveals are fine, in fact I love the odd curve ball, but this was a little excessive. The ending of the story comes so abruptly in the middle of trying to synthesize several new revelations that it was a little jarring. That said, since all it really did was make me want to read the next book in the series to find out where it goes, it’s not even much of a criticism.
Fans of the western style wedded to sci-fi or fantasy elements should definitely check out The Dead of Winter by Lee Collins, which has the benefit of a great female protagonist, as well. For more of the spirituality with a modern setting, Charles De Lint is always my go-to suggestion. For people who want it all, and simply want more from Virgin and De Pierres, the next book in this series, Dealbreaker is slated for release in Summer 2015.
Dan received an ARC of this book courtesy of Angry Robot Books via NetGalley
You can read this review, other reviews, articles, interviews and more at our website http://www.speculativepost.com
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