A DEATH OF HONOR

by Joe Clifford Faust

THE GIRL WAS SPRAWLED OUT ON THE FLOOR IN THE LIVING ROOM OF HIS APARTMENT.

So begins Joe Clifford Faust's classic science fiction mystery, which has thrilled both SF and non-SF readers since its release nearly 25 years ago. Originally published as a paperback original by Del Rey Books, Honor was also a main selection of the Science Fiction Book Club, where it was given a generic cover and enjoyed crossover sales through the Mystery Guild Book Club. It was also chosen as a Recommended Read in the Crime and Punishment category by the Science Fiction Museum.

The novel takes place in an alternate future where a crumbling United States is one of the few nations left to have fended off Soviet domination. It tells the story of seven days in the life of D.A. Payne, a bioengineer who finds the naked corpse of a woman in his apartment and is compelled to investigate her murder. As he digs deeper into the woman's identity and the cause of her death, he learns things about himself and his world that will conspire to change his life forever.

The electronic editions of Honor also contain bonus material: the novel's original ending - a 2,000 word epilog that was cut before publication - along with an essay from the author telling how it came to be chopped.

Genres: Science Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Suspense, Dystopia

326 pages, Hardcover

First published January 12, 1987

About the author

Joe Clifford Faust is an American author best known for his seven science fiction novels primarily written during the 1980s and 1990s, including A Death of Honor, The Company Man, the Angel's Luck Trilogy (all published by Del Rey Books), and the satirical Pembroke Hall novels (published by Bantam Spectra). His novels are known for their tightly controlled plots and their sense of humor. Like many authors, he draws inspiration from previous and current occupations, including projectionist, record store clerk, radio announcer, sheriff's dispatcher, and advertising copywriter. He currently works in advertising, but keeps his hand in writing and through other creative projects such as occasional forays into cartooning and songwriting.

On February 16, 2011, Faust announced on his blog that he had created a publishing company called Thief Media as an organ to distribute his out-of-print novels in ebook formats. Releases are scheduled to begin in March 2011 with "A Death of Honor" and will include two previously unpublished novels, "The Mushroom Shift" and "Trust."

Reviews

[David H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the distant future of the mid-21st century (at least from the point of view of 1987), if you don't want to wait for the overworked police to investigate a crime, you can be deputized to solve it yourself.

It's a fairly focused story, taking place in less than a week, and one of my favorite aspects of this book was actually all the molecular biology that the main character does (as a lab researcher in Biotech Industries). I was also amused by the way the computers worked here (clearly much closer to the '80s rather than the 2030s or something).

Faust does a pretty decent job weaving an interesting murder mystery especially against a strange backdrop of a dystopian America where no one raises their own kids anymore, and the government sponsors sex clubs to keep people breeding. It was quite funny in bits as well.

[Brown Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't often reread books, and am less often impressed the second time around. This book held up well over the years, and is a solid mystery set in a seedy, plausible future full of sad, compelling people.

I recommend to any mystery fan, and sf fans who love lived-in futurism.

[Mark Stahl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this when I in high school, as a member of the Science Fiction Book Club. Got to meet the author on a book signing tour, who told me of his disappointment at the generic "disco ball" cover that got slapped on the book club edition. But it didn't stop me from enjoying it. It's a great little mystery sci-fi blend, sufficiently engaging that everyone in my family (including my Mom!) read and enjoyed the book. In our house, that's a high honor.

[Sarena · Rating 3 out of 5]

well, not a bad read, dystopian and futuristic, barely. Many interesting conceptual ideas, but never fully explained or resolved, these are just touched upon, sparking the readers interest, but taking you nowhere.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really suurprised with this book. I didn't expect much from it, but it was a decent little sci-fi story.

[Erik Graff · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this Science Fiction Book Club edition up used somewhere in Chicago and read it quickly. It's basically a murder mystery set in the near future, a plausible one.

[Patience · Rating 2 out of 5]

ehhh....it was ok...not what I expected...lacked something....seems like this is a revisited story...

[Patience · Rating 3 out of 5]

eh...not bad writing but the story line was predictable...good fast read but just know you can guess what will happen before the end of the book.

[Nola · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, Honor was the person who died.