The Positive Deviant

The Mindguard Saga #0.5

by Andrei Cherascu

In the booming metropolis of New Tokyo, a high-ranking business executive is tasked with transporting valuable company data in the form of an information package stored inside his mind. Fearing an attack from one of the Federation’s oldest criminal organizations, the corporation entrusts his safety to the Ayers-Ross Thoughtprotection Agency.

For Sheldon Ayers, a veteran telepath and Mindguard, the mission starts like any other. When his team is attacked in the high-speed transportation network below the city, Sheldon must once again use his legendary skills and experience to protect his client’s mind. But this time, he finds himself facing an enemy who seems to be able to predict his every move.

Fighting to adapt to an unprecedented situation, Sheldon suspects that behind the attack lies an unlikely adversary – someone even he couldn’t have prepared for, someone with ties to Sheldon’s past.

The Positive Deviant is a standalone prequel to The Mind Malignancy, a series of dark science fiction thrillers.

66 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 15, 2018

About the author

Andrei is the author of the science fiction series The Mindguard Saga. His debut novel, Mindguard, was chosen Book of the Year 2014 by scifi365.net. Its sequel, The Vintages, was nominated for Best Science Fiction at the 2016 eFestival of Words. Martyrs of the Mind, the fourth book in the series, is scheduled for release in March 2019.

When he isn't working on his novels, Andrei is busy running his jazz-themed website The Music and Myth, where he reviews records and gigs and posts interviews with artists like Sofia Rei, Bill Frisell, Al DiMeola and Patricia Barber.

A full-time writer by day, he enjoys spending the evenings drinking wine and listening to music with his wife, Ioana and their Bichon puppy, Jazzie.

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You can get in touch with Andrei through his website http://www.andreicherascu.com/
He is also on Facebook and Twitter (@CherascuAndrei)

Reviews

[Andrei Vajna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely not the best of Andrei Cherascu's writing, with the style being rather dry and narration leaning heavily towards the "tell" rather than the "show" side, but it still provides an entertaining read, demonstrating once again that the Mindguard universe is ripe for the imagination, by exploring futuristic technologies and human development, but also new predicaments that come up with the evolution of telepathy.

While only Mac and Sheldon benefit from character development - and it is nice to see the relationship between the two get plenty of spotlight - we get to see the protagonist face a foe of equal strength. This is sort of the missing piece of the Sheldon Ayers puzzle as we get to see why he is the best. Rather than being put in a situation where he is handicapped, we see how the legendary Mindguard can outwit his alter ego. Unfortunately, this means that the story is best savoured when having already read the other books of the Mindguard saga.

To end with a quick comparison between the two Mindguard short stories, I loved Humanity of One, and I enjoyed The Positive Deviant.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well done

Short but sweet. Did a good job of setting up the series. What is going to happen to Sheldon and why the distance from his partner?