Blunt Force Rising (An Angela Hardwicke Science Fiction Mystery Novel) by Russ Colchamiro; Angela's Darkest and Most Violent Mystery Yet.
By Julie Sara Porter
Bookworm Reviews
Spoilers: Before we begin, I ask you to please read my previous reviews for Crackle and Fire, Fractured Lives, Hot Ash, and Trigger Point as it will enhance your understanding of and might reveal some important plot points that are mentioned in this review.
So now we come to the fourth volume of the Angela Hardwicke Science Fiction Mystery Thriller Series and my last one to date, Blunt Force Rising. And boy did its author, Russ Colchamiro know how to end, or rather penultimately end (since book five, Trigger Point, was the actual last book) the series on a high, or rather gruesome, bloody, violent, dark but very memorable point.
Blunt Force Rising is probably the darkest Angela Hardwicke novel yet and that's honestly saying a lot. It starts out very subtle. Angela and her partner, Eric Whistler are invited on a galaxy cruiser by their client, Ther’eda Ranadyne, CEO of Ranadyne Cybernetics, a leader in the development of AI intelligence and manufacturing androids. She is hiring the duo to look for a technician who is responsible for tampering with the Death Code, a code that creates premature aging and death within androids after a certain time.
At first, the book seems like a Science Fiction equivalent of Death on the Nile, Murder on the Orient Express or other Agatha Christie novels. A locked room or closed circle murder mystery set in the future where the main characters travel in luxury while bodies are hitting the floor. Indeed, Angela and Whistler are on a luxury cruiser that voyages across the galaxy.
It's all plush rooms, crystal decor, and pleasant service crew members. Angela touches base with some old friends, Nini and Dolores, and Whistler gets some alone time with his android girlfriend, Selene. Okay, there may be a dead body found inside a cabin but that's nothing that a seasoned pro like Angela can't handle. Yes, this Mystery seems pretty light and airy. Dare I say it, it might even be considered Science Fiction Cozy. At first.
The book takes a definite shift in tone halfway through. There were signs here and there that things might get darker. For all of the luxurious splendor in front of the characters, there is a lot of tension going on particularly between androids and humans. Androids want to be seen as people with all of the rights and privileges of their organic counterparts and quite a few aren't above using violence and resistance to get them. Some humans like Ther’eda are empathetic towards these struggles and want those rights granted while others like Dolores, are unrepentant bigots towards them.
This conflict inserts larger political issues into the book as Science Fiction often does, reminding us that what is seen in the far off future is actually happening right now. The presence of AI Intelligence becoming more prominent not to mention DEI conflicts and controversies are still huge parts of our daily lives.
However, the light quasi-Cozy Mystery and potentially darker political metaphorical tones eventually give way to something darker, bloody, aggressive, animalistic, primal, and fatal. During an onboard celebration something strange happens and everyone on board, crew and guests alike, behave unexpectedly, violently, and start attacking each other for seemingly no reason at all. The book is no longer just a Closed Circle Murder Mystery. It's a "Closed Circle Inside of a Zombie or rather Psychopathic Apocalypse and a Quest for Survival along with a Murder Mystery."
It is a pretty graphic scene that lasts several chapters and carries over through the remainder of the book. These aren't just verbal arguments with a few slaps, threats to murder, and aiming guns before they come to and realize that they can't pull the trigger. Colchamiro did not skimp on the gory details.
There are descriptions of eyes being gouged out, intestines ripped out from bodies, and pieces of the dead all over the place. People didn't just attack one another. They literally and brutally destroy each other, friends, lovers, family members, colleagues. There is a mock trial where any sort of fairness, justice, or civility disappear and instead is an excuse to murder without repercussions. It didn't matter who anyone was. They were violently and horrifically slaughtered often by people that they knew and loved.
One thing is for sure, those who murdered would probably prefer to be dead as well because once this mysterious circumstance passes and they return to normal, they may never forgive themselves for the horror that they inflicted on a loved one. This suggests that the psychological and emotional repercussions will last for a long time and lead to mental and psychotic breakdowns, suicide, addiction, and more violent acts to cope with the memories, anguish, and remorse. (For the record, we do see some of the fallout in Trigger Point, as Angela, Whistler, Nini and others are coping with these events, some in painful troubling or self-destructive ways.)
What is most disturbing is that this transformation even affects Angela and Whistler. It is heartbreaking to watch these two companions: partners, friends, mentor/student, surrogate big sister/kid brother attack each other with words referring to four books of past deeds and drawing blood.
During the attacks we get Angela's first person perspective as always and for storytelling purposes, it is a strong choice particularly here. We see Angela's internal struggles between what this transformation is making her do and her own nature that is appalled. Her thoughts not only turn to her experience with Whistler but her love for her son, Owen. She is fighting to hold onto the woman that she is: tough, hardened, cynical, but fiercely protective and loving, devoted to her home in Eternity by keeping the peace and catching thieves and murderers, but well aware of the corruption and imperfections within the system.
She knows that her actions are wrong but her body lives for itself and the dark aggressive emotions threaten to annihilate her mind. It's very easy to assume that this mental debate is happening to everyone making the violence even more anguishing.
It's also hard to read about Whistler going through this turmoil, particularly since he's become my favorite character in the series. He goes through great changes in the series from a flippant, idealistic sidekick and sometimes comic relief to a jaded world weary professional who willingly breaks laws and many of his previous standards, even killing. The events of the previous book, Hot Ash, traumatized Whistler and destroyed his idealistic naive character.
In the beginning of Blunt Force Rising, he is finally in a place where he can be looked on as a legitimate investigator in his own right and stand equal to Angela. He also can find comfort and stability with Selene. All of that is taken away from him because of this change. It's not surprising that two cases that throw him in physical and emotional turmoil would cause him to rethink his path in the next book and wonder if private investigation really is for him.
Of course there is a reason behind this transformation and of course the Dynamic Duo discover it but the mental and physical damage is ever present and spills into the next volume. This makes it understandable why Angela and Whistler will be in those dark places and are easily put into situations that imprison and bind them and are forced to face their previous errors, fears, and insecurities.
