New Book Alert: Loose Threads (Cool Assassins Book One) by J.O. Quantaman; Confusing But Involving Suspense Thriller About Spies and Assassins

New Book Alert: Loose Threads Cool Assasins Book One by J.O. Quantaman; Confusing But Involved Suspense Thriller About Spies and Assassins

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews


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Spoilers: This is the second book in a row that I have reviewed about assassins and it's not as straight forward as Blood of the Assassin. In fact, it is downright confusing. However, there is a lot more involvement and investment in world building that pays off.

Cool Assassins takes place in 2073-2076 in various solar colonies, particularly the Dog Breakfast Co-op, a cooperative which appears to be a training ground for spies and assassins. The training is largely seen through the eyes of Nyssa Person, a former actress/call girl on the run from her dangerous former employers. The Dogs draw her into this new world of bloodthirsty fellow trainees, new identities to be forged, and a chance to gain strength and self reliance when facing sinister figures.

Meanwhile, three years later Mishima Security has a breach and Yamazaki Kazuo, security chief, is on the trail of someone called hotfeet. Three guesses who hotfeet works for and how the Nyssa plot is tied to the Kazuo plot.

In Loose Threads, the Nyssa plot is far better than the Kazuo plot. Quantaman does a great job of creating this futuristic environment and taking the Reader inside. He puts news press releases that provide exposition towards the socioeconomic and political situation that abounds. He also includes a much required glossary that defines such terms as acks (acolyte, trainee), creche (educational institution for those under 18), and qat (Quantum Assasination Theory, physical excellence aquired through intensive practice and phisiologic meditation.) The glossary helps define these terms that would otherwise cause the Readers to be lost.

As Nyssa trains with the other acks, she learns quite a bit about their methods. One of the more interesting passages is one that appears to be borrowed from Eastern philosophy that describes psigns, the framework of any natural group. They include taste, urgency, smell, hearing, seeing, breathing, moving, gravity, coordinating, warmth, balance and touch. The psigns are treated like a metaphysical and spiritual following that are meant to bring balance in physical activity and life.

Characterization is also particularly strong. Besides Nyssa, we also meet Jen, an expert climber and former acrobat who is always on the look for a thrill. Meg and Subie are a lesbian couple who have suffered tremendous loss and cling to each other even while mocking and teasing one another. Then there's Ahab "Cook" Ho, Dog Breakfast co-founder who captures Nyssa's heart by simply being a decent man and kind hearted leader. This is a pretty likable bunch, even if they are in the business of spying on people and taking lives.

What doesn't particularly mesh is the Kazuo plot. It distracts the Reader and makes the process confusing. The fact that it is three years ahead of the rest of the story doesn't help. The characters that we have gotten to know only make appearances towards the end, though it becomes evident and obvious that one has been there all along. It might have served better to tell this book as a straight chronological story and leave the Kazuo subplot to fill a later book. Plus, it could make Kazuo a more interesting character as he is being targeted and how the gang moves in to investigate and surround him. Let's hope later volumes in the series are more linear.

Despite the confusion, Loose Threads introduces us to an intricate and well thought out world that would be great to return.