Review: The Red: First Light

The Red: First Light by Linda Nagata
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Near-future cyberpunk military fiction, but with character and plot enough to hold it together. I liked how it sidestepped modern p0litics while still addressing issues; like the way the characters mostly refer to the media as "mediots" ("fake news" anyone?) yet the news reporter Elliot is seen to be an important mediating factor on government excess. The characters show a strong distrust of both corporations (in a very liberal way) and the government (very libertarian.) That leaves us free to judge them on their actions, rather than their politics. I also liked the moment of self-awareness when Our Hero, setting off to Save the World From Itself, realizes that he is, essentially, no different from every terrorist who ever lived.

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