Review of "Fractured Futures," by SY Thompson

 FRACTURED FUTURES,  SY THOMPSON

     Detective Ronan Lee has just solved the crime of the century. Or, has she?   

 

As a hard-core Dark Urban Fantasy fan, it takes a clever plot to surprise me any more. It seems as though every story harkens back to one prior, often as near miss to plagiarism, if not accidental homage. So, when I opened Fractured Futures, I was prepared to be disappointed. Happily, what I discovered was a strong dark urban fantasy, complete with intense female protagonists and romance that was rich, inviting, and sexy (oh, and between woman! SY Thompson takes a futuristic landscape, reminiscent of a blending of Orwell and Ridley Scott, dark, centralized, and fraught with layers of discord and corruption, yet she reaches further into that realm, casting a glance at the oppression of women service workers via the near cyborg effect cast upon Ronan as a police officer, serves as tool both owned and employed by the state.  This reductionism becomes further enhanced by her connection to technology, especially intriguing as the technological component leads to an even darker and complex plot line. Further, Thompson explores sexuality, via intense dialogue and an interplay of provocative themes of class -- within both regime and intimacy. Additionally, as the plot revolves around serial killing, violence against women provides another important social element. It is the complexity of this interplay that ultimately strengthens the romantic relationship.

Certainly, I could easily say that I loved the book and call it a day. However, Thompson deserves recognition for how well she fused aspects of social justice into a police drama cum DUF cum lesbian fiction book. I highly recommend it. Hand down, this book will be re-read multiple times.

Fractured Futures by SY Thompson Link: http://amzn.com/B00GIFY020