Heros Die and Why You Should Read It

[Cynical Cat]

Matt Stover has written some good books, but the most powerful ones are his Acts of Caine series, which this is the first one. It sets up the series. The premise is somewhat unusual. There are two worlds, connected by a interdimensional transfer technology. The first is a polluted, caste bound. oppressive future earth. The other is Overworld, a world where magic works and there are elves, humans, magic, dragons, and other things. It's possible (but not cheap) to send someone between universes, but harder for anything larger. There's also technology that allows a recorder to be put in someone's skull and it will work in the altered physics of Overworld. Movies and TV shows exist, but the real big time entertainment is the recorded adventurers of Actors, members of the Professional caste, have in Overworld having D&D style adventures.

The biggest star is Caine aka Hari Michaelson, the son of downcasted academics who on Overworld is the baddest motherfucker to walk the planet. He's post-cynical, entering early middle age, with a powerful patron, a successful career, and a disintegrating marriage to another Actor. And she's in deep, deep shit. She disappeared with the secret police of the new empire's hot on her tail and Caine's worst enemy leading the hunt. The studio head tells Michaelson that he'll send Caine across to help only if he agrees to assassinate the emperor, who wields near god-like power. Michaelson agrees.

What follows is a balls to the walls, action packed adventure loaded to the gills with intrigue and danger. It's also about violence as entertainment, different kinds of love, loyalty, and number of other themes that make it more than a simple adventure novel (not that it isn't a great adventure novel).

You want well written, fast moving, adventure action that actually has some depth to it? Read it.