A review by phenaproxima
Global Frequency by Warren Ellis
3.0
Man, I wish I could say I loved this book. It’s got action, sharp writing, cool technology, and resplendent artwork. And yet it’s fundamentally unsatisfying because of what it is: a series of twelve well-crafted, self-contained, consequence-free action scenes.
For me, the episodic nature of this series is its undoing. You know going in that the Global Frequency agents are going to get the bad guys, so the book is devoid of any genuine sense of danger. Drama flies out the damn window, and you’re left with the feeling of passively watching an interesting scenario (and the scenarios, with a couple of exceptions, are quite interesting) play itself out. You might as well be playing a video game. The stories move way too quickly — the set-up is usually about two or three pages, and the resolution is only one or two panels.
The truly frustrating thing about Global Frequency is that are some fascinating ideas and themes and mythologies lurking in the subtext — none of which ever get a chance to breathe because of the lack of continuity. Walking black holes, bionic monsters, kinetic harpoons, evil medical research, the ethical and logistical questions of running an organization like the Frequency…these are all things I was interested in and wanted to know more about. But no: it’s all just a backdrop to beating the bad guys in 20-odd pages. This shallowness is keenly felt in the final story, where some of the complex questions surrounding the Global Frequency are very briefly considered. Too little, too late.
So it’s possible to enjoy Global Frequency for what it is, if you don’t expect too much out of it. This is a smart book, and I would have greatly preferred a longer, serialized, slower-paced version, rich in world-building and drama, that leaves you with much to ponder. As it is, this feels like an appetizer without a main course.
For me, the episodic nature of this series is its undoing. You know going in that the Global Frequency agents are going to get the bad guys, so the book is devoid of any genuine sense of danger. Drama flies out the damn window, and you’re left with the feeling of passively watching an interesting scenario (and the scenarios, with a couple of exceptions, are quite interesting) play itself out. You might as well be playing a video game. The stories move way too quickly — the set-up is usually about two or three pages, and the resolution is only one or two panels.
The truly frustrating thing about Global Frequency is that are some fascinating ideas and themes and mythologies lurking in the subtext — none of which ever get a chance to breathe because of the lack of continuity. Walking black holes, bionic monsters, kinetic harpoons, evil medical research, the ethical and logistical questions of running an organization like the Frequency…these are all things I was interested in and wanted to know more about. But no: it’s all just a backdrop to beating the bad guys in 20-odd pages. This shallowness is keenly felt in the final story, where some of the complex questions surrounding the Global Frequency are very briefly considered. Too little, too late.
So it’s possible to enjoy Global Frequency for what it is, if you don’t expect too much out of it. This is a smart book, and I would have greatly preferred a longer, serialized, slower-paced version, rich in world-building and drama, that leaves you with much to ponder. As it is, this feels like an appetizer without a main course.