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A review by tigger89
World Running Down by Al Hess
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I don't go for main-plot romantic books too often, but I'm glad I made this exception. Both Valentine and Osric were wonderful characters in complicated situations, and I enjoyed watching them fumble around with each other. Yes, this is that kind of book: light on the steam, and heavy on the awkward discovery. And it's well-justified awkwardness, given that one of the heroes is an AI who only recently had to use a physical body. While I'm aware comparisons of transgender people with robots isn't everyone's cup of tea, it's worth noting that the author is himself a trans man, and it's more nuanced than it might sound at first glance. For example, Osric experiences dysphoria from his physical form not being like the distributed consciousness he'd previously inhabited; the fact that his body is artificial/non-human isn't the point of comparison.
One of the things I loved the most about this book was the setting's vibe. It has a wonderful futuristic-yet-retro vibe that reminds me a bit of the Fallout universe(in fact, I wonder if the main character's name isn't a reference to Nick Valentine, from Fallout 4), except throwing back to a time that's a little earlier than the atomic age. I also liked the way the Mormon community the group encounters was used in this story. As someone who has known LGBTQ Mormons, I'm aware the situation isn't quite as black and white as many people might think, and I appreciated this take on what one offshoot community might look like in the future.
As a bonus, Al Hess is a talented artist. In addition to painting the cover of the book(!), he drew portraits of many of the main and secondary characters. Two — Valentine and Osric — are included at the front of the book, and the rest can be found on his website.
My biggest gripe with the book is that some plot threads seemed to be left dangling. The most egregious was the part about the mutant animals, which got built up and then just dropped. I don't care how sweet it is when our two leads kiss, I wanna know what was up with the mad science! But if you're reading primarily for the romance and characters, you shouldn't have any issues with this, as I feel that half of the plot was wrapped up very nicely. I can't promise you won't yell at the characters and pitch the book across the room, however, but isn't that just a sign of being invested in a good drama?
One of the things I loved the most about this book was the setting's vibe. It has a wonderful futuristic-yet-retro vibe that reminds me a bit of the Fallout universe(in fact, I wonder if the main character's name isn't a reference to Nick Valentine, from Fallout 4), except throwing back to a time that's a little earlier than the atomic age. I also liked the way the Mormon community the group encounters was used in this story. As someone who has known LGBTQ Mormons, I'm aware the situation isn't quite as black and white as many people might think, and I appreciated this take on what one offshoot community might look like in the future.
As a bonus, Al Hess is a talented artist. In addition to painting the cover of the book(!), he drew portraits of many of the main and secondary characters. Two — Valentine and Osric — are included at the front of the book, and the rest can be found on his website.
My biggest gripe with the book is that some plot threads seemed to be left dangling. The most egregious was the part about the mutant animals, which got built up and then just dropped. I don't care how sweet it is when our two leads kiss, I wanna know what was up with the mad science! But if you're reading primarily for the romance and characters, you shouldn't have any issues with this, as I feel that half of the plot was wrapped up very nicely. I can't promise you won't yell at the characters and pitch the book across the room, however, but isn't that just a sign of being invested in a good drama?
Content Warnings
Moderate: Deadnaming, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Trafficking, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Dysphoria