Scan barcode
bsowell's review
3.0
Much like Arctic Rising, I liked the setting and premise, but the story was fairly simplistic.
virginiaduan's review
3.0
Set in the near future, former spy Roo gets dragged back into his old life when an old spy friend dies and leaves him a mysterious package.
Took me awhile to figure out that it was in the near future vs the present. (Which just goes to show you how terribly ignorant I am of world affairs as well as how well written and plausible Buckell's world creation is. Bonus points for POC protagonists. It's always nice to see us in the future, too.
Took me awhile to figure out that it was in the near future vs the present. (Which just goes to show you how terribly ignorant I am of world affairs as well as how well written and plausible Buckell's world creation is. Bonus points for POC protagonists. It's always nice to see us in the future, too.
nwhyte's review
4.0
https://nwhyte.livejournal.com/3769695.html
A really accomplished technothriller, set in a slightly divergent timeline where the Caribbean states have got their act together to be an effective counterpart to the larger countries who want to play in their sand. Our protagonist, allied with a mysterious but glamorous French agent, gets involved with a criminal mastermind who plans to wipe out large chunks of the human race through biological terrorism. Lots of split-second escapes and dramatic writing; it would make a good film (though probably couldn't fit in the background politics).
A really accomplished technothriller, set in a slightly divergent timeline where the Caribbean states have got their act together to be an effective counterpart to the larger countries who want to play in their sand. Our protagonist, allied with a mysterious but glamorous French agent, gets involved with a criminal mastermind who plans to wipe out large chunks of the human race through biological terrorism. Lots of split-second escapes and dramatic writing; it would make a good film (though probably couldn't fit in the background politics).
wordfey's review
3.0
The worldbuilding is excellent, the setting and its contingent issues handled well, the action sequences thrilling. Loved Roo as a character. Some side-character sketches done well. Unfortunately, there was a general lack of character development--many times we're told, rather than shown, the evolution of character relationships and ideas. Kit was the worst offender: next to nonexistent, for all that she was there for most of the novel. Several plot points fell flat or felt perfunctory. A certain person's death served little purpose--just so that Roo could feel strong emotions and not act thoughtfully, even though he'd been like that before the death anyway. The villain suspended my disbelief--he was just a cut-and-paste monologuing psychopath with a refrigeratored wife. Maybe things would have been different if I had read Arctic Rising first? I don't know. I really wanted to like this novel.
ryuutchi's review
5.0
Hurricane Fever is a sharp thriller set in the near future, where the seas have risen and extreme weather patterns batter the Caribbean all summer. It was a quick read, fast paced and enjoyable with a definitely unique sensibility. An ex-Caribbean Intelligence officer gets caught back up in biotech espionage when an old comrade sends him a posthumous message asking to be avenged. There are boats, there are hurricanes, there are many many people of color (what with it being set in the Caribbean and all). To me it was a great antidote to the "white guy beats up all the brown bad guys" airport thrillers I've read over the years. I've been hearing for a while that Tobias Buckell was an author to be reckoned with, and now I understand why.
davidscrimshaw's review
4.0
It's kind of fun to read a James Bond type action story where the secret agent is a Caribbean guy.
I like Buckell's outer space science fiction more, but I'll read the next story about Roo Jones.
Even though small talking animals aren't even a possibility.
I like Buckell's outer space science fiction more, but I'll read the next story about Roo Jones.
Even though small talking animals aren't even a possibility.
More...