Fantasy in Death by J. D. Robb

I don't often post the same book here and on Pick of the Literate but this book is so mainstream it needs to be there and it is definitively speculative fiction so it needs to be here too. 

The not too distant future is the setting for Lt. Eve Dallas and her adventures. The entire series I have read so far is focused on homicide and the mystery that surrounds each murder. This book focuses on rpg. (role playing games) A group of loveable geeks is on the verge of paramount geekieness when they are beset with foul play.

Bart Minnock’s murder strikes a chord with Dallas, I suspect due to his naïve disposition and his vague similarity to Roarke. Roarke, on the other hand, is beyond chord striking, he doesn’t see Bart’s murder as simply a need for justice, he sees a strong need for revenge.

I did really enjoy the technology that was described and I suspect that we will see interactive holograms well before the 2060 date of the storyline.   Computer gaming systems are becoming so sophisticated that holograms are the next logical step.  It will be exciting to see and as so many of the books I read as a kid, science fiction frequently becomes science fact well before we expect it.

It is made clear in this book that Dallas does take each and every murder personally. She believes that she is the advocate for the dead. I can only hope that there are cops out there that have the same strength of duty for those who can’t help themselves.

I’ve said it before, I do like the loyalty that Dallas shows to her staff and the resultant loyalty that is returned. The emotional interplay is the key to success in this series.

I recommend the book and the series.

Body of work of J. D. Robb

Web site: http://www.noraroberts.com/jdrobb/