Border Princes

This was the second Torchwood book released, and is definitely longer and denser than the others I've read. It has a great atmosphere of mystery and the uncanny, and I read the first several chapters with "what the hell is going on!" (in the good way) in the back of my mind. It does a nice job tying subplots (some of which don't concern the cast at all) into the main plot at the end, and includes some brutally vicious action scenes (a plus in my book). Here's the SPOILERY details on the plot: an alien race on the "far side" of the Rift occasionally sends agents across and places them in deep cover--one of the agents is placed into Torchwood and, through alien mindbending technology, convinces everyone that he's been there for years. In this respect, the book shares a lot of similarities with the Buffy episode Superstar and the later Torchwood series two episode Adam. Meanwhile, a rival alien race's android killing machine has activated itself and is tearing through Cardiff. Like I said, it's all very mysterious and exciting, and includes concepts I would like to see revisited. The main loose end is that this fake agent of Torchwood, James, has been sleeping with Gwen for weeks and eventually convinces her to leave Rhys--even though the book indicates that the members of Torchwood will eventually forget that James ever existed, won't Rhys be a bit torqued? It makes Gwen even more heartless: we know she slept with Owen and lusted after Jack, but now we find out she hooked up with this James guy (that is, there's no indication she was brainwashed into doing it, just brainwashed into thinking James was a long-time member of the team). Ah, well. I was never a huge Gwen fan anyway . . .

I might be partial to the Torchwood books because I really enjoy the Show, but I really enjoyed this book. At times the story seemed to be all over the place, but I felt that was needed to better explain the twist of the story and better demonstrate what Torchwood does and experiences. I will also admit to figuring out the end before I got there, but over all a very imaginative story.

No, I really mean that. Misdirection at its finest. I was hooked from the start. I had to reread the first chapter just to figure out I wasn't misreading something. The main plot is hidden among a bunch of subplots and themes going on. Only the reader KNOWS something else is going on. It's like a mystery movie in which you know one of the characters is not who he seems even when he has no clue he is not who he is. Don't worry, that is not a spoiler, because you know something is wrong by page 8. Unless you've never seen a Torchwood episode, then it may take longer. Oh, I noticed that Border Princess, Another Life and Slow Decay, if you put them all in a row, make one picture of the group with the spines. I assume other books will also, when linked together, do the same. So far I am not disappointed with the novels, even if they are sometimes slow to start.

If you are a fan of the show, you will enjoy the "Torchwood" books. Easy reading, a bit more insight into the characters; a good "fix" for a dry spell between episodes. Just wish there were more books in the series!