REVIEW: Red Star Hustle / Apprehension by Sam J. Miller & Mary Robinette Kowal

This year represents the 10th Anniversary of Saga Press and to celebrate they’ve introduced the Saga Double format. These have two books in one and Red Star Hustle / Apprehension is the third to be published and features two sci-fi crime tales by Sam J. Miller (Black Fish City) and Mary Robinette Kowal (Lady Astronaut Universe), respectively. In a physical copy, you flip the book over to read each story; so, both get their own cover art and the joy of starting a new story from the first page. Very cool.

Red Star Hustle is a multi-POV, far-future story that sees sex worker Aran framed for the murder of a client on the eve of releasing his latest controversial film, exposing corruption across the portalverse. While on the run, Aran meets Resh, a kind-hearted hunk who happens to be the leader of a rebellion in a society that invented programmable matter that he can control with his mind. Meanwhile, Imadi, a former mech fighter pilot turned security operative, has been assigned Aran’s case and intends to capture him no matter what so she can remain in the good graces, and under-the-radar, of her ruthless boss/mother.

Apprehension follows an older protagonist, Bonnyjean, a former soldier-now-neurosurgeon holidaying with her son-in-law and grandson in the wake of her daughter’s death. Bonnyjean’s hopes are that the vacation will bring some spark back into their lives, as they continue to process their grief. That is, until they are hurtled into a political conspiracy that sees six years-old Tristan kidnapped and Bonnyjean forced to confront some difficult history from her life as a prisoner of war. It’s a snappy and engaging story of an older woman doing whatever it takes to protect her family, even with the realities of age and PTSD working against her.

Both Red Star Hustle and Apprehension take a close look at trauma, grief, and how we process these things in different ways. Red Star Hustle focuses on struggles with addiction – drugs, sex, power, love – and how that interacts with the painful realities of grief. Apprehension offers a look at the interplay between trauma and grief; how they complicate and complement each other and cut us off from love and joy.  

Despite the heavier themes, both stories have been told in a way that is fast and punchy, full of action and intrigue. I particularly liked Bonnyjean’s character from Apprehension (gotta love a kickass Grandma), and the near-magic tech that Resh wields in Red Star Hustle. I’d love to see those two elements meshed together! This addition to the Saga Doubles releases on 25th October.

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This review first appear in Grimdark Magazine Issue #44

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