Head On (Lock In, #2)

by John Scalzi

“The word ‘Hilketa’ comes from the Basque language,” I said. “It means ‘murder.’ Some Basque people don’t like that it’s used. They think it makes them look bad.” “Why?” “I don’t know. I’m not Basque.” “Everyone’s got a word for murder,” the attendant said.

Coincidence does happen, but Chapman dying and a Hilketa league executive killing himself and Chapman’s secret love nest burning down all within a span of eight hours was a little much to take.

“Those two gentlemen are Martin Lau and Yegevney Kuznetsov.”

This line took me out of the story, confused me more than anything else in the whole series, which is amazing for a sci-fi series. Really? Out of all the Russian sounding names, the author chooses the exact first and last name of one of Washington Capitals forwards? For a story that takes place in the DC area and is about a sport where the violence is half the enjoyment. Um, okay. Had to flip forward a couple pages, I was so confused, even knowing that it takes place in the future and there weren't any other real people in it, etc.

“So who are these gentlemen?” “Lau works for Richu Enterprises out of Singapore, and Kuznetsov is an associate of Egor Semenov, an oligarch type from St. Petersburg. The one in Russia, not Florida.”