Tindra reviewed Dispatcher, The by John Scalzi
Moral dilemmas abound
4 stars
For such a short work, the moral questions introduced are fascinating
Main complaint is that sometimes the narrator’s voices for characters weren’t quite distinct.
Digital Audio read by Zachary Quinto
English language
Published 2013 by Audible Inc..
One day, not long from now, it becomes almost impossible to murder anyone - 999 times out of a thousand, anyone who is intentionally killed comes back. How? We don't know. But it changes everything: war, crime, daily life.
Tony Valdez is a Dispatcher - a licensed, bonded professional whose job is to humanely dispatch those whose circumstances put them in death's crosshairs, so they can have a second chance to avoid the reaper. But when a fellow Dispatcher and former friend is apparently kidnapped, Tony learns that there are some things that are worse than death and that some people are ready to do almost anything to avenge a supposed wrong.
It's a race against time for Valdez to find his friend before it's too late...before not even a Dispatcher can save him.
One day, not long from now, it becomes almost impossible to murder anyone - 999 times out of a thousand, anyone who is intentionally killed comes back. How? We don't know. But it changes everything: war, crime, daily life.
Tony Valdez is a Dispatcher - a licensed, bonded professional whose job is to humanely dispatch those whose circumstances put them in death's crosshairs, so they can have a second chance to avoid the reaper. But when a fellow Dispatcher and former friend is apparently kidnapped, Tony learns that there are some things that are worse than death and that some people are ready to do almost anything to avenge a supposed wrong.
It's a race against time for Valdez to find his friend before it's too late...before not even a Dispatcher can save him.
For such a short work, the moral questions introduced are fascinating
Main complaint is that sometimes the narrator’s voices for characters weren’t quite distinct.
Pretty good novella. I like these because the quick pace and lack of ancillary fluff that some novels add. Scalzi is not one for fluff but this is a nice departure from his normal space sci-fi fare. Much like Lock In it is a realistic yet fantasy esque quick and enjoyable read.