Scan barcode
A review by bookshelfsos
An Exchange of Hostages by Susan R. Matthews
2.0
The Sixth Level was as bad as it got - before it got truly unreasonable.
There are moments in this book where I enjoyed it. I found some of the characters - Andrej, Joselire, St. Clare - sympathetic and interesting. But there were simply too many head-scratching moments of plot holes/weird writing/gratuitous violence to allow me to actually enjoy this book.
What really bothered me most of all was the premise. There is an entire system set up in this world to train and engage torturers. I found it hard to suspend disbelief to the extent that an interplanetary, civilized government has decided that this is going to be their sanctioned method of rooting out and punishing crime. Torture isn't effective, and while I could believe that it would happen in isolated communities where there aren't checks and balances on power, I cannot wrap my head around a giant space-faring government thinking that brutal torture is the way to go.
Another big problem I had with this book was the laughably bad writing that I encountered on and off throughout it. Some of it, I'm blaming on the transcription of the e-book version that I read. But I think some of it was actually written that way on purpose by Matthews. The quote I opened with was one example. Some other examples:
And those were the ones I noticed after I started taking notes.
What got me through this book was Matthews undeniable skill in setting up emotional conflict: both within characters' minds and between characters. I loved the dynamic between Andrej and St. Clare that was starting to develop. Andrej finds perverse pleasure in torture, and St. Clare is almost unable to bear watching it. Andrej himself feels conflicted about his desire to cause pain and his opposing desire to be a good person. It didn't completely redeem the book for me, but it made it readable at least.
There are moments in this book where I enjoyed it. I found some of the characters - Andrej, Joselire, St. Clare - sympathetic and interesting. But there were simply too many head-scratching moments of plot holes/weird writing/gratuitous violence to allow me to actually enjoy this book.
What really bothered me most of all was the premise. There is an entire system set up in this world to train and engage torturers. I found it hard to suspend disbelief to the extent that an interplanetary, civilized government has decided that this is going to be their sanctioned method of rooting out and punishing crime. Torture isn't effective, and while I could believe that it would happen in isolated communities where there aren't checks and balances on power, I cannot wrap my head around a giant space-faring government thinking that brutal torture is the way to go.
Another big problem I had with this book was the laughably bad writing that I encountered on and off throughout it. Some of it, I'm blaming on the transcription of the e-book version that I read. But I think some of it was actually written that way on purpose by Matthews. The quote I opened with was one example. Some other examples:
Since the appointment had obviously been prearranged, Joslire would obviously not let him miss it.
joints when out of joint were almost always intensely painful.
There would be sufficient with which to concern himself, he could be certain of that.
And those were the ones I noticed after I started taking notes.
What got me through this book was Matthews undeniable skill in setting up emotional conflict: both within characters' minds and between characters. I loved the dynamic between Andrej and St. Clare that was starting to develop. Andrej finds perverse pleasure in torture, and St. Clare is almost unable to bear watching it. Andrej himself feels conflicted about his desire to cause pain and his opposing desire to be a good person. It didn't completely redeem the book for me, but it made it readable at least.