Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Roc (2002), Paperback, 384 pages
Description
Retrieval Artists help the lost find their way back home, whether they like it or not. Specialized private detectives, they investigate the most unusual crimes in the galaxy. But Miles Flint isn't a Retrieval Artist. He's just a cop, trying to do his job.In a stolen space yacht, three people have been found eviscerated, the grisly signature of an alien vengeance killing. Moments later, the border patrol halts another ship launched out of the moon's orbit. Its passengers are two human children, kidnapped by the most ruthless aliens in the universe. Both ships are linked to a woman on the run: a Disappeared relocated to the inhospitable landscape of Mars. A reluctant outlaw with a bounty on her head and a detective on her case, she's about to teach all of them a lesson: it's dangerous to gamble with your life in a universe that rigs the game.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member amf0001
Satisfying space opera, well thought out world building, excellent aliens. I really liked the ethical dilemmas outlined in this book and how the daily intereactions with aliens is what caused the trouble - not huge intergalactic wars, but simple things like if you practice law in our neck of the
This is not the most elegantly written book I've ever read, but it clips along at a great pace, and it feels solid - once you enter Rusch's world, everything makes sense, nothing trips you out of it. We meet Miles Flint, who I suspect will appear in other books, as a new detective, recently out of port patrol. He has baggage, who doesn't? and an experienced partner who doesn't rate him. When they get 3 complex alien cases in one week, they know something has gone really wrong, and then they spend the book trying to deal with it and figuring out the best solutions in a very murky world.
I'm definitely looking for more of this series. Happy find. A
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woods, you become party to our legal system and outcomes and if we demand the surrender of your first born as punishment for your crimes, then the Earth's political/judicial system has to agree. This is not the most elegantly written book I've ever read, but it clips along at a great pace, and it feels solid - once you enter Rusch's world, everything makes sense, nothing trips you out of it. We meet Miles Flint, who I suspect will appear in other books, as a new detective, recently out of port patrol. He has baggage, who doesn't? and an experienced partner who doesn't rate him. When they get 3 complex alien cases in one week, they know something has gone really wrong, and then they spend the book trying to deal with it and figuring out the best solutions in a very murky world.
I'm definitely looking for more of this series. Happy find. A
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LibraryThing member slothman
Miles Flint finally worked his way up to detective in the police force for Armstrong dome on the Moon, and this week is presenting him with an unpleasant set of cases. Interstellar diplomacy requires that wrong committed against a member of an alien species be punished according to that species’
The story keeps up a fairly good pace and the characters well fleshed-out, but the worldbuilding seems a bit of an afterthought. There are some details about life on the moon, but even I never noticed even a nod toward the differing gravity there, or the other details of coping with an environment containing vacuum, meteorites, and radiation. I’m not expecting a rigorous work of hard science fiction here, but it would have been nice to at least see some sort of handwavium nod toward the issue.
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laws, and some of those laws are harsher than anything Hammurabi ever wrote down; naturally, this creates a market for illegal Disappearance services to help people evade alien justice that is, by human standards, unreasonable. He winds up having to juggle three related cases involving three different species tracking down people who used Disappearance services, and facing some very nasty moral decisions.The story keeps up a fairly good pace and the characters well fleshed-out, but the worldbuilding seems a bit of an afterthought. There are some details about life on the moon, but even I never noticed even a nod toward the differing gravity there, or the other details of coping with an environment containing vacuum, meteorites, and radiation. I’m not expecting a rigorous work of hard science fiction here, but it would have been nice to at least see some sort of handwavium nod toward the issue.
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LibraryThing member crazybatcow
This is a fast, interesting and well-developed novel with interesting aliens and a suspenseful plot.
There are some "gaps" where the story seems to jump - a story thread gets concluded "behind the scenes" (i.e we last see one character on the run from the police then at the end of the book we find
I will be reading more in the series, however.
There are some "gaps" where the story seems to jump - a story thread gets concluded "behind the scenes" (i.e we last see one character on the run from the police then at the end of the book we find
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out she's been relocated to Earth, but there is no indication of how this happened).I will be reading more in the series, however.
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LibraryThing member cabri
This is the first book in Rusch's Retrieval Artist series, although the series originated in an earlier novella that takes place after The Disappeared so this is the "origin" story. A pair of detectives on the moon are assigned the case of a small spaceyacht discovered with the remains of three
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people in them. It's clear that aliens called the Disty have sickeningly taken their revenge out on the people, a perfectly legal form of vengeance killing, but it's not clear what happened to the crew of the space yacht. Before they're barely started on this case, they're assigned another case, this time of a possibly legal alien kidnapping of two human children. With time running out, the detectives must keep the aliens from getting their hands on the children through the use of legal loopholes, at least until the loopholes are closed. Then to top it off another spaceyacht is brought in, this time containing a human woman who insists that she was the unfortunate victim of the crew being kidnapped by other aliens. This is eventually too much coincidence for the detectives, and junior of the pair must figure out what connects these three alien justice cases. An excellent start to the series, with good development of the characters, lots of flaws, a great idea behind the plot, and even a little bit of sympathy for the aliens' viewpoint. I look forward to reading all the rest of the books in the series. Show Less
LibraryThing member dknippling
I was torn on whether I liked this one or not, right until the end.
The beginning of the book is based on really, really obvious reader manipulation: it's not just enough that a woman has to leave her whole world behind, but she has to take a last-minute phone call from her fiance, who has no idea.
The other major book that hit me this way was The Hunger Games, which I read 50 pages of and put down: it bugs me when the stakes are already high enough to motivate a character, and the author has to lay extra drama on them. I feel jerked around. "Okay, okay, I'm WITH your character. Get ON with it and stop with the soap opera already."
However, once past the very beginning, I got caught up in the mystery, which has beautiful, almost noir-ish twists to it. I was still frustrated with the book, because I felt like it wasn't really going anywhere: a bunch of stuff happened, but so what? Where's the character arc? Where, in fact, IS the Retrieval Artist? But that all came together at the end and paid off.
I don't know that I agree with the main character's choice in the lawyer's case - but he wouldn't be as effective a character if he didn't do some things that made me say, "Oh, that's going to cause you problems later on." I liked his partner far better; I'm curious to see what becomes of her later in the series, too.
The beginning of the book is based on really, really obvious reader manipulation: it's not just enough that a woman has to leave her whole world behind, but she has to take a last-minute phone call from her fiance, who has no idea.
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That kind of thing. A little boy who isn't just stolen by aliens, but afraid that the aliens will take his little sister.The other major book that hit me this way was The Hunger Games, which I read 50 pages of and put down: it bugs me when the stakes are already high enough to motivate a character, and the author has to lay extra drama on them. I feel jerked around. "Okay, okay, I'm WITH your character. Get ON with it and stop with the soap opera already."
However, once past the very beginning, I got caught up in the mystery, which has beautiful, almost noir-ish twists to it. I was still frustrated with the book, because I felt like it wasn't really going anywhere: a bunch of stuff happened, but so what? Where's the character arc? Where, in fact, IS the Retrieval Artist? But that all came together at the end and paid off.
I don't know that I agree with the main character's choice in the lawyer's case - but he wouldn't be as effective a character if he didn't do some things that made me say, "Oh, that's going to cause you problems later on." I liked his partner far better; I'm curious to see what becomes of her later in the series, too.
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LibraryThing member BryanThomasS
The opening Retrieval Artist novel sets the stage in high fashion for what follows. Rusch is not just world building, she's Universe building and she builds not just people and planets but cultures. The culture clashes at the heart of this novel kept me rapt with interest. The characterizations as
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with the book I read prior to this (book 3 in the series) is fantastic and the tension and pacing masterfully done. I can see why this series is so popular and cannot wait to read the other books. Show Less
LibraryThing member eviljosh
I really enjoyed the world building in this book. Characters were secondary to me, but the writing and characters were in decent shape (no horrific breaks or unexplained choices).
The world created is a fascinating one. Humanity is now a small interstellar civilization, and has encountered a number
Each species is allowed to apply its own cultures and traditions and laws to other species, at least regarding events that take place on their own planets. They are then allowed to get warrants from the Intercultural Courts to enforce those judgments on any other planet or station.
This means that humans can get in trouble for things that don't seem at all fair or just to humanity, and can be forced to pay for those crimes in ways humanity finds inhumane (one species does life in penal colonies, another does ritual public killings and disembowelment, and yet another takes the first born child of the offender).
Humanity has no option (other than war or ceasing to expand into space) but to go along with, and indeed, help enforce, these rulings.
So organizations called "disappearance companies" get set up. These are quasi-legal, and help people wanted by different alien cultures to disappear and start new lives under new identities elsewhere.
This book focuses on two police investigators on Earth's moon, who must deal with the tension of believing that the aliens' rulings and punishments are morally wrong, while still helping them carry them out where necessary to prevent humanity from failing to uphold its treaty obligations.
All in all, a great dilemma and a fascinating story.
The world created is a fascinating one. Humanity is now a small interstellar civilization, and has encountered a number
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of other species, bound together by a loose set of treaties and agreements in a League of Nations style, complete with inter-species courts (called Intercultural Courts).Each species is allowed to apply its own cultures and traditions and laws to other species, at least regarding events that take place on their own planets. They are then allowed to get warrants from the Intercultural Courts to enforce those judgments on any other planet or station.
This means that humans can get in trouble for things that don't seem at all fair or just to humanity, and can be forced to pay for those crimes in ways humanity finds inhumane (one species does life in penal colonies, another does ritual public killings and disembowelment, and yet another takes the first born child of the offender).
Humanity has no option (other than war or ceasing to expand into space) but to go along with, and indeed, help enforce, these rulings.
So organizations called "disappearance companies" get set up. These are quasi-legal, and help people wanted by different alien cultures to disappear and start new lives under new identities elsewhere.
This book focuses on two police investigators on Earth's moon, who must deal with the tension of believing that the aliens' rulings and punishments are morally wrong, while still helping them carry them out where necessary to prevent humanity from failing to uphold its treaty obligations.
All in all, a great dilemma and a fascinating story.
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LibraryThing member ecw0647
Nice combination of mystery and SF.
LibraryThing member capiam1234
Really enjoyed this. A mystery and the emergence of a great science fiction detective. Looking forward to more of this series.
LibraryThing member dbsovereign
Fast-paced action, interesting plot and sci-fi that makes you think - what more could you ask for? Nice wind-up of the loose strands at the end. Asks the question: How can we find true "justice" in a universe where different species have varying views on what that means?
LibraryThing member JudyGibson
Remarkable fresh science fiction ideas, good characters (who become more interesting as the series progresses) and combining science fiction and mystery. This book (and series) hits all my buttons. I read this first many years ago and it's still a favorite. Note: it's important to read this series
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in order. Show Less
LibraryThing member AlmaB
Excellent science fiction.
LibraryThing member anissaannalise
I've been on a serious science fiction binge of late because... reality, but I've been determined not to fall into a genre rut. The Disappeared is the first in The Retrieval Artist series has just made that determination waver. This story was addictive and I mean in that way that not only is it a
This is the story of how Miles Flint, a detective, becomes a retrieval artist. In the future, humanity has colonized the Moon and Mars and has interstellar agreements with three alien species (Disty, Wignan & Rev). Flint and his partner Noellle DeRicci have cases land in their laps of humans who've run afoul of the aliens laws and are due to be handed over. The problem is that all the offenders are literally the titular Disappeared. They've paid a service to give them new identities as a way to abscond from their sentences. It's a complex legal landscape here where sentence can be levied on the child of an offender, a lawyer who defended a repeat offender is now liable criminally for his crimes & the penalty for teaching one of a particular alien race human language costs the teacher their tongue. The police on the Moon in Armstrong Dome are tasked with following the law as proscribed and handing people over and this proves to be the problem for our detectives here. Basically, the perspective of humans is primary here so all the penalties are seen as excessive & inhumane.
I was invested in the outcome of each situation and I felt the world-building was well done. I do have to say that the offender who was guilty of clearing what she thought were trees to expand her residence of an alien planet only to find that she'd wiped out several sentient beings and thousands of other beings that nested in them was fairly unsympathetic. I just didn't want her child to suffer for her deeds. The writing here just seemed like the lives lost didn't need to be paid for because she was a human being. Not a good look. Still, I liked the resolution.
I only want more of this universe even though its a bit of a grim future. Honestly, unless the aliens are trading the cure to all mankind's physical maladies and also the answer to universal peace and total prosperity, I can't believe whatever is being traded is worth the cost. I look forward to finding out more about the politics & trade situation. Definitely recommended as it was as good a police procedural as it was a science fiction story. Definitely hit a lot of my The Expanse feels.
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page turner but also I felt a bit resentful when I had to put it down and do other things. I literally woke up with my tablet in my hand because my body finally got its way in the middle of the night and sleep overtook me. I want to read the entire series straight through.This is the story of how Miles Flint, a detective, becomes a retrieval artist. In the future, humanity has colonized the Moon and Mars and has interstellar agreements with three alien species (Disty, Wignan & Rev). Flint and his partner Noellle DeRicci have cases land in their laps of humans who've run afoul of the aliens laws and are due to be handed over. The problem is that all the offenders are literally the titular Disappeared. They've paid a service to give them new identities as a way to abscond from their sentences. It's a complex legal landscape here where sentence can be levied on the child of an offender, a lawyer who defended a repeat offender is now liable criminally for his crimes & the penalty for teaching one of a particular alien race human language costs the teacher their tongue. The police on the Moon in Armstrong Dome are tasked with following the law as proscribed and handing people over and this proves to be the problem for our detectives here. Basically, the perspective of humans is primary here so all the penalties are seen as excessive & inhumane.
I was invested in the outcome of each situation and I felt the world-building was well done. I do have to say that the offender who was guilty of clearing what she thought were trees to expand her residence of an alien planet only to find that she'd wiped out several sentient beings and thousands of other beings that nested in them was fairly unsympathetic. I just didn't want her child to suffer for her deeds. The writing here just seemed like the lives lost didn't need to be paid for because she was a human being. Not a good look. Still, I liked the resolution.
I only want more of this universe even though its a bit of a grim future. Honestly, unless the aliens are trading the cure to all mankind's physical maladies and also the answer to universal peace and total prosperity, I can't believe whatever is being traded is worth the cost. I look forward to finding out more about the politics & trade situation. Definitely recommended as it was as good a police procedural as it was a science fiction story. Definitely hit a lot of my The Expanse feels.
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LibraryThing member LisCarey
Miles Flint and Noelle DeRicci, police detectives in Armstrong Dome on the Moon, have a problem.
They've been assigned to investigate first one, then two, then three ships arrived at the Moon under peculiar circumstances. These are quickly shown to be related to humans convicted of crimes against
The first contains three bodies, eviscerated in a Disty revenge killing.
The second carries five Wygnin and two human children, an eight-year-old and an infant, whom the Wygnin claim are lawfully theirs for crimes committed by their parents--but they don't have the proper warrants with them.
The third is clumsily piloted in by a woman who says she's just a tourist, a passenger on the ship when a third alien race, the Rev, stopped the ship, boarded, and removed the crew and the other passengers, while she managed to evade them.
Flint and DeRicci, in their different ways, struggle with the moral ambiguities of the most unpleasant part of their jobs as Armstrong Dome detectives: turning over humans to alien justice which often seems unjust or unduly harsh to humans. It isn't a one way arrangement; the interstellar treaties involved say that each race's law applies within its own territory, and everyone, including aliens, within that territory is subject to it.
The cases we see in this book, though, are the humans convicted by intercultural tribunals of violating the laws of non-human cultures, facing punishments that by human standards are harsh, unjust, or downright cruel. We see the agony of the parents whose children the Wygnin want to take, and the fear and anger of the lawyer who faces years of hard labor in a Rev prison colony for, in her mind, properly doing her job as a lawyer.
Armstrong Dome is a gritty, lived-in place, and the major characters as well as some of the minor ones are very nicely developed. The story moves at a good pace, and we even get some glimpses of the greater depths of the alien cultures. An interesting and worthwhile read.
Recommended.
They've been assigned to investigate first one, then two, then three ships arrived at the Moon under peculiar circumstances. These are quickly shown to be related to humans convicted of crimes against
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against alien laws, who have chosen to "disappear" rather than face their sentences.The first contains three bodies, eviscerated in a Disty revenge killing.
The second carries five Wygnin and two human children, an eight-year-old and an infant, whom the Wygnin claim are lawfully theirs for crimes committed by their parents--but they don't have the proper warrants with them.
The third is clumsily piloted in by a woman who says she's just a tourist, a passenger on the ship when a third alien race, the Rev, stopped the ship, boarded, and removed the crew and the other passengers, while she managed to evade them.
Flint and DeRicci, in their different ways, struggle with the moral ambiguities of the most unpleasant part of their jobs as Armstrong Dome detectives: turning over humans to alien justice which often seems unjust or unduly harsh to humans. It isn't a one way arrangement; the interstellar treaties involved say that each race's law applies within its own territory, and everyone, including aliens, within that territory is subject to it.
The cases we see in this book, though, are the humans convicted by intercultural tribunals of violating the laws of non-human cultures, facing punishments that by human standards are harsh, unjust, or downright cruel. We see the agony of the parents whose children the Wygnin want to take, and the fear and anger of the lawyer who faces years of hard labor in a Rev prison colony for, in her mind, properly doing her job as a lawyer.
Armstrong Dome is a gritty, lived-in place, and the major characters as well as some of the minor ones are very nicely developed. The story moves at a good pace, and we even get some glimpses of the greater depths of the alien cultures. An interesting and worthwhile read.
Recommended.
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Subjects
Awards
Endeavour Award (Winner — 2003)
Original publication date
2002-07
Physical description
384 p.; 6.5 inches
ISBN
0451458885 / 9780451458889