Post by sturgeon on Apr 25, 2022 21:50:17 GMT
Here we have the story of celebrated Merseyside police officer Stephen Cloney's downfall when he's outed as corrupt, leaking the locations of illegal drugs labs to his robber friends.
Or so the title would have me believe.
But, no, this is not the story of One Bent Copper.
Rather, this cap is about an assassin in a lightly fantasy setting, going about his deadly business.
At first, I was nervous about all the fantasy terminology, but the neologisms soon stepped aside (although it did annoy me that the main character's name was unnecessarily italicised throughout). The narrative is pleasant enough to read, hinting at the details and rituals of this land, punctuated by the occasional scene of gory violence.
Our antihero operates in a callous world, unquestioningly carrying out the will of his masters. He doesn't know anything about the people he has been sent to kill, nor why, and we don't know either. He is determined (or resigned) to remain cold and emotionless - and yet there is a glimmer of humanity at the edges of his consciousness that teases us with hope.
That's the strength of this piece - the world is bleak without being stifling, and the main character's hesitant steps towards a sliver of redemption feel like desperate relief.
But.
The trope of "blank-slate assassin marionetted by shady global network for unknown cause" is so common, from the original hashasheens to Léon to Silas to Black Widow, that it takes something special to make it sing. And, for me, this cap never elevated itself beyond "pleasant enough". This punch-clock villain was interesting but not exceptional.
So, while I enjoyed it, I don't think it'll stir the monkey. I vote no.
P.S. At the wedding he said, "My boss is a buddy of yours, he sent me to bring you this gift," and nobody thought to ask which boss? Really?
Or so the title would have me believe.
But, no, this is not the story of One Bent Copper.
Rather, this cap is about an assassin in a lightly fantasy setting, going about his deadly business.
At first, I was nervous about all the fantasy terminology, but the neologisms soon stepped aside (although it did annoy me that the main character's name was unnecessarily italicised throughout). The narrative is pleasant enough to read, hinting at the details and rituals of this land, punctuated by the occasional scene of gory violence.
Our antihero operates in a callous world, unquestioningly carrying out the will of his masters. He doesn't know anything about the people he has been sent to kill, nor why, and we don't know either. He is determined (or resigned) to remain cold and emotionless - and yet there is a glimmer of humanity at the edges of his consciousness that teases us with hope.
That's the strength of this piece - the world is bleak without being stifling, and the main character's hesitant steps towards a sliver of redemption feel like desperate relief.
But.
The trope of "blank-slate assassin marionetted by shady global network for unknown cause" is so common, from the original hashasheens to Léon to Silas to Black Widow, that it takes something special to make it sing. And, for me, this cap never elevated itself beyond "pleasant enough". This punch-clock villain was interesting but not exceptional.
So, while I enjoyed it, I don't think it'll stir the monkey. I vote no.
P.S. At the wedding he said, "My boss is a buddy of yours, he sent me to bring you this gift," and nobody thought to ask which boss? Really?
