I’ve been so focused on multi-engine flight test prep, I’ve felt guilty about spendng any time writing blog posts, so this is me catching up.

Gerald Brandt is a local Winnipeg author, and as I’ve said before, Winnipeg authors kick butt and are amazing and don’t require the velvet glove be-nice-because-they’re-my-friend treatment.

The Courier is a near-future science fiction novel set in the California area when pretty much every city in Cali has gotten so big it’s amalgamated into one mega city, San Angeles. The setting reminded me a lot of the tv show “Dark Angel”, especially with the main character on the motorcycle.

The main character is a young woman – points already for the female main character –  who is assigned to deliver a package that puts her in really the wrong place at the wrong time.

And I’m a sucker for any plot that involves the little people rising above their oppressors, so the meta plot of the story was an easy sell for me.

But then there was the romance. And I mean, okay, it’s kind of understandable that a sixteen year old girl would fall in love with the first guy that ever was nice to her. I mean, I remember being sixteen and having a guy be nice to me in a world that was all pitted against–

Goddam it Gerald, I’m allergic to romance, and you sucked me into it!

It’s a very fast paced read – almost entirely set within two days, story wise, and the plot drives forward with barely a moment to let our poor main character sleep, as is characteristic of a thriller. I definitely empathized with the main character, and am looking forward to the sequel.