Hung Out / Margaret Weis & Don Perrin

Hung Out

category: science fiction, author:

Margaret Weis & Don Perrin

book 3 of Mag Force 7
published by Victor Gollancz, original copyright 1998, read in May 2010

Agamedes' opinion: 8 out of 10

This is a bang-gotcha bunch of overdrawn stereotypes fighting evil and defending the weak, though they will also defend nice people who can pay well. That is, mercenaries with heart.

That all seems fairly ordinary. Trite, even. There are two aspects of Hung Out which take it from "readable" to "really quite good": likable characters, and good plot.

The members of Mag Force 7, the mercenaries, like each other. They are all loyal, tough, honest... with each other.

The hero is, of course, a troubled soul. In particular, he is a cyborg -- half machine -- and this has caused him to separate from his much-loved wife. Having taken three books to wipe out the last of the baddies, the final chapter of this book is where the couple reconcile. Wife admits that hero's best friend in the mercenary gang had contacted wife, to ask her to get back together with hero. Then it turns out... that every single member of the gang -- plus the mother of one of them -- had asked the wife to forgive and forget. Ah shucks! how sweet :-)

But that's just the last chapter.

The book has two main plot lines running through it. By the end, we have discovered that the two lines are closely connected. Better yet -- there are clues throughout the book. Not red herrings, just clues. The good guys are mislead, though they suspect that there is something odd going on... and the reader is given enough hints to connect the dots.

No false trails, no deus ex machina, no sudden revelations... We are following the good guys' logic but are given enough hints to work out what is happening. Well done, the authors!

Aside: I really dislike traditional whodunits. As far as I can tell, there are enough clues to convict any one of the characters. The whodunit author simply picks one and claims, that is the murderer... and very seldom provides evidence to clear the others.

Hung Out has likable characters. It has a solid and effective plot. Plus lots of action, some positive messages about love, hate, revenge and freedom. Plenty of humour, usually based on the eccentricities of the mercenaries.

Over the top. Unbelievable. Great fun.

..o0o..

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