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Killswitch: A Cassandra Kresnov Novel by Joel Shepherd
01/11/2007 . Source: Tomas L. Martin 
pub: Pyr/Prometheus Books. 462 page enlarged paperback. Price: $15.95 (US). ISBN: 978-0-59102-598-6. Buy Killswitch in the USA - or Buy Killswitch in the UK  check out website: www.pyrsf.com and www.joelshepherd.com
Amongst the books I've reviewed over the last year or two, I've been enjoying a fair few Pyr releases and endeavour to read all the books coming out from the Prometheus imprint if I can. Top of my list has been the Joel Shepherd 'Cassandra Kresnov Trilogy' which comes to an end with 'Killswitch'.
In 'Crossover', android Cassandra, the highest designation artificial human in the League, defected and snuck undercover into the Federation world of Callay. Following political events, the Federation voted to move its capital from Earth to Callay in book 2, 'Breakaway'. Now, two years after she first arrived in the city of Tanusha, the planet finds itself blockaded by Earth-leaning space fleets.
As the political climate simmers towards a confrontation, Cassandra is forced to leave her position as second-in-command of the Callayan Defence Force or CDF. Her lover, intelligence operative Ari Ruben, finds that another high level android is on the planet with knowledge of a secret 'killswitch', a codeword or transmission that will activate something in Cassandra's brain, killing her.
Taking Cassandra out of the complicated online connections that the citizens of Tanusha have built into their heads pushes her out of her comfort zone. Bereft of her ability to sort through all the many pieces of information on the web and unable to rush into conflict, Cassandra is more vulnerable than ever.
Shepherd treatment of Cassandra's personality has been a real highlight of these books and this continues in 'Killswitch'. Cassandra's relationship with the gay CDF leader Vanessa Rice is especially thoughtfully handled and never clichéd. Like all of the books, too, the action is electric and explosive.
Plot and pacing-wise, I felt this was the weakest of the trilogy, with a long section in the middle of the book not really doing enough to hold my attention. The final confrontation and climax felt a little rushed in comparison. I was also disappointed not to have some of the fantastic political intrigues between ministers that interchanged with the action in the second book.
Having said that, 'Killswitch' is still a class above most SF thrillers and completes the trilogy well. This book was originally published in Australia back in 2004 so, three years later, I can't wait to see how this promising new talent does when his next book comes out. Keep both eyes on this entertaining yet thoughtful new writer.
Tomas L. Martin
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