Book Review: Only Forward

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Only Forward     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Michael Marshall Smith
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Fantasy   Futuristic   Private Investigator
Bantam, Sep 2000, $6.50, 352 pp.

In a future world a lot weirder than the present, only a lunatic or a desperado would seek the services of Stark. Somehow, when he is on the job, everything seems to go screwier as Stark makes a sentry dog seem more like a gentle house pet. Thus, when Actioneer Zenda Renn introduces Stark to Darv and C of the Action Center’s Intelligence Agency (ACIA), he knows they must be in extreme trouble, which they are. Apparently, three days ago someone abducted Senior Actioneer Fell Alkland who was doing highly classified work at the time. Stark is to find out who kidnapped Alkland, how they did it, and bring him back alive.

Stark thinks the case has nothing to do with abduction, but knows that any inquiries in any of the Neighborhoods can be very perilous to one’s life even if the case appears quite simple like this one. However, even the ultra-cautious Stark is not yet aware that Murphy’s Law has been renamed for him because he soon becomes the target of friend and foe alike.

If anyone had doubts before ONLY FORWARD was published that Michael Marshall Smith owns the absurd futuristic who-done-it sub-genre, they will not think so after this wild novel. ONLY FORWARD is weird, yet also amusing and entertaining. The story line is filled with a strange world loaded with intriguing but hard drive error gizmos inside a wonderful mystery. Stark is a great protagonist while the support cast provides depth to this surreal world. Not for everyone, Mr. Smith satirizes the mystery and science fiction genres while ripping every ONE OF US with its acerbic tongue in cheek plot.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner