Official Review: Space Police Files by Jay Sandlin
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- MsTri
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Official Review: Space Police Files by Jay Sandlin
Bad Boys, bad boys, what'cha gonna do? What'cha gonna do when they come for you? Anyone familiar with the docu-reality show, Cops, knows that refrain from the song that introduces the half hour. The show follows various lawmen as they patrol and answer calls. Cops is currently in its 32nd season, so it's fair to say that it's a success. Now entering the ring and hoping for success is author Jay Sandlin. He has penned a fictional accounting of police answering the call but with a difference. His cases take place in space.
Space Police Files takes place in "the effed up sectors of the Milky Way," wherein various aliens reside, making capture much more interesting. Available for the reader's perusal are five eyewitness accounts, each unique in their own way but finally circling back so that things tie together.
As a big fan of Cops and fictional crime dramas, such as L.A. Law, Law and Order, and CSI, I was super excited to read this tome, and Jay did not disappoint me. Whether the law enforcers were chasing a shapeshifter or gunning for a serial killer, I was enthralled and excited to see how the author would turn the genre on its ear. Of the five included cases, my favorite was The Case of the Exploding Vapor Virgin. This story followed hostage negotiator Kobe Maru on his first day on the job. Let's just say that things went far differently than he expected. The Case of the Golem Gopher was also quite an interesting read. This tale featured Pipani Shariff as she rose to lofty heights after becoming a surrogate for a wealthy family in the Uppercity. Unfortunately, Pipi (for short) also learned the truth of the proverb, "Pride goeth before the fall." Even though I enjoyed all of the characterizations - good creatures and bad, alike - my favorite was a chameleonlike Cadet named Anaxyrus Cognatus. I greatly admired the Nematoadian's determination to make the most of his circumstances, however trying they may have been.
Overall, I found Space Police Files to be an exciting visit to a heretofore unknown section of the galaxy, and I thought Sandlin did a decent job building the worlds. I was really impressed with some of the tech used in the story, such as a "double-edged plasma blade." Likewise, I was delighted with the descriptions of the different entities who populated the sectors, from a six-fingered giant to some blue goons who resembled gorillas. Unfortunately, the lack of professional editing kept this book from being all that it could be. The errors that I noticed most were punctuation mishaps and missing words. Additionally, I discerned some misspellings and a few misuses of verbs. I noted that the writer had a habit of using semicolons where commas would make more sense as well. A more thorough editing job would allow this anthology to really flourish. As it is, I am rating the collection 3 out of 4 stars.
Before the first accounting, the author gives a warning that "This book contains adult scenes and adult language which may be considered offensive to some readers." I agree and urge those readers to steer clear. I also second Mr. Sandlin's admonishment to "store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers." Excluding the young and the sensitive, I strongly suggest this compilation for fans of sci fi, people who like reading police files, and those who enjoy story collections.
Bad Aliens, bad aliens, what'cha gonna do? What'cha gonna do when they come for you?... Naaah. Doesn't have quite the same ring to it.
******
Space Police Files
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- NetMassimo
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Nice review though (The start was ...)
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Perhaps I might be interested in this book. Thanks for the wonderful review!
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Great review as well