With The Last Good Man, following her superlative The Red trilogy, Linda Nagata returned to military science fiction with the authority and clarity that we’d come to expect from her.
Linda Nagata’s The Last Good Man gets all the props in this LitStack Rec.
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In This LitStack Rec of The Last Good Man
Technology and Affairs of the Heart
The Last Good Man, set within a private military company headquartered in Washington state, allows for an even deeper empathy with the lead character than her earlier works; although technology plays an integral part of the story, affairs of the heart shine even brighter.
True is the Glue
Oh my, does Linda Nagata know how to write thrilling military science fiction, or what? (The answer is an unequivocal “yes.”)
in The Last Good Man, True Brighton, at age 49 and retired from active military service, brings plenty of experience to her role of Director of Operations for Requisite Operations Incorporated. She’s smart, seasoned, and able to see the big picture, whether that pertains to management of the cutting edge business or knowing how to handle a desperate father whose child has been kidnapped. She may not be the dynamic drive that pushes ReqOp forward, or one of the technical geniuses that keeps it a step ahead of their targets and their competition, but she is the glue that holds them all together; that one person that everyone looks up to in admiration rather than in awe.
When a hostage rescue uncovers new intel that sheds light on the death of Tru’s eldest son Diego, who was killed by terrorists while serving in Iraq, she finds herself in unfamiliar territory – at odds with the status quo she had settled on in order to come to terms with her loss. As the fallout from a corollary bounty grab not only puts the ReqOp team in danger but also unmasks the knowledge that the circumstances of her son’s death were covered up by institutions – and people – that she had previously trusted, Tru finds herself determined to learn the truth, even if it means crossing lines she herself had drawn in the sand.
Ah, But How Is The Story Told?
The story in The Last Good Man is compelling, but how it is told is sheer genius. While the setting of The Last Good Man is obviously in the near future, enough of it is grounded in our own reality so as to allow it to feel familiar; a believable forecast of where modern life and technology is taking us (as alarming as it might be).
The beginning of the novel is a bit of a test of names and equipment, but it lays the groundwork–not only in determining characters, but putting them in a time and place–which cements the action to come. The details are tight, and justifiable; as with the author’s Red trilogy, the technology, which is so integral to the plot, becomes as second nature to the reader as it is to those in the story who wield it.
What truly shines in The Last Good Man are Ms. Nagata’s characters. They become real. And how brave is it to have the pivotal player in the book be an older woman, who acknowledges her impending limitations rather than railing against them? True still retains the discipline and training of her youth and subsequent career. She feels authentic and honest, even–especially–due to her age and experience. And it’s not just True–all of the characters in The Last Good Man, even the lesser ones, are rendered in far more gradient detail than one might expect of a book focused on fighting, intrigue and explosions.
Whole Lot Of Good Going On Here
Lest you be concerned, let me assure you that there are indeed plenty of fights, intrigue and explosions in The Last Good Man. Suspense, drama, and loyalty and camaraderie. And occasional whoop-ass. Heartbreak. A whole lot of gadgets and gizmos and fighting machines that will astound and amaze and terrify.
In other words, The Last Good Man excels on many different levels, there is simply no reason for you not to experience it, regardless of your reading preferences. Honestly, it’s that good.
~ Sharon Browning
About Linda Nagata
Linda Nagata is an award-winning American author of science fiction and fantasy. Based in Hawaii, she is known for her contributions to the “nanopunk” subgenre, which explores the impact of nanotechnology. Her novel, The Bohr Maker, won the Locus Award for Best First Novel in 1996, and her novella, Goddesses, received a Nebula Award in 2000, becoming the first online publication to do so. A prolific author, Nagata has written numerous novels and series, including The Nanotech Succession* and The Red Trilogy. She publishes her works independently through her company, Mythic Island Press, LLC.
You can connect with Linda Nagata on their website at Mythic Island Press, and on Facebook.
Publisher: Mythic Island Press
ISBN Softcover 9781937197223
Other Titles by Linda Nagata
Other LitStack Resources
Be sure and look at our other LitStack Reviews for our recommendations on books you should read, including reviews by Lewis Buzbee, Lauren Alwan, Allie Coker, Rylie Fong, and Sharon Browning.
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