The Movement #4

Yeahhh, all caught up now (almost just in time for Ventriloquist!). And with #DiversityInSFF trending all over the twitter this is a great book to review today! 

When we left the Channel M gang, Katharsis had declared that she was a cop (leaving readers to suspect that she had been the rat… errr.. spy) was taken to the station and beaten bloody. Virtue had shown up to demand Katharsis’s release from Captain Meers. 

This book gives the back story and provides insight to the motivations of some of the Movements key players. 

We have Mouse, who was born to a wealthy family but because of circumstances beyond his control, (you know, being a pied piper for rats) he began living on the streets.

 

And Katharsis, an immigrant from Thailand who moved to the US as a child. She became a cop… it’s true! but.. she quit after she discovered that the justice system could be bought and sold. 

 

Tremor… is the spy. It’s very sad. She’s trying to atone for her past. She got her family run out of India (showing off her super powers… don’t judge, you wouldn’t be able to resist).

 

Burden is Amish, raised in horse and buggy country by deeply religious people who convinced him he is possessed. 

 

In the end, they find Katharsis, Tremor decides to align herself with Virtue and the others… for real this time. And everyone tries to get the hell out of there before the choppers come in. 

There’s lotsa skull breaking and badassery on the way to the sub-basement to rescue Katharsis.

 

That’s Captain Meers and Agent Yee

This is calm, cool and organized Virtue

 

(well, actually, I think that’s some fan art. But it’s damn cool.)

I’m looking forward to seeing how Vengeance Moth got her name

 

Look at all these people. They look different, are from different backgrounds, have different values, abilities, cultures, families, religions, ethnicities, races, sexualities. And people claim they can’t write characters this diverse “because it feels forced” let me tell you, this does NOT feel forced. It feels like the population of an actual city, reminiscent of stories people might tell you if you bother to talk to anyone outside of your quiet boring-ass neighborhood. 

Honestly. Pay attention to your surroundings. Talk to people… better yet LISTEN.

I can tell Gail Simone does.

#ThisIsHowYouWriteGood

PS- I said something similar about Dicey Grenor and her awesome and profoundly diverse characters after I read Zeek’s Loving Thorn. (I’m impatiently waiting for her next one.)

PS2- This is a really kick ass interview where Freddie Williams talks about the art/costume design in this book and how they were careful not to hamfist “look Rainmaker is Native American” and actually be subtle and use realistic things that people might actually have if they’re living in an abandoned sweatshop starting a hacktivism movement.