Keeping it Real by Justina Robson

Spreading the love of more of my favorites of 2009.  I bought this book for the cover alone.  I mean it just spoke to the graphic designer in me…white space, great typography and a bit of 3D graphics…you can’t get any better than this. Then I read this baby!

Keeping it Real has everything you ever wanted in a SF/Fantasy book, but just didn’t know you really wanted it: Sex, Drugs, and Rock & Roll.  What’s better entertainment? A elf that happens to love scarfing down red meat and singing punk rock, or drug crazed and drunk fairies.  Gotta love the concept.

The year is 2021, six years after a quantum bomb blew a hole in the fabric of spacetime – bringing to reality five other realities/dimensions.  The revelation of the other realities isn’t as happy as it could be, there are certain extremist that are making trouble for humans and elves alike.  A group of these malcontented activists from Alfheim (the home of the elves) have targeted a “sell-out” elf, Zal, who is the lead singer of a rock band and lives in the human world. Zal has been receiving some serious death threats, which get the Otopian officials involved.  Lila Black, human/cyborg security agent is assigned to protect Zal. 

Things get a little dicey when a group acts on the death threats and kidnaps Zal.  Lila has to follow Zal to Alfheim – something she really didn’t want to do. Can she save Zal and figure out just who is behind these plots? Read the book, it is well worth it.

I love the character of Lila – she is the epitome of tough as nails chick.  A walking swiss army knife, she is nuclear powered and machine guns can pop out of her arm! Not to mention she is just getting to know all of her equipment, so her bit of insecurity makes her very much human.  Then there is Zal, he is an absolute mystery and just when you think you are going to get to know him – well he gets kidnapped and a new set of characters is introduced.

Robson filled this book with twists and turns that keep the book moving and the reader on the edge of their seat.  The completely unique world that she introduces you too also keeps you gawking as more and more depth is revealed with each page deeper into the novel.  I really enjoy these SF meet fantasy books, it really is neat to read of a Dragonlance-esqu elf meeting up with a Star Trek-type cyborg.  I highly recommend this book, and the follow-up  Selling Out is also as enjoyable.  I haven’t moved on, there are two others Going Under, and Chasing the Dragon – which just released this past August.  Put these on your TBR, if you enjoy SF & Fantasy you shouldn’t be disappointed.