Review by Ian Braidwood
One of a handful of short stories and a
novel, which Games Workshop commissioned to support their
Dark Future game. Set in a post apocalyptic world rather
like that in the Mad Max films, except rougher; Mel
Gibson wouldn't last five minutes. (Yessss I know, in
Patriot he took on the entire British army and won - in
his dreams...) This scenario plays right into Brian's
turf, especially as they have a genetic engineering
company, but in truth these short stories are cursory
affairs. If they are you introduction to Brian's writing,
then you really need to discover the science fiction he
writes for himself.
This particular story introduces Kid Zero, who features in
Ghost Dancers, explaining how
he got his name and how he came to be a lone wolf on the highways
of the future. Kid becomes involved with Snake Eyes, a remnant of
a genetic experiment who literally has eyes with vertical slits and
patches of scaly skin. These unusual features mean that Snake Eyes
is practically a pariah and his involvement with her brings Kid Zero
into dispute with the rest of his gang.
Things really get going when Snake Eyes falls sick...
