Rucka,
Greg. Critical Space. Bantam. Oct 2001. c368p. ISBN 0-553-80132-5.
$23.95. Fiction.
In his fifth novel, Rucka (Shooting at Midnight) immerses
readers in the intriguing world of protection agencies.
Atticus Kodiak has been hired to protect Lady Ainsley-Hunter,
a social activist who appears to be the target of a sex-crazed follower. Instead,
she is kidnapped by an assassin sought and employed by intelligence agencies
under the code name Drama. Drama is a hit woman with whom Kodiak has tangled
in the past, and he is forced to take on Drama as a client in order to save
Lady Ainsley-Hunter. Drama, a Russian orphan raised as
Alena before being trained to kill, is herself the target
of a highly skilled assassin known as Oxford. Together
Atticus and Drama/Alena must survive while attempting to
ferret out the individuals behind Oxford. A strong premise,
interesting details of the trade, and an engaging protagonist
ultimately fade away, owing to long stretches given over
to the endless movement of bodyguards, agents, and suspects,
and a villain who fails to come to life. Recommended, however,
for larger collections of popular fiction.