The Drafter

Re-Read 10/1/16 in prep for book 2.

I usually don't do re-reads for new releases, but this one rather screams the need. A lot goes on, and there are so many twists and turns in the plot that it really is a nightmare of interpersonal horrors. :) It doesn't help that this level of mindfuckery is sanctioned at the highest levels, or that Peri becomes quite this victimized.

The end kinda justifies the means, but it's really quite a shame that she had to go through so much just to do what is right and not even know it. So the real question is: Does the end really justify the means?

I can't answer that. It's really kinda difficult in this novel.

Plus, theres the whole other way to read this novel, too, beyond all the espionage and moral and show more ethical dilemmas. We could read this as a statement about how men treat women, writ very large and horrifyingly. If it wasn't a woman writing it, or that the main character wasn't a woman, it might read as a man's wet dream. Just think. What man wouldn't love to be able to lie to a woman with perfect impunity about anything he wanted because he could just force her to forget the whole sequence and give her any false memories he wanted?

Well. Besides me. But if the man is a real asshole, as so many of the men in this novel seem to be, then it's just a dream come true for them. And I wanted Peri to go all out and destroy them.

But that was just me. :)

The ending isn't quite as satisfying as I'd like, although there is a happy ending. It's not as great as I'd want probably because it's also a book one out of many. We can't wrap up everything.

Still, quite enjoyable, quite scary, and a good opener for a series. :)



First review:

Need Diagrams.

"For what?", you ask?

For the line of betrayals, lost memories, altered timelines, and secondarily, who is faking love and who really feels it. But mostly, we need diagrams for the betrayals. I really got caught up in the heavily claustrophobic feel of the text and being stuck in poor Peri's world.

At first, I was struck by how much similarity there was between this novel and the horrible mess that was the Interland Security and the F.I.B. from the Hollows, letting the intrigue grow up and blossom into something that Harrison could never really get away with without losing the thread and the threats in her other excellent series. And then I was blown away at how absolutely complicated and convoluted this new series could really get.

Plot? Oh yes, this one is very plot-heavy. It also has a fantastic benefit/disadvantage ruleset for Drafting, never letting us envy the drafters despite their ability to redo moments of their life to find a better outcome. I mean, how good can it be if you forget both timelines after using it?

And then there are the Anchors, those interesting uber-powerful psychologists that have the ability help drafters recall what was lost after using their powers. Can you smell a setup for abuse?

You have no idea.

That's why I Need Diagrams.

It's either that, or I'll have to re-read the novel right before the second comes out. There's simply a LOT going on and I'm impressed. The novel is a deep exploration of the handful of rules set up at the very beginning, twisting and turning us around inside so much memory loss and intrigue that I would have sworn this was a spy-fic, only spies don't get shafted nearly THIS MUCH. Do I pity Peri? Yes. Do I want to see her unravel the horribly knotted mess of her life? Yes. Do I get this really sneaking suspicion that if she does this One Thing, she's going to immediately quit being everyone's doormat and kick some absolutely serious ass afterward? Oh hell yes.

It's the reason I read Harrison, after all. She always builds up some awesome stories and then slams them out of the park. The satisfaction quotient on this novel doesn't sit where I truly want it, but that's okay because I trust the author and know she's building to something really grand.

That's not to say the novel wasn't enjoyable on it's own, because it was. It just didn't explode the way I know Harrison's works have been known to do.

And in all honesty, even the Hollows series didn't truly begin exploding until a few novels in. They were good, but not the level of great that I now expect.

For this novel though, I have a very good opinion on how it's going and a pretty good estimate on how big the explosion is going to be.

I CAN'T WAIT. :)
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Imagine someone can erase an event that just happened and replace it with a timeline of their own choosing. It's not a large change, just thirty seconds or so, but enough to alter an event irrevocably: prevent a death, avoid a glance, save your own skin. But what if it cost you immeasurably, by losing sometimes large pieces of memory? Those thirty seconds might cost you three weeks, three months, or three years. Now imagine that there's someone there beside you meant to keep you anchored and aimed, but they're corrupt?

That's Peri Reed. She's just trying to figure out what the fuck is going on, and uncover a conspiracy of corruption, while losing pieces of her own memory to do it. It's James Bond with a serious supernatural power and show more some big-time drawbacks.

I've been reading this off and on for a week or so, and I think when I realized that this book was really good was when I was working on a project yesterday and I had a little niggle at the back of my head about a TV show I thought I'd been watching and wanted to see more of, but just couldn't remember what it was, and I suddenly remembered that it wasn't a TV show at all, it was The Drafter and I'd be able to go back to reading it when I was finished. Yep. show less

I was simultaneously nervous and excited to crack this open. I'm a Hollows fan, and as such was worried that such a large shift in material would only lead to disappointment. I half-expected Rachel, Jenks, Ivy, Trent, and Al to show up in these pages. Admittedly this is very different than the Hollows. It's no use comparing the two. There are no supernatural creatures (yet?) contained within these pages. Everything is fairly normal and much like our own world with the exception of the Drafters and a few "futuristic" technologies scattered throughout. For the most part I wasn't disappointed. This is an introductory story which does what most introductory stories do-introduce. Characters, settings, conflict. It's a foundation upon which show more Harrison will build on. She's good at that. I enjoyed Peri and her inner conflict. I could picture a Lucy Liu-esque woman kicking butt and taking names. I wish there were a few more details on her history and relationship with the other characters, namely Silas, but that may be material saved for another day. I read Sideswiped prior, but I feel as if that only created more questions in my mind than answers.I had to warm up to the Hollows and I imagine I'll have to do the same here. That said, it's a good story. Full of action, adventure, plot-twists and suprises. I'm curious to see where Harrison will take things. I feel that her stories and heroines are strongest with solid supporting characters and that potential is definitely here. All in all this was a very satisfying read and I'm grateful to Goodreads and Gallery Books for the opportunity to review this latest work from Kim Harrison. show less

Interesting premise and world building. Unfortunately, Kim Harrison is unable to transcend the central premise of her novel, with the story becoming trapped in a repetitive loop. The result of all this is an almost complete lack of character development, particularly notable in the protagonist, Peri, but seen across the entire cast. In cases where characters do appear to develop, this development is often arbitrarily undone later in mere sentences, resulting in characters that feel paper thin and subject to the whims of the author, not the world she is building. One of many examples occurs right at the end, when the author, after having spent the bulk of the novel convincing us that Allen is untrustworthy, and with Peri in a position show more to know the degree of evil actions perpetrated by Allen against her, has Peri not only let Allen off the hook but into her mind, within a few pages, and with no reason given for her returning this trust to him.

Overall, an utterly mediocre thriller that even the most intriguing world building doesn’t have a hope of rescuing. show less

This thriller had it all – suspense, paranormal in a futuristic timeline, romance and the ever-present manipulation humankind bring down on each other.

Full of creative talent, Kim Harrison riveted me to the page building this world—I loved it. Never had read Ms. Harrison before, I’m keeping my eyes open for further books from her. I’m a believer of this dynamic and ever changing world Peri Reed is in and can’t wait to experience the rest of the series.

I think the most exciting part about the story is its complexity, so well described. I wasn’t able to figure out who the bad guy/guys was/were. There were so many who appeared in sheep’s clothing (believably so), but you just knew there was something off-kilter.

The heroine, show more Peri Reed, very well-trained and extremely intelligent, didn’t know who to trust. She didn’t have true memories to help her. Who were feeding her lies? Her memories were partially erased or manipulated – only her intuition could guide her. Jack was Peri’s love. He was also her anchor. But Allen was her anchor, too. Then there was Silas. All anchors. Peri could trust no one.

When Peri drafted she changed what is. It was like rewinding a scene and replaying the outcome. With each draft she would lose time, she would also lose a little more of herself. If she were killed, she’d draft for sure to save her life and she’d be aware of two timelines, not able to know which one was real, because they both were. That’s why anchors were so important to drafters–they kept them sane. Her anchor would help her focus in a one timeline – the one they wanted her to remember. Peri was manipulated, made over many times, and slowly was losing who she really was. Could she find herself? Could she live without an anchor?

The writer writes an intense, riveting, compelling story. And as a reader, I loved every minute of it. The confusion and emotions swirling through Peri swirled through me. When the dust settled, it’s hard to grasp it all. Boy, am I ready for book two! show less

I loved this, from start to finish. It kept me up late to read just a few more pages, and how much better than that does it get?

Peri Reed is an elite government agent with the ability to alter time - just a few seconds, but a few seconds in the right place can make all the difference. The only trouble is, every time she alters history, she forgets part of her life - sometimes hours, sometimes weeks or months. It's an occupational hazard, and Peri has to cope with it: she writes herself notes; she has her routines, ways she can function even when she can't remember what's she's doing or why.

Kim Harrison has said that The Drafter is a commentary on Alzheimer's Disease, and the way sufferers lose their past, a bite at a time, and initially show more try to cover up the gaps until the gaps get too big. Reading with that in mind made the story better yet, as you concentrate on Peri - the way she tries to cope, and the way the people around her react.

Suffice to say, it's very easy to deceive a person when they trust you to do the remembering for them.

I'm very much looking forward to the next book in the series. show less

Bear in mind that I've read the entire Hollows series and I Love them when I say I had the hardest time getting through this book. The way everything repeatedly restarts almost seems like a crutch for someone to finish writing a book. I couldn't connect with the characters. I never knew what was going on. It's taken months for me to finish reading this and to be honest, I don't know if I'll pick up the next book in the series.