Tripleye by John Hegenberger / Review by Frank Reed
TRIPLEYE
By John Hegenberger
Black Opal Books
$12.97
ISBN 978-1626946835
Publication Date: June, 2017
BOOK OF THE DAY
Killer Nashville 2018 Silver Falchion Nominee
Tripleye (Black Opal Books, 2017) has at least triple layers of intrigue. John Hegenberger has co-mingled bits and pieces of Bond, Bourne, and the occasional smidgen of other familiar “tagonists,” both pro- and an- in his sci-fi fantasy. Murder, theft of military weapons, double agent Manchurians (or New New Yorkians?), they’re all present and sometimes accounted for. He nails it—duplicity, greed, and ego have no boundaries. The final frontier is just as wild and dangerous as the Old West back on Earth three centuries ago.
The Weave Corp, headed by Van Loon, is set on taking over the entire extra-terrestrial enterprise, complete with geo-therm stations, sand mines, and a thriving population. The Corp has also managed to infiltrate Tripleye, the government’s private investigation entity, which enables them to interfere with Tripleye’s ace in the hole, a mind meld technology called the Link.
Throughout, it is apparent that regardless of location, time, technology, or other advancements, certain basic attributes continue to drive humans. Love, hate, anger, fear, jealousy still are prime motivators. Most anything can be purchased (for credits, the new cash), no one can be taken at face value, and the coin of the realm still rules behavior.
Did I mention that there is evidence of intelligent life on Mars? Did I forget to say that much of the conflict centers around the theft of “Snot,” the acronym for the tangible life form? Did I get so caught up in the action that I omitted that little tidbit? Oh, well.
But perhaps the best nugget, though easy to miss, is the fare on the thirteen hour shuttle from Ceres to Mars. The featured menu item? Microwaved hegenbergers, of course.
Born and raised in the heart of the heartland, Columbus, Ohio, John Hegenberger is the author of upcoming Stan Wade LAPI series from Black Opal Books, father of three, tennis enthusiast, collector of silent films and OTR, hiker, Francophile, B.A. Comparative Lit., Pop culture author, crime-fighter, comedian, ex-lead in the senior class play, ex-Navy, ex-comic book dealer, ex-marketing exec at Exxon, AT&T, and IBM, happily married for 45 years.
Active Member of SFWA, PWA and ITW.