This is the third novel in the APO series for “Alias”, and it seems to sit right in the middle of the pack. The first book was far from impressive; the second fit into the fourth season much better. This novel manages to make connections to the relationships and tensions of the fourth season while telling a solid espionage story, but some of the details are way off the mark.
There are some positives. The author is well-versed in media tie-in fiction and he manages to cover the plot and character structures better than most. It’s rare for an “Alias” novel to delve into some of the long-term repercussions from earlier plot events, but in many respects, the challenge for Sydney Bristow is completely internal. She’s feeling guilt over Francie’s fate, and that character exploration is wonderfully done.
Unfortunately, while the author did enough homework to understand how Francie’s death would impact Sydney’s compassionate psychology, he dropped the ball on other aspects of the series mythology. More than once, the central figure of the mythology, Milo Rambaldi, is referred to as “Carlos Rimbaldi”. This is the kind of thing that basic fact-checking should have covered, and something that immediately sets the well-versed reader on edge. Both the author and the editor should share the blame, since mistakes like that keep the book from reaching its full potential.
Rating: 7/10
Add A Comment