The depth of our belief in the fantasy world of any story is guided by the belief of the main character. The traditional Fantasy character approaches the new world with wide-eyed wonder, and we respond with the same, but with a superior “Isn’t this fun?” attitude.
In “Missing Persons” we see Fantasy from the point of view of a tough, experienced FBI agent. He is the ultimate credible witness; he has seen so much of the world that he is past being blasé. He approaches every weird situation with an open mind and a desire for real evidence. As such, the reality of the settings and events holds together, and we are slowly and powerfully dragged into belief in the extra-ordinary just as he is.
The magic in this book, especially at the beginning, is handled with a deft touch; basically, there is very little of it. This is a story about people. How they react to the conflict is guided by who they are. This means that the main character is highly sympathetic, and the secondary characters are likewise treated with respect and interest.
Later in the story the fantasy world takes over, and the writer’s attention to detail keeps us involved in the new settings. Which is a good thing, because the visuals are imaginative and well described.
The plot takes on a standard “quest” format, and near the end, where we expect rising action and suspense, instead we get an information dump, which is very interesting, but doesn’t increase the excitement.
The book ends on a lull in the action. One of the important personal relationships is solved, but the practical conflicts fade away with nothing finished. Leaving that part to be dealt with in the next part of this serial.
The first half of this book is excellent, although the ending brings it down to very good.
Recommended for Fantasy and Action/Adventure fans alike.
(4 / 5)
This review was originally posted in Reedsy Discovery