Tor by Terry Grimwood

Book Review

Martin Willoughby

This is the third novel set in the universe he created in Interference, and we find out what happened to Tor Danielson.

Tor was once the puppet ruler of Earth who was manoeuvred into selling out Earth’s allies in return for some humans to gain immortality. Now he’s doing his penance on Mi, a planet where his every fear becomes reality.

Into this comes…Tor. Which one is the real Tor and which one the fake?

It’s an excellent premise and the story that unfolds is well written, with enough detail to carry the reader along to a satisfying conclusion.

As the tale moves on, we get to see the conflicted mind of Tor. He has a life of regrets and pain that sit alongside times and moments of pride in his achievements. But now he has to face the greatest regret of all, brought home to him by the appearance of his doppelganger.

This other Tor has a similar mind and attitude, but not the memories of Tor’s post-presidential life. He knows nothing of the years spent with a rescue organisation nor of the time Tor has spent on Mi. As he chases who he thinks is the real Tor across the planet he comes face to face with mental demons made real, some of which may have been made by the new arrival.

Will either of them face the past and the present? Will they embrace whatever the future holds?

Terry Grimwood’s style is at once sparse and detailed, ignoring the peripheral while detailing the parts that matter, and it’s one of things I admire about his writing. The focus is on the story and how to tell it well.

The world around the main characters is filled out to the extent it’s relevant, while the inner workings of the character’s mind is revealed as the story requires. There are no information dumps here. In addition, there are technical details when required but it’s shown in use rather than being desribed as in a science paper. It’s one of the many aspects of his writing which makes Terry Grimwood’s work ideal for those who want to explore Science Fiction and Fantasy without trawling through 20 pages describing the dark blue mountains on the horizon.

All in all, this is an excellent book that will keep you wondering about life and what it means to be human.