Review: Far Sector #7
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer:Â N.K. Jemisin
Art:Â Jamal Campbell
Colors:Â Jamal Campbell
Letters:Â Deron Bennett
Reviewed by:Â Matthew B. Lloyd
Summary
Jo follows an @At into the “net” after learning how they take over another living creatures body. It takes all the will Jo can muster as she explores the boundaries of her special ring.
Positives
After just a bit of an awkward start, Far Sector #7 excels at combining world building while continuing to push the story along. Since issue #1, Jemisin has been integrating Jo’s discovery of The City Enduring with the development of the plot while peppering character moments along the way. Jemisin is doing a marvelous job of balancing, plot, character and world building. It’s not always easy to do. It’s remarkable that she doesn’t overdue any single element. Sometimes, it can be difficult to keep the reader from feeling lost when the lead character discovers things at the same pace as the reader. This technique doesn’t always work. That’s not the case with Far Sector.
The explanation of the @At lifestyle is truly fascinating as Jo must enter what is essentially the internet as an electronic pulse. Her experience is still one of the physical world as her guide, CanHaz does her best to take Jo where she needs to go. It’s a truly alien experience in a different kind of way. It suggests all sorts of themes about perception as CanHaz explains that the @At are able to take over a body and “run” it for awhile, but what they are actually doing is erasing all memory and personality, thus killing the “host.” The @At are a non-biological race that live in a technological world. It’s a truly startling moment for Jo.
This leads to Jo deciding to follow the @At who have killed Councillor Averrup. In a quick flashback, we see Jo get her ring from a Guardian who explains that this ring in particular is different. Instead of power spiking to overcome moments of fear, it’s designed to extend a longer lasting force that enables one to “live in fear” for an extended period of time. Â
Negatives
The issues opens up in medias re, or did you forget how Far Sector #6 ended? After getting one’s bearing, much like Jo herself, there’s nothing to complain about. Everything else about Far Sector #7 really clicks! Â
Verdict
N.K. Jemisin and Jamal Campbell continue to deliver a compelling and original Science Fiction story. The world building reaches new heights with this issue as Jo learns about the non-biological race, the @At up close. Jemisin makes them feel truly alien, and it’s a real triumph. Far Sector #7 continues to impress as it proves it’s not only unique and different, but also wildly compelling in concept and themes. The potential for Jo’s ring is positively captivating!
