THE GLASS BOX - J. Michael Straczynski


Riley Diaz is a fighter. When she is picked up and prosecuted for part in an 'illegal' protest, she is given the option of a prison sentence or time spent in an  American Renewal Center for re-education. The centers are a relatively new concept, based on the Emergency Detention Act of 1950 which has never been removed. There is little to no oversight to what happens in the Center and the sadistic doctor tasked with rehabilitating the criminals has an inordinate amount of leeway to do as he pleases.  And he pleases to do quite a lot.

But Diaz does not bend or break to the doctor's outrageous methods and the other patients in the center slowly come to see Riley worthy of following. She even manages to befriend the loner nicknamed 'Frankenstein'. 

Riley has connections on the outside, but for various reasons those connections are waning and if there's any chance of shutting down the questionably legal program from the inside, time is running out.

Author J. Michael Straczynski has written an exciting, powerful, allegorical, dystopian tale. 

Riley Diaz is the star of the book here and Straczynski provides the nearly perfect heroine.  Tough but at risk, we get behind her as soon as we meet her, and we absolutely get caught up in her story, rooting and cheering when she gives the unkind doctor what's coming to him - even if it results in some (un)expected consequences.

There's page-turning excitement in the conflict between Riley and the doctor and with Riley trying to find a sympathetic ear among the staff. The relationship with Frankenstein is just a little over the top - anyone who knows the story can pretty much anticipate what's going to happen. But Straczynski's writing keeps us going, even if we do know what's going to happen. 

In addition to the writing, the storyline is is captivating in large part because it rings so true. The Internal Security Act of 1950, 64 Stat. 987 (Public Law 81-831), AKA the Subversive Activities Control Act of 1950 is an actual law, giving the President "the authority to apprehend and detain each person as to whom there is a reasonable ground to believe that such person probably will engage in, or probably will conspire with others to engage in, acts of espionage or sabotage." Given the atmosphere in current politics, it's not much of a stretch to see something very much like this happening. Science fiction?  One could see this as a call to action.

Looking for a good book? The Glass Box by J. Michael Straczynski is an exciting, quick read of a tomorrow that is maybe a little too close to today for comfort.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

4-1/2 stars

* * * * * *

The Glass Box

author: J. Michael Straczynski

publisher: Blackstone Publishing, Inc.

ISBN: 9798212007795

hardcover, 266 pages

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