Robby Charters's Reviews > Seeing Red

It's a hundred or so years in the future, but politics hasn't changed. The new phase of Cory Wilson's career is ahead of him, as a full ambassador to the Gamra interplanetary alliance. He's already been working with the "Gamra", understands a number of non-earth languages like Coldi, and he's now been promoted. Just as he's being briefed by the President of Nations of Earth, some strange force hits the president's office, fatally injuring the president (he dies a couple days later), and indirectly injuring Cory as well. A number of things happen in that instant that suddenly make life very difficult. Lot's of broken glass had to be removed from both of Cory's hands, so they are both bandaged up, leaving him with only a finger and a thumb on each hand to do things with. His "zhayma", on whom he was dependant, has been taken into custody as a suspect, the Vice President (who, a few days later, becomes President) doesn't trust him and doesn't understand off-earth culture, and he has to work with off-worlders who don't understand Earth culture.

As one who was raised in a multi-cultural environment myself, this aspect of the story struck a chord with me. It's probably the most challenging job of a diplomat, having to explain the other's culture to people who are very much biased towards their own culture -- their way they do things, what seemingly benign actions mean to the other culture, the hidden meanings, the do-s and don'ts. All this, Cory Wilson as to do without full use of his hands (at first), or the help of his "zhayma".

A "zhayma" is a very close personal assistant. Having a zhayma is like being married, but it's not about sex. Cory's zhayma was linked to Cory via a "feeder", a device that allows interaction through the brain. This is extremely helpful in cases where two heads are better than one, for understanding the nuances of an unfamiliar word in a language one is less familiar with, or just finding the right wording for a statement that must be delicately communicated. Cory has become very close to Nicha, his zhayma, but during his visit with the President, Nicha had to stay outside along with Cory's bodyguards, his weapons, and even his feeder. As Nicha is an immediate suspect in the assassination, we don't see Nicha until the end of the book. However, by then, I felt like I knew Nicha like one of the central characters.

So, the story begins, with Cory thrust into his job, having to do it with his right arm tied behind his back, as it were, inconvenienced in every way imaginable. Towards the middle of the story, we feel like he's going no-where. We feel the total frustration, the intransigence, the giant obstacles, but with a few slight glimmers of hope. But things happen, and we do arrive at a thoroughly satisfying ending.

Those who have had experience with cross cultural communication will enjoy this. Those who haven't had such experience, will learn something, as well as enjoy the narrative. I recommend it to both groups.