Very Hard Choices

Very Hard Choices follows three characters caught in a dangerous situation: a reclusive telepath named Smelly, newspaper columnist Russell Walker, and Vancouver police officer Nika Mandić. The story takes place in British Columbia and serves as a sequel to Robinson's earlier novel Very Bad Deaths. The CIA pursues Smelly due to his connection to the MKUltra Project in the 1960s, forcing Russell and Nika to protect both his existence and his extraordinary telepathic abilities. Their efforts to keep Smelly's secret pull them into an increasingly complex web of danger and intrigue. The novel combines elements of science fiction, suspense, and mystery while exploring themes of loyalty, privacy, and the moral implications of extraordinary powers. The story raises questions about government surveillance and the price of protecting those we care about.

Readers found this book less compelling than Robinson's other works. Several noted it reads more like an extended short story than a full novel. Liked: - Fast-paced action sequences - The Vancouver setting details - Return of Russell the cat from previous books - Robinson's signature wordplay and puns Disliked: - Plot feels rushed and underdeveloped - Character decisions lack credibility - Heavy focus on metaphysical concepts rather than story - Too much exposition about telepathy mechanics - Weak ending that fails to resolve key threads One reader called it "a disappointment that fails to live up to the promise of its premise." Another noted it "seems written in a hurry with less care than his usual work." Ratings: Goodreads: 3.5/5 (279 ratings) Amazon: 3.7/5 (12 ratings) LibraryThing: 3.3/5 (21 ratings) Reviews suggest this book works best for existing Robinson fans rather than new readers.

The Dead Zone by Stephen King A man awakens from a coma with psychic abilities and faces moral dilemmas about using his powers while being pursued by those who want to exploit his gift.

Firestarter by Stephen King A father protects his telepathic daughter from a secret government agency that wants to use her abilities as a weapon.

Mind of My Mind by Octavia Butler A telepath builds a network of other psychics while evading control from a powerful immortal who seeks to manipulate their abilities.

The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester In a world of telepaths, a businessman plots a murder while a police officer with psychic abilities pursues him through a maze of mental and physical challenges.

Mindbridge by Joe Haldeman A group of telepaths work with a government agency to make first contact with aliens while wrestling with the implications of their powers.

🔹 Spider Robinson won both the Nebula and Hugo awards early in his career for his 1977 novella "By Any Other Name," establishing him as a significant voice in science fiction. 🔹 Project MKUltra, referenced in the book, was a real CIA mind control program that ran from the 1950s to 1973, involving illegal experiments on human subjects with drugs and other psychological manipulation techniques. 🔹 The book's British Columbia setting draws from Robinson's personal experience, as he moved to Canada in 1974 and became a Canadian citizen, living in various parts of B.C. including Bowen Island. 🔹 "Very Hard Choices" was published in 2008 and is part of a series that began with "Very Bad Deaths" (2004), marking Robinson's return to novel writing after a significant break. 🔹 The author's exploration of telepathy in the series was influenced by his friendship with James Randi, a famous skeptic who offered a million-dollar prize for proof of psychic abilities (never claimed).