Very Bad Deaths

Very Bad Deaths follows Zandor Zudenigo, a reclusive telepath who lives in isolation off the coast of Vancouver to escape the mental anguish of reading others' thoughts. When he detects the violent plans of a passing serial killer, he must act to prevent an imminent tragedy. Unable to approach authorities without exposing his abilities, Zandor contacts Russell Walker, a grieving newspaper columnist and former acquaintance. Together with Vancouver police officer Nika Mandic, they launch an urgent pursuit of the killer while navigating complex questions of evidence, credibility, and justice. The novel blends elements of science fiction, suspense, and police procedural as the unlikely trio races against time. Their investigation forces them to confront both practical challenges and ethical dilemmas about the limits of law enforcement and the burden of extraordinary knowledge. This first installment in Spider Robinson's series explores themes of isolation, responsibility, and the nature of evil through the lens of unwanted telepathic powers. The story raises questions about moral obligations when faced with knowledge of future crimes.

Readers found the book to be a sci-fi thriller with dark themes and elements of horror. The story's pacing moves quickly after a slow start. Readers liked: - The unique telepathy concept and its limitations - Sharp dialogue and humor despite dark subject matter - Complex character relationships, especially between the brothers - The Vancouver setting details Common criticisms: - First 50 pages move too slowly - Some found the villain unrealistic or over-the-top - Political views inserted into the narrative - Abrupt ending Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (568 ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (92 ratings) Sample reader comments: "The back-and-forth between Russell and his brother kept me hooked" - Goodreads review "Takes too long to get going but worth sticking with" - Amazon review "Villain felt cartoonish compared to the well-drawn main characters" - LibraryThing review

The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester A police procedural set in a world of telepaths where a businessman plots murder, featuring similar themes of mind-reading abilities intersecting with crime prevention.

Mind of My Mind by Octavia Butler A telepath must confront a powerful network of other psychics while protecting her community, echoing themes of isolation and responsibility.

The Dead Zone by Stephen King The story of a man who gains psychic abilities after an accident and must decide how to act on visions of future violence.

Dying Inside by Robert Silverberg Chronicles a telepath's struggle with his fading powers and isolation from society, focusing on the burden of mental abilities.

Blindsight by Peter Watts A first contact mission led by a telepath explores similar questions about consciousness and the weight of extraordinary perception.

🔸 Spider Robinson won multiple Hugo and Nebula awards for his science fiction writing, and is particularly known for continuing Robert A. Heinlein's work by writing "Variable Star" from Heinlein's outline. 🔸 The British Columbia setting reflects the author's own life, as Spider Robinson moved to Canada in 1973 and lived for many years on Bowen Island, BC, where parts of the novel take place. 🔸 The book was released in 2004 after a seven-year publishing hiatus by Robinson, marking a significant return to writing following personal struggles and family health issues. 🔸 Many elements of telepathy in the novel were influenced by classic science fiction works like Theodore Sturgeon's "More Than Human" and Alfred Bester's "The Demolished Man." 🔸 The protagonist's career as a newspaper columnist mirrors Robinson's own experience as a regular columnist for The Globe and Mail, where he wrote about science fiction and related topics.