Reviews for Night Sessions

Booklist Reviews 2012 March #2
In the near future, a police detective is trying to find out who killed a bishop, and why. Well, the "why" seems pretty self-evident: ever since the Faith Wars, religion has been banned, shoved under society's rug and turned into something illicit and dangerous to those who still practice it. And it wouldn't be at all surprising to Adam Ferguson if he found out the victim was bumped off by someone who felt religion should simply be wiped out entirely. This is a highly imaginative story set in a future society that is very well realized, from its culture to its politics to its technology: a well-rounded and fully formed fictional world. The mystery plot is well executed, too, a mixture of police procedural and noir elements that offers up some genuinely surprising twists. Highly recommendable to science-fiction and mystery fans, especially those who like their stories layered with philosophical debate about hot-button issues like religious persecution and bigotry. Copyright 2012 Booklist Reviews.

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Library Journal Reviews 2012 April #2

After the Faith Wars of the early 21st century, a backlash swept through the world, divorcing religion from politics of any kind and marginalizing the faithful. In this new climate, the bombing murder of a bishop signals a reawakening of religious violence, and Edinburgh DI Adam Ferguson must find the perpetrator. He soon uncovers a potential conspiracy arising from an unlikely source: a group of displaced humanoid robots who have suddenly "found" religion. VERDICT First published in the UK in 2008, MacLeod's (Newton's Wake; The Restoration Game) award-winning novel goes beyond the standard police procedural with a provocative plot and characters who resonate with realism. This might attract adventurous mystery fans who otherwise would never consider this genre.

[Page 65]. (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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Publishers Weekly Reviews 2012 February #4

MacLeod's vision of a secular future and a world free from the influence of religion is just as powerful and timely as it was in 2008, when it won the British Science Fiction Association Award for Best Novel, and it will be relevant as long as people kill one another in the name of God. Set in a near future where humankind has largely turned its back on religion following the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and the subsequent Faith Wars, the story revolves around Scottish detective Adam Ferguson and his investigation into the bombing murder of a Roman Catholic priest. Accompanied by a sentient robotic sidekick, Ferguson uncovers a global terrorist plot involving Christian fanatics that heralds the return of "the bad times." MacLeod's visionary fusion of science fiction and police procedural is replete with thought-provoking scientific and social speculation, particularly the exploration into the consciousness of robots and their significance in society. (Apr.)