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    The Drafter
    The Drafter
    The Drafter
    Audiobook15 hours

    The Drafter

    Written by Kim Harrison

    Narrated by January LaVoy

    3.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    In the first explosive book in the Peri Reed Chronicles, Kim Harrison, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Hollows series, blazes a new frontier with an edge-of-your-seat thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end.

    Detroit 2030. Double-crossed by the person she loved and betrayed by the covert government organization that trained her to use her body as a weapon, Peri Reed is a renegade on the run. Don’t forgive and never forget has always been Peri’s creed. But her day job makes it difficult: she is a drafter, possessed of a rare, invaluable skill for altering time, yet destined to forget both the history she changed and the history she rewrote. When Peri discovers her name is on a list of corrupt operatives, she realizes that her own life has been manipulated by the agency. Her memory of the previous three years erased, she joins forces with a mysterious rogue soldier in a deadly race to piece together the truth about her fateful final task. Her motto has always been only to kill those who kill her first. But with nothing but intuition to guide her, will she have to break her own rule to survive?
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSimon & Schuster Audio
    Release dateSep 1, 2015
    ISBN9781442387119
    Author

    Kim Harrison

    Kim Harrison is best known as the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Hollows series, but she has written more than urban fantasy and has published more than two dozen books, spanning the gamut from young adult, accelerated-science thriller, and several anthologies and has scripted two original graphic novels set in the Hollows universe. She has also published traditional fantasy under the name Dawn Cook. Kim is currently working on a new Hollows book between other, nonrelated, urban fantasy projects.

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    Reviews for The Drafter

    3.5/5

    193 ratings30 reviews

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    • 2/5
      Well, this was a disappointment and a very difficult book for me to get through. If Ms. Harrison wasn't such a good storyteller it probably would have made it a DNF for me. I thought that maybe it was suffering from first book curse. Introducing the main players, the supporting characters, the world and the concept can be tedious. But after that I would normally start to get into the story and end up loving the book. But no, it was soon apparent that that was not going to happen. It had too many problems for me that just couldn't be overcome. First of all, the more I got to know Peri, the more I disliked her. At first impression she seems to have all the qualities of what I like in my heroines. A strong heroine who knows what she wants, who she is for the most part and will do whatever it takes to get the job done. The thing is, most of the time I don't believe these things about her, she's kind of wishy washy, or more braggy about who she is which didn't seem believable to me most of the time. I can see she puts herself in difficult situations subconsciously on purpose. She seems to like getting into an unknown situation and then fight her way out. Love my heroine to be badass but Peri seemed too high strung ready to kill for just looking at me the wrong way or I was told to do it so I'll just go ahead kill without much information.One of the biggest triggers for me with this book was the fact that Peri is a woman in what seems more like a mans world. Which would be fine but I find that how the story unfolded with Peri in the middle of all these men telling her what to do and continually lies to her and when she finds out she doesn't seem to have any sense of urgency or strong enough anger to get to the bottom of things. It sort of triggered my feminist meter to outrage levels, and I got tired of asking, why are you letting this happen to you? Add to the fact that there are only two other main female characters in the story and one of them was in a position of authority but her character was to be a bitch.Another problem I had with this book, okay first of all I was very intrigued by the concept but I'm still not sure about how much sense it makes in regards to what Peri does for the organization she works for. It took a while for me to see some benefits of her power but not enough to make me believe it fits with this story. It just seems like a curse more than a, I want to have that power kind of power.In my opinion the story also didn't add up much, there where plot holes, character motivations were not clear, characters again being indecisive or not following through. Don't want to give anything away, but here are some examples of things that puzzled me: -One character obviously wanting to kill another and some how that was just glossed over or never really discussed when it would matter a lot to the story. Unless it's something that will be revisited in the next book, but it still seems strange that it was just forgotten. -Another character saying that they wanted to get Peri out of danger and when they had the chance they told her to go back into danger instead.-A character whose a trusted ally seems obviously untrustworthy by their actions and no one called them on it when I expected them to, again it was forgotten.-Information was given to said ally/foe that could put Peri in danger when.... You know what forget it my ranting is about to get out of control. It just seems like a lost opportunity with such an interesting concept I was expecting more and also very disappointing being that The Hollows Series by the same author is one of my favorite series. I really wanted to like this book, I tried looking past the things that bugged me hoping it would get better but there were just too many things to come back from for me. I think if Peri wasn't such a mess of a character, and not in a she'll grow as the series progresses kind of mess, she is a big part of why her life is basically non-existent so I just don't think I can take more of her. I should also mention that the story seemed to drag on too and that's another thing that I had a problem with, the extra unnecessary content for length was obvious. I guess when you read a lot your brain gets accustom to when a story should be reaching that high crisis point when things are revealed, so when that didn't happen I was again frustrated. Along with the other problems in the story I'm not sure if I will be continuing this series, but I will still be ready to check out anything new from Ms. Harrison won't let this one spoil me for her future books.
    • 2/5
      First half great, second was repetitive. Could have been epic.
    • 4/5
      THE DRAFTER begins a new series set in Detroit in the year 2030. The main character is Peri Reed who is a drafter. She can change time but as a consequence needs an anchor to help her reconcile the two memories. She works for an organization called Opti which uses drafters and anchors to maintain political stability, fight terrorists, and do other things for the good of humanity. At least, that is what Peri believes is Opti's mission and she is proud to be one of their soldiers.The Alliance is an organization of drafters and anchors who are trying to bring Opti down because they know that Opti is not working for the good of humanity but for the good of a handful of rich families. When Peri comes upon the Alliance in the person of Silas she comes to question the memories that she has.This was a twisty story and, since it was told from Peri's viewpoint, we only know what she knows. Since her memory is being manipulated, what she knows keeps changing. I found it confusing at first but really came to like Peri who was trying so hard to find out what was real and to reclaim herself.I will be eager to find out what happens next for her.
    • 3/5
      Not my type of story. Good character development, but I just didn't care for the storyline.
    • 2/5
      On the whole, it's a pretty readable book -- time travel, memory displacement -- it's an interesting and fast paced world, with an interesting and fast paced plot and a whole lot of unanswered questions. I even found the characters to be relatively appealing, despite a whole lot of drama. The things that fall apart for me are:

      1: Peri is supposed to be a badass fighting machine. She badly injured/killed in almost every fight she's in in the book. And she's kinda stupid at setting up those fights, when she gets a chance. If you are tiny and feisty, you have to be smart about this kind of thing. She's not and it's deeply irritating.

      2: And the ending. That part when Opti raids the Alliance and suddenly because they raid the Alliance, they lose the game because all the proof is suddenly there? What? I really could not understand how that plot point was supposed to work, but at that point I kinda didn't care, because I just wanted to be done with the book already. So not reading a sequel. Time travel is not my thing, and these characters weren't likeable enough to deal with the rest of it.
    • 3/5
      decent thriller
    • 4/5
      Set in the near future where some people have the ability to go back in time for 30 seconds and change what happens. Sounds great until you find out that they lose their memories when they do it. Peri works for a government agency as a drafter doing jobs that might need a bit of a nudge with time. Jack is her anchor helping her remember what she loses when she has to change the timeline. When something goes wrong and the data they recover shows she is a rogue agent, Peri doesn’t know who to trust, not even her own few memories. She is approached by another agency trying to get that data to prove her bosses are corrupt. Peri is on the run and needs help with a memory glitch and is trying to find the truth with only her gut feelings to tell her if something is true or not.
      I enjoyed the book and liked the setup. The ending is open enough for a sequel but isn’t a nail biting ending. I’ll definitely be picking up the second book when it arrives.


      Digital review copy provided by the publisher through Edelweiss
    • 3/5
      This is a solid three-star book.

      The book is set in a futuristic Detroit, a world without magic, with the exception of the Drafter and Anchor powers that are the focus of the book. As a drafter, Peri Reed can go back in time (seconds and minutes) and rewrite the future. Only one teensy problem- this results in memory loss, and after her latest draft Peri notices some things that make her suspicious of her organisation Opti, her partner Jack, and even herself.

      The world is built in a casual way, with futuristic technology thrown into the story all over the place. I quite liked this style. And though it seems a little shallow on the surface, Harrison actually comes up with thoughtful and creative little details, like the pen Peri uses to make notes to herself in case of amnesia, or the use of makeup to interfere with facial recognition. The characters were well-done and interesting, though nothing spectacular. The plot moved fast and was mildly entertaining, though it relied a bit too much on repetition and explaining things multiple times, due to the whole memory loss thing. The book was nicely written. I think it ended in a really good place. It has serious potential for the sequel if it can liven things up a bit, and stay away from the traps I just mentioned.

      Although there are similarities, this book isn't like Harrison's Hollows series. This isn't very surprising, as all of the marketing material gave me the impression it would be a different style of book. Something more serious in tone, more James Bond than Rachel (of the Hollows)- less focus on romance, less comedic elements. Although it did an okay job at this, I felt like the author was holding back a bit- I could see where more humour and fun could have slipped through. I'd really like to see some more spark in the next book. I think that's what it needs to make it stand out more.
    • 2/5
      Interesting premise but neither the execution nor the characters worked for me.

      Peri Reed is a drafter, which means she can jump briefly back in time and rewrite it. She needs an anchor to help her reconcile the two timelines and recover the memories that can be recovered so that she doesn't go insane. What interested me about this was that she lost so many memories--such large blocks of time--and had to find a way to make a life for herself. I liked Peri, I understood how and why the character behaved as she did, even when she was behaving terribly. Aside from a few underdeveloped secondary characters she was the only one I liked and almost the only one I could tell apart from the others. (Specifically the male characters--they didn't have many differing characteristics so I needed to see their name to know who was who.)

      Regarding the bigger threat to the world I just didn't care. Nothing in the book made me care. That never felt urgent to me.

      As a side note, I really don't like it when people use "exotic" as a description, and that's used more than once here, about an Asian woman and a black man and his dreadlocks. So that's a thing.
    • 3/5
      Synopsis: Peri Reed can change history, but at a cost. When she does change a time line, she forgets the first timeline. Her anchor keeps her from tangling memories and from losing her mind. What she doesn't know is if the group she works for is on the level or not; nor does she know if their nemesis is the good or bad guys. And tied up in all of this is a love affair, plus one that she's forgotten. The only thing that remains the same is her cat.Review: I liked the book until the last two chapters. They were lame: too much 'what's coming next' and not enough closure.
    • 3/5
      This book was very frustrating. The action was good, I found the complexities of just a small amount of time travel and its ramifications compelling, I liked most of the characters. But seriously, the idea of the protagonist discovering what's going on only to have her memory wiped clean by the bad guys happened one more time, I don't know that I would have gotten through the book. I don't plan on reading the subsequent books in this series at this time for that reason. Alas.
    • 2/5
      Bear in mind that I've read the entire Hollows series and I Love them when I say I had the hardest time getting through this book. The way everything repeatedly restarts almost seems like a crutch for someone to finish writing a book. I couldn't connect with the characters. I never knew what was going on. It's taken months for me to finish reading this and to be honest, I don't know if I'll pick up the next book in the series.
    • 5/5
      I loved this, from start to finish. It kept me up late to read just a few more pages, and how much better than that does it get?

      Peri Reed is an elite government agent with the ability to alter time - just a few seconds, but a few seconds in the right place can make all the difference. The only trouble is, every time she alters history, she forgets part of her life - sometimes hours, sometimes weeks or months. It's an occupational hazard, and Peri has to cope with it: she writes herself notes; she has her routines, ways she can function even when she can't remember what's she's doing or why.

      Kim Harrison has said that The Drafter is a commentary on Alzheimer's Disease, and the way sufferers lose their past, a bite at a time, and initially try to cover up the gaps until the gaps get too big. Reading with that in mind made the story better yet, as you concentrate on Peri - the way she tries to cope, and the way the people around her react.

      Suffice to say, it's very easy to deceive a person when they trust you to do the remembering for them.

      I'm very much looking forward to the next book in the series.
    • 2/5
      Well, this was a disappointment and a very difficult book for me to get through. If Ms. Harrison wasn't such a good storyteller it probably would have made it a DNF for me. I thought that maybe it was suffering from first book curse. Introducing the main players, the supporting characters, the world and the concept can be tedious. But after that I would normally start to get into the story and end up loving the book. But no, it was soon apparent that that was not going to happen. It had too many problems for me that just couldn't be overcome. First of all, the more I got to know Peri, the more I disliked her. At first impression she seems to have all the qualities of what I like in my heroines. A strong heroine who knows what she wants, who she is for the most part and will do whatever it takes to get the job done. The thing is, most of the time I don't believe these things about her, she's kind of wishy washy, or more braggy about who she is which didn't seem believable to me most of the time. I can see she puts herself in difficult situations subconsciously on purpose. She seems to like getting into an unknown situation and then fight her way out. Love my heroine to be badass but Peri seemed too high strung ready to kill for just looking at me the wrong way or I was told to do it so I'll just go ahead kill without much information.One of the biggest triggers for me with this book was the fact that Peri is a woman in what seems more like a mans world. Which would be fine but I find that how the story unfolded with Peri in the middle of all these men telling her what to do and continually lies to her and when she finds out she doesn't seem to have any sense of urgency or strong enough anger to get to the bottom of things. It sort of triggered my feminist meter to outrage levels, and I got tired of asking, why are you letting this happen to you? Add to the fact that there are only two other main female characters in the story and one of them was in a position of authority but her character was to be a bitch.Another problem I had with this book, okay first of all I was very intrigued by the concept but I'm still not sure about how much sense it makes in regards to what Peri does for the organization she works for. It took a while for me to see some benefits of her power but not enough to make me believe it fits with this story. It just seems like a curse more than a, I want to have that power kind of power.In my opinion the story also didn't add up much, there where plot holes, character motivations were not clear, characters again being indecisive or not following through. Don't want to give anything away, but here are some examples of things that puzzled me: -One character obviously wanting to kill another and some how that was just glossed over or never really discussed when it would matter a lot to the story. Unless it's something that will be revisited in the next book, but it still seems strange that it was just forgotten. -Another character saying that they wanted to get Peri out of danger and when they had the chance they told her to go back into danger instead.-A character whose a trusted ally seems obviously untrustworthy by their actions and no one called them on it when I expected them to, again it was forgotten.-Information was given to said ally/foe that could put Peri in danger when.... You know what forget it my ranting is about to get out of control. It just seems like a lost opportunity with such an interesting concept I was expecting more and also very disappointing being that The Hollows Series by the same author is one of my favorite series. I really wanted to like this book, I tried looking past the things that bugged me hoping it would get better but there were just too many things to come back from for me. I think if Peri wasn't such a mess of a character, and not in a she'll grow as the series progresses kind of mess, she is a big part of why her life is basically non-existent so I just don't think I can take more of her. I should also mention that the story seemed to drag on too and that's another thing that I had a problem with, the extra unnecessary content for length was obvious. I guess when you read a lot your brain gets accustom to when a story should be reaching that high crisis point when things are revealed, so when that didn't happen I was again frustrated. Along with the other problems in the story I'm not sure if I will be continuing this series, but I will still be ready to check out anything new from Ms. Harrison won't let this one spoil me for her future books.
    • 3/5
      I have some mixed feelings regarding this book. I did like it but I found it to be a bit tedious at times. I love the idea behind the book. I can't tell you how many times being able to rewind time a few seconds for quick "do over" would have come in handy during my life so the idea is very compelling. The part where you need partner to help you only remember one of the timelines so that you remain sane doesn't sound quite as appealing in real life or in the book. Peri is a Drafter, which means she has the ability to rewind time for just a brief moment. She works with a partner, her anchor, whose responsibility is to help her remember only one of the timelines. Without an anchor doing his job correctly, she would be at risk of going insane anytime she drafts so it is a relationship built on trust. Peri is put in a position where she isn't sure that she can trust her anchor and senses that something may be wrong.When Peri meets Silas, she is already sensing that something is wrong at Opti, the company she works for. Something seems to click with Silas and Peri starts to trust him early on. Silas is able to act as an anchor for Peri when needed and helps her start to piece together parts of her past that are bothering her. I found Silas and his friends to be immediately likeable and easily my favorite parts of the book.The memory issues that go hand in hand with Peri's drafting made for confusing reading at times. Events would happen in one fashion and then it would change and I was left not knowing what was real and what wasn't. This is exactly what Peri is dealing with in her life over the course of the book but as a reader I found it tedious and tiring. There were some really strong points in the book as well. The idea behind the story is genius. Peri was smart and really grew on me over the course of the book. There were parts of the book that were action packed and quite exciting. The story ended with a lot of promise for the next book which I am looking forward to reading soon.
    • 3/5
      I was simultaneously nervous and excited to crack this open. I'm a Hollows fan, and as such was worried that such a large shift in material would only lead to disappointment. I half-expected Rachel, Jenks, Ivy, Trent, and Al to show up in these pages. Admittedly this is very different than the Hollows. It's no use comparing the two. There are no supernatural creatures (yet?) contained within these pages. Everything is fairly normal and much like our own world with the exception of the Drafters and a few "futuristic" technologies scattered throughout. For the most part I wasn't disappointed. This is an introductory story which does what most introductory stories do-introduce. Characters, settings, conflict. It's a foundation upon which Harrison will build on. She's good at that. I enjoyed Peri and her inner conflict. I could picture a Lucy Liu-esque woman kicking butt and taking names. I wish there were a few more details on her history and relationship with the other characters, namely Silas, but that may be material saved for another day. I read Sideswiped prior, but I feel as if that only created more questions in my mind than answers.I had to warm up to the Hollows and I imagine I'll have to do the same here. That said, it's a good story. Full of action, adventure, plot-twists and suprises. I'm curious to see where Harrison will take things. I feel that her stories and heroines are strongest with solid supporting characters and that potential is definitely here. All in all this was a very satisfying read and I'm grateful to Goodreads and Gallery Books for the opportunity to review this latest work from Kim Harrison.
    • 3/5
      Not my type of story. Good character development, but I just didn't care for the storyline.
    • 3/5
      A fairly imaginative story foundation: rare individuals who can edit the draft version of history by forcing a “replay” of the events of the last few minutes so that they can make alternate choices, but who then lose almost (the almost is critical) all memory of the event to keep from going insane. It makes for some interesting possibilities in story line.Unfortunately, the characters aren’t nearly as engaging as those in the author’s Hollows series and the ending of this first volume in the series was weak and unsatisfying.I’ll give it one more volume to see if Harrison can find a pace with the characters that matches the possibilities of the premise
    • 3/5
      In this inaugural novel of the Peri Reed Chronicle series, Peri Reed is a drafter, a individual gifted with a rare gift to rewind time for about 30 minutes and rewrite events. However, this gift comes with a downside. Peri forgets, not only the time rewound but longer periods of time preceding Peri is employed by Opti, a clandestine government agency that uses her gifts to benefit the United States. Paired with each drafter is an anchor who is responsible for grounding their partner by rewriting a new memory. Although anchors don't have problems remembering twin timelines; drafters would if her thoughts were not "defragged." Failure to tend to the drafter's sanity in a timely fashion could lead to paranoia and hallucinations.During a mission on which Peri and Jack, her anchor, were assigned, they discover the existence of corrupt Opti agents. Discerning who is good and bad is difficult for the remainder of this novel because of Peri's bouts with paranoia and internecine conflict between Opti and Alliance, a group with a mission to bring Opti down.Although I found the story line intriguing, the execution was lacking to me and prose repetitive and plodding at times.
    • 4/5
      Great Read! This thing that Peri is/does... Drafting in a way is a sad thing. To lose memories and time is violating, your heart goes out to her. But despite all that Peri is a kick ass character that I just love. The Drafter is unique, fast paced and action that keeps you turning the page. I love the futuristic setting. I think fans who loved Harrison's Rachel Morgan series, will love Peri Reed. I wasn't sure at first, but after a couple chapters I was hooked.
    • 5/5
      Pretty much perfect and an awesome sci-fi read, I loved it. Lots of action, makes sense, believable characters and I am glad it is part of a series.
    • 3/5
      It was a struggle for me to get through this book.
    • 4/5
      Read for Review/Listened for Fun (Edelweiss/Audible)Overall Rating: 4.25Story Rating: 4.00Character Rating: 4.50Audio Rating: 4.50 (not part of the overall rating)Quick Thoughts: I am so glad that I listened to Sideswiped before The Drafter or I don't think I would have enjoyed this one as much as I did. I was already invested in these characters (especially Silas and Peri--as individuals not a couple). The action was top notch. The twists really twisty (so maybe there was one too many in the middle but alas the end saved it for me). The world totally fascinating. However, it was the characters that made me love this book and start the countdown to book 2.Audio Thoughts: Narrated By January LaVoy / Length: 15 hrs and 45 mins Not gonna lie--January is quickly becoming part of my 10 top narrators in the business. She just nailed The Drafter --the pacing, emotions, characters. Just really enjoyed this!Part of my Read It, Rate It, File It, DONE! Reviews
    • 2/5
      I really wanted to like this book, however, I felt as discombobulated about this story as the main character after she drafts. I was unable to connect with any of the characters and the storyline was all over the place. It was hard to keep track of who the bad guys and good guys were after awhile, and by the time I was halfway through the book I simply didn't care. Something tells me I won't be reading the rest of this series.
    • 5/5
      This thriller had it all – suspense, paranormal in a futuristic timeline, romance and the ever-present manipulation humankind bring down on each other.Full of creative talent, Kim Harrison riveted me to the page building this world—I loved it. Never had read Ms. Harrison before, I’m keeping my eyes open for further books from her. I’m a believer of this dynamic and ever changing world Peri Reed is in and can’t wait to experience the rest of the series.I think the most exciting part about the story is its complexity, so well described. I wasn’t able to figure out who the bad guy/guys was/were. There were so many who appeared in sheep’s clothing (believably so), but you just knew there was something off-kilter.The heroine, Peri Reed, very well-trained and extremely intelligent, didn’t know who to trust. She didn’t have true memories to help her. Who were feeding her lies? Her memories were partially erased or manipulated – only her intuition could guide her. Jack was Peri’s love. He was also her anchor. But Allen was her anchor, too. Then there was Silas. All anchors. Peri could trust no one.When Peri drafted she changed what is. It was like rewinding a scene and replaying the outcome. With each draft she would lose time, she would also lose a little more of herself. If she were killed, she’d draft for sure to save her life and she’d be aware of two timelines, not able to know which one was real, because they both were. That’s why anchors were so important to drafters–they kept them sane. Her anchor would help her focus in a one timeline – the one they wanted her to remember. Peri was manipulated, made over many times, and slowly was losing who she really was. Could she find herself? Could she live without an anchor?The writer writes an intense, riveting, compelling story. And as a reader, I loved every minute of it. The confusion and emotions swirling through Peri swirled through me. When the dust settled, it’s hard to grasp it all. Boy, am I ready for book two!
    • 4/5
      I didn't care for the ending. Loved the worldbuilding, had some really interesting twists and changes...but the ending felt weak and I was really unsatisfied. I'm stuck waiting for the next book, and not really in a good way. It's not a "You must give me the next book, because I MUST KNOW". It's I don't like the way this book ended, so what happens next?" This sucks.
    • 2/5
      When I saw this book advertised as part of a giveaway, I jumped at the opportunity to put my name in the drawing. I never expected that I would win a copy. So I was really looking forward to reading this book. While I was not fully intrigued or invested in the book as a whole in the beginning, I went with it as I was still holding high hopes for it to get better. For a brief moment it did but then it was fleeting. After getting to chapter sixteen which is about almost walf way, I put the book down. I read some other readers thoughts to see what they thought of the book and most liked it. So I might go back and see if the book does get any better but for now, I have moved on to another book.
    • 5/5
      I am a huge fan of Kim Harrison's The Hollows series and when I saw THE DRAFTER I wasn't quite sure what to think. For those in the same boat let me tell you, THE DRAFTER was an exciting, unique, fast-paced and mind-blowing experience.Peri think she knows who she is, but she couldn't possibly be more wrong. When I thought I knew who Peri was, I was wrong. She is a huge mystery that is unraveled a little bit at a time as the book unfolds. She has the crazy ability to draft and it comes with huge downfalls. Not only does she lose her memory (and never knows how much she will lose until its done), but she has to let another person in her mind to help her regain the memories that she lost. Some out of her control things happen and she ends up losing YEARS of her life and doesn't know who she can trust. I can honestly say that I couldn't even tell who she could trust most of the time. She loses a lot in DRAFTER and I could feel her struggles as she faced the many challenges thrown at her. Although Peri definitely steals the show there are some great secondary characters in THE DRAFTER. Two in particular I am really excited about seeing in book 2 and 3. I truly loved every minute and every twist and turn that THE DRAFTER threw at me and trust me, there are a LOT. I could never quite guess what was going to happen and when I had an idea, the story threw out another twist to make my head spin. Although there are plenty of answers in THE DRAFTER the end threw up new situations and questions that have me yearning for the next installment in the Peri Reed Chronicles.* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
    • 2/5
      Interesting premise and world building. Unfortunately, Kim Harrison is unable to transcend the central premise of her novel, with the story becoming trapped in a repetitive loop. The result of all this is an almost complete lack of character development, particularly notable in the protagonist, Peri, but seen across the entire cast. In cases where characters do appear to develop, this development is often arbitrarily undone later in mere sentences, resulting in characters that feel paper thin and subject to the whims of the author, not the world she is building. One of many examples occurs right at the end, when the author, after having spent the bulk of the novel convincing us that Allen is untrustworthy, and with Peri in a position to know the degree of evil actions perpetrated by Allen against her, has Peri not only let Allen off the hook but into her mind, within a few pages, and with no reason given for her returning this trust to him. Overall, an utterly mediocre thriller that even the most intriguing world building doesn’t have a hope of rescuing.
    • 4/5
      Set in the future with the sci-fi aspects only coming in the form of upgrades to technology, this psychological thriller is vastly different from anything the author has exposed us to in the past.Imagine that you have the ability to go back thirty seconds in time—drafting—to change an event. The problem is that you now have memories of two different timelines and to compensate, you lose minutes or more of your memory. Another person, an anchor, is required to defragment the two timelines and bring back your lost memory.Peri Reed is a super trained, kick butt officer for a covert government agency called Opti, sent out with her partner to do things that she believes are important for her country. She’s one of their strongest drafters and she’s starting to remember things that just don’t jive. And she’s hearing that many of the Opti agents, including her, are corrupt. She should know if she’s corrupt, shouldn’t she? It turns out a lot more has been done to her mind than she’d been aware of, and she’s out to discover the truth while not knowing who to trust as another group called the Alliance, is working to shut down Opti’s corruption.The world building when it comes to how the drafting works as well as the resulting dangers to the mind and person as it’s manipulated is both detailed and deep, and a huge part of the story. Plenty of detailed action, the story has a lot of twists and intrigue. But for me it also had a lot of repetition.Some confusion in the first few chapters as the reader gets a handle on what Peri experiences due to a draft as well as her own confusion when things don’t jive for her and she starts to question what she thinks she knows. Hang in there.The futuristic personal marketing in stores the author came up with is both scary and unfortunately, all too believable.5 stars for the world created, the action, twists and intrigue. But I’m taking away a star due to the repetitiousness that had me setting the book aside a couple of times.Read as an ARC via Edelweiss/Above the Treeline.