Councilor – L.E. Jr. Modessit

The genre listing for this novel includes fantasy, science fiction, politics, steampunk, and a couple of others. That’s about right. The milieu has enough affinities to early-twentieth-century England that the reader isn’t made to work hard. The technological differences are mostly-decorative - e.g., automobiles are steam-driven. The main sf/f element is that a small fraction of the population is empathic, and has the ability to detect emotions and discern lies. (To his credit, the author works out some of the legal implications.)

The novel (trilogy?) has three levels. The personal level focuses on Steffan Dekkard, who has just married Avraal, and has just started his first term as a Councilor. (In the first book, Isolate, they are both guards for the man who has just become Premier.) The larger story is a political thriller. Major corporations and corrupt politicians are using violence in efforts to get and retain power. The big picture is that of a society that is sitting on a social powder keg, as living conditions get worse and worse for the powerless.

This book shouldn’t be particularly readable. Much of the narrative is on the level of “On Tuesday Dekkard went into his office, sat through committee meetings, and had lunch with a couple of other councilors”. At yet it is remarkably readable, which is a tribute to the author’s skill.

(Oh, and then he drives home and someone tries to assassinate him again.)