Staff of Justice

I received this novella to judge for SFINCS. Opinion is my own, and does not represent that made by the team. I did also happen to purchase this in paperback, as I prefer to read physical, and I liked the cover.

Kilo is a Shadow. Sworn to protect the people without killing. But when he is faced with the decision to let his friend die, or take a life, he makes the only choice he could.

The story follows along with the consequences of Kilo’s life after taking a life, much of which are self inflicted. I will say, it does suffer for me because it doesn’t actually pan out within the novella. He doesn’t have a set plan for retribution, and because of that he just kind of goes back to living life while simultaneously carrying the guilt for his actions. It does end on a note of hope, but it loses the ‘why’ for me during the novella itself.

Personally a 3/5*, featuring a unique world that meshing Japan with some of its own things. The descriptions are strong and the action was fluid.