Really good science-fiction seems rare these days.  You know, the kind that creates excitment about possibilities, scientific or technological, while still reflecting on the world we live in. Battlestar Galactica is doing it, but it’s been ages since we’ve had an episode.

The good news is, Warren Ellis, who seems to be carving out quite a resume with the folks at Avatar, has got some seriously great Science Fiction here.  Anna Mercury is a book that, on it’s surface, could be seen as a cheesecakey action romp, and, in many ways it is.  The thing is, you can’t write off a book just because it’s a little cheescake, because there’s something more going on here.

It’s a world within a world story where we’ve affected another society through our actions, and changed it but not for the better.  The result has created a fanaticism that threatens this other societies existence. 

Ellis poses questions like “Where does the blame lie?”, “How much responsibility do we take?” and “Can we, through intervention, correct our mistakes?”  and does it in a skillfully subtle way.  Often, Ellis is accused of being heavy handed in his politics (I’m looking at you Black Summer) but here he’s much more delicate and crafty.  I found myself saying “Hmmm something about this feels awfully familiar.”  It’s some genuinely clever stuff.

Plus, as an added bonus the art is great, the action is dynamic, and the story-telling is clear. Heck, you could just read it for the cheesecakey action and quite enjoy it, it’s simply an added bonus that there’s so much more going on here.  My only complaint?  This is the penultimate issue and I just know I’m going to be wanting more.