One of the benefits of an anthology or collection is that the reader is exposed to different writers and gets the opportunity to discover a new diamond. Ninth Step succeeds in this regard. There were several really compelling episodes and watching how each author took on the cast, setting, and the past details left behind by the previous author. In this, both the authors and editor deserves a lot of credit. The stories flow together really well. The characters maintain the same personality even as new aspects are unfolded.
Set in a near future Tokyo caught between rival world powers, Ninth Step Station tells the story of a partnership between a Japanese inspector and an American peacekeeper. The book progresses like the episodes of a TV series, each story being both standalone and linked to the previous one. Several themes emerge and a few nuggets set up in Episode 1 get their payoff later in the city. Also similar to many TV shows, Ninth Step Station has been written by a team of talented writers.
