Edictzero.wordpress.com, 2012
Edict Zero is a sci-fi
audio drama, in which the title refers to a destination planet and the mission to reach it. Following a series of cataclysmic
events on New Year's Day 2415, the FIS (Federal Investigative Services) assemble a task force at their headquarters in Capitol
City to discover the perpetrators, eliminate the dangers posed to the public, and deliver justice to the victims.
The drama focuses on the ways in which this crack team conducts their investigations, often bringing them into conflict with
established hegemonies.
Now in its third season, Jack Kincaid's drama deftly combines sci-fi with the detective genre. The action
unfolds at a leisurely pace, often spending a lot of time speculating about ontological issues. In the episodes I listened
to ("The Captain's Understudy") - from the second season, the protagonists talked a lot about what it is to be, and whether
there was any real distinctions between "life" and "death." Perhaps there isn't in the dystopian worlds of the
future. Sometimes Kincaid's writing could do with judicious pruning (there are a perhaps a few too many two-character
exchanges that tend to impede the plot-development), but the characterization is skilfully drawn and developed.
Edict Zero contains
several familiar voices from the world of independent audio drama; to regular listeners across various platforms, the effect
is rather like encountering old friends once more. They include Julie Hoverson, Kincaid himself, Robert Cudmore and
Chris Barnes. Definitely worth listening to on a regular basis.
