jacey | Booklog 107/2020: Lesley L Smith: A Jack By Any Other name

Jack Jones is a clone of the original Jack Jones who was murdered. Blessed with a fine voice, but missing thirty years of Old Jack's memories, young Jack ships on board the Shakespeare - a vessel of the Terran Cultural Committee and full of spies. He's posing as Old Jack's son and joining the performing company. Old Jack had been the captain of the ship and lead vocalist - he was also married to Gina, now the current captain. Oops, that's going to be awkward. Young Jack sets out to solve his own older self's murder while performing in concerts, Shakespeare, and Gilbert and Sullivan Operettas on alien worlds. he doesn't know who he can trust. He discovers Old Jack might have been mixed up in something none too savoury when he finds an illegal FTL drive and someone is killed in his cabin. Things get twisty and the mystery is finally resolved. I was almost sold on this, but I've been a professional singist and Jack's performances didn't quite sit right with me. He spends all his time reflecting on how brilliant he is, but we don't feel it. Also he has a libido the size of the Eiffel Tower, jumping into bed at the drop of an undergarment, and eventually having to ask the doc for drugs to tone down his massive sexual urges. Duh. I know young Jack is only 18, but even for an 18 year old he's pretty juvenile. The concept is interesting but the protagonist isn't very engaging (he just thinks he is) and on the whole this was a bit cheesy.