Set in the present-day United States, Bad Monkeys is a reflection of the War on Terror and the 'evil' we are forced to confront as a result. Members of the Troop are enticed to join, not for revolutionary or ideological reasons, but for the opportunity to commit 'truly extraordinary sins.' Irrespective of anything else, good and evil are choices.

More often than not, the only distinguishing features of either group's members are the ends of their actions.

The organization's tactics, however, are just as underhanded and devious as their equally capable counterparts, an 'anti-organization' dedicated to committing evil known as the Troop. 'So now somebody's got to swim against the tide, to make sure those other evils don't flourish from neglect.' 'Well, the thing about one big evil taking center stage, it draws attention away from all the other evils,' says one Bad Monkeys operative, referring to the Sept. A story without heroes, it boldly explores the human tendency toward self-righteousness and abuse of power. Putting aside its few shortcomings, Bad Monkeys is a wonderful illustration of the fine line between good and evil. That omnipotence blunts a bit of the book's edge since anything is possible and, as such, nothing is surprising. In a reality under its complete control, the organization's reach, knowledge and foresight are used to fill in languid gaps. Is she telling the truth? Or is she just crazy?Īlthough the plot is written with amazing lucidity, the novel's fragile premise opens the plot to a few conveniences. Anytime you see an eyeball not in an actual person's head, there's a chance it's monitoring you.' ' Representations of eyes, that is: photographs, paintings.

'Now in theory, you could plant these anywhere, but in practice, only puts them on eyes,' Jane tells the psychiatrist interviewing her. Jane's story becomes more and more bizarre as she claims the organization fights 'evil in positive, life-affirming ways,' offering interventions and multiple chances for redemption.Īrmed with a dizzying array of weapons and gadgets such as guns that cause mitochondrial infarctions and undetectable, ultra-thin video surveillance devices, Jane and the organization dispose of evil with seemingly unlimited ubiquity. As a member of the 'Department for the Final Disposition of Irredeemable Persons,' nicknamed 'Bad Monkeys,' Jane Charlotte has admittedly assassinated people that have been deemed too evil to save.

Bad Monkeys by Matt Ruff