Sable Aradia's Blog, page 18
October 21, 2019
Book Review: The Korpes Agenda by J.I. Rogers
The Korpes Agenda by J.I. Rogers
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
WARNING: Contains spoilers for The Korpes File.
I exchanged copies of my books for copies of J.I. Rogers’ books when we met up at a local comic con. I’ve already given a stellar review of the first book in this series, The Korpes File, which sucked me in on the night between the two days of the show when I really needed the sleep.
The Korpes Agenda is, if anything, better than the first book.
We resume contact with our unlikely, probably crazy, certainly brain-injured and PTSD-plagued hero, Nash X. Korpes, after he has escaped the clutches of KMR&D and joined tech giant Halo-Fyre in this cyberpunk dystopian world Tamyrh. KMR&D aren’t ready to let him go, and they’re spying on him… or are they? We know that Nash suffers from hallucinations and paranoia. It could all be a figment of his imagination.
But Nash hasn’t forgotten what happened to the Diasporan population, even though he was not in a position to do anything about it at the time. This time, he has a handful of powerful friends, and they want to protect the Diasporans, and put a stop to their persecution, as much as Nash does. What happens when you combine the skills of a mad genius with a seemingly-unlimited bankroll? Sh*t gets real, that’s what happens.
Politics, maneuvering, and evil corporate greed remain as much a part of the situation as they ever were, as powerful people move to counter the chess that Nash is playing. And a tantalizing mystery is revealed. You see, the voices in Nash’s head? They may not be hallucinations after all…
But Nash’s enemies have even more insidious plans in store, and even he might not be able to defeat them, especially if he self-destructs first.
Warning: this tense thriller gets highly emotional and ends on a cliffhanger. I was crying at the end, and now I really, really need to know what happens next! And Rogers hasn’t even finished writing the third book yet! DAMN her!
Again, I cannot recommend this book enough, and I can’t wait to see how the series ends!
October 17, 2019
Book Review: We Are Mars by Cheryl Lawson
We Are Mars by Cheryl Lawson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
When you read indie fiction, you often don’t know what you’re going to get. I exchanged books with Cheryl Lawson, a Kamloops writer, at a local comic con we both attended. I’ve made it a point to read a bit more indie fiction this year, despite the various reading challenges I’m doing (which, on that site, focus on traditionally-published books.) And I want to say on the outset that I really enjoyed this book! It’s a great story, the plot is absorbing, the characters are complex people that you quickly come to care about, and I’m significantly invested in the outcome.
But for want of an editor, the kingdom was lost.
(see main review to view spoilers)
Again, however, I’ll emphasize that I think this book is worth reading. For me, the key is always and forever the story. Characters, plot, and pacing are all intense. I finished this book in a mere couple of days because it was such a page-turner! I want to know how the story ends, and I will indeed be reading the next book to find out!
But let this be a lesson to indie writers. If you’re going to spend money on your book, spend it on an accredited editor. Because the sloppy editing is what prevented me from giving this book the five stars it otherwise deserves, and it’s what prevents this good book from being great.
October 14, 2019
Book Review: Killing Titan by Greg Bear
Killing Titan by Greg Bear
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book is the sequel to War Dogs. Like the The Forge of God series by Bear, the second book has a very different focus and tone from the first book in the series, and I think that might be a bit off-putting to many readers.
The first book is Vietnam on Mars. This book is a scientific puzzle with some military trappings. Venn, our soldier from the first book who stumbled on evidence of an ancient intelligence in our solar system in the midst of a war we’re taking part in by the direction of the “Gurus,” a race of aliens who have been sharing their technology with us, for aid against the “Antagonists” (enemy aliens who are invading the system – or are they?) is dragged into a resistance movement. One faction of people who have been serving the Gurus’ interests begin to question their motives and the stories they’ve been told. Tension is ratcheted up by the other factions, those who still serve the Gurus, pursuing this group. Those who have been ordered into the fray to “protect” Venn and another survivor from the first book are not necessarily on board with this. There’s a lot of unnecessary information-guarding that I think is unrealistic considering the circumstances, and I also think it just slows down the plot.
I see why many people disliked this book, even if they liked the first one (which was by no means universal.) It feels a bit padded to me. All the stress of pursuit feels almost besides the point. What is important is Venn’s ability to access the information that is shared through the alien intelligence. Even most of the delays thrown in to increase the tension of that plot feel somewhat contrived, and I admit, I got impatient with it on several occasions.
Ultimately it’s still a great read, though. I chewed through this within a matter of a couple of days. And now we’re poised to find our final answers to the mystery in the final book. Jury’s still out, however, because whether or not I finally decide this book was awesome, or crap, will depend on the payoff in the final chapter.
October 10, 2019
Book Review: The Complete Roderick by John Sladek
The Complete Roderick by John Sladek
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Read for the Science Fiction Masterworks Book Club (see the full list here.)
I’m not sure how I feel about this book. I think, on its surface, this was intended to be a New Wave influenced anti-Isaac Asimov. Sladek wanted to challenge the Laws of Robotics. Why should robots help or serve humanity? What reason do we give them to do that? Aren’t these laws contradictory by nature? There’s a really great section in the book, starting on page 232, where the character of Roderick, the title robot, breaks it down for a priest and causes a crisis of faith. It’s kinda brilliant, actually.
But there are two books within this book (that’s how they were originally published) and they differ in tone significantly. The first one was really hard to read. I think it was supposed to be funny, but it was a mean funny, in the manner of Kurt Vonnegut. Furthermore, I found the first book struck close to home maybe a little too much. For me, it was the saga of a neurodiverse kid growing up. Everything is confusing, people are inexplicably cruel, and you constantly wonder why people act like this and what you’ve done to invite that kind of cruelty.
I wondered if it was intended to be a dissertation on racism as well, in that it deals with how people are treated when they are dehumanized? Roderick has no need for food or water, so he won’t die from neglect, but as a sentient program, he has to learn like a child, so he is neglected, emotionally abused, and even enslaved, and to me it’s just a saga of horrific abuse. So if you’ve ever been abused, or if you’re neurodiverse, this book needs a serious trigger warning.
It’s also worth noting that this book, this classic of science fiction, would never be published today. It took almost 200 pages to get to the point. The readers at Baen might have given the first page a glance-through, but they’d have tossed it in the recycle bin almost immediately. So if you can’t handle a slow read, don’t waste your time. I would have given up on it myself, despite the fact that I can handle a slow read, if it weren’t on my list of SF Masterworks that I’m determined to read as a self-education exercise.
On the other hand, the second book was a very different book, one which I found quite enjoyable, and you do kinda need the background of the first book in order to understand it. This is the part that most positive reviewers refer to as “a scathing satire,” because it is. Humanity itself, and all the stupid and selfish and crazy things we do, are called into question. Roderick is just trying to get along and be a normal guy, but the world won’t let him. If it weren’t for the key conflict stringing it together — a government-sponsored think-tank that believes true AI to be an existential threat to humanity — it would seem like a random string of highly unlikely and zany adventures (most of which are depressing) where the key is to see how a character reacts. In fact, it does seem like that through much of the book. But by the end, you do see there is a logical thread that holds (most of) it together.
I’m giving it a four star rating because it was well-written, and I see its influence, and I also think it’s just as relevant today (maybe more so) than it was when it was written in 1980. Also worth noting is that it lacks much of the overt sexism that many books of the period ooze from their very pores, and that’s a plus. But in many (far too many) places it was hard to read, either for its depressing content or for its chaotic storytelling style that maybe has too much going on, thus almost obscuring its point. Definitely not a book for distracting yourself after work. It’s a cerebral chew, even considering its sense of humour.
October 7, 2019
“Writing is Fractal” – Mary Robinette Kowal’s Guide to Flash Fiction
Want to create fiction on the fly? Haven’t finished anything in years? Mary Robinette Kowal @MaryRobinette, Hugo and Nebula-winning SFF author, has a wonderful method of story construction she recently tweeted about. Check it out!
Writing is fractal – Once you understand how a technique works at a paragraph level, you can scale down to sentence level, or up to scenic level. pic.twitter.com/BpBrReBwSB
— Mary Robinette Kowal (@MaryRobinette) September 26, 2019
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Girded with the MICE Quotient, we venture forth to see if I can teach you to write a piece of flash fiction via twitter. Ready?
— Mary Robinette Kowal (@MaryRobinette) September 26, 2019
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Where – Link a sensory detail to the location. So rather than, “She stood in the battleship’s engine room” go for “The thrum of the battleship’s engines resonated through her feet.”
— Mary Robinette Kowal (@MaryRobinette) September 26, 2019
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Genre – Get your genre-specific detail in as fast as you can. Preferably in the first three lines. (Time period is a genre, FYI)
For instance, “battleship’s engine thrummed” could be multiple time periods. “Quantum drive thrummed” is more specific.
— Mary Robinette Kowal (@MaryRobinette) September 26, 2019
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Done that? Good. Now you have an opening. Let’s talk about middles. To have a middle, you need a conflict.
Conflicts are all about your character is trying to achieve a goal and failing. This is often called a try/fail cycle.
— Mary Robinette Kowal (@MaryRobinette) September 26, 2019
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Excercise: No more than two sentences.
What is your character trying to do and why?
That’s the set-up of your first try/fail cycle.
— Mary Robinette Kowal (@MaryRobinette) September 26, 2019
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Still with me? Well done, you.
Look at what you have on the page. Identify the MICE quotient.
Are they trying to escape? Milieu
Are they trying to answer a question? Inquiry
Are they unhappy with themselves? Character
Are they trying to change the status quo/normal? Event
— Mary Robinette Kowal (@MaryRobinette) September 26, 2019
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When something fails, they try a different approach to get to the same goal. This is a try/fail cycle. As the author, your job is to knock the character down and then pick them up again.
It doesn’t take much. Asking a question and being snubbed is a try/fail.
— Mary Robinette Kowal (@MaryRobinette) September 26, 2019
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In Single-thread mode, the consequences are a direct result of their attempt to achieve the goal as well as blocking them from achieving that goal.
— Mary Robinette Kowal (@MaryRobinette) September 26, 2019
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
In multi-thread mode, the consequences of one action affect another goal. You most commonly see this in Event threads, when the solution is to sacrifice a Character goal by giving up something precious or by doing something emotionally demanding.
— Mary Robinette Kowal (@MaryRobinette) September 26, 2019
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Coming out of the middle – We open questions until the 2/3 or 3/4 mark, then need to close them. (This is why you bog down there, fyi)
You’ve been using “Yes, but” and “No, and”
Switch to “Yes, and…” and “No, but…” as things start to go in your character’s favor.
— Mary Robinette Kowal (@MaryRobinette) September 26, 2019
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Hint: Western fiction is based on the Rule of 3. 3rd times the charm. Three times is funny. Bad things come in threes.
If you want something to feel easy, use fewer than 3 try/fails. Harder, use more.
Three works well, but becomes a problem when it’s the only pattern you use.
— Mary Robinette Kowal (@MaryRobinette) September 26, 2019
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Same techniques apply to the ending. It’s a mirror of the opening.
So, again, we need to know: Who, Where, and genre/mood
These things have shifted over the course of the story, so hitting those points again helps us see the change.
— Mary Robinette Kowal (@MaryRobinette) September 26, 2019
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Good job. In theory, you now have a rough draft. It may be longer than 250 words, it may be shorter, but it exists.
Questions?
— Mary Robinette Kowal (@MaryRobinette) September 26, 2019
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Oh, and shameless plug…
If you want a class like this, once a month, try my patreon? Or if you just want to support my habit of doing EXTREMELY long twitter threads.https://t.co/trDtmgkBdH
— Mary Robinette Kowal (@MaryRobinette) September 26, 2019
October 3, 2019
Book Review: War Dogs by Greg Bear
This book got a lot of mixed reviews. Whether or not people liked it usually depended on where they came from when they read it. I think this will give me an opportunity to talk about a couple of related subjects that have broader implications than the book, if you’ll indulge me.
For those who have never heard of Greg Bear, if you picked up this book, you probably thought it was a space marine war novel. You expected Master Chief to be blasting his way through aliens or robots, and being a study in toxic masculinity and tough-guy aura, so you didn’t have to care about the blood being spilled. Certainly the cover implies that. Certainly that’s how it was marketed, especially with the title, especially knowing that Bear has written some Halo novels (makes me want to give them a shot, actually.)
You’re not going to get that, because unless he’s writing in a shared world, that’s not what he does. This is Vietnam, on Mars, with aliens, and a mystery grounded in wonder and the possible menace of the unknown – which is something Bear does very well. It’s not Starship Troopers. It’s The Forever War with crystal skull caves. It’s a modern, current-tech planetary romance (ie. John Carter.) Oh yes; it’s also a scathing critique of Colonialism.
Now, the question is, was this a bad marketing decision on the part of the publisher? You might argue that it was, because people expecting happy shoot-em-up-fests aren’t going to get that at all, and it means they’ll be disappointed. On the other hand, covers are meant to sell books, and right now, military sci-fi is an incredibly popular genre. It got you to pick up the book, didn’t it?
The other crowd that’s likely to be approaching this is the group that recognizes that Bear has contributed a great deal to the sci-fi genre. Two of his works are printed in the SF Masterworks imprint, which are meant to celebrate formative works in the genre that were highly influential or mind-blowing. This group is likely to think that Halo novels represent Bear “selling out,” or “doing lazy writing,” and are disappointed when he doesn’t blow the lid right off their craniums every time.
This book isn’t for them, either. And I think that represents a misunderstanding of what it is that Bear writes. Bear isn’t about trying to blow your mind in a self-conscious way; you’re confusing him with Philip K. Dick, and PKD quickly descends into self-important pretentiousness rather than doing anything mind-blowing, in my opinion. Bear writes about how human beings would react to extraordinary situations.
And if that’s what you’re looking for, you’re gonna find it! Bear obviously did an amazing amount of research for this: check the dedication at the beginning of the book! These are marines, and they sound like marines, not scientists, because they’re not. I found this an amazing feat of writing myself, especially after reading The Forge of God. These voices are so, so different! You have no idea how hard that is if you’re not a writer. I tip my hat to the master, here. I took notes.
And if you’re upset about Bear writing Halo novels, just remember that lots of writers you know have done Star Wars, Star Trek, and a metric craptonne of comics, because guess what? They have to pay the rent. Those novels sell, whether you like them or not, and if they make some money doing those, even if it seems to you they’re “beneath their talents,” then they can keep writing the stuff that does blow your mind that you have to convince people to buy and nobody ever really appreciates until you’re dead.
It’s not perfect, but for sheer enjoyment value, it earns back the star it might have lost. (view spoiler)
I’d like to air a minor complaint that even when Americans can imagine a military with men and women in it, they still can’t seem to imagine integrated forces. And of course there’s no LGBTQ people to be seen. Canada’s military has been co-ed for a very, very long time. I don’t understand what the big deal is. But, this isn’t a deal-breaker for the enjoyment of the book. You do you, Americans.
But if you want an amazing military adventure, with soldiers who act like real people (and suffer like real people do, and think like real people do,) with a dash of mystery, this is delicious! My recommendation is that you approach it as we all should approach books: it’s its own thing, and you should judge it on its individual merits, not what you expected. I loved it, and I’m already starting the sequel. I’ll keep you informed!
October 1, 2019
via September 30, 2019
Book Review: The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2017, edited by Charles Yu
The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2017 by John Joseph Adams
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I picked this up for “market research,” really. What sorts of stories are considered to be “the best” for audiences over the past couple of years?
This is a really excellent collection from some of the best writers that modern short SF/F has to offer. Well worth your time & energy if you love short fiction!
A few notes about the individual stories:
Head, Scales, Tongue, Tail by Leigh Bardugo – Beautiful in its whimsy. Also, I know it was inspired by Penticton because the author’s note says so, and that’s my stompin’ grounds (part of the Okanagan Valley.) Also, Bardugo shouted out our own native cryptid, the Ogopogo.
Teenagers from Outer Space by Dale Bailey – Well written, but I could have taken or left this one. It had a lot of similarities with two other stories in this anthology, which strikes me as an odd editorial choice. I would have avoided that, myself.
I’ve Come to Marry the Princess by Helena Bell – Weird fabulism in which a lot happened that seemed to make no sense. Still, it had me right to the end, which was ambiguous. If you like ambiguous endings, don’t read the author’s note at the end of the book, where what happened is explained.
Everyone from Themis Sends Letters Home by Genevieve Valentine – An excellent science fiction story that does what sci-fi does at its best; use hypothetical technology to make us question the path we’re on and the logical conclusion of certain gray ethics.
The Witch of Orion Waste and the Boy Knight by E. Lily Yu – A fractured fairy tale that reminded me of several deconstructed feminist fairy tales I read in the 80s and 90s. Except this one goes a little deeper. Worth the read.
When They Came to Us by Debbie Urbanski – One of the two stories that had similar elements to Teenagers from Outer Space. Still excellent, if somewhat cynical and creepy in its cynicism.
Vulcanization by Nisi Shawl – One of my favourite stories in the collection. It’s basically a revenge fantasy on one of the most evil bigots in human history. Cathartic.
Openness by Alexander Weinstein – A disturbing tale that explores the inevitable conclusion of our current social media, and considers loss of privacy and whether complete openness is, in fact, ideal. Inspired a half-baked idea that might become a story, so that’s always a plus!
Not by Wardrobe, Tornado, or Looking Glass by Jeremiah Tolbert – A story about frustration and feeling left behind. Not sure I agree with the conclusion of the story. Is the world wondrous just because it’s suddenly filled with satyrs, pirates and unicorns? Just because they’re asking you to work for gold instead of dollars, doesn’t make it magical in my opinion (you’ll understand when you read it.)
The Future is Blue by Catherynne M. Valente – Maybe my favourite story in the book. Worldbuilding bar-none! (It has a prayer invoking Oscar the Grouch. Seriously, how can you beat that?)
This is Not a Wardrobe Door by A. Merc Rustad – This one spoke to me very strongly. Who says we have to give up our magical fantasy worlds just because we grew up? (But I kinda want to be Merc when I grow up, so.)
On the Fringes of the Fractal by Greg Van Eekhout – A deeply weird story that was part of an anthology of stories inspired by the music of Rush. Rush is awesome, of course, and their music can be deeply weird, so this was a great choice. Reminded me of Philip K. Dick or Kurt Vonnegut when they’re at their best.
The Story of Kao Yu by Peter S. Beagle – A poignant story by a master. I find myself wondering if it was inspired by the character of Judge Bao? (If you don’t know what I’m talking about, find the movies on YouTube. Whodunnits in Ancient China. And apparently he’s a traditional character of folklore. I can’t get enough of it.)
Smear by Brian Evenson – One of those existentially weird science fiction stories where you’re still asking “what the hell just happened?” Reminded me of Cordwainer Smith, only creepier.
The City Born Great by N.K. Jemisin – I am absolutely here for this story about the true identity of cities, where they embody themselves in the characters of people. Reminded me of a song by the Red Hot Chili Peppers that my peers and I all listened to in the 90s. Delicious!
Welcome to the Medical Clinic at the Interplanetary Relay Station | Hours Since the Last Patient Death: 0 by Caroline M. Yoachim – A darkly funny story that uses the format of a Choose Your Own Adventure. Laughed my ass off. Reminded me of some bad TTRPG games I’ve been in with terrible GMs. The author’s note says it was inspired by real-life adventures in health care. I can relate.
Successor, Usurper, Replacement by Alice Sola Kim – A story I found deeply disturbing as a writer. Clearly written by writers for writers. The characters make this story, which is excellent, but I’m not sure it will move non-writers like it did me. You could extrapolate it to all creatives, I think.
Caspar D. Luckinbill, What Are You Going to Do? by Nick Wolven – I understand from the author’s note this was intended to be satire. It wasn’t funny. It was creepy as hell, though. Makes me wonder, if we could actually do this, would people finally start caring about the horrible suffering in the world?
I Was a Teenage Werewolf by Dale Bailey – Pretty good! Had a Stephen King quality to it, though I saw the ending coming a mile away. Also had a similar feel to Teenagers from Outer Space. I think it’s weird that two such similar stories from the same author were chosen for this, when someone else might have been given a chance. I mean, it’s a good story, but…
The Venus Effect by Joseph Allen Hill – A darkly funny story about something that’s going on in the world right now that is not funny at all. Because a lot – too many – stories are ending this way. I thought this was a flatly brilliant treatment of the subject that makes a poignant point under the veil of dark comedy, which makes the tragedy manageable, and points out its absurdity. Well done!
Regardless, pick this up if you want to see how it’s done, and if you like artsy, literary science fiction and fantasy. Quite an impressive collection, well worth my time! Read it when you’ve got time to think.
September 26, 2019
Book Review: Cities of Dust, Planes of Light by Samantha L. Barrett, Sarah Daly, Jamie Lackey, Diane Morrison & Cat Rambo
Cities of Dust, Planes of Light by Samantha L. Barrett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I am one of the authors in this book (Diane Morrison) so I’ll be approaching it from that perspective.
I just want to say it was quite the honour to have been included in this lovely book with so many amazing writers! I felt like I’d gotten a promotion, they’re all so good!
What’s interesting about this book is that it came together in the way that it did almost by accident. Our direction was to “write a science fantasy story.” That’s it. C.L. Moore was suggested as a source of inspiration. As though we were tuning into a group consciousness, each of us wrote stories with enough in common to suggest that we were writing to a theme. Above all, I think we all aimed for a sense of the sublime, and I think we managed it.
We are all women, and I think there’s a certain element of that perspective that came through in each tale. Todd’s editorial decisions in placement, I think, were ideal, as our protagonists gradually moved farther and farther out into the stars. I think each of the stories has an ethereal, otherworldly quality, even though they are taking place through the lens of space travel and the human relationship to it. And all of them ask you to make your own decisions about what is, and isn’t, real.
Lot 814 by Jamie Lackey is a tale about human social structures and power relationships under duress. I loved its steampunkish feel. I can see Jamie’s story of life on a fantasy moon fitting nicely into a Jules Verne world.
This is Not Mars by Sarah Daly is perhaps the most dreamlike story, asking you to decide whether or not the ending is a happy one by whether or not you believe in the alternate reality she’s created (I like to choose alternate realities, myself). 
September 23, 2019
Book Review: The Korpes File by J.I. Rogers
The Korpes File by J.I. Rogers
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I traded books with J.I. Rogers at a comic con we both attended, and sat down to start reading The Korpes File, partially because I was intrigued by the blurb, but partially so I would have something to talk with her about the next day, since our tables were next to each other.
And I didn’t put it down for a good two hours, even though I was exhausted and really needed to sleep.
This is a stunningly good cyberpunk dystopian thriller. The world of Tamyrh has been trashed by war involving weapons of mass destruction. The surface is uninhabitable, so the survivors live in a claustrophobic underground warren, with only the wealthiest of communities living under domes able to see the sky. These communities are controlled by vast corporations that own everything – including people. Particular wealthy families dominate the corporations, which means they control all the best access to resources and technology.
Enter Nash Korpes, a technician – and an experimental subject. He is Diasporan; which, we are told, is different from the various other ethnic groups (which are maintained through careful genetic selection and arranged marriage), though what they embarked on a diaspora from is never clarified. His blond hair, green eyes, and tall frame mark his “alien” heritage. I can’t help but wonder if Joan D. Vinge‘s Alien Blood series was an influence on Rogers at some point.
What’s more interesting is that many of these carefully-genetically cultivated ethnic groups exude pheromones that some other ethnic groups find repellent. Nash, partially due to these pheromones, partially due to anti-Diasporan prejudice, and partially due to his own caustic personality, tends to run afoul of just about every authority figure in this dystopian corporatist hell. The corporation keeps him working on various technological projects to take advantage of his exceptional intelligence, but he is their property, not their employee.
Nash, like many in this world, is a war veteran (although whether the surface world was destroyed before this war began, we don’t know) and he suffers from PTSD and neurological trauma. He has all the associated issues with that; he’s paranoid, aloof, caustic, insomniac, and smokes and drinks too much.
But in part, he’s also the victim of a sinister plot to keep him safely medicated and compliant, because for some reason I hope will be revealed in more detail in book 2, he’s a genuine danger, and the potential threat he poses terrifies every authority figure who learns of it. It’s such a threat that his autonomy is repeatedly violated; he is fed medications he did not give consent for, and experimental neurological procedures he did not agree to are repeatedly performed on him. Part of the tension in this book delightfully rendered through Nash’s eyes, as you (and he) wonder what is real, and what is delusion.
He is also exceptionally lonely, and this is clearly and lovingly rendered by Rogers. I felt for him immediately. I was a bit reminded of Ender Wiggin (of Ender’s Game) in that he was taken from his family at a very young age and thrust into war. He is only 19 at the time the book begins.
He is matched to another Diasporan woman, and sinister things happen that separate them, even though the love they have for one another is genuine. Nash then learns that the Diasporan population is being systematically destroyed, and he launches a plan to both escape his masters and perhaps, almost inadvertently, to help his people.
There are many things I love about this book. I love the characters – even the villains are fully realized human beings who do things mostly because they believe they are necessary and righteous, or because they are driven by love for someone else, even if that love is selfish. I love the steadily mounting tension and the way this misanthrope makes just enough connections with people along the way that their potential loss is used masterfully to raise the stakes. I love the premise, too. The in media res worldbuilding is phenomenal. You have to be paying attention; there are no long paragraphs of exposition to help fill you in.
I do have some nitpicky critiques. One is that Rogers keeps important information from the reader a lot so that she can do a big reveal later, even if the viewpoint character would reasonably know that information (and therefore, so should we.) It gets frustrating after a while and I hope she doesn’t do it in later books. To be fair, this is her debut.
Also, I don’t understand how a lot of things that are in her world could have come to be, and I am taking it on faith that all will eventually be revealed.
I am also amazed that someone who has as many issues as Nash does is still somehow functioning so well. I realize he’s incredibly bright, and has powerful motivation in that any sign of weakness will get him killed, but I know lots of bright mentally ill people, and they just don’t cope that well. I am willing to allow some heroic exceptionalism in my protagonists, however, so it’s not a deal-breaker; especially since Rogers clearly has researched both PTSD and psychosis thoroughly, and does a better job of portraying it than any author, indie or otherwise, I have ever read. (As I’ve said, I know people with these illnesses, and suffer from PTSD myself, so I am, perhaps, a bit more picky about this than many readers would be.)
None of these critiques hurt the enjoyment of the book at all (except, maybe, the too-selective information reveals.) It kept me riveted from start to finish! I chewed through it quickly, and I can’t wait for book 2! Do yourself a favour, cyberpunk and dystopian fans; get this book. Five stars all the way.
