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Solstice
Words are murder.
Scribes have a gift. Whatever they write comes true. Misfortune. Theft. Even murder. Editors-covert specialists operating beyond the law-watch over them. Among the Editors, Io is the best, and the most ruthless. But on her way to her next assignment, something happens. Her phone rings-along with every other phone on the planet.
What would you do if you knew the world would end next week?
A single phone call to the world's populations asks this question. A day later, the same message writes itself on walls, TV screens, even flesh. Confusion and fear erupt into chaos. Riots and mass murders spread like wildfire. Io discovers a Scribe named Nadie sent the message. But the message is only the beginning.
The final winter solstice.
In two weeks, on the day of the winter solstice, Nadie promises a final judgment. Battling a world spiraling into mass hysteria and her own dark past, Io must race to stop Nadie before the solstice. But as the Scribe's nightmare scenario engulfs the world in a series of supernatural catastrophes, Io uncovers a shocking Is Nadie planning to write humanity's extermination? And is Nadie somehow linked to her past?
Scribes have a gift. Whatever they write comes true. Misfortune. Theft. Even murder. Editors-covert specialists operating beyond the law-watch over them. Among the Editors, Io is the best, and the most ruthless. But on her way to her next assignment, something happens. Her phone rings-along with every other phone on the planet.
What would you do if you knew the world would end next week?
A single phone call to the world's populations asks this question. A day later, the same message writes itself on walls, TV screens, even flesh. Confusion and fear erupt into chaos. Riots and mass murders spread like wildfire. Io discovers a Scribe named Nadie sent the message. But the message is only the beginning.
The final winter solstice.
In two weeks, on the day of the winter solstice, Nadie promises a final judgment. Battling a world spiraling into mass hysteria and her own dark past, Io must race to stop Nadie before the solstice. But as the Scribe's nightmare scenario engulfs the world in a series of supernatural catastrophes, Io uncovers a shocking Is Nadie planning to write humanity's extermination? And is Nadie somehow linked to her past?
352 pages, Paperback
First published November 15, 2007
3 people are currently reading
31 people want to read
About the author
Ulises Silva
3 books16 followersSo yeah, about this writing thing… I started writing in grad school, when I somehow completed and serialized a 500-page Anime fanfic called Nightmares in the Apocalypse. And because I’m sure you can’t tell from the title, it was a very dark story that had lots of death and destruction and happy dreams. No wait, nightmares. It had lots of nightmares. And death.
It was terribly written and embarrassing to even claim, but it was my first novel-length writing, and so I have to embrace it the way Darth Vader has to embrace his previous associations with Jar Jar Binks.
Maybe it was my horror film upbringing; my parents took me to see The Shining, Alien, and The Exorcist when most of my classmates were going to see The Last Unicorn and The Dark Crystal. Which, come to think of it, were kind of dark movies in their own right, so I guess we were all a little screwed up in 80s. Whatever it was, I kept writing dark fiction, culminating in my first novel in 2007, Solstice.
Solstice is, well, not a happy story. But, hey, for fans of apocalyptic, end-of-world fiction, it’s awesome!
Fast-forward a year or two later, when, I don’t know, happiness and stuff start filtering back into my life. My writing took a decidedly more comedic and lighthearted tone. Some say I sold out my dark, apocalyptic roots, but that’s because they haven’t discovered the joys and oddities of writing in the first person. As a woman. When you’re a man. Which my wife kind of digs. Or not really.
As a result of all this, my second novel, The Perfect Teresa, is to Solstice what, I don’t know, mangoes are to soy beans.
The Perfect Teresa is a novel near and dear to my heart because it got me back into writing, and because I took a “who cares if it’s good” attitude when writing it. Which is to say, it’s totally good and you should buy a copy because, totally, it’s good, I was just kidding when I said I didn’t care.
My new novel, The Modern Aztec's Guide to Dating and Time Travel, takes things in an even zanier direction. Inspired by the works of authors like Christopher Moore and Alexander C. Kane, I let my creative id run amok in an orgy of zany characters, outlandish plot elements, and combative animals. The final product is something that is fun, lighthearted, somewhat profane and raunchy, and what I hope is the start of a successful trilogy of books.
And if nothing else, you now have a novel with a half-Mexican, half-Scottish woman named Quality Jones, who holds the key to the safety of the space-time continuum in her reckless hands.
You’ve been warned.
It was terribly written and embarrassing to even claim, but it was my first novel-length writing, and so I have to embrace it the way Darth Vader has to embrace his previous associations with Jar Jar Binks.
Maybe it was my horror film upbringing; my parents took me to see The Shining, Alien, and The Exorcist when most of my classmates were going to see The Last Unicorn and The Dark Crystal. Which, come to think of it, were kind of dark movies in their own right, so I guess we were all a little screwed up in 80s. Whatever it was, I kept writing dark fiction, culminating in my first novel in 2007, Solstice.
Solstice is, well, not a happy story. But, hey, for fans of apocalyptic, end-of-world fiction, it’s awesome!
Fast-forward a year or two later, when, I don’t know, happiness and stuff start filtering back into my life. My writing took a decidedly more comedic and lighthearted tone. Some say I sold out my dark, apocalyptic roots, but that’s because they haven’t discovered the joys and oddities of writing in the first person. As a woman. When you’re a man. Which my wife kind of digs. Or not really.
As a result of all this, my second novel, The Perfect Teresa, is to Solstice what, I don’t know, mangoes are to soy beans.
The Perfect Teresa is a novel near and dear to my heart because it got me back into writing, and because I took a “who cares if it’s good” attitude when writing it. Which is to say, it’s totally good and you should buy a copy because, totally, it’s good, I was just kidding when I said I didn’t care.
My new novel, The Modern Aztec's Guide to Dating and Time Travel, takes things in an even zanier direction. Inspired by the works of authors like Christopher Moore and Alexander C. Kane, I let my creative id run amok in an orgy of zany characters, outlandish plot elements, and combative animals. The final product is something that is fun, lighthearted, somewhat profane and raunchy, and what I hope is the start of a successful trilogy of books.
And if nothing else, you now have a novel with a half-Mexican, half-Scottish woman named Quality Jones, who holds the key to the safety of the space-time continuum in her reckless hands.
You’ve been warned.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
June 1, 2008
This book came into its own after fifty pages. Itztli and Jai Lin were a welcomed reprieve from the racist characters I encountered in this novel's predecessor, but Silva's writing could have used some editing. I appreciate the rage that animates the book's central character, Itztli Okami, but the manner in which her anger is made manifest troubled me. Io's rage is born from structural violence and intense personal tragedies, but the novel introduces her rage through the trope of rape. Must a woman of color come into focus through violation? Must two dumb white boys represent the violence of patriarchal white supremacy? Must failed motherhood cement a character's alienation from herself and family? Solstice's trope of rape shadows over some of the book's more intriguing dimensions, including the power of writing to produce reality. I loved the novel's premise that Scribes, Researchers, and Editors bring the world into being. For me, this worked. While reading, I existed within the novel's world... Some of this stems from the fact that I identified with Io's righteous indignation. No matter my studies and political sophistication, I cannot fathom the apathy I witness in other humans, not just the world's political and economic elites. That alone made this novel a good read and Silva an author whose future works I will read. A final critique... rape isn't the only tired trope in Solstice; so is the cover art's brazen imagery of Io's ass. Of course, that cover peaked my interest. Disidentification, dear Silva?
November 23, 2019
***3.5 stars***
A weird ride that lacked a bit of cohesion but it was a fun ride and satisfied the doomsday itch I enjoy.
A weird ride that lacked a bit of cohesion but it was a fun ride and satisfied the doomsday itch I enjoy.
September 19, 2008
People who write things that come true! Though the picture on the cover of a woman in a skirt and big black boots holding a gun and a sword doesn't hurt.
ETA: Alas, I couldn't finish it. I barely got a few chapters in, but there were just so many problems with the narrative. Still like the cover art, though!
ETA: Alas, I couldn't finish it. I barely got a few chapters in, but there were just so many problems with the narrative. Still like the cover art, though!
January 30, 2009
Dark, twisted, wonderful. The book pulls you along with a static charge that is set to spark the moment you put the plot together. Io is dark and compelling, while you root for the secondary characters as they pass through the visions of Io. It gives a new meaning to scribes and editors. One that makes you think, what if?
Want to read
November 28, 2008Words are murder. Scribes have a gift. Whatever they write comes true. Misfortune. Theft. Even murder.
Editors—covert specialists operating beyond the law—watch over them. Among the Editors, Io is the best, and the most ruthless. But on her way to her next assignment, something happens.
Her phone rings—along with every other phone on the planet. A single phone call to the world’s population asks this question. The same message appears on walls, TV screens, even flesh.
Confusion erupt into chaos. Violence spreads like wildfire. Io discovers a Scribe named Nadie sent the message. But the message is only the beginning. In two weeks, on the day of the winter solstice, Nadie promises a final judgment.
Battling a world spiraling into mass hysteria and her own dark past, Io must race to stop Nadie. But as the world is engulfed in a series of supernatural catastrophes, Io uncovers a shocking possibility: Is Nadie writing humanity’s extermination? And is Nadie linked to her past?
Editors—covert specialists operating beyond the law—watch over them. Among the Editors, Io is the best, and the most ruthless. But on her way to her next assignment, something happens.
Her phone rings—along with every other phone on the planet. A single phone call to the world’s population asks this question. The same message appears on walls, TV screens, even flesh.
Confusion erupt into chaos. Violence spreads like wildfire. Io discovers a Scribe named Nadie sent the message. But the message is only the beginning. In two weeks, on the day of the winter solstice, Nadie promises a final judgment.
Battling a world spiraling into mass hysteria and her own dark past, Io must race to stop Nadie. But as the world is engulfed in a series of supernatural catastrophes, Io uncovers a shocking possibility: Is Nadie writing humanity’s extermination? And is Nadie linked to her past?
January 21, 2011
In a riff on the concept of Death Note, here is a world where scribes are the people who can rewrite reality. Editors are the mysterious check on the scribes and Io is the most crazy/violent one of the bunch. I'm not sure if it was more anxiety inducing than exciting - there was more bloody violence than I usually prefer - but it is the apocalypse with a super-scribe bent on ending the world in violence, death and regret. There are some awkward moments when the author keeps referring to Io, later Itzli repeatedly by her race and I don't think I've ever heard anyone use the word motherhood as an anatomical term. I liked that it was female-centric and it was a pretty good roller-coaster ride.
July 25, 2024
Granted, midway through the book the main plot point is predictable and it is mildly irritating that you are dragged along until the revelation is made.
That said, I love the characters and the almost-unseen twist at the end. If this is the first shot from a new author, as he grows and develops he should be quite the writer.
Great visualization and description of the scope of his plot as well as staying true to the characters and their foibles.
If you are looking for some mystical futuristic drama/horror, this wouldn't be a bad book to pick up.
That said, I love the characters and the almost-unseen twist at the end. If this is the first shot from a new author, as he grows and develops he should be quite the writer.
Great visualization and description of the scope of his plot as well as staying true to the characters and their foibles.
If you are looking for some mystical futuristic drama/horror, this wouldn't be a bad book to pick up.
Currently reading
January 4, 2008Description from angryasianman: "This is a post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller about Scribes, people who have the ability to write things into being, and Editors, the covert specialists who watch over them. The author, Ulises Silva, is Mexican American, but he actually wrote the book with Latino and Asian readers in mind. The novel's protagonist is a Latino-Asian heroine (Japanese-Mexican, specifically), and two of her eventual companions are Lao." I'm intrigued, too.
August 28, 2012
Decent dark fantasy/sci-fi with a problematic narrative from time to time. However, the good outweighs the awkward voice and misguided literary direction and comes out strong. Definitely could be an anime, and while it ain't a classic, it was loads of fun.
July 4, 2008
This book is in search of an editor. Seriously.
September 18, 2008
Very bleak. A bit overwritten. Would make an awesome movie.
August 28, 2009
The book was pretty good. It was kind of sluggish at parts which made it drag but when the action picked up it was awesome. Nice twist at the ending too.
June 23, 2010
Utter crap.
January 18, 2013
Solid 4.5 stars.
September 29, 2013
Maybe 2.5 stars if I'm feeling generous. I'm still trying to figure out how I feel about this whole thing...
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews