TreeVolution

by Tara Campbell

What if the natural resources we manage began to manage themselves? And then us? Reports of peculiar tree assaults are trickling into the governor's office in Olympia, Washington: a maple kicks a dog about to relieve itself, a ficus spanks a leaf-yanking child, a yew slaps a woman locking up her bike to its trunk. Young staffer Tamia Bennett prepares to watch her career trajectory fizzle when she's put in charge of tracking these urban legends from loopy constituents. But as documented arbor assaults become violent and widespread, Tamia and retired botanist Dr. Barbara Block discover that these genetically modified trees are developing deadly plans. Miles away on the Palalla Nation, Charlie Meninick is in charge of protecting his tribe's old-growth trees from timber poachers. He's recovering from a tumultuous past and looking for peace and healing in the forest. After an accident on patrol, however, what he finds are two dead poachers and no other witnesses to convince troopers that the trees acted in self-defense. Tree attacks escalate, people panic, and forests begin to burn. Tamia and Charlie's paths converge as they uncover who engineered the trees and why. With fire engulfing Washington State, a genetic mutation spreading through the Pacific Northwest, and someone intent on a cover-up, Tamia and Charlie must determine which is actually the bigger threat: the newly awakening trees, or the powerful people now bent on destroying them. TreeVolution is a speculative fiction adventure featuring secret experiments, corporate machinations, and a little eco-payback. It explores the role of technology in conservation, the debate around genetically modified organisms, and potential abuses of technology in the age of surveillance.

Genres: Environment, Fiction

376 pages, Paperback

Published October 29, 2016

About the author

Bio: Tara Campbell is an award-winning writer, teacher, Kimbilio Fellow, fiction co-editor at Barrelhouse, and graduate of American University's MFA in Creative Writing. Publication credits include Masters Review, Wigleaf, Electric Literature, CRAFT Literary, Uncharted Magazine, Daily Science Fiction, Strange Horizons, and Escape Pod/Artemis Rising.

She's the author of the eco sci-fi novel TreeVolution, two hybrid collections of poetry and prose, and two short story collections from feminist sci-fi publisher Aqueduct Press. Her sixth book, City of Dancing Gargoyles (SFWP), is a finalist for the 2025 Philip K. Dick Award and is on Reactor Magazine’s “Best Books of 2024” list and Locus Magazine's 2024 Recommended Reading List.

She teaches creative writing at venues such as Johns Hopkins University, Clarion West, The Writer's Center, and Hugo House. Find her at www.taracampbell.com

Reviews

[Nora · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a testament both to the author and the times that I find cannot stop thinking about its themes since finishing it over a month ago now. It seems that if not every day, then every other day or so, I hear or read something in the news that takes me back to musing on the true research presented in this alternate contemporary timeline, or makes me think of its empathetic, at times funny and poignant characters. (Yesterday it was the fall of the tunnel tree in California.) Among the heavier and doomy themes, there were honestly a couple of laugh out loud moments, and a crying one. The way Campbell weaves together the plot was to me genuinely surprising, and kept it a page-turner til the end. A great gift for lovers of magical realism, sci-fi fantasy or alternate historical (but contemporary) fiction, featuring a diverse cast of protagonists who keep you guessing. Treevolution is grounded in thoughtfully and carefully researched and interpreted source material, to which there are linked references for the curious reader.

[Vonetta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do not read sci-fi. But recent reality has gotten to be a bit too much, so thank God for sci-fi, and even more so for strongly-written sci-fi! The plot of Treevolution was intriguing, but the writing kept me hooked. Campbell made this whole world of talking trees so clear in my mind's eye, it was like I was watching a movie. I also loved that Tamia got her hair relaxed; something about the tiniest details about a Black protagonist in sci-fi I found so satisfying. I highly, HIGHLY recommend Treevolution for those who, like myself, are not sci-fi readers. I'll never look at a tree the same way again.

[Caroline Bock · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like speculative fiction rooted in realism, if you like a bit of magic realism, if you ever stood in a forest and wondered about the vitality of trees, this debut novel, TreeVolution, is for you. Set in the Pacific Northwest, with three rotating main characters-- researcher Tamia, Native American Charlie, and young Ricky-- something is immediately very wrong. The pines, cottonwoods, beautiful trees are under attack by poachers.

The pines, cottonwoods, all the trees are under attack by poachers. Even more so, the trees are aware they are under attack-- and are readying to fight back. I particularly loved the complicated Charlie, as he searches for answers to his own past, his own history and stories, as well as clues to his future and the future of the trees.

I would have love to see the enemy -- ArborTech-- poachers -- developers-- more dramatically drawn out. I wanted to feel the trees danger at points. I wanted to look into the eyes of their enemies.

Ultimately, I cheered on TreeVolution, for its ideas and its story. I rooted for Charlie, and all the characters, and most of all, I rooted for the trees.

--Caroline

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was somewhat different than I expected, although I'm hard-pressed to say what that was. However, here we have some very cool science wrapped up in the stories of threemajor characters -- Charlie, a ne'er-do-well who's mooching off of his family at the start of the novel; Tamia, an underemployed professional working in the Governor's office; and Ricky, a little boy who likes exploring. The lives of these characters interweave much like the root systems of trees. What if trees could talk? What would they tell us?

[Sharon Wishnow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Campbell's debut novel is a page-turning read. What if we could communicate with trees and what if they could control their own destiny and management? Campbell has combined known science around plant communication and ecology in an all too-real push-pull among politicians, the agritech community, government, and citizens. I'll never look at the trees in my environment the same.

[Richard Tice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trees alive!?

Treevolution is thrilling and well-written, with carefully developed characters. The problem for me is that, despite the careful research, I could never suspend my disbelief. If you can accept the trees' abilities, you will probably enjoy the novel far more than I did.

[Judith Pratt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trees take charge

What if trees could talk? What if they rose up against deforestation? That's the premise of TreeVolution, crafted into an exciting tale with real, struggling humans at the center.

[MsBrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A unique book. I liked the promise, and the environmental themes. Got a bit cheesy though.

[Dea Schofield · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a timely sci-fi/thriller, a little Chrightonesque, that definitely touches on themes that are important to so many right now.

It's pretty unique--and I love the idea of one of the heroes being a Native American, recovering alcoholic!

May the Trees prevail! And they will.

[Richard Agemo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a beta reader for TreeVolution. Before reading this novel, I was familiar with the idea of trees being intelligent and having feelings, but I gave the idea short shrift. As important as they are to the global ecosystem, and however beautiful, I looked upon trees as passive, inanimate objects. Tara Campbell’s book challenges such an anthropocentric view; after reading it, I'll never think of trees in the same way again. In addition to exploring a fascinating “what if” about plant life, the book’s sympathetic characters, good science, and great pacing make it a winner.

[Michele Lerner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tara Campbell's first novel is imaginative and yet grounded and plausible in many ways. Her characters are so well-developed that you find yourself worrying about them and wondering how they will develop over the course of the book.
Her settings are easy to visualize and her descriptive passages are beautifully written.
She clearly knows her territory and writes with the confidence of a seasoned writer.

[Marlena Chertock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tara Campbell's TreeVolution is such plausible science fiction that I wonder if scientists/companies are already genetically modifying trees. TreeVolution is a fast read because you get sucked into the characters and quick-moving plot. Tara took such care doing her research and writing diverse characters -- from Tamia, a young African American woman recently graduated from college who is looking to find her career and what she believes in, to Charlie, a young Native American man who is also trying to find himself. The trees too are characters in this novel -- and it's interesting to see their thoughts, arguments, and motivations unfold. TreeVolution fits in well with other first contact stories, like humans going to Mars or another planet and finding alien life forms. If you're interested to see what could be the future of environmentalism in a sci-fi future not so different from ours, read this book.

[Raima Larter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this. The story is original and interesting, but the real strength of this Eco-sci-fi tale are the characters. Each has a unique voice and we know exactly what issues are driving each one - and this includes the tree-characters. Or maybe it's tree-character, singular, in the way the Borg are a collective identity. All of these characters, tree and human, are brought together in an inevitable but still exciting climax, and I felt very satisfied by the ending of this tale. I also wanted to know what's going to happen next in this brave new world - so I'm hoping for a sequel!