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Memory and Metaphor
Civilization fell. It rose. At some point, people built starships.
A millennium after the Earth was abandoned to climate change and resource depletion, Sharon Manders wakes up in a body that used to belong to somebody else, and some say she was a terrorist. She has no idea how she could be digging for Pleistocene bones in Africa one day, and crewing on a starship the next. That was just before she met the wolfman, the elf, and the sex robot.
Struggling with distressingly unreliable memories, the expectations of her host body’s family and crewmates, future shock, and accusations of treason, Sharon goes on the lam to come face to face with terrorists, giant bugs, drug cartels, AIs, and lawyers.
All things considered, she’d rather be back in 21st Century California.
A millennium after the Earth was abandoned to climate change and resource depletion, Sharon Manders wakes up in a body that used to belong to somebody else, and some say she was a terrorist. She has no idea how she could be digging for Pleistocene bones in Africa one day, and crewing on a starship the next. That was just before she met the wolfman, the elf, and the sex robot.
Struggling with distressingly unreliable memories, the expectations of her host body’s family and crewmates, future shock, and accusations of treason, Sharon goes on the lam to come face to face with terrorists, giant bugs, drug cartels, AIs, and lawyers.
All things considered, she’d rather be back in 21st Century California.
372 pages, Paperback
Published February 1, 2019
1 person is currently reading
18 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 12, 2020
This gripping story will really bend your mind on the topic of artificial intelligence and humanity. There is always one more twist to unbalance you.
Where are we going? What will we think when we get there?
Where are we going? What will we think when we get there?
March 23, 2019
Memory and Metaphor is a wonderful debut novel by Andrea Monticue, with enough well-researched technical detail to immerse sci fi fans in a believable vision of humanity’s future among the stars, but not so much to make it inaccessible to casual readers.
The likable Sharon Manders wakes on a spaceship to find her memory full of holes, accused of a crime she doesn’t remember nor, as anyone who gets to know her would agree, would she ever commit. Set a millennia in the future, humans across the galaxy have taken cell phone addiction to the next level and have them permanently implanted as part of their brains, allowing them to live an augmented reality catered to how they want to see the world instead of how it is. Sharon’s malfunctioned in an accident that should have killed her, leaving her disconnected from everyone else. The last thing Sharon remembers is being a 21st century archaeologist, so for her, being without the device is no big deal.
Learning the nuances of 31st century living, however, is. Her navy profile says she’s a quantum mechanic. Sharon barely knows what quantum means, let alone how to fix anything related to it, putting her in the even more awkward position of figuring out how to earn a living.
Sharon is smart, though, and if that were her only problem, she could certainly have coped, but the investigation into the sabotage of the ship she was assigned to, of which she’s the primary suspect, turns up more questions than answers. Sharon’s civil rights in the matter are muddy due to her miraculous resurrection and complete change of personality, giving the investigative committee the arguable authority to hold her against her will—or worse, dissect her. Sharon is forced to stop playing by the rules and flees, leading her to an underground world full of colorful characters with flexible morals and agendas of their own. She must choose carefully who to trust, or she might find herself in an even worse situation.
Andrea does a marvelous job of painting the future, with vivid cultural descriptions, starkly alien planets with huge insects, and an array of 80’s and 90’s references to keep mature readers entertained. The plot moves at a steady pace, slower at points and heart-pounding in others, and does a good job of teasing the mystery of Sharon’s existence throughout the entire book. There are a few places where the point of view changed with little warning, which made me re-read to make sure I understood whose thoughts I was seeing, but it wasn’t enough to detract from the characters, story, Andrea’s incredible imagination, or from making me anxious to read the next book in the series when it’s available.
If you’re looking for a fresh science fiction adventure, Memory and Metaphor is sure to satisfy.
The likable Sharon Manders wakes on a spaceship to find her memory full of holes, accused of a crime she doesn’t remember nor, as anyone who gets to know her would agree, would she ever commit. Set a millennia in the future, humans across the galaxy have taken cell phone addiction to the next level and have them permanently implanted as part of their brains, allowing them to live an augmented reality catered to how they want to see the world instead of how it is. Sharon’s malfunctioned in an accident that should have killed her, leaving her disconnected from everyone else. The last thing Sharon remembers is being a 21st century archaeologist, so for her, being without the device is no big deal.
Learning the nuances of 31st century living, however, is. Her navy profile says she’s a quantum mechanic. Sharon barely knows what quantum means, let alone how to fix anything related to it, putting her in the even more awkward position of figuring out how to earn a living.
Sharon is smart, though, and if that were her only problem, she could certainly have coped, but the investigation into the sabotage of the ship she was assigned to, of which she’s the primary suspect, turns up more questions than answers. Sharon’s civil rights in the matter are muddy due to her miraculous resurrection and complete change of personality, giving the investigative committee the arguable authority to hold her against her will—or worse, dissect her. Sharon is forced to stop playing by the rules and flees, leading her to an underground world full of colorful characters with flexible morals and agendas of their own. She must choose carefully who to trust, or she might find herself in an even worse situation.
Andrea does a marvelous job of painting the future, with vivid cultural descriptions, starkly alien planets with huge insects, and an array of 80’s and 90’s references to keep mature readers entertained. The plot moves at a steady pace, slower at points and heart-pounding in others, and does a good job of teasing the mystery of Sharon’s existence throughout the entire book. There are a few places where the point of view changed with little warning, which made me re-read to make sure I understood whose thoughts I was seeing, but it wasn’t enough to detract from the characters, story, Andrea’s incredible imagination, or from making me anxious to read the next book in the series when it’s available.
If you’re looking for a fresh science fiction adventure, Memory and Metaphor is sure to satisfy.
March 13, 2023
This was good. Nice cultural setup, interesting speculation on memory and personality, and enjoyable characters. I'll be watching for a sequel.
December 10, 2023
I loved this book! Well-plotted, well-written, and interesting, what else do you need?
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews