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The Transcendent
Scintillating follow-up to 'The Sentient', which the Publishers Weekly starred review called a "staggering and un-put-downable debut, offers a fresh and feminist-forward take on cloning."
After a fateful confrontation with her former ally, Tony Barlow, Amira Valdez is on the run, pregnant with her own clone and desperate. The fundamentalist Trinity Compound has grown in strength and numbers, and with the help of the powerful mind-controlling drug Tiresia, is ready to march on the city of Westport. All of Amira’s hopes lie with finding Nova, the first human clone, and solving the greatest riddle in human history – how to preserve human consciousness after death. Only Amira and Nova, together, can stand in the face of a world on the brink of disaster.
After a fateful confrontation with her former ally, Tony Barlow, Amira Valdez is on the run, pregnant with her own clone and desperate. The fundamentalist Trinity Compound has grown in strength and numbers, and with the help of the powerful mind-controlling drug Tiresia, is ready to march on the city of Westport. All of Amira’s hopes lie with finding Nova, the first human clone, and solving the greatest riddle in human history – how to preserve human consciousness after death. Only Amira and Nova, together, can stand in the face of a world on the brink of disaster.
352 pages, Paperback
Published March 7, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 14, 2023
This is a novel with some really neat ideas, and those ideas are its strength. I get the feeling the author is still growing as a writer and I hope she continues to write. This future--one of hyper-religious compounds arming for war against the cities--reminded me a bit of Corinth 2642 A.D.
And some of the things that kept me from connecting to that novel as much as I'd have liked to worked against me here, too: the characters were, generally speaking, not sufficiently fleshed out to care about, and I didn't much like or relate to the main character, Amira, even after spending enough time with her that I felt like I ought to know her to some degree. There was action that was well done and politics and some fairly gruesome fights/injury scenes, but I just wasn't invested enough in either the people or the stakes to really feel compelled and drawn forward in the story.
I didn't feel convinced by a major premise/character motivation: the idea that the world's problems stem from people fearing death and that if you give them an alternative to an afterlife to hope for (that being the supposed source of the strength and sway held by the militant religious compounds), that will solve the world's ills (the proposed alternative being functional immortality) didn't convince me. But I'd have been okay with overlooking a possibly shaky premise if I had characters I liked and felt invested in.
Language choices kept grabbing my attention, but those just felt like early-writer issues; too-frequent use of overwrought simile: "Dread thickened like paint" in someone's veins, and a character's "heart plummeted like a shuttle through Lower Earth Orbit"--kinks that won't bug every reader and that writers tend to work out over time. I think it's likely that readers looking for a political thriller with some neat big ideas and with less of a focus on characters may have an easier time connecting with this book than I did.
I was provided an ARC by Netgalley and Flame Tree Press in exchange for an unbiased review.
And some of the things that kept me from connecting to that novel as much as I'd have liked to worked against me here, too: the characters were, generally speaking, not sufficiently fleshed out to care about, and I didn't much like or relate to the main character, Amira, even after spending enough time with her that I felt like I ought to know her to some degree. There was action that was well done and politics and some fairly gruesome fights/injury scenes, but I just wasn't invested enough in either the people or the stakes to really feel compelled and drawn forward in the story.
I didn't feel convinced by a major premise/character motivation: the idea that the world's problems stem from people fearing death and that if you give them an alternative to an afterlife to hope for (that being the supposed source of the strength and sway held by the militant religious compounds), that will solve the world's ills (the proposed alternative being functional immortality) didn't convince me. But I'd have been okay with overlooking a possibly shaky premise if I had characters I liked and felt invested in.
Language choices kept grabbing my attention, but those just felt like early-writer issues; too-frequent use of overwrought simile: "Dread thickened like paint" in someone's veins, and a character's "heart plummeted like a shuttle through Lower Earth Orbit"--kinks that won't bug every reader and that writers tend to work out over time. I think it's likely that readers looking for a political thriller with some neat big ideas and with less of a focus on characters may have an easier time connecting with this book than I did.
I was provided an ARC by Netgalley and Flame Tree Press in exchange for an unbiased review.
June 26, 2023
It has been just over two years since I read Nadia Afifi’s The Sentient, the first book in this series. Let me stress that you really need to read these books in order. Afifi’s books are fast paced with continuous action, numerous characters, warring factions, and political, religious, and personal issues flying at you on every page. You almost need a “score card” to keep track of who is doing what, about which, and to whom. Fortunately for you, all three books are now out and you can read them one after another - which, I believe, would provide for the most enjoyment.
As I said in my review of The Emergent, the second book in this series, the backdrop of the action is all about human’s fear of death. In his 1973 book, The Denial of Death, American cultural anthropologist Ernest Becker postulated that most human action is taken to ignore or avoid the inevitability of death. In fact, he feels that our primal drive to live is in direct conflict with our knowledge that we are going to die. Afifi’s books are all about this fear, particularly the uncertainty of what, if anything, follows death. In her post apocalyptic world, the forces of science and religion battle over who has the best answer to this question.
Afifi’s writing seems to improve with each release. Her characters face more fast paced action and more internal and external conflicts in each volume. While she stretches scientific facts quite a bit, the story line and underlying issues outweigh her flaunting of orbital mechanics. Amira Valdez is a great protagonist; naive yet worldly, strong yet flawed, determined yet questioning. The numerous allies and enemies she meets along the way all have depth with themes and interests both separate from, and related to, Amira’s story. The story and action often had me on the edge of my seat, and up late reading. Rather than rush to finish it, I put off reading the last twenty pages until the morning when I was fresh and ready to savor the conclusion of this saga.
As I said in my review of The Emergent, the second book in this series, the backdrop of the action is all about human’s fear of death. In his 1973 book, The Denial of Death, American cultural anthropologist Ernest Becker postulated that most human action is taken to ignore or avoid the inevitability of death. In fact, he feels that our primal drive to live is in direct conflict with our knowledge that we are going to die. Afifi’s books are all about this fear, particularly the uncertainty of what, if anything, follows death. In her post apocalyptic world, the forces of science and religion battle over who has the best answer to this question.
Afifi’s writing seems to improve with each release. Her characters face more fast paced action and more internal and external conflicts in each volume. While she stretches scientific facts quite a bit, the story line and underlying issues outweigh her flaunting of orbital mechanics. Amira Valdez is a great protagonist; naive yet worldly, strong yet flawed, determined yet questioning. The numerous allies and enemies she meets along the way all have depth with themes and interests both separate from, and related to, Amira’s story. The story and action often had me on the edge of my seat, and up late reading. Rather than rush to finish it, I put off reading the last twenty pages until the morning when I was fresh and ready to savor the conclusion of this saga.
March 6, 2023
This is the satisfying third book after The Sentient and The Emergent (making it perhaps the final book of a trilogy), a series in which Amira Valdez contends with her past in the form of The Compounds, fundamentalist "homelands" where there is patriarchal rule, and with her present, where the interests of a group of scientists who want to live forever are destabilising society. Although the overall plot is rather complicated, the arc from the first book to this is quite cohesive. That said, this was not the best book of the three; the second was. This feels rushed, and there are too many attempts to remind readers of the events of the second book.
Amira is certainly not the most likeable or sympathetic protagonist; however, the author introduces Nova, who is really cute and quite uncanny. Nova's predecessor (you'd have to read the books) was, interestingly, not likeable either, so this is quite the sleight-of-hand by Afifi. There are many other interesting characters, though; this is the strength of the series. The speculative/futuristic parts of the plot are also solid, and make for good reading.
This will do for a final book to tie up loose ends. Don't read it as a standalone story; start at the beginning of the series, and it will be much more satisying.
Thank you to Flame Tree Press and to NetGalley for this ARC.
Amira is certainly not the most likeable or sympathetic protagonist; however, the author introduces Nova, who is really cute and quite uncanny. Nova's predecessor (you'd have to read the books) was, interestingly, not likeable either, so this is quite the sleight-of-hand by Afifi. There are many other interesting characters, though; this is the strength of the series. The speculative/futuristic parts of the plot are also solid, and make for good reading.
This will do for a final book to tie up loose ends. Don't read it as a standalone story; start at the beginning of the series, and it will be much more satisying.
Thank you to Flame Tree Press and to NetGalley for this ARC.
April 23, 2023
This is precisely what the sci-fi genre needs: new ideas. After all, that's how the entire genre was born. The book was well-paced, engaging, and thought-provoking on where we might be headed in many facets of our world.
The author's skillful portrayal of a profoundly divided world is one of the standout features of this entire series and is beyond what I find in most sci-fi. The protagonist is believable and easy to relate to, even though I share little with her on a personal level. The concept of cloning isn't new, but the author's take on it and the questions that arise during the series are fresh and original, setting it apart from other books in the genre.
Nadia Afifi is a talented writer with a unique voice, and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future.
The author's skillful portrayal of a profoundly divided world is one of the standout features of this entire series and is beyond what I find in most sci-fi. The protagonist is believable and easy to relate to, even though I share little with her on a personal level. The concept of cloning isn't new, but the author's take on it and the questions that arise during the series are fresh and original, setting it apart from other books in the genre.
Nadia Afifi is a talented writer with a unique voice, and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future.
July 7, 2024
In The Transcendent, after being experimented on, a neuroscientist must find the world's first clone to unlock the secret of immortality while a war rages as enemies vie to use this science for their own purposes. Prior characters return to form a team fighting for survival and peace. Unlikeable aspects of the protagonist become more prominent in this installment, but this is the character's personality. There are a few scenes that are a little dull but overall this finale offers a high-adrenalin experience, finishing off a great science fiction trilogy.
December 21, 2023
As always, great action scenes, and exciting adventures with fun characters. I really enjoy those books for these reasons and I more or less indulge the things I found less interesting or rewarding, like the hyperbolic emotional life's descriptions of the main character. It's over the top, but the rest as well and I like it that way so it's okay ♥️
January 5, 2023
A good story overall with excellent aspects. This has contains great ideas. It's essentially a mystery, and has some well-written characters. The plot is excellent as well. I hope the author continues to write. Recommended for scifi thriller fans.
I really appreciate the ARC for review!!
I really appreciate the ARC for review!!
April 17, 2023
Another great read and a strong third book in the series
For a full review, please go to https://areviewerdarkly.blogspot.com/... and follow me on Twitter @josenher
For a full review, please go to https://areviewerdarkly.blogspot.com/... and follow me on Twitter @josenher
December 25, 2022
What a great ending to this series!
If you like a good scifi story, this is a must read!
I just reviewed The Transcendent by Nadia Afifi. #TheTranscendent #NetGalley
If you like a good scifi story, this is a must read!
I just reviewed The Transcendent by Nadia Afifi. #TheTranscendent #NetGalley
March 6, 2023
I found this story intriguing and well plotted. There's some interesting ideas and food for thought.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews