March 4, 2106 - Marshall Cove, San Francisco
A dozen drones buzzed right in my face when I got there. Beside the bonfire, a scruffy guy in coveralls fidgeted with a tablet, tongue stuck out of the corner of his mouth in concentration, presumably controlling these things...
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The Blurb
In the year 2106, climate change has altered the world, transforming borders, cities, and socioeconomic structures. Additionally, a cosmic event known as the “Bloom” has awakened psionic abilities in a small percentage of the population.
One such individual is Maida Sun, who possesses the ability to know the history of objects she touches. In the course of her new job with a cultural recovery project in San Francisco, she comes across an object that plunges her into the lives of Li Nuan, a sex-trafficked girl in a Chinatown brothel in 1906 longing for freedom, and Nathan, a tech-designer and hedonist in 2006 seeking greater purpose.
When a chance encounter with a political leader’s watch reveals a plan to eliminate psions – people like her – Maida must find a way to stop his agenda before it gains traction.
Flashes of the past and glimpses of the future provide Maida, Li Nuan and Nathan clues to help their own situations as they, each in their own way, confront exploitation and fight for liberation while living under the specter of environmental collapse.
My Review
At the beginning of this year, I promised myself I would read some books which were outside my usual reading comfort zone. When I was offered the opportunity to read this one, it sounded like the ideal book to try out a little science fiction.
This book is set during three time periods. We follow Li Nuan in 1906, Nathan in 2006 and Maida Sun in 2106. I reassured myself that with parts of the book set in the past and the present, then those would provide a gateway into the science fiction element for me. However, it was no time at all before I was absorbed by Maida's part in this story too. Isn't it wonderful to be pleasantly surprised by a reading experience?
I found all three of the characters completely believable. Li Nuan, who has been sex-trafficked, Nathan, who comes to realise that there must be more to life than his hedonism and job with a tech company, and Maida whose psionic abilities drive her towards an object that will link all three of them.
What I particularly enjoyed was Nathan's awakening to the fact that he was a contributor to the future environmental consequences that those in his period of time were causing. Fast forward to Maida's section of the book where those consequences have indeed occurred, and we observe a world in which those consequences have transpired due to the lifestyles of those who have come before her, known in the book as the Precursors. It serves as a warning to us all.
I enjoyed the journeys of all three of the main characters. They were engaging and each of their stories made for compelling reading. I particularly liked the way the author ultimately portrayed the connection between the three characters. He gathered all of the strands together to produce a satisfying ending to the book.
As a newbie to science fiction/fantasy this book has left me wanting more. Do you have any suggestions of what I should read next?
You can find out more about Khan's previous book, The Circus Infinite, here..
I will mention at this point that some of Li Nuan's story was difficult to read as she is a sex-trafficked minor and the sexual scenes are graphically portrayed. It is shocking to realise that not only did this happen during the time period but still happens today. That said, this is still an excellent book but if it is a trigger for you then you may want to give this one a miss.
Book Details
ISBN: 978 1915998361
Publisher: Angry Robot
Formats: e-book, audio and paperback
No. of Pages: 400 (paperback)
Purchase Links
About the Author
Khan Wong has published poetry, played cello in an earnest folk-rock duo, and been an internationally known hula hoop teacher and performer. He's toured with a circus and produced circus arts shows in San Francisco, where he also worked as a grantmaker with a public sector arts funding agency. His debut novel, The Circus Infinite, was a finalist for the Lambda LGBTQ+ Speculative Fiction Award 2023 and long-listed for the BSFA Best Novel Award.
You can also find Khan at:
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