Victor Manibo

Pros: compelling, fast paced, interesting characters

Cons: abusive dom/sub scene

The Rochford Institute is hosting their class of 2064 reunion on Space Habitat Altaire. As an added bonus, attending will net each participant at least 5 MERIT points, necessary to gain coveted spaces in the new Mars colony. Unlike her classmates, Ava Khan isn’t there to schmooze. She wants to know who really killed her abusive twin brother their last year of school, and she thinks her three oldest friends have the answer. Meanwhile, the station crew have a plan for how to make the world a better place.

The story is told from the alternating perspectives of the four friends and Cielo, chief housekeeper on the Altaire. You learn more about each one, how things went in school, what they’ve been up, and why they’re really on the station. They’ve all got compelling stories, even if - despite what they think - they’re not particularly good people.

The book delves into the kinds of backroom deals that allow the super rich to influence the world and come out on top.

There’s an orgy scene (mildly graphic) and one character acts as Dom to another, in which a lot of minimizing language and swear words are used. The second scene with that pair went past words, and though it wasn’t graphic, it still left me feeling uncomfortable.

The ending hits hard and wasn’t what I was expecting. It’s a fast paced, compelling read.… (mehr)

A pandemic once again sweeps the world, this one in the 2030s. It eventually infects about one quarter of the worlds population, causing those affected to lose the ability to sleep without affecting their health. The Sleepless, as they become known, are at first quarantined and shunned, but eventually are accepted back into society. As they have no need for sleep, they can work multiple jobs, and a whole niche of the economy becomes devoted to the Sleepless.

Jamie Vega is a Sleepless and reporter for a large news network in NYC. He, another staffer and his boss are working on a story about a corrupt US Senator. As the novel opens, Jamie comes into work early, and finds his boss dead at his desk. While the police think it’s suicide, Jamie thinks otherwise and proceeds to investigate. The story then takes off and is absolutely enthralling.

The author creates one of the best near future fictional worlds I’ve had the pleasure of reading. The automated taxis and waiters, the visors that record the environment are all part of a near future that is extremely convincing. The societal implications of the Sleepless - discrimination, pro Sleepless groups, the strain on the economy - are very detailed and impressive. I was absolutely captivated by the author’s world building.

My thanks to Erewhon Books and to Netgalley for providing an ARC of this impressive book.… (mehr)