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Wild Flowers, Electric Beasts
Two species of humans — one technologically advanced and one living in nature — have coexisted peacefully on their home planet for over a century. But when an ancient treaty is breached, devastation follows.
Balika has always felt like an outsider. When tragedy strikes, she is left without a reason to remain with her tribe. Looking for a place where she can belong, she leaves the familiar forest and ventures into the desert to bond with a mythical animal through music. But her forgotten life calls her back when she discovers an unexpected threat to her land.
Sammah works long hours as an experience developer and returns to his tiny apartment alone. He suffers from anxiety and spends most of his time in the virtual world. He opens up to a friendship with a colleague, but just when things start to look up, he gets trapped in a strange and dangerous affair. He might either lose himself, or the only person he truly cares about.
Struggling to make the right choices, they get pulled into a brewing disaster. Their worlds are about to collide, and their paths are fated to cross. Caught on different sides of the conflict, Balika and Sammah take up the fight in their own ways. If they want to save what they love most, they must risk everything. Will that be enough?
Content violence, death (including death of a loved one, death of a parent, death of a child), bullying, torture, blood, language. Even though the book is ultimately hopeful, it contains some violent scenes that some readers might find difficult. Please be careful if you are sensitive to the above.
Balika has always felt like an outsider. When tragedy strikes, she is left without a reason to remain with her tribe. Looking for a place where she can belong, she leaves the familiar forest and ventures into the desert to bond with a mythical animal through music. But her forgotten life calls her back when she discovers an unexpected threat to her land.
Sammah works long hours as an experience developer and returns to his tiny apartment alone. He suffers from anxiety and spends most of his time in the virtual world. He opens up to a friendship with a colleague, but just when things start to look up, he gets trapped in a strange and dangerous affair. He might either lose himself, or the only person he truly cares about.
Struggling to make the right choices, they get pulled into a brewing disaster. Their worlds are about to collide, and their paths are fated to cross. Caught on different sides of the conflict, Balika and Sammah take up the fight in their own ways. If they want to save what they love most, they must risk everything. Will that be enough?
Content violence, death (including death of a loved one, death of a parent, death of a child), bullying, torture, blood, language. Even though the book is ultimately hopeful, it contains some violent scenes that some readers might find difficult. Please be careful if you are sensitive to the above.
352 pages, Paperback
Published October 13, 2023
About the author
Alina Leonova
2 books52 followersA sci-fi author, a nomad, a dreamer and a reader on a quest.
Alina likes exploring other worlds, alternative societies, possible futures, interconnectedness, weirdness, values, complexity and human relationships both with each other and the outside world.
She has a website where she shares sci-fi and fantasy books by women, trans and enby authors.
Some of the authors who've made an impression on her are: Essa Hansen, Emma Newman, Lois McMaster Bujold and N.K. Jemisin.
Find her on Mastodon or Twitter to say hi and talk about books.
Her books are available everywhere you can normally buy books; please find all the links here.
Alina likes exploring other worlds, alternative societies, possible futures, interconnectedness, weirdness, values, complexity and human relationships both with each other and the outside world.
She has a website where she shares sci-fi and fantasy books by women, trans and enby authors.
Some of the authors who've made an impression on her are: Essa Hansen, Emma Newman, Lois McMaster Bujold and N.K. Jemisin.
Find her on Mastodon or Twitter to say hi and talk about books.
Her books are available everywhere you can normally buy books; please find all the links here.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 1, 2024
I read this to rate for the Indie Ink Awards and I’m glad I was able to reserve it. For some reason it took me over a month to cut through, no idea why, but I’m glad to have read it.
This is a fantasy novel that takes place on a planet that has two separate species of humans on it. One lives close to the earth, hunting and surviving off the land. The other is more technologically advanced, living in a society further along than ours. Balika, an outsider, is thrust out of the only comfort she’s ever known. Sammah, also an outsider, is thrust out of his comfort zone when a friend starts getting close to him.
I loved that the two main characters mirror each other throughout the entirety of the novel. Their journeys may not be identical, but their struggles, their internal turmoil, as well as their outcomes, mirror, intermix, and come together in a really special way. And I especially appreciated the author’s ability to write the character of Balika as different while not making her seem inferior. While her people might have thought the construction machines were giant beasts, not understanding technology, there is nuance and intellect described throughout that highlights very well as just different, not dumb.
In a sense, I will say that the two storylines did not mesh all that well for me. As in, they just didn’t gell for me, and for most of the novel, I wasn’t sure where the build up would take me. It certainly pays off in a big way, it just took a while for me to catch up.
As much as this is a scifi fantasy, it also has notes of eco-horror too. Protecting the world from destruction, as well as repairing what’s been done. There’s also all the necessary dystopian scifi notes of a world that’s too attached to the simplicities that technology bring. All in all a solid mixture.
https://fanfiaddict.com/review-wild-f...
This is a fantasy novel that takes place on a planet that has two separate species of humans on it. One lives close to the earth, hunting and surviving off the land. The other is more technologically advanced, living in a society further along than ours. Balika, an outsider, is thrust out of the only comfort she’s ever known. Sammah, also an outsider, is thrust out of his comfort zone when a friend starts getting close to him.
I loved that the two main characters mirror each other throughout the entirety of the novel. Their journeys may not be identical, but their struggles, their internal turmoil, as well as their outcomes, mirror, intermix, and come together in a really special way. And I especially appreciated the author’s ability to write the character of Balika as different while not making her seem inferior. While her people might have thought the construction machines were giant beasts, not understanding technology, there is nuance and intellect described throughout that highlights very well as just different, not dumb.
In a sense, I will say that the two storylines did not mesh all that well for me. As in, they just didn’t gell for me, and for most of the novel, I wasn’t sure where the build up would take me. It certainly pays off in a big way, it just took a while for me to catch up.
As much as this is a scifi fantasy, it also has notes of eco-horror too. Protecting the world from destruction, as well as repairing what’s been done. There’s also all the necessary dystopian scifi notes of a world that’s too attached to the simplicities that technology bring. All in all a solid mixture.
https://fanfiaddict.com/review-wild-f...
Read
September 12, 2023Writing this book has been an adventure, and I'm happy I can finally share it with readers! What you'll find inside:
- another planet
- two species of humans
- an animal that makes music with its entire body
- shamanic ceremonies
- activists & non-hierarchical structures
- elements of solarpunk & cyberpunk
- asexual protagonist
- neurodivergent protagonist
- power of friendship
Even though the book is ultimately hopeful, it deals with some subjects that some readers might find difficult. Please take a look at the list of CWs to make sure the book is right for you.
Content warnings: violence, death of a loved one, death of a parent, bullying, torture, blood.
These aren't the main themes of the book, but they are present, so be careful if you are sensitive to them.
Wild Flowers, Electric Beasts is available at Amazon, Kobo, Apple, Barnes&Noble and Smashwords.
Read Chapter 1 for free.
- another planet
- two species of humans
- an animal that makes music with its entire body
- shamanic ceremonies
- activists & non-hierarchical structures
- elements of solarpunk & cyberpunk
- asexual protagonist
- neurodivergent protagonist
- power of friendship
Even though the book is ultimately hopeful, it deals with some subjects that some readers might find difficult. Please take a look at the list of CWs to make sure the book is right for you.
Content warnings: violence, death of a loved one, death of a parent, bullying, torture, blood.
These aren't the main themes of the book, but they are present, so be careful if you are sensitive to them.
Wild Flowers, Electric Beasts is available at Amazon, Kobo, Apple, Barnes&Noble and Smashwords.
Read Chapter 1 for free.
featured
December 28, 2023https://www.tumblr.com/aspeccharacter...
Balika from Wild Flowers, Electric Beasts is asexual!
Balika from Wild Flowers, Electric Beasts is asexual!
January 1, 2024
Wild Flowers, Electric Beasts combines cyberpunk and solarpunk - a mixture I wasn't sure would work, but that comes alive in bright colours in Alina's excellent world-building. The solarpunk half is especially fascinating with the different tribes, cultures, and traditions, but the cyberpunk portion also presents intriguing technology and asks important questions that we, as a society, should already be asking ourselves.
Overall, the story embraces a slower and more intimate pace, which threw me off at some points, but this is much more of a personal taste than a flaw of the story itself. It also took me a while to warm up to Sammah as a character, but I ultimately enjoyed his journey and where it took him. Balika... it's sad when we can't hug a fictional character, isn't it? 🥺 I also applaud Alina for not giving in to cheap romantic subplots. Nowadays, it's far too common to fall into this trap, and I was delighted to see how Wild Flowers, Fantastic Beasts built genuine relationships between its cast that went beyond the usual, often shallow romance route. And, of course, there's the kassilar, who has become one of my new favourite fantastic animals!
A great read that's not only enjoyable as a story but also an important piece to make us reflect on our actions as part of a living ecosystem that's far greater than any one single person.
Overall, the story embraces a slower and more intimate pace, which threw me off at some points, but this is much more of a personal taste than a flaw of the story itself. It also took me a while to warm up to Sammah as a character, but I ultimately enjoyed his journey and where it took him. Balika... it's sad when we can't hug a fictional character, isn't it? 🥺 I also applaud Alina for not giving in to cheap romantic subplots. Nowadays, it's far too common to fall into this trap, and I was delighted to see how Wild Flowers, Fantastic Beasts built genuine relationships between its cast that went beyond the usual, often shallow romance route. And, of course, there's the kassilar, who has become one of my new favourite fantastic animals!
A great read that's not only enjoyable as a story but also an important piece to make us reflect on our actions as part of a living ecosystem that's far greater than any one single person.
April 2, 2024
Wild Flowers, Electric Beasts combines cyberpunk and solarpunk, a mixture I wasn't sure would work, but that comes alive in bright colors in Alina's excellent world-building. The solarpunk half is especially fascinating with the different tribes, cultures, and traditions, but the cyberpunk portion also presents intriguing technology and asks important questions that we, as a society, should already be asking ourselves.
Overall, the story embraces a slower and more intimate pace, which threw me off at some points, but this is much more of a personal taste than a flaw of the story itself. It also took me a while to warm up to Sammah as a character, but I ultimately enjoyed his journey. I was delighted to see how Wild Flowers, Fantastic Beasts built genuine relationships between its characters that went beyond the usual, often shallow romance route. And, of course, there's the Kassilar, who has become one of my new favorite fantastic animals!
A great read that's not only enjoyable as a story but also an important piece to make us reflect on our actions as part of a living ecosystem that's far greater than any one single person.
Overall, the story embraces a slower and more intimate pace, which threw me off at some points, but this is much more of a personal taste than a flaw of the story itself. It also took me a while to warm up to Sammah as a character, but I ultimately enjoyed his journey. I was delighted to see how Wild Flowers, Fantastic Beasts built genuine relationships between its characters that went beyond the usual, often shallow romance route. And, of course, there's the Kassilar, who has become one of my new favorite fantastic animals!
A great read that's not only enjoyable as a story but also an important piece to make us reflect on our actions as part of a living ecosystem that's far greater than any one single person.
December 28, 2023
I was lucky enough to read a beta copy of Wild Flowers, Electric Beasts at the beginning of the year. The first few chapters - although certainly interesting, by no means bad - didn't hook me like some insidious beast. I enjoyed them, I read slowly, and then suddenly it had me.
I'm not even sure at which point I realised I couldn't put the book down, but at some point around Chapter 4 I found myself unable to stop reading. I finished the book in two sittings from then, both on the same day, and I was disappointed because there was no more to read. If you like sci-fi, I'm sure you'll love Wild Flowers, Electric Beasts. And even if the first chapter doesn't quite grab you, keep going - however good it is to begin with, it very quickly gets even better.
This was the second book I've read from the author, and I anticipate big things from Alina Leonova in the future. You just can't keep writing such good stuff, and improving so much every time, without big success eventually following.
I'm not even sure at which point I realised I couldn't put the book down, but at some point around Chapter 4 I found myself unable to stop reading. I finished the book in two sittings from then, both on the same day, and I was disappointed because there was no more to read. If you like sci-fi, I'm sure you'll love Wild Flowers, Electric Beasts. And even if the first chapter doesn't quite grab you, keep going - however good it is to begin with, it very quickly gets even better.
This was the second book I've read from the author, and I anticipate big things from Alina Leonova in the future. You just can't keep writing such good stuff, and improving so much every time, without big success eventually following.
October 9, 2023
Wild Flowers, Electric Beasts is a novel that tells an important story – one that is relevant now more than ever.
Balika (a woman from a tribal community) and Sammah (a man from a high-tech society) couldn’t be more different, yet also similar. Both outsiders, they search for their place in a world under attack by those who wish to advance their own agenda. This is a tale of what capitalism and greed can do to humanity and nature – one that’s happening in our own world today.
Wild Flowers, Electric Beasts is rich in world building, especially in the first third of the story. The characters are relatable, and readers will find themselves sympathizing with them and their actions (and the consequences). The story isn’t unfamiliar, but it’s told in a unique voice that had me wanting to see how it ends. If you enjoy genre-blending SF/F with a modern-day feel, than look no further.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Balika (a woman from a tribal community) and Sammah (a man from a high-tech society) couldn’t be more different, yet also similar. Both outsiders, they search for their place in a world under attack by those who wish to advance their own agenda. This is a tale of what capitalism and greed can do to humanity and nature – one that’s happening in our own world today.
Wild Flowers, Electric Beasts is rich in world building, especially in the first third of the story. The characters are relatable, and readers will find themselves sympathizing with them and their actions (and the consequences). The story isn’t unfamiliar, but it’s told in a unique voice that had me wanting to see how it ends. If you enjoy genre-blending SF/F with a modern-day feel, than look no further.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 13, 2023
Wild Flowers, Electric BeastsI don't usually read sci-fi books at all, as I hardly ever like them. but since this book was recommended to me, so I gave it a chance - and I really liked it a lot!
The story takes place in two totally different worlds. In both worlds theres one protagonist, and I came to really like them! Even though none of these two worlds is the one we know from our own experiences, which would normally be a factor that puts me off, I felt comfortable in both of these worlds.
I also appreciated the way the author brought highly topical issues into the story, topics that have our daily attention.
My great hope is, that the author is going to publish a sequel!
The story takes place in two totally different worlds. In both worlds theres one protagonist, and I came to really like them! Even though none of these two worlds is the one we know from our own experiences, which would normally be a factor that puts me off, I felt comfortable in both of these worlds.
I also appreciated the way the author brought highly topical issues into the story, topics that have our daily attention.
My great hope is, that the author is going to publish a sequel!
November 11, 2023
I absolutely loved this book. It follows two people who don't quite fit in their respective societies: Sammah, a resident of the sci-fi dystopia of one hemisphere of the planet who is looking for meaning in his life; and Balika, a member of a tribe of the other hemisphere, which is as yet untouched by the futuristic civilisation, who is shunned by her tribe for being asexual. Both of them are given opportunities to build a connection with someone, and we get to find out where that takes them!
The book is fast paced, and a real page turner. I had to know what was going to happen next, how the two protags' stories would intertwine with each other, and just to get more time with Adri, Sammah's friend who I need in my life! It's the best fiction I've read so far this year.
The book is fast paced, and a real page turner. I had to know what was going to happen next, how the two protags' stories would intertwine with each other, and just to get more time with Adri, Sammah's friend who I need in my life! It's the best fiction I've read so far this year.
October 14, 2023
'Wild Flowers, Electric Beasts' is a layered solar punk novel that deals with several contemporary issues like climate change, neoliberalism, technology and gender. Alina Leonova manages to translate these themes into a handful of protagonists who deal with their struggles in a believable and genuine way.
January 7, 2024
Beautifully conceived tale of identity, relationships and courage.
Did Not Finish
May 20, 2025DNF @7%. Boring and confusing.
UNDECIDED (Jan 4, 2024)
UNDECIDED (Jan 4, 2024)
July 16, 2025
4.5 Stars but I rounded up because I love the cover art and the title.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews