What do you think?
Rate this book
Sequela
Sequela is the debut novel from Cleland Smith, named to Kirkus Reviews' Best Books of 2013.
Kester Lowe is the next big thing in viral fashion. For the price of a Brinkov suit you could be wearing one of his exclusively engineered STVs. And once you put it on, almost everyone will want you...
At least, that's the plan. When Kester infects Alexis Farrell with one of his signature viruses, showing her what he is capable of first-hand, she employs him to head up her new viral design department at technopharmaceutical giant V. Farrell will stop at nothing to make Kester a star, but not everyone is a fan. Those offended by what he represents, those he has betrayed, his own suppressed ambitions and forgotten promises - Kester is racking up enemies and they are about to come together in an attempt to destroy him.
Sequela is a solid debut from a fresh new voice in science fiction. Set in London in the 2080s, it follows the story of virologist Dr Kester Lowe as he rockets to fame as the first fashion virus designer. A potent mix of nanotechnology, terrorism and sexual politics.
Kester Lowe is the next big thing in viral fashion. For the price of a Brinkov suit you could be wearing one of his exclusively engineered STVs. And once you put it on, almost everyone will want you...
At least, that's the plan. When Kester infects Alexis Farrell with one of his signature viruses, showing her what he is capable of first-hand, she employs him to head up her new viral design department at technopharmaceutical giant V. Farrell will stop at nothing to make Kester a star, but not everyone is a fan. Those offended by what he represents, those he has betrayed, his own suppressed ambitions and forgotten promises - Kester is racking up enemies and they are about to come together in an attempt to destroy him.
Sequela is a solid debut from a fresh new voice in science fiction. Set in London in the 2080s, it follows the story of virologist Dr Kester Lowe as he rockets to fame as the first fashion virus designer. A potent mix of nanotechnology, terrorism and sexual politics.
386 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 10, 2013
6 people are currently reading
1251 people want to read
About the author
Cleland Smith
1 book20 followersHi, my name is Cleland Smith.* I am a science fiction writer and poet.
I was born in Inverness in 1977 and grew up in Dingwall by the Cromarty Firth. I started writing stories and poems before I could spell properly and was soon amassing jotters full of them. Following secondary school, I moved to Glasgow where I studied at the University of Glasgow for my MA in English Language and Literature, then spent the next couple of years working and saving to study for an MA in writing. In 2003 I moved to London to study at Goldsmiths College London for my Masters in Creative and Life Writing, where I was lucky enough to be tutored by Lavinia Greenlaw, Maurice Riordan and Stephen Knight.
I have published three volumes of poetry: Waiting to Burn (2007) and And in Here, the Menagerie (2008) with Templar Poetry, and Room of Thieves (2013) with Salt Publishing. I published my first novel, Sequela, to Kindle in June 2013.
*A note on my name: I was born Angela Cleland and if you read poetry you probably still know me as such. If you are my husband, which not many of you are, you will know me as Angela Smith. My Dad calls me Jock. He wanted a boy. Called John. John Cleland - I know.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
September 19, 2020
The public libraries of Edinburgh have been closed for exactly six months today. I miss them so much and am terrified that next month's planned reopening will be delayed by the second wave of covid-19. I don't do well without library access, so kind friends have been lending me books. This is one of them. 'Sequela' is a distinctly peculiar reading experience at the moment, as it is set in a future London where novel viruses with visible symptoms are desirable high fashion items. One of them is even named Corona, I shit you not.
The plot follows Kester Lowe as he is recruited from academia by V, a big pharma company. He gets a huge shiny new lab to design fashion viruses in and begins a liaison with his boss, Alexis Farrell. The plot basically consists of corporate espionage and machinations within and against V. Kester is largely a pawn in this, as he's wrapped up in his virus research and sex life. It's the 2080s, STDs are status symbols, and ambitious employees are expected to flaunt their success at sleeping their way to the top. Interestingly, this culture is confined to the square mile of the City of London, which is only accessible to those who work there. Most of whom also live in apartments connected to their offices. The rest of the country apparently sees this as either very weird (personified by Kester's mum) or totally aspirational (Kester's fans). The constant institutionalised sexual aggression is a real downer, frankly. This theme is explored with a fair amount of nuance, though. Another main character, Cherry, is a former sex worker who becomes a model for Kester's viruses. In addition to all the coercive corporate sex, there is a lot of heavy drinking. Drugs don't seem to be fashionable anymore, however.
I found the world-building in 'Sequela' compelling, albeit often unpleasant. The plot was not as involving, for two reasons. Firstly, the stakes concerned corporate profits, something that really doesn't matter to me. I suppose there was the matter of Kester's independent research, but that was never at risk. The cynicism of the narrative is certainly convincing and induces a feeling of malaise about capitalism. Secondly, the main characters were all extremely flawed, selfish, and made bad decisions. Kester, Alexis, and Dee all fall into this category and I struggled to care about any of them. The progression of their love triangle situation really emphasises that they're all terrible; their only motivations seemed to be ambition, revenge, and sex. Cherry was a much more sympathetic character, yet got very little to do. Her motivations and backstory looked very promising, then went nowhere. Given where the book leaves her, I wonder if a sequel is planned. While there are thought-provoking ideas and original ideas in 'Sequela', I found it rather difficult to enjoy because it centres upon privileged City of London assholes.
The plot follows Kester Lowe as he is recruited from academia by V, a big pharma company. He gets a huge shiny new lab to design fashion viruses in and begins a liaison with his boss, Alexis Farrell. The plot basically consists of corporate espionage and machinations within and against V. Kester is largely a pawn in this, as he's wrapped up in his virus research and sex life. It's the 2080s, STDs are status symbols, and ambitious employees are expected to flaunt their success at sleeping their way to the top. Interestingly, this culture is confined to the square mile of the City of London, which is only accessible to those who work there. Most of whom also live in apartments connected to their offices. The rest of the country apparently sees this as either very weird (personified by Kester's mum) or totally aspirational (Kester's fans). The constant institutionalised sexual aggression is a real downer, frankly. This theme is explored with a fair amount of nuance, though. Another main character, Cherry, is a former sex worker who becomes a model for Kester's viruses. In addition to all the coercive corporate sex, there is a lot of heavy drinking. Drugs don't seem to be fashionable anymore, however.
I found the world-building in 'Sequela' compelling, albeit often unpleasant. The plot was not as involving, for two reasons. Firstly, the stakes concerned corporate profits, something that really doesn't matter to me. I suppose there was the matter of Kester's independent research, but that was never at risk. The cynicism of the narrative is certainly convincing and induces a feeling of malaise about capitalism. Secondly, the main characters were all extremely flawed, selfish, and made bad decisions. Kester, Alexis, and Dee all fall into this category and I struggled to care about any of them. The progression of their love triangle situation really emphasises that they're all terrible; their only motivations seemed to be ambition, revenge, and sex. Cherry was a much more sympathetic character, yet got very little to do. Her motivations and backstory looked very promising, then went nowhere. Given where the book leaves her, I wonder if a sequel is planned. While there are thought-provoking ideas and original ideas in 'Sequela', I found it rather difficult to enjoy because it centres upon privileged City of London assholes.
October 3, 2013
I am finding it hard not to be over complementary. Smith has a sure-footed competence as a writer that has helped her put together a very original and highly entertaining book. This near future science fiction cleverly links the progress of science, the general `progressiveness' of social norms, at least in Britain and a quite plausible future `gated' City of London, into a page turning read.
The version I read had a few silly editing errors, but a word of concern to the author has led to the knowledge that these are being dealt with.
The timeline on the story, set in 2080, seems feasible. This is important because at first the hedonistic world she portrays seems to be a vast distance from where norms of social behaviour are today. There are always extreme deviants, individual cases, but those deviant behaviours rarely and only slowly become mainstream. But sometimes they do, and especially when as in this book they are centred on a particularly powerful subset of people. We see then, generally unacceptable social practices sometimes escaping cloistered sectors of society, such as religious establishments and `cultural' minority groups, into a wider world. For proof that such rapid changes in normal behaviour are possible we don't have to look back as far as 70 years in London's society.
Smith has brought together some interesting possible future science, none of which is too outlandish. Micro-biology and virology may well have made possible the future she has fictionally speculated for 2080, long before that real date. I find the idea of sexually transmitted diseases becoming socially sought after badges to be rather sickening, especially in the light of the terrors of AIDS and historical devastations to society caused by sexually transmitted diseases like syphilis, hepatitis and gonorrhoea. However, we all know just how far people will go in challenging their bodies for the sake of the next fashionable kick. I cannot deny the apparent plausibility of the science.
Smith has pulled together a very interesting bag of characters with familiar enough behaviours. I had no trouble in measuring them all up against people I know. Her views on big business, financially crippled public funded science, social inequalities, sexual politics, cultural divisions and human rivalries are all easily spotted today. So then, I am sure that most mature readers will find a convincing enough anchor with Smith's thinking to be drawn into her 2080.
What a shocking and shockingly good book. There is a very high level of sexual content without the script ever holding the spotlight for so long that it becomes purely pornographic. The reader with a wish for spice will have to paint in their own deviant pictures, which with the help of Smith's well-chosen prose requires little effort. Many lesser writers seem to miss this balance.
The version I read had a few silly editing errors, but a word of concern to the author has led to the knowledge that these are being dealt with.
The timeline on the story, set in 2080, seems feasible. This is important because at first the hedonistic world she portrays seems to be a vast distance from where norms of social behaviour are today. There are always extreme deviants, individual cases, but those deviant behaviours rarely and only slowly become mainstream. But sometimes they do, and especially when as in this book they are centred on a particularly powerful subset of people. We see then, generally unacceptable social practices sometimes escaping cloistered sectors of society, such as religious establishments and `cultural' minority groups, into a wider world. For proof that such rapid changes in normal behaviour are possible we don't have to look back as far as 70 years in London's society.
Smith has brought together some interesting possible future science, none of which is too outlandish. Micro-biology and virology may well have made possible the future she has fictionally speculated for 2080, long before that real date. I find the idea of sexually transmitted diseases becoming socially sought after badges to be rather sickening, especially in the light of the terrors of AIDS and historical devastations to society caused by sexually transmitted diseases like syphilis, hepatitis and gonorrhoea. However, we all know just how far people will go in challenging their bodies for the sake of the next fashionable kick. I cannot deny the apparent plausibility of the science.
Smith has pulled together a very interesting bag of characters with familiar enough behaviours. I had no trouble in measuring them all up against people I know. Her views on big business, financially crippled public funded science, social inequalities, sexual politics, cultural divisions and human rivalries are all easily spotted today. So then, I am sure that most mature readers will find a convincing enough anchor with Smith's thinking to be drawn into her 2080.
What a shocking and shockingly good book. There is a very high level of sexual content without the script ever holding the spotlight for so long that it becomes purely pornographic. The reader with a wish for spice will have to paint in their own deviant pictures, which with the help of Smith's well-chosen prose requires little effort. Many lesser writers seem to miss this balance.
October 12, 2014
You can find my full review of Sequela on my book blog
In summary: I'm very, very impressed with the craftsmanship of this novel, and would cheerfully recommend it to anyone with an interest in scifi (and some tolerance of occasional sex in literature).
In summary: I'm very, very impressed with the craftsmanship of this novel, and would cheerfully recommend it to anyone with an interest in scifi (and some tolerance of occasional sex in literature).
October 8, 2013
Sequela is one of those books that comes out of nowhere and hits you like a steam train. It has been a long time since I read a sci-fi novel with such an original premise and well realised world (although, to be fair I'm a bit of a sucker for genre sci-fi...). The book's descriptions of the London of the future evoke a compelling sense of place, without drowning the reader in adjectives - as it says in her biog that Smith is poet as well maybe there is a bit of that discipline creeping into her sci-fi work!
The subject matter of the book isn't to everyone's taste, but it is leavened with plenty of humour, albeit mostly on the dark side. Most importantly I was thoroughly drawn into the plot and it is a testament to the skill of the author that I found myself rooting for characters who in other books would probably have been the 'bad guy'. There's plenty of meat in the book bubbling alongside the main plot, but I found myself rushing through it slightly towards the end, just to find out what would happen.
The subject matter of the book isn't to everyone's taste, but it is leavened with plenty of humour, albeit mostly on the dark side. Most importantly I was thoroughly drawn into the plot and it is a testament to the skill of the author that I found myself rooting for characters who in other books would probably have been the 'bad guy'. There's plenty of meat in the book bubbling alongside the main plot, but I found myself rushing through it slightly towards the end, just to find out what would happen.
February 7, 2016
I received this book through Goodreads giveaway contest. The book tells about a future world in which viruses and the symptoms they create, are a fashion statement. Whatever visible viral symptoms you have, no matter how gross and how they look on you, will determine if you can rise to the higher echelon of the fashion world. In other words, the worst viral symptoms you have, the the higher you are on the social ladder. Kind of strange for my tastes in books, but for a lover of Science fiction books I believe it would be a great read. The main charcter, Dr. Kester Lowe, is a virologist who strives to climb the social ladder with his developement of new viruses. This is also the story of the many prices a person can pay for success. Dr. Lowes climb up the ladder has him leaving behind old friends and relationships while broken promises in his past are also forgotten. I my opinion, the book was well written and although not my type of book, I believe that any Science fiction reader would love it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 28, 2014
I really enjoyed this. I thought the premise was interesting - a future City of London where the outward symptoms of STDs are "worn" like the latest designer label and are evidence that you've managed to have sexual relations/"exchange" with someone more powerful with access to the most exclusive viruses. As a satire on ambition and consumerism gone mad, it was really good. It reminded me somewhat of Margaret Atwood's "Positron" although I have to say without Atwood's literary polish (although few authors can achieve that). There were some plot lines left unresolved at the end which makes me hope there will be a sequel.
August 2, 2014
I won this book through goodreads.
This is a unique and interesting book that leaves you wanting more.
This is a unique and interesting book that leaves you wanting more.
December 6, 2024
What a very unique, and at times hideous, tale! And the worst/best thing about it is that I can absolutely see the logic of where the seed of this idea came from.
A near-future London in which all risk and reward from trading and business has virtually vanished results in City workers seeking ever more dangerous alternatives to showcase their determination, their ambition, and their willingness to climb the greasy pole of corporate business.
This culture has led to, quite simply, sleeping one's way to the top, only that is no longer enough. How can anyone truly see your ambition if no one knows who you've had sex with.
Enter the horrifying world of STIs worn as markers of position and power, their damaging side effects mitigated through nanotechnology and immunosuppressants.
And enter into this world Dr Kester Lowe, a man who believes that viruses can and should be beautiful, that if people are going to have sex to get ahead, they may as well look good in the aftermath instead of covered in scabs and sores as a mark of their prowess.
This is very much a story of awful people doing awful things to each other, and a handful of decent, fairly nice but flawed people who are drawn into this world with promises of power, money, influence, unlimited research budgets...
It asks the question: just how strict are your morals? If you were offered everything by Big Pharma to do 'real' science, at what point would you bend - just a little - to take that chance? And, of course, what happens when they know you'll bend and can therefore bend some more, and more, and more?
This was a viscerally uncomfortable read in places, and despite being more than 10 years old, holds up extremely well in light of today's politics and 'politicians/influencers/celebrities for hire', who will shill anything for a price.
A near-future London in which all risk and reward from trading and business has virtually vanished results in City workers seeking ever more dangerous alternatives to showcase their determination, their ambition, and their willingness to climb the greasy pole of corporate business.
This culture has led to, quite simply, sleeping one's way to the top, only that is no longer enough. How can anyone truly see your ambition if no one knows who you've had sex with.
Enter the horrifying world of STIs worn as markers of position and power, their damaging side effects mitigated through nanotechnology and immunosuppressants.
And enter into this world Dr Kester Lowe, a man who believes that viruses can and should be beautiful, that if people are going to have sex to get ahead, they may as well look good in the aftermath instead of covered in scabs and sores as a mark of their prowess.
This is very much a story of awful people doing awful things to each other, and a handful of decent, fairly nice but flawed people who are drawn into this world with promises of power, money, influence, unlimited research budgets...
It asks the question: just how strict are your morals? If you were offered everything by Big Pharma to do 'real' science, at what point would you bend - just a little - to take that chance? And, of course, what happens when they know you'll bend and can therefore bend some more, and more, and more?
This was a viscerally uncomfortable read in places, and despite being more than 10 years old, holds up extremely well in light of today's politics and 'politicians/influencers/celebrities for hire', who will shill anything for a price.
October 19, 2019
Excerpts from the full review on my website:
https://www.thomasjspargo.com/blog/20...
Sequela is set in a futuristic London where the symptoms of STDs are proudly shown as a status symbol, evidence that you’ve had sex with someone powerful who has deigned to pass on the latest fad in viruses to you. It’s a great setting to showcase the bonkers nature of consumerism. Oh, and there’s loads of bonking.
The premise is an interesting one and Smith has built a convincing world shaped by this evolution in fashion and technology, with people’s differing views on viral fashion feeling very believable. It feels like the world has been changed dramatically by the new technologies brought in, much as it would with these advances. The characters and situations are solid, though the jealousy of the best friend needed a little more fleshing out for me. Even though the extent of her rage is questioned by a character inside the story, it still didn’t quite sweep away that little disbelieving part of my brain as a reader that she could quite so vindictive to a friend, she came off a little over the top. Aside from that, the characters interacted very well to service the plot and Cleland Smith’s writing is fast paced and keeps you hooked.
Strong recommendation, disclaimer that there be a lot of shagging in it, so maybe don’t lend it to a prude. As her dedication says, “For my beautiful sons, who will always be too young to read this.”
https://www.thomasjspargo.com/blog/20...
Sequela is set in a futuristic London where the symptoms of STDs are proudly shown as a status symbol, evidence that you’ve had sex with someone powerful who has deigned to pass on the latest fad in viruses to you. It’s a great setting to showcase the bonkers nature of consumerism. Oh, and there’s loads of bonking.
The premise is an interesting one and Smith has built a convincing world shaped by this evolution in fashion and technology, with people’s differing views on viral fashion feeling very believable. It feels like the world has been changed dramatically by the new technologies brought in, much as it would with these advances. The characters and situations are solid, though the jealousy of the best friend needed a little more fleshing out for me. Even though the extent of her rage is questioned by a character inside the story, it still didn’t quite sweep away that little disbelieving part of my brain as a reader that she could quite so vindictive to a friend, she came off a little over the top. Aside from that, the characters interacted very well to service the plot and Cleland Smith’s writing is fast paced and keeps you hooked.
Strong recommendation, disclaimer that there be a lot of shagging in it, so maybe don’t lend it to a prude. As her dedication says, “For my beautiful sons, who will always be too young to read this.”
December 18, 2021
I read Sequela as part of a judging team for the first annual Self-Published Science Fiction Competition.
This is probably not the sort of book I’d have picked up on my own, and it certainly isn’t in my wheelhouse, but it’s also very well-written and could be a real hidden gem for someone who gravitates towards this type of story.
So what kind of story is that? There’s an aspect of corporate thriller, in a hypersexualized near future London in which designer viruses are fashion statements (ambitious, surely, but it’s sold nicely). But it opens slower than I’d expect from a thriller, and it gives plenty of time for the large cast (of largely unsympathetic characters!) to breathe.
So it’s part corporate thriller, part cautionary tale, part social commentary. The villains can come across a bit one note (and I don’t love the stereotypical religious villain, although I have nothing to object to with it), but the heroes are far from it, treading very close to full antihero status.
This is not a book that wraps every plot thread together in a neat bow, and if may not satisfy if you have too clear a picture of how things *should* end. But it’s a compelling tale that raises plenty of questions, and I’d heartily recommend for those who like gray characters and near-future sci-fi.
First impression: 15/20. Full review and official SPSFC score to come at www.tarvolon.com
This is probably not the sort of book I’d have picked up on my own, and it certainly isn’t in my wheelhouse, but it’s also very well-written and could be a real hidden gem for someone who gravitates towards this type of story.
So what kind of story is that? There’s an aspect of corporate thriller, in a hypersexualized near future London in which designer viruses are fashion statements (ambitious, surely, but it’s sold nicely). But it opens slower than I’d expect from a thriller, and it gives plenty of time for the large cast (of largely unsympathetic characters!) to breathe.
So it’s part corporate thriller, part cautionary tale, part social commentary. The villains can come across a bit one note (and I don’t love the stereotypical religious villain, although I have nothing to object to with it), but the heroes are far from it, treading very close to full antihero status.
This is not a book that wraps every plot thread together in a neat bow, and if may not satisfy if you have too clear a picture of how things *should* end. But it’s a compelling tale that raises plenty of questions, and I’d heartily recommend for those who like gray characters and near-future sci-fi.
First impression: 15/20. Full review and official SPSFC score to come at www.tarvolon.com
August 23, 2017
I was really excited to read this book because the concept seemed so original, but ended up disappointed. Despite the book being decently long no plot threads are ever focused on long enough to get any kind of decent resolution, nearly every character is a mess of awful stereotypes, the way fat people are described is SUPER embarrassing, and the moralizing about sex without risk becoming emotionally meaningless is something out of an anti-HPV vaccine pamphlet. (Also idk it just seems super weird to me for characters to be so morally opposed to a character deciding he didn't want to make militarized viruses anymore - like I get the angle of him being a sellout because he moved to the private sector but it's not like he was doing really noble work at the Institute)
A lot of things happen in this book but at the end nearly everyone seems to be exactly where they started.
A lot of things happen in this book but at the end nearly everyone seems to be exactly where they started.
January 30, 2014
Wow. I love a good dystopia story and this is a really, really good read. I can't really find fault with it and I can be such a cynical nit picker at times. I guess this is just my ideal cup of tea. It is a dense, rather long book, but it is so engaging, so believeable, and I just got completely sucked into this rather grim world for the week and a half I was reading this book.
I should also say that I'm probably going to ramble on a lot now, so there will end up being a lot of spoilers here.
Although the premise may sound a bit far out, actually, I don't know that we're actually that far away from it really, and it is set up in such a plausible way. Science has moved on, I think it's set about 2080, and genetically engineering viruses is common practice. In this world, STDs are manufactured and bought and worn as fashion accessories. Yep, a face full of weeping sores is something to be worn with pride - it shows you're getting some; and if you're got a bizarre, rarer form, you're obviously having sex with someone exlcusive. Good on you! Office affairs and shagging have gone to a new level in the city of London, with "exchange booths" in the big companies, so every one is having sex with everyone who is someone. And for the "lower" classes there are the 'pigs' - basically high street shopping of viruses, where you get to go and have sex with a hole in the wall. Nice.
The world and the system is introduced in a good way in this book. I find with so many dystopias and fantasy worlds (basically anything that isn't as it is today) the authors fall into this awful trap to have to explain EVERYTHING to you straight away, to get it out of the way. But you end up feeling bombarded with information, bored and overwhelmed at the start of the book, and wondering if you can be bothered to carry on. But in assuming you already know the set up, the really good books get straight into the story and the characters. And this way you gradually discover this world for yourself, picking up unnerving little hints (or very big ones in this story!) about how society is working, which is a more engaging way of discovering it for yourself, being shocked/amazed/horrified without having the author spell out everything for you straight away as if you are a lobotomised fool. This is one of the many reasons why Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go works so well. I'm not suggesting you need to don your deerstalker and get out the magnifying glass to figure out this book. I didn't find it confusing in the slightest.
The tale focuses on Dr Kester Lowe... perhaps it could be called the Rise and Fall (almost) or Dr Kester Lowe - whoops, possible slight giveaway =). Or the Rise and Fall of science and the toppling the moral highground. His chum Dee definately portrays that. Dee and Kester have known each other since childhood and work together at the same science institute, working on viruses, planning on designing new screens (things that deal with any disease coming into the human body) for the better of mankind. All very noble, well intentioned. Then Kester leaves to go and work for a big multinational in London - fat wage, big labs, new flat, star status in celebrity land - making designer STD viruses for the company. He says he will work on the noble stuff in his free time in this hi tech, fully equipped lab he gets with the job. Dee is disgusted with him at selling out and leaving the noble causes. She is betrayed and scorned and looks down at him from her high moral ground. But in the end on her own ethical scale, she's worse than him. Kester may sell out but he's always honest and upfront about what he's doing. And he crumbles when things go too far and his employers start pimping him out (literally) to the celebrities and rich who are willing to pay the most. Whilst pretending to be noble, back in the institute, Dee assists terrorists with viruses that are intended for release in the population, intended to destroy Kester's reputation. And at the end when Kester gets his chance to use the company to make these wonder screens, Dee comes to an interview a V (the company), scorning and sneering at them but she ends up completely seduced desperate for the job and it ends with her basically letting the interview board shag her... so is she any better? Everyone is corruptable, but she is a hypocrite. Hmm... I suppose that's rather depressing in a way. We all get sold into this mindset; there is no truely "good" or "noble" person in all of this. They're all flawed, all about nest feathering to a greater or lesser extend. Certainly more realistic, but all depressing I find.
I know the idea of designer STDs is horrific, but it is believeable. People are sheep, and the followers of fashion do what fashion tells them is great, without thinking or questioning, or even listening to their own personal taste. This story is simply taking it to an extreme. Or following an attitude towards sex as being a tool and a casual act through to it's ultimate conclusion. There are little hints here and there that there is still humanity. One of the directors at V, Yule, a very rotund man, admits to Kester when he gets ill, that he doesn't do the sleeping around associated with ambitious city folk, and has a "pig" in his office for the purpose of infection; but even this measure didn't save his marriage - some remorse at the destruction of a relationship. And Cherry, the sex worker brought to V to be a model for the new viruses, is uncomfortable by the constant and casual shagging and exchanges that go on in corporate London. There's one great bit, quite far on in the book, when she's got to infect herself with a virus Dee's given her for the purpose of bringing down V from the inside. She has to artificially inseminate herself with it, and thinks to herself "It was all a bit farmyard for her liking". The whole thing is a bit farmyard! Having sex randomly to spread desirable viruses (or genetic traits in farming); the very point that the highstreet places are referred to as the pigs...
Not a comfortable read, but certainly a very thought-provoking one.
I won this copy on a goodreads first reads giveaway.
I should also say that I'm probably going to ramble on a lot now, so there will end up being a lot of spoilers here.
Although the premise may sound a bit far out, actually, I don't know that we're actually that far away from it really, and it is set up in such a plausible way. Science has moved on, I think it's set about 2080, and genetically engineering viruses is common practice. In this world, STDs are manufactured and bought and worn as fashion accessories. Yep, a face full of weeping sores is something to be worn with pride - it shows you're getting some; and if you're got a bizarre, rarer form, you're obviously having sex with someone exlcusive. Good on you! Office affairs and shagging have gone to a new level in the city of London, with "exchange booths" in the big companies, so every one is having sex with everyone who is someone. And for the "lower" classes there are the 'pigs' - basically high street shopping of viruses, where you get to go and have sex with a hole in the wall. Nice.
The world and the system is introduced in a good way in this book. I find with so many dystopias and fantasy worlds (basically anything that isn't as it is today) the authors fall into this awful trap to have to explain EVERYTHING to you straight away, to get it out of the way. But you end up feeling bombarded with information, bored and overwhelmed at the start of the book, and wondering if you can be bothered to carry on. But in assuming you already know the set up, the really good books get straight into the story and the characters. And this way you gradually discover this world for yourself, picking up unnerving little hints (or very big ones in this story!) about how society is working, which is a more engaging way of discovering it for yourself, being shocked/amazed/horrified without having the author spell out everything for you straight away as if you are a lobotomised fool. This is one of the many reasons why Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go works so well. I'm not suggesting you need to don your deerstalker and get out the magnifying glass to figure out this book. I didn't find it confusing in the slightest.
The tale focuses on Dr Kester Lowe... perhaps it could be called the Rise and Fall (almost) or Dr Kester Lowe - whoops, possible slight giveaway =). Or the Rise and Fall of science and the toppling the moral highground. His chum Dee definately portrays that. Dee and Kester have known each other since childhood and work together at the same science institute, working on viruses, planning on designing new screens (things that deal with any disease coming into the human body) for the better of mankind. All very noble, well intentioned. Then Kester leaves to go and work for a big multinational in London - fat wage, big labs, new flat, star status in celebrity land - making designer STD viruses for the company. He says he will work on the noble stuff in his free time in this hi tech, fully equipped lab he gets with the job. Dee is disgusted with him at selling out and leaving the noble causes. She is betrayed and scorned and looks down at him from her high moral ground. But in the end on her own ethical scale, she's worse than him. Kester may sell out but he's always honest and upfront about what he's doing. And he crumbles when things go too far and his employers start pimping him out (literally) to the celebrities and rich who are willing to pay the most. Whilst pretending to be noble, back in the institute, Dee assists terrorists with viruses that are intended for release in the population, intended to destroy Kester's reputation. And at the end when Kester gets his chance to use the company to make these wonder screens, Dee comes to an interview a V (the company), scorning and sneering at them but she ends up completely seduced desperate for the job and it ends with her basically letting the interview board shag her... so is she any better? Everyone is corruptable, but she is a hypocrite. Hmm... I suppose that's rather depressing in a way. We all get sold into this mindset; there is no truely "good" or "noble" person in all of this. They're all flawed, all about nest feathering to a greater or lesser extend. Certainly more realistic, but all depressing I find.
I know the idea of designer STDs is horrific, but it is believeable. People are sheep, and the followers of fashion do what fashion tells them is great, without thinking or questioning, or even listening to their own personal taste. This story is simply taking it to an extreme. Or following an attitude towards sex as being a tool and a casual act through to it's ultimate conclusion. There are little hints here and there that there is still humanity. One of the directors at V, Yule, a very rotund man, admits to Kester when he gets ill, that he doesn't do the sleeping around associated with ambitious city folk, and has a "pig" in his office for the purpose of infection; but even this measure didn't save his marriage - some remorse at the destruction of a relationship. And Cherry, the sex worker brought to V to be a model for the new viruses, is uncomfortable by the constant and casual shagging and exchanges that go on in corporate London. There's one great bit, quite far on in the book, when she's got to infect herself with a virus Dee's given her for the purpose of bringing down V from the inside. She has to artificially inseminate herself with it, and thinks to herself "It was all a bit farmyard for her liking". The whole thing is a bit farmyard! Having sex randomly to spread desirable viruses (or genetic traits in farming); the very point that the highstreet places are referred to as the pigs...
Not a comfortable read, but certainly a very thought-provoking one.
I won this copy on a goodreads first reads giveaway.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 28, 2021
An ironic random choice to pop up during a pandemic as it features people willingly infecting themselves with designer viruses as the new big fashion thing. I believe one is even called Corona. This may have contributed to the length of time that it took for me to read it but I also struggled to follow some of the finer points of the plot. The characters were quite well-drawn but the speculative element was blown out of the water by current events.
December 11, 2018
This book has been in my collection for some time now and I finally picked it up to read. I don't know why I waited this long to read this amazing written novel. I found myself wanting to read more. Thanks for an amazing book
October 28, 2013
Sequela is a strange book, creepy, thought-provoking and potent. It has a unique premise and makes an insightful and scathing comment on the power plays of the business world. In a nutshell, it's about a scientist literally prostituting himself for big business.
The author creates a world where the city center is separated from the rest of London. The city is the playpen for the ambitious, the power hungry and the wannabes who are willing to trade sexual favors for advancement. In this world, that is the norm rather than the exception, and wearing (showing) sexually transmitted viruses indicates that you have ambition. Scabs supposedly makes you desirable.
The plot had me guessing, not knowing where it would go next, and sometimes it wandered off the path entirely, but strengthened later in the book when the viral terrorism began. Though the world is different, the behaviors and motivations of the people are the same as those we see around us every day. Power, money, religion, prestige, fame and jealousy are the motivators, but set in a world where sexually transmitted diseases are a fashion statement these passions come across as more than decadent, they seem sick, as sick as the people who willingly infect themselves with viruses just to look cool.
On a personal level, I found the whole idea of the culture rather distasteful, but the very yukkiness of it gives the social comment a lot of power. As well as sex, power and work place politics, the book explores what happens when proving a point of religious dogma becomes more important than ethics and issues involved in funding scientific developments.
The characters are complex and generally well-drawn, and their relationships and dialogue realistic, (though when we write it, it’s better not to use quite so many filler words such as ‘well’ and ‘listen’), but some of the character motivations weren’t clear enough. Dee's actions seemed pretty extreme to me. I didn't understand her motivation until Alexes explained it to Kestor at the end, which I felt was a little late for the reader to get it. I may be simply slow, though. It may be obvious to others. Cherry would also have been easier to understand had the reason for her wanting to be in the city been explained earlier in the book.
The author also left important parts of the world building too late. We enter a culture where scabs, sores and rashes are cool. That's a pretty big leap from present day reality, where such things are avoided and seen as the symptoms of disease. I felt that the motivation for this behavior needed to come out more clearly early on. I could understand what appealed about the designer viruses, but until the reason why people wore the natural viruses became clear, the story sat on shaky foundations. About 3/4 of the way through, or maybe later, this was well explained, but it would have been much better had it come in the first 25%.
In general, the author expresses his ideas in confident and sometimes insightful, prose, but occasionally the sentences read like a kind of short hand due to missing prepositions and often the descriptions are long winded and the prose peppered with excessive adverbs. There are also a few too many copy errors.
The ending, though possibly unsatisfying for some, makes a statement. Despite everything the Church has done to bring down the pervading culture of decadence, the seduction of money remains and even though who oppose it are not immune. The question is, how far are you willing to go to get what you want?
This book is conceptually awesome, but a little flawed in delivery. The potential is great and I would love to see it fully realized.
I received a free copy from the author in return for an honest review. I reviewed it on behalf of the Awesome Indies.
The author creates a world where the city center is separated from the rest of London. The city is the playpen for the ambitious, the power hungry and the wannabes who are willing to trade sexual favors for advancement. In this world, that is the norm rather than the exception, and wearing (showing) sexually transmitted viruses indicates that you have ambition. Scabs supposedly makes you desirable.
The plot had me guessing, not knowing where it would go next, and sometimes it wandered off the path entirely, but strengthened later in the book when the viral terrorism began. Though the world is different, the behaviors and motivations of the people are the same as those we see around us every day. Power, money, religion, prestige, fame and jealousy are the motivators, but set in a world where sexually transmitted diseases are a fashion statement these passions come across as more than decadent, they seem sick, as sick as the people who willingly infect themselves with viruses just to look cool.
On a personal level, I found the whole idea of the culture rather distasteful, but the very yukkiness of it gives the social comment a lot of power. As well as sex, power and work place politics, the book explores what happens when proving a point of religious dogma becomes more important than ethics and issues involved in funding scientific developments.
The characters are complex and generally well-drawn, and their relationships and dialogue realistic, (though when we write it, it’s better not to use quite so many filler words such as ‘well’ and ‘listen’), but some of the character motivations weren’t clear enough. Dee's actions seemed pretty extreme to me. I didn't understand her motivation until Alexes explained it to Kestor at the end, which I felt was a little late for the reader to get it. I may be simply slow, though. It may be obvious to others. Cherry would also have been easier to understand had the reason for her wanting to be in the city been explained earlier in the book.
The author also left important parts of the world building too late. We enter a culture where scabs, sores and rashes are cool. That's a pretty big leap from present day reality, where such things are avoided and seen as the symptoms of disease. I felt that the motivation for this behavior needed to come out more clearly early on. I could understand what appealed about the designer viruses, but until the reason why people wore the natural viruses became clear, the story sat on shaky foundations. About 3/4 of the way through, or maybe later, this was well explained, but it would have been much better had it come in the first 25%.
In general, the author expresses his ideas in confident and sometimes insightful, prose, but occasionally the sentences read like a kind of short hand due to missing prepositions and often the descriptions are long winded and the prose peppered with excessive adverbs. There are also a few too many copy errors.
The ending, though possibly unsatisfying for some, makes a statement. Despite everything the Church has done to bring down the pervading culture of decadence, the seduction of money remains and even though who oppose it are not immune. The question is, how far are you willing to go to get what you want?
This book is conceptually awesome, but a little flawed in delivery. The potential is great and I would love to see it fully realized.
I received a free copy from the author in return for an honest review. I reviewed it on behalf of the Awesome Indies.
October 28, 2013
“… the equivalent of a catwalk disease.”
Sequela is set in a future where fashion sense includes “wearing” genetically engineered, sexually transmitted diseases as proof of desirability and power. Dr. Kester Lowe is a fashion-virus designer who wants to make disease beautiful, exchanging sores and ooze with metallic colored irises or glow-in-the-dark lymph nodes. His childhood friend and colleague, Dr. Dee Campbell, believes he ought to be using his gifts to develop a new, affordable nanoscreen – an elite device that acts as an artificial immune system – for the masses. Kester half-heartedly agrees with her, and claims intent to pursue the research on his own time at his new job with mega-pharmaceutical corporation, V. But the climb to fame, partnered with his new love affair with CEO Alexis Farrell, leaves him little time to think about anything else.
This novel makes some interesting points about how medical technology has changed (is changing?) our views about sex. When the threats of disease or unwanted pregnancy are removed, will sex lose its emotional potency? The way everyone in Sequela behaves seems to point that direction, but Kester hangs on to that part of his humanity. In a corporate world where sex is required to seal the deal, he’s prepared himself physically, if not emotionally, to do what it takes.
After he gets the job and begins to acclimate to his slick, new life, his relationship with his academic friends is strained, and he alienates his life-long friend, Dee. Other than that, nothing major happens until sixty-six percent of the way in, when someone gets inexplicably ill and Kester is forced to focus on developing his new nanoscreens. Prior to this point, I believe that a lot of the scenes, description, and backstory could be cut or tightened.
The book suffers from overly long descriptions (admittedly, sometimes beautiful – the author’s poet background shines through) and scenes that don’t move the story forward. Some introduce secondary characters we never interact with again (e.g. Marlene and Tim,) and some occur in unwieldy paragraphs two and a half screens long on my Kindle Fire on normal setting. In addition, the dialogue overuses certain words e.g., “well,” “listen,” and “so.” Shifts of point of view within a scene seemed excessive, and sometimes there were scene breaks for no apparent reason. I also found the formatting choice of a simple return space between scenes sometimes confusing.
Other minor craft flaws include incorrect punctuation, missing quotation marks, missing capitalization, missing prepositions, excessive use of adverbs, and what I consider the overuse of colons and semi colons.
The end scene is a bit ambiguous for my taste. I would prefer to have had a clear view of what the “new normal” will be (particularly for Dee.) Kester’s life is not significantly different than when he began work at V. I suppose one could say that academic life has become extinct in the face of big business, but I’m unclear whether we should mourn the loss or not.
I enjoyed the author’s terms for items in this futuristic world. Everyone has a Book – like a Smartphone in many ways, only more detailed and with biological functions. The fukpunks and Pigs and Real Church and nanoscreens made the world more real.
Sequela bravely addresses some thought provoking ideas. How far will we go in the name of fashion? Is it fair for cutting edge healthcare to be available only to an elite few? Are we undermining (or increasing?) the value of sex in our society?
While I love the premise of Sequela, because of the technical errors and the lagging story structure and pace until the sixty-six percent mark, I have to give it 2.5 stars.
Reviewed on behalf of the Awesome Indies
Sequela is set in a future where fashion sense includes “wearing” genetically engineered, sexually transmitted diseases as proof of desirability and power. Dr. Kester Lowe is a fashion-virus designer who wants to make disease beautiful, exchanging sores and ooze with metallic colored irises or glow-in-the-dark lymph nodes. His childhood friend and colleague, Dr. Dee Campbell, believes he ought to be using his gifts to develop a new, affordable nanoscreen – an elite device that acts as an artificial immune system – for the masses. Kester half-heartedly agrees with her, and claims intent to pursue the research on his own time at his new job with mega-pharmaceutical corporation, V. But the climb to fame, partnered with his new love affair with CEO Alexis Farrell, leaves him little time to think about anything else.
This novel makes some interesting points about how medical technology has changed (is changing?) our views about sex. When the threats of disease or unwanted pregnancy are removed, will sex lose its emotional potency? The way everyone in Sequela behaves seems to point that direction, but Kester hangs on to that part of his humanity. In a corporate world where sex is required to seal the deal, he’s prepared himself physically, if not emotionally, to do what it takes.
After he gets the job and begins to acclimate to his slick, new life, his relationship with his academic friends is strained, and he alienates his life-long friend, Dee. Other than that, nothing major happens until sixty-six percent of the way in, when someone gets inexplicably ill and Kester is forced to focus on developing his new nanoscreens. Prior to this point, I believe that a lot of the scenes, description, and backstory could be cut or tightened.
The book suffers from overly long descriptions (admittedly, sometimes beautiful – the author’s poet background shines through) and scenes that don’t move the story forward. Some introduce secondary characters we never interact with again (e.g. Marlene and Tim,) and some occur in unwieldy paragraphs two and a half screens long on my Kindle Fire on normal setting. In addition, the dialogue overuses certain words e.g., “well,” “listen,” and “so.” Shifts of point of view within a scene seemed excessive, and sometimes there were scene breaks for no apparent reason. I also found the formatting choice of a simple return space between scenes sometimes confusing.
Other minor craft flaws include incorrect punctuation, missing quotation marks, missing capitalization, missing prepositions, excessive use of adverbs, and what I consider the overuse of colons and semi colons.
The end scene is a bit ambiguous for my taste. I would prefer to have had a clear view of what the “new normal” will be (particularly for Dee.) Kester’s life is not significantly different than when he began work at V. I suppose one could say that academic life has become extinct in the face of big business, but I’m unclear whether we should mourn the loss or not.
I enjoyed the author’s terms for items in this futuristic world. Everyone has a Book – like a Smartphone in many ways, only more detailed and with biological functions. The fukpunks and Pigs and Real Church and nanoscreens made the world more real.
Sequela bravely addresses some thought provoking ideas. How far will we go in the name of fashion? Is it fair for cutting edge healthcare to be available only to an elite few? Are we undermining (or increasing?) the value of sex in our society?
While I love the premise of Sequela, because of the technical errors and the lagging story structure and pace until the sixty-six percent mark, I have to give it 2.5 stars.
Reviewed on behalf of the Awesome Indies
August 8, 2013
Dripping with science and sex, Sequela is a thought provoking excursion into an extremely sexualized future built from the foundation of raunchy possibilities already present in our society.
Life has evolved within the urban core of London, protected from the countryside by a wall, into a matter of sexual posturing. The key means of upward mobility is "wearing" the latest and most desirable sexually transmitted disease. Yep. Human engineered viruses with visible side effects. The more visible the side effects the better.
Such a reversal on the common attitude toward viruses has been made possible through a series of scientific discoveries (built in bio-screens, etc.) along with a healthy dose of hedonism and a sturdy superiority complex the people of the city have over those in the country who can't afford the good life. Overall, I found the premise to be quite believable and internally consistent.
This futuristic setting (and the commentary embedded in it) is the genius of Sequela. Every aspect of the debauched society comes across in wonderfully disgusting detail: The Real Church--determined to strong-arm its way back inside the city; The working girl tasked with the extra job of contracting the newest and most desirable diseases in order to boost business for her madam; The marginalized scientific community stewing in their own juices as private industry steals away talent in order to create designer viruses for the sex-crazed.
The society is detailed and vivid. The characters are multi-dimensional, flawed and memorable. These are the things I loved about the book.
My problem with Sequela stems from these same characters. By the end, I simply wanted all of them to lose. Selfish, misdirected, egocentric, self-righteous, vindictive--they are a nasty lot. I actually started enjoying the book much more toward the latter half when everything goes awry. This can be a great accomplishment on the writer's part IF, (and here is the catch) if there is a cost or lesson or moral for all these nasty characters (or if the reader hates them so much the reader can really cheer on their destruction).
But none of that happened for me. Instead I was stuck with mixed emotions. I didn't want the characters to succeed. At the same time, I didn't want their total destruction. I wanted them to learn and change for the better. This gets into choppy waters (my definition of "better" may not be yours).
Let me be clear, this is more of a personal taste issue than one reflecting on Cleland's skills as an novelist. The one thing I felt Cleland failed to do well was establish the motives of the main character, Kester. I never could be sure really why he was doing what he was doing. Often he simply ended up being passively swept along. This certainly contributed to my annoyance with him. Other than that, I simply didn't like the moral conclusion of the story.
And while the ending of Sequela is brilliant in its own nihilistic or cyclical sort of way, it certainly fails to hit the uplifting or redeeming note I had personally hoped for. All said and done, Sequela is written cunningly enough to make the reader care how the story ends. It pokes and prods one throughout. For that, I give Cleland full kudos. Alas, as many of us readers know, it's these cunning books that can be most disappointing when they deviate from our aspirations for them.
Life has evolved within the urban core of London, protected from the countryside by a wall, into a matter of sexual posturing. The key means of upward mobility is "wearing" the latest and most desirable sexually transmitted disease. Yep. Human engineered viruses with visible side effects. The more visible the side effects the better.
Such a reversal on the common attitude toward viruses has been made possible through a series of scientific discoveries (built in bio-screens, etc.) along with a healthy dose of hedonism and a sturdy superiority complex the people of the city have over those in the country who can't afford the good life. Overall, I found the premise to be quite believable and internally consistent.
This futuristic setting (and the commentary embedded in it) is the genius of Sequela. Every aspect of the debauched society comes across in wonderfully disgusting detail: The Real Church--determined to strong-arm its way back inside the city; The working girl tasked with the extra job of contracting the newest and most desirable diseases in order to boost business for her madam; The marginalized scientific community stewing in their own juices as private industry steals away talent in order to create designer viruses for the sex-crazed.
The society is detailed and vivid. The characters are multi-dimensional, flawed and memorable. These are the things I loved about the book.
My problem with Sequela stems from these same characters. By the end, I simply wanted all of them to lose. Selfish, misdirected, egocentric, self-righteous, vindictive--they are a nasty lot. I actually started enjoying the book much more toward the latter half when everything goes awry. This can be a great accomplishment on the writer's part IF, (and here is the catch) if there is a cost or lesson or moral for all these nasty characters (or if the reader hates them so much the reader can really cheer on their destruction).
But none of that happened for me. Instead I was stuck with mixed emotions. I didn't want the characters to succeed. At the same time, I didn't want their total destruction. I wanted them to learn and change for the better. This gets into choppy waters (my definition of "better" may not be yours).
Let me be clear, this is more of a personal taste issue than one reflecting on Cleland's skills as an novelist. The one thing I felt Cleland failed to do well was establish the motives of the main character, Kester. I never could be sure really why he was doing what he was doing. Often he simply ended up being passively swept along. This certainly contributed to my annoyance with him. Other than that, I simply didn't like the moral conclusion of the story.
And while the ending of Sequela is brilliant in its own nihilistic or cyclical sort of way, it certainly fails to hit the uplifting or redeeming note I had personally hoped for. All said and done, Sequela is written cunningly enough to make the reader care how the story ends. It pokes and prods one throughout. For that, I give Cleland full kudos. Alas, as many of us readers know, it's these cunning books that can be most disappointing when they deviate from our aspirations for them.
July 8, 2013
First, I'd like to address the book's title: A sequela is an aftereffect of a disease, condition or injury. For example, chronic neck pain can be a sequela of whiplash. I mention this because I thought readers might appreciate that bit of information.
The Main Concept:
The story takes place in London during the 2080s and follows the life and career of up-and-coming virologist, Kester Lowe. Kester, from the start, is a hard-working, likeable individual with a well-meaning mother and a close group of friends, who are also his fellow lab workers. Kester's closest friend, Dee, a scientist and a young lady of high morals and standards, is more than a bit dismayed when Kester switches gears and takes a position with a large corporation as a Fashion Virus Designer. After an unintentional betrayal is perpetrated by Kester on Dee, she washes her hands of him completely and they go their separate ways (or so Kester seems to think...hell hath no fury...). Kester doesn't spend much time pining over his former friend - he's whisked off by powerful, sexy Alexis to become her trophy superstar. However, it doesn't take long for Kester to realize there's a price to pay for all his fame and fortune.
The Good:
Sequela is hugely imaginative, particularly for a first-time novelist. Ms. Smith does a fantastic job of spinning a uniquely creative take on what might be in store for the future. Her ability to inject colorful and descriptive narrative into what could have easily become a novel based solely upon futuristic medical advances and techniques should be enough to keep readers interested. The story is intelligent, thought-provoking and well-written.
The Not-As-Good:
Sequela could have used a Watson - someone the writer could have used to explain some of the questions readers might have about the storyline: Why would people want to be deliberately infected with viruses? Why would society become so blatantly oversexed and accept the concept of sexually transmitted disease as a fashion statement? Perhaps a prologue to more or less set the stage. I didn't feel there was enough (or any) background to make readers say, "Ahhh, so this is what led to all of this."
In Summary:
The concept of corporate greed, cut-throat tactics and a general lack of caring about who gets hurt as long as profits are made is the thread that runs through this novel. So is the stance of the Real Church - sinners must repent and turn away from their City ways.
While I understand that this is Science Fiction and exploring societal and moral dilemmas in a futuristic/fantasy manner is the nature of this genre, I was left wanting a certain amount of answers (perhaps material for a prequel?). My wanting to understand the whys, didn't detract from the meat of the book, however. I'd still have to say that if you enjoy fashion with a twist, terrorism and a bit of good vs. evil thrown in, then you'll enjoy Sequela.
The Main Concept:
The story takes place in London during the 2080s and follows the life and career of up-and-coming virologist, Kester Lowe. Kester, from the start, is a hard-working, likeable individual with a well-meaning mother and a close group of friends, who are also his fellow lab workers. Kester's closest friend, Dee, a scientist and a young lady of high morals and standards, is more than a bit dismayed when Kester switches gears and takes a position with a large corporation as a Fashion Virus Designer. After an unintentional betrayal is perpetrated by Kester on Dee, she washes her hands of him completely and they go their separate ways (or so Kester seems to think...hell hath no fury...). Kester doesn't spend much time pining over his former friend - he's whisked off by powerful, sexy Alexis to become her trophy superstar. However, it doesn't take long for Kester to realize there's a price to pay for all his fame and fortune.
The Good:
Sequela is hugely imaginative, particularly for a first-time novelist. Ms. Smith does a fantastic job of spinning a uniquely creative take on what might be in store for the future. Her ability to inject colorful and descriptive narrative into what could have easily become a novel based solely upon futuristic medical advances and techniques should be enough to keep readers interested. The story is intelligent, thought-provoking and well-written.
The Not-As-Good:
Sequela could have used a Watson - someone the writer could have used to explain some of the questions readers might have about the storyline: Why would people want to be deliberately infected with viruses? Why would society become so blatantly oversexed and accept the concept of sexually transmitted disease as a fashion statement? Perhaps a prologue to more or less set the stage. I didn't feel there was enough (or any) background to make readers say, "Ahhh, so this is what led to all of this."
In Summary:
The concept of corporate greed, cut-throat tactics and a general lack of caring about who gets hurt as long as profits are made is the thread that runs through this novel. So is the stance of the Real Church - sinners must repent and turn away from their City ways.
While I understand that this is Science Fiction and exploring societal and moral dilemmas in a futuristic/fantasy manner is the nature of this genre, I was left wanting a certain amount of answers (perhaps material for a prequel?). My wanting to understand the whys, didn't detract from the meat of the book, however. I'd still have to say that if you enjoy fashion with a twist, terrorism and a bit of good vs. evil thrown in, then you'll enjoy Sequela.
August 22, 2021
Awesome Indies Book Awards is pleased to include Sequela by Cleland Smith in the library of Awesome Indies Book Awards'
Badge of Approval
recipients.
Sequela by Cleland Smith is a strange book, creepy, thought-provoking and potent. It has a unique premise and makes an insightful and scathing comment on the power plays of the business world. In a nutshell, it’s about a scientist literally prostituting himself for big business.
The author creates a world where the city centre is separated from the rest of London. The city is the playpen for the ambitious, the power hungry and the wannabes who are willing to trade sexual favours for advancement. In this world, that is the norm rather than the exception, and wearing (showing) sexually transmitted viruses indicates that you have ambition. Scabs supposedly makes you desirable.
The plot had me guessing, not knowing where it would go next. It wandered a little early on, but strengthened when the viral terrorism began. Though the world is different, the behaviours and motivations of the people are the same as those we see around us every day. Power, money, religion, prestige, fame and jealousy are the motivators, but set in a world where sexually transmitted diseases are a fashion statement, these passions come across as more than decadent, they seem sick, as sick as the people who willingly infect themselves with viruses just to look cool.
On a personal level, I found the whole idea of the culture rather distasteful, but the very yukkiness of it gives the social comment a lot of power. As well as sex, power and work place politics, the book explores what happens when proving a point of religious dogma becomes more important than ethics and issues involved in funding scientific developments.
The characters are complex and generally well-drawn, and their relationships and dialogue realistic. Though not without its issues, in general, the author expresses her ideas in confident and sometimes insightful, prose. The real strength of this book is its concepts.
The ending makes a statement. Despite everything the Church has done to bring down the pervading culture of decadence, the seduction of money remains and even though who oppose it are not immune. The question is, how far are you willing to go to get what you want?
Sequela by Cleland Smith is a strange book, creepy, thought-provoking and potent. It has a unique premise and makes an insightful and scathing comment on the power plays of the business world. In a nutshell, it’s about a scientist literally prostituting himself for big business.
The author creates a world where the city centre is separated from the rest of London. The city is the playpen for the ambitious, the power hungry and the wannabes who are willing to trade sexual favours for advancement. In this world, that is the norm rather than the exception, and wearing (showing) sexually transmitted viruses indicates that you have ambition. Scabs supposedly makes you desirable.
The plot had me guessing, not knowing where it would go next. It wandered a little early on, but strengthened when the viral terrorism began. Though the world is different, the behaviours and motivations of the people are the same as those we see around us every day. Power, money, religion, prestige, fame and jealousy are the motivators, but set in a world where sexually transmitted diseases are a fashion statement, these passions come across as more than decadent, they seem sick, as sick as the people who willingly infect themselves with viruses just to look cool.
On a personal level, I found the whole idea of the culture rather distasteful, but the very yukkiness of it gives the social comment a lot of power. As well as sex, power and work place politics, the book explores what happens when proving a point of religious dogma becomes more important than ethics and issues involved in funding scientific developments.
The characters are complex and generally well-drawn, and their relationships and dialogue realistic. Though not without its issues, in general, the author expresses her ideas in confident and sometimes insightful, prose. The real strength of this book is its concepts.
The ending makes a statement. Despite everything the Church has done to bring down the pervading culture of decadence, the seduction of money remains and even though who oppose it are not immune. The question is, how far are you willing to go to get what you want?
December 27, 2013
(I received this book for free as part of Goodreads First Reads giveaways).
(This review may contain spoilers).
It did take me a little while longer than usual to read this book - mostly because of Christmas. It's a very busy time of year.
I did find this book to be quite an entertaining read. I did keep getting quite confused by it and I'm not sure I completely understood all of the scientific language.
I think that the author did do a pretty good job of showing how fashion trends took over in this book. Although viruses are pretty awful, I could, in a way, see them becoming a fashion statement if people started wearing them. I'm just not sure I understood how it started - or why people would think sores and rashes were attractive.
The characters in the book were pretty interesting, but the only ones I really liked were Kester and John. The other characters came across as kind of petty and vindictive - particularly Alexis and Dee. I didn't like Dee from the start and I disliked Alexis more and more as the book went on.
It was interesting to see how Kester fell through the book, but it seemed a bit strange that there were no problems with his employers pimping him out - the book isn't set that far in the future and I would think there'd still be things that simply weren't done (like above-mentioned pimping out employees).
I did think that a lot of the book was well-written and I was able to picture a lot of the scenes and viruses inside my head. The glowing one was particularly effective, but I don't think I understand exactly how the virus was engineered.
The book was an entertaining read, but I'm not sure it's one I'd read again. It was interesting and well-written, but I wasn't too grabbed by it in places.
(This review may contain spoilers).
It did take me a little while longer than usual to read this book - mostly because of Christmas. It's a very busy time of year.
I did find this book to be quite an entertaining read. I did keep getting quite confused by it and I'm not sure I completely understood all of the scientific language.
I think that the author did do a pretty good job of showing how fashion trends took over in this book. Although viruses are pretty awful, I could, in a way, see them becoming a fashion statement if people started wearing them. I'm just not sure I understood how it started - or why people would think sores and rashes were attractive.
The characters in the book were pretty interesting, but the only ones I really liked were Kester and John. The other characters came across as kind of petty and vindictive - particularly Alexis and Dee. I didn't like Dee from the start and I disliked Alexis more and more as the book went on.
It was interesting to see how Kester fell through the book, but it seemed a bit strange that there were no problems with his employers pimping him out - the book isn't set that far in the future and I would think there'd still be things that simply weren't done (like above-mentioned pimping out employees).
I did think that a lot of the book was well-written and I was able to picture a lot of the scenes and viruses inside my head. The glowing one was particularly effective, but I don't think I understand exactly how the virus was engineered.
The book was an entertaining read, but I'm not sure it's one I'd read again. It was interesting and well-written, but I wasn't too grabbed by it in places.
July 3, 2015
Sex. It’s literally humanity’s raison d’etre, our origin and our prime desire. Sequela is all about sex, but sex as a commodity, as a status symbol and as power. At its heart there’s a sharp satirical idea which takes society’s obsessions with sex to its logical conclusion; that, given a certain safety net, we’d be shameless about displaying symptoms of STDs as a status symbol. It’s something Smith has immense fun with, coming up with all sorts of variations on what a desirable, designer virus might look like. It’s wonderful worldbuilding, simply taking an aspect of society and twisting it slightly and plausibly to provide a sharp-toothed scenario. Along the way there are digs at pop culture, aristocracy and fashion and a rueful questioning of how easily morals can be undermined by money.
The downside of the world being the important thing here is that character takes a back seat – whilst the characters are fine, they’re almost archetypes – the corporate bitch, the corrupted idealistic scientist, the mad priest… they’re all well drawn but seem to be filling predetermined roles more than coming across as people in their own right.
Good fun and a promising first novel.
The downside of the world being the important thing here is that character takes a back seat – whilst the characters are fine, they’re almost archetypes – the corporate bitch, the corrupted idealistic scientist, the mad priest… they’re all well drawn but seem to be filling predetermined roles more than coming across as people in their own right.
Good fun and a promising first novel.
September 13, 2016
Sequela is an extremely well written Sc Fi novel set in the futuristic world of 2080 London. Although, I really enjoyed this novel, the future described in this book was definitely "creepy"! Cleland Smith's
future London is a city filled with a society where "wearing" the after effects of STD's is a status symbol, somewhat akin to tatoos in today's society. The main character is a virologist, who creates
some amazing viruses, with their secondary side effects that become the front and center feature in the corporate "fashion" show, where celebrities vie for the chance to buy the "latest" fashion statement. Within this story there is much intrigue between rival organizations and"the Real Church" and V, the organization that Kester Lowe, the main character works for. I really enjoyed the descriptive imagery in the book, and the futuristic "Play Pen" was just amazing! This book is not recommended for the faint of heart...and even the author stated that she would not want her children to read this book. I received this book as a Goodreads book giveaway.
future London is a city filled with a society where "wearing" the after effects of STD's is a status symbol, somewhat akin to tatoos in today's society. The main character is a virologist, who creates
some amazing viruses, with their secondary side effects that become the front and center feature in the corporate "fashion" show, where celebrities vie for the chance to buy the "latest" fashion statement. Within this story there is much intrigue between rival organizations and"the Real Church" and V, the organization that Kester Lowe, the main character works for. I really enjoyed the descriptive imagery in the book, and the futuristic "Play Pen" was just amazing! This book is not recommended for the faint of heart...and even the author stated that she would not want her children to read this book. I received this book as a Goodreads book giveaway.
October 21, 2014
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads, and at long last it's next up on my to read pile...
***
Well, if this is the 2080s, I'm quite happy that I'm unlikely to live that long! Actually, it's a very thin slice of society in the 2080s, so I shall pretend that most of the world was unaffected by the craze for visible effects of engineered-viral diseases. Though given current celebrity and beauty obsessions, it's not that hard to imagine said obsessions going a step or two further. Suffice it to say, I can't imagine that I'd be a 'wearer'.
Overall, a very enjoyable read...I can't quite stop wondering what a certain scheming character was up to right at the end, and just what was going to happen next.
***
Well, if this is the 2080s, I'm quite happy that I'm unlikely to live that long! Actually, it's a very thin slice of society in the 2080s, so I shall pretend that most of the world was unaffected by the craze for visible effects of engineered-viral diseases. Though given current celebrity and beauty obsessions, it's not that hard to imagine said obsessions going a step or two further. Suffice it to say, I can't imagine that I'd be a 'wearer'.
Overall, a very enjoyable read...I can't quite stop wondering what a certain scheming character was up to right at the end, and just what was going to happen next.
August 10, 2015
The premise is really what drew me in to the story.
At times I feel like the story drug on and some things weren't fully explained, but over all it's a 3.5 star book. I was expecting more of a political message or more from the story I guess but the plot its self was intriguing. Once the story started moving and I was invested in the characters I wanted to know what would happen to them
My biggest complaint is
At times I feel like the story drug on and some things weren't fully explained, but over all it's a 3.5 star book. I was expecting more of a political message or more from the story I guess but the plot its self was intriguing. Once the story started moving and I was invested in the characters I wanted to know what would happen to them
My biggest complaint is
April 14, 2015
I received this book as a winner of a First Reads give-away and was very excited to dig in. I thought the premise was very interesting and the characters fleshed out. I would have enjoyed learning more about Cherry's journey and back story. Was her mom really a terrorist? Looking foward to reading Cleland Smith's next book.
August 24, 2014
I tried really hard to like this book. The plot seemed interesting and all. I just could not, for the life of me, find the characters believable. Take this review with a grain of salt seeing as how I did not finish the book.
September 2, 2014
Future medical mystery and drama with science.
Whoa to our future if this is a preview. Scary but hopeful, intriguing plot and story. The character's are new and old in plot sense but a interesting mix. Well worth the read if you like medical and mystery.
Whoa to our future if this is a preview. Scary but hopeful, intriguing plot and story. The character's are new and old in plot sense but a interesting mix. Well worth the read if you like medical and mystery.
October 26, 2013
Great premise, but too much wandering description in the first half of the book.
September 19, 2014
Not perfect but I found the premise absolutely fascinating.
March 12, 2015
Interesting concept, but needed more resolution at the end. Too many unanswered questions. Crazy idea, though - I could see this becoming reality in the future!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews