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Tales of the Polity #2
Lagoonfire
The past can be a difficult thing to escape…
Decommissioner Thirty-Seven is not the most conventional decommissioner at the Ministry of Divinities, but she takes her role of helping fading gods to retire seriously—and feels bad when things go wrong. Take the decommissioning of Laloran-morna, former god of warm ocean waves: she botched that, somehow, and now he spurts saltwater when upset. When seawater invades a development project in Laloran-morna’s old haunts, suspicion naturally falls on him. But is the retired god the source of the problem? Or is it the work of a mortal saboteur? Searching for the answer to these questions brings Thirty-Seven face-to-face with a past she’d rather forget.
Decommissioner Thirty-Seven is not the most conventional decommissioner at the Ministry of Divinities, but she takes her role of helping fading gods to retire seriously—and feels bad when things go wrong. Take the decommissioning of Laloran-morna, former god of warm ocean waves: she botched that, somehow, and now he spurts saltwater when upset. When seawater invades a development project in Laloran-morna’s old haunts, suspicion naturally falls on him. But is the retired god the source of the problem? Or is it the work of a mortal saboteur? Searching for the answer to these questions brings Thirty-Seven face-to-face with a past she’d rather forget.
- GenresFantasy
170 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 3, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
March 8, 2021
This is second in a series and it builds on some of the worldbuilding and character arc from the first. So I definitely recommend reading them in order. Also, the first is pretty short, and really really good, so that's an opportunity!
Having read the first, you know more or less what to expect. In a good way! In this story, we see Sweeting in her home region and we meet coworkers and see some of the aftermath of decommissioning the gods. It was great to see them in their retirement, though in a poignant way that I found endearing.
The plot is gripping and with a fast pace that had me engaged until the end, keeping me up later than I had planned. That's always a good sign. Forrest has a tight, deft hand with details and that left me a little breathless. At least some of that is an underlying horror that is the Polity itself. You get hints of this in the previous book and it follows that a society that would systematically rein in and smooth over its gods in favor of the approved Abstractions would have other, more disturbing aspects to it. We see the oppressive and intrusive totalitarian system as Sweeting skirts the edges of the, no-less terror-inducing for its bland name, Civic Order. That might as well have been aimed straight at the heart of my personal "pox on all their houses" political bent and the American individualism I imbibed straight from its source as a kid.
To be clear, that's not a complaint or a knock on the story. Indeed, it folds so well into the expectations setup from the start that I liked that Forrest chose to explore and illustrate details while still letting all those encountered be believably human and eschew caricature. Yeah, that made it scarier, but it also altered the tone to something more subtle; and more powerful for the subtlety.
So this is a straight-up five stars. It's a little less emotionally impactful than the first was, but it's a great follow-on and I hope there will be more stories featuring Sweeting and her colleagues.
A note about Chaste/Steamy: There's no hints of romance, really, but we get a glimpse into why in this story. So it's not steamy or chaste, though there are some lovely beginnings of friendships that could turn into more that I'd love to see develop as Sweeting begins to reconcile and/or integrate with her traumatic past.
Having read the first, you know more or less what to expect. In a good way! In this story, we see Sweeting in her home region and we meet coworkers and see some of the aftermath of decommissioning the gods. It was great to see them in their retirement, though in a poignant way that I found endearing.
The plot is gripping and with a fast pace that had me engaged until the end, keeping me up later than I had planned. That's always a good sign. Forrest has a tight, deft hand with details and that left me a little breathless. At least some of that is an underlying horror that is the Polity itself. You get hints of this in the previous book and it follows that a society that would systematically rein in and smooth over its gods in favor of the approved Abstractions would have other, more disturbing aspects to it. We see the oppressive and intrusive totalitarian system as Sweeting skirts the edges of the, no-less terror-inducing for its bland name, Civic Order. That might as well have been aimed straight at the heart of my personal "pox on all their houses" political bent and the American individualism I imbibed straight from its source as a kid.
To be clear, that's not a complaint or a knock on the story. Indeed, it folds so well into the expectations setup from the start that I liked that Forrest chose to explore and illustrate details while still letting all those encountered be believably human and eschew caricature. Yeah, that made it scarier, but it also altered the tone to something more subtle; and more powerful for the subtlety.
So this is a straight-up five stars. It's a little less emotionally impactful than the first was, but it's a great follow-on and I hope there will be more stories featuring Sweeting and her colleagues.
A note about Chaste/Steamy: There's no hints of romance, really, but we get a glimpse into why in this story. So it's not steamy or chaste, though there are some lovely beginnings of friendships that could turn into more that I'd love to see develop as Sweeting begins to reconcile and/or integrate with her traumatic past.
March 6, 2021
Lagoonfire by Francesca Forrest is the second novelette in the author’s Tales of the Polity series published by Annorlunda Books. I reviewed the first entry in the series, The Inconvenient God, for The Book Smugglers in 2018. The novelettes each stand alone fairly well, centering on Decommisioner Thirty-Seven, also known as Sweeting, as she deals with a discrete case involving the decommissioning of gods once their worshippers have moved on.
In Lagoonfire, Sweeting is sent to investigate an incursion of sea water in a new development under construction to determine whether it might have been caused by Laloran-morna, the former god of warm waves. Even though she decommissioned him, the process didn’t entirely take, leaving him with a limited version of his powers. Since the development is going up in an area once sacred to Laloran-morna, Sweeting’s superiors suspect the former god may be trying to sabotage the construction, even though the now-mortal Laloron-morna currently lives in a compassionate care facility, close to dying. Over the years, he and Sweeting have become friends, and when she goes to ask him about the seawater, which he claims to know nothing about, he tasks her with helping him fulfil his dying wish to get a message to his lost love.
Sweeting quickly discovers the situation is far more complicated than it initially seemed. Laloron-morna’s love may be a forgotten goddess of an ancient people that most believe are only a myth. As she attempts to gather more information, Sweeting runs into a history professor named Ateni whose research seems to support her theory, but shortly after they meet, Ateni is accused of terrorist action and arrested. Convinced of Ateni’s innocence and trying to prove it, Sweeting gets herself caught up on the wrong side of the investigation as a possible co-conspirator as she seeks to unravel the mystery, clear Ateni’s name, and keep her promise to Laloron-morna before his time runs out.
"And then the sun returned in full force, drawing mist up from the ground all around us and from our sodden clothes. It was clammy and uncomfortable–but also unearthly, beautiful. I turned slowly, letting my arms pass through the glowing streamers. So soon they would fade away, but in that moment, it was like being among celestial beings, clothed in light. I caught sight of Ateni’s face, lips parted, eyes shining. Yes, this was better, much better, for a dedication to Laloran-morna’s unknown love. I returned to the water’s edge and poured the palm wine, Ateni and the ghostly curls of mist my silent witnesses."
Forrest once again perfectly blends magic and bureaucracy with touches of humor to bring the unique world of the Polity Series to life. Lagoonfire expands on The Inconvenient God, introducing more of Sweeting’s co-workers, along with several other decommissioned gods who act as an occasionally snarky, occasionally helpful chorus, but also as a found family, supporting each other and Sweeting. Sweeting’s character is deepened as well, as we learn why she’s so reluctant to share her name and prefers to go by her title or her childhood nickname. Coming to terms with the past is a major theme in the novelette, as is the question of who controls the narrative of history. Love, loss, memory, friendship, and found family are also resonant themes. Even at a short length, Forrest delivers a satisfying story and plenty of character development, while exploring the way history, including personal history, continues to shape the present. Identity, as a people, and as an individual person, can be shaped by history, but it’s always worth asking – whose history? Who is telling the story, and what do they have to gain by telling it that way? Forrest creates several interesting and effective parallels between the personal and the political when it comes to understanding the past and the ways in which the past informs the present and the future. Lagoonfire is a highly enjoyable novelette, and I hope there are more entries planned in the series.
In Lagoonfire, Sweeting is sent to investigate an incursion of sea water in a new development under construction to determine whether it might have been caused by Laloran-morna, the former god of warm waves. Even though she decommissioned him, the process didn’t entirely take, leaving him with a limited version of his powers. Since the development is going up in an area once sacred to Laloran-morna, Sweeting’s superiors suspect the former god may be trying to sabotage the construction, even though the now-mortal Laloron-morna currently lives in a compassionate care facility, close to dying. Over the years, he and Sweeting have become friends, and when she goes to ask him about the seawater, which he claims to know nothing about, he tasks her with helping him fulfil his dying wish to get a message to his lost love.
Sweeting quickly discovers the situation is far more complicated than it initially seemed. Laloron-morna’s love may be a forgotten goddess of an ancient people that most believe are only a myth. As she attempts to gather more information, Sweeting runs into a history professor named Ateni whose research seems to support her theory, but shortly after they meet, Ateni is accused of terrorist action and arrested. Convinced of Ateni’s innocence and trying to prove it, Sweeting gets herself caught up on the wrong side of the investigation as a possible co-conspirator as she seeks to unravel the mystery, clear Ateni’s name, and keep her promise to Laloron-morna before his time runs out.
"And then the sun returned in full force, drawing mist up from the ground all around us and from our sodden clothes. It was clammy and uncomfortable–but also unearthly, beautiful. I turned slowly, letting my arms pass through the glowing streamers. So soon they would fade away, but in that moment, it was like being among celestial beings, clothed in light. I caught sight of Ateni’s face, lips parted, eyes shining. Yes, this was better, much better, for a dedication to Laloran-morna’s unknown love. I returned to the water’s edge and poured the palm wine, Ateni and the ghostly curls of mist my silent witnesses."
Forrest once again perfectly blends magic and bureaucracy with touches of humor to bring the unique world of the Polity Series to life. Lagoonfire expands on The Inconvenient God, introducing more of Sweeting’s co-workers, along with several other decommissioned gods who act as an occasionally snarky, occasionally helpful chorus, but also as a found family, supporting each other and Sweeting. Sweeting’s character is deepened as well, as we learn why she’s so reluctant to share her name and prefers to go by her title or her childhood nickname. Coming to terms with the past is a major theme in the novelette, as is the question of who controls the narrative of history. Love, loss, memory, friendship, and found family are also resonant themes. Even at a short length, Forrest delivers a satisfying story and plenty of character development, while exploring the way history, including personal history, continues to shape the present. Identity, as a people, and as an individual person, can be shaped by history, but it’s always worth asking – whose history? Who is telling the story, and what do they have to gain by telling it that way? Forrest creates several interesting and effective parallels between the personal and the political when it comes to understanding the past and the ways in which the past informs the present and the future. Lagoonfire is a highly enjoyable novelette, and I hope there are more entries planned in the series.
March 11, 2022
I don't think I could have possibly asked this book to be any better than it is, what a pleasant surprise!
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March 4, 2021I’ve been an ardent fan of works by Francesca Forrest ever since she published Pen Pal, a standout novel set in contemporary times with a brush of magical realism. That novel is built around letters between a little girl living precariously in a houseboat off the Gulf Coast and a political prisoner suspended above a volcano in a Southeast Asian country. Pen Pal was my favorite book of 2013.
In that novel, and in her other work, Francesca Forrest seems to be drawn to the liminal spaces in our world, whether geographically, culturally, or philosophically.
The first novella in this storyverse, The Inconvenient God, introduced Decommissioner Thirty-Seven, nicknamed Sweeting. She works for the government of the Polity, her task to decommission, through arcane rites, gods no longer worshipped or otherwise relevant.
The story, so deceptively light and gleaming with humor, went unexpected places, accelerating as it dove into questions of divinity, religion, culture, and how humans deal with the big questions.
In this new novella, we learn more about Decommissioner Thirty-Seven’s background, which is anything but conventional. Apparently one of her recent decommissionings went awry. Laloran-morna, former god of warm ocean waves, hasn’t quite been reduced to being merely human in that he spurts saltwater when upset. Sweeting, who visits the gods she has decommissioned and becomes their friend, wants to help him, especially when suspicion falls on him when seawater floods a new development project in Laloran-morna’s old territory.
But in the course of investigating, questions of sabotage arise, putting Sweeting up against the enforcer arm of the Polity, and with these questions come more questions about Sweeting’s past.
Once again, the pacing accelerates as Sweeting tries to do what’s right—and all the other characters also try to do what’s right. One of the strengths of the writing here is that no one is Villain McVillainface, evil for the sake of evil. Everybody is doing what he or she believes is best for the individuals, for the Polity. Which raises questions like, is the good of the Polity the same as the good of the people? What about individual people?
I’ve read this story three times, once in draft. Each time I fell right into it, absorbed and delighted; the story seamlessly blends a vivid setting and divine magic as Sweeting finds herself plunged deeper into big questions . . . and the eye of Order is upon her.
In that novel, and in her other work, Francesca Forrest seems to be drawn to the liminal spaces in our world, whether geographically, culturally, or philosophically.
The first novella in this storyverse, The Inconvenient God, introduced Decommissioner Thirty-Seven, nicknamed Sweeting. She works for the government of the Polity, her task to decommission, through arcane rites, gods no longer worshipped or otherwise relevant.
The story, so deceptively light and gleaming with humor, went unexpected places, accelerating as it dove into questions of divinity, religion, culture, and how humans deal with the big questions.
In this new novella, we learn more about Decommissioner Thirty-Seven’s background, which is anything but conventional. Apparently one of her recent decommissionings went awry. Laloran-morna, former god of warm ocean waves, hasn’t quite been reduced to being merely human in that he spurts saltwater when upset. Sweeting, who visits the gods she has decommissioned and becomes their friend, wants to help him, especially when suspicion falls on him when seawater floods a new development project in Laloran-morna’s old territory.
But in the course of investigating, questions of sabotage arise, putting Sweeting up against the enforcer arm of the Polity, and with these questions come more questions about Sweeting’s past.
Once again, the pacing accelerates as Sweeting tries to do what’s right—and all the other characters also try to do what’s right. One of the strengths of the writing here is that no one is Villain McVillainface, evil for the sake of evil. Everybody is doing what he or she believes is best for the individuals, for the Polity. Which raises questions like, is the good of the Polity the same as the good of the people? What about individual people?
I’ve read this story three times, once in draft. Each time I fell right into it, absorbed and delighted; the story seamlessly blends a vivid setting and divine magic as Sweeting finds herself plunged deeper into big questions . . . and the eye of Order is upon her.
February 24, 2021
As per my request, I received an Advanced Reader Copy of Lagoonfire in exchange for my honest review.
Having read and very much enjoyed Francesca Forrest’s The Inconvenient God, I was thrilled to find out there would be a sequel. I am a Whopper-of-a-Tome kind of gal—someone who likes loooooooong stories—so my only gripe, as such, about The Inconvenient God was its short length. Don’t get me wrong; I don’t like tales that are wordy for the sake of wordiness, rather ones that enchant me into lives of people I want to be around for a long haul.
I think Francesca* has created such a person in Decommissioner Thirty-Seven. Decommissioner Thirty-Seven is a woman with integrity, sensitivity, and compassion in a country that seems intent on eradicating such useless sentiments. Instead of worshipping gods, people must adhere to Abstractions. This is where I will admit this was not a very easy story for me to read right now because it is hitting too close to home on the political reality in my country of residence, as it is, I think, in many places in the world.
Lagoonfire has a dystopian feel because of the Polity’s oppressive views toward tradition, religion, and personal freedom; however, what makes this story different from most dystopian narratives is that there has been no earth-shattering cataclysm, war, plague, etc. that has resulted in the Polity. This is a place that could exist today. Its birth has been a march of time, policy after policy, complacency, propaganda, media manipulation, “for the common good” brainwashing… so much bending and bending on the part of the people that they no longer have the will to fight a still ever-tightening government, that or they have completely bought into the Institution.
Or so it seems.
Thankfully, there are people like Decomissioner Thirty-Seven, called Sweeting by the gods she has decommissioned, who find ways to fight the inhuman, inhumaneness of the Polity by choosing: they choose to embrace their humanity, to believe in others, to not bend.
I don’t want to go into any kind of spoilers—the book’s blurb does an excellent job of setting up the premise—but I do want to say that Francesca made the Polity feel so pervasive and unbeatable that I was wary of the ending, worried I would be left feeling hopeless at the thought of facing down the behemoth of oppression. Knowing Francesca, I need not have feared. Sweeting finds a way to keep on fighting that is uplifting and within the reach of all.
I can’t wait for the third installment.
_________
* I met Francesca online many, many moons ago and have struck up a friendship with her because of her enchanting way of looking at the world and ability to conjure that enchantment through her words; her passion for volunteer work, justice, and helping others; and her ability to convey hope and resiliency even in tough times; it would, therefore, be just plain weird for me to refer to her as Ms/Mrs/Forrest.
Having read and very much enjoyed Francesca Forrest’s The Inconvenient God, I was thrilled to find out there would be a sequel. I am a Whopper-of-a-Tome kind of gal—someone who likes loooooooong stories—so my only gripe, as such, about The Inconvenient God was its short length. Don’t get me wrong; I don’t like tales that are wordy for the sake of wordiness, rather ones that enchant me into lives of people I want to be around for a long haul.
I think Francesca* has created such a person in Decommissioner Thirty-Seven. Decommissioner Thirty-Seven is a woman with integrity, sensitivity, and compassion in a country that seems intent on eradicating such useless sentiments. Instead of worshipping gods, people must adhere to Abstractions. This is where I will admit this was not a very easy story for me to read right now because it is hitting too close to home on the political reality in my country of residence, as it is, I think, in many places in the world.
Lagoonfire has a dystopian feel because of the Polity’s oppressive views toward tradition, religion, and personal freedom; however, what makes this story different from most dystopian narratives is that there has been no earth-shattering cataclysm, war, plague, etc. that has resulted in the Polity. This is a place that could exist today. Its birth has been a march of time, policy after policy, complacency, propaganda, media manipulation, “for the common good” brainwashing… so much bending and bending on the part of the people that they no longer have the will to fight a still ever-tightening government, that or they have completely bought into the Institution.
Or so it seems.
Thankfully, there are people like Decomissioner Thirty-Seven, called Sweeting by the gods she has decommissioned, who find ways to fight the inhuman, inhumaneness of the Polity by choosing: they choose to embrace their humanity, to believe in others, to not bend.
I don’t want to go into any kind of spoilers—the book’s blurb does an excellent job of setting up the premise—but I do want to say that Francesca made the Polity feel so pervasive and unbeatable that I was wary of the ending, worried I would be left feeling hopeless at the thought of facing down the behemoth of oppression. Knowing Francesca, I need not have feared. Sweeting finds a way to keep on fighting that is uplifting and within the reach of all.
I can’t wait for the third installment.
_________
* I met Francesca online many, many moons ago and have struck up a friendship with her because of her enchanting way of looking at the world and ability to conjure that enchantment through her words; her passion for volunteer work, justice, and helping others; and her ability to convey hope and resiliency even in tough times; it would, therefore, be just plain weird for me to refer to her as Ms/Mrs/Forrest.
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February 16, 2021Marissa K. Lingen gave the book a rave review here:
https://marissalingen.com/blog/?p=2994
"Decommissioner Thirty-seven, also known as Sweeting to the former gods who are her friends, spends her work hours easing former gods out of lives of divinity and into human old age. The Polity is a modern government, where citizens should appeal to abstractions, not to gods, and they’re willing and able to un-deify whatever gods they need to. Thirty-seven has a fondness for the previous gods and visits them to play strategy games and drink fruit juice when she’s off the clock. ...
....The result is delightful and nuanced. Highly recommended."
The prequel is The Inconvenient God. Off to look at that one.
https://marissalingen.com/blog/?p=2994
"Decommissioner Thirty-seven, also known as Sweeting to the former gods who are her friends, spends her work hours easing former gods out of lives of divinity and into human old age. The Polity is a modern government, where citizens should appeal to abstractions, not to gods, and they’re willing and able to un-deify whatever gods they need to. Thirty-seven has a fondness for the previous gods and visits them to play strategy games and drink fruit juice when she’s off the clock. ...
....The result is delightful and nuanced. Highly recommended."
The prequel is The Inconvenient God. Off to look at that one.
August 1, 2021
I adored reading the second part of this series. Decommissioner Thirty-Seven is the main character, as it happened on the shorter, yet as great first part, “The Inconvenient God”. This book brought me closer to her, helping me understand so much about her upbringing and personality traits, and I found this proximity excellent. So excellent that I’m really looking forward to next chapter of this creative and rather unique story. The secondary characters are greatly built, so the pace of the story never ceases to impress. Great book!!
March 11, 2021
I'm so happy to have this lovely sequel to Francesca Forrest's novella *An Inconvenient God.* And I'm thrilled she's working on a third episode from her carefully thought-out alternate world, where Decommissioner Thirty-Seven labors in good faith to support the goals of an authoritarian state called the Polity.
The job of Decommissioner Thirty-Seven is to decommission deities that devotees no longer pay much attention and to help the Ministry of Divinities convert the populace from worshiping quirky gods who have awkward backstories and messy tastes and encourage citizens instead to honor Abstractions like Justice, Music, Compassion, and so on.
Decommissioner Thirty-Seven is not a rebel, but she thinks about things more deeply than the Polity would prefer. And she is kind. She has been known to stay friends with decommissioned gods who have become mortals, including the one sometimes called Lagoonfire, who is close to death. Known for his warm waves and the bioluminescence that appears at a certain time of year, he is suspected of somehow causing a flood at a construction site where there was once an estuary. Decommissioner Thirty-Seven is sent to investigate.
In the process, she learns about newly unearthed, inadmissable history and draws the unwelcome attention of Civil Order, which says her activities are giving comfort to undesirables and that her commitment to Thought Orthodoxy is slipping.
Here she is debating Thought Orthodoxy with a colleague: "'If something is true, though,' I said slowly. 'Then the Polity should face it--shouldn't it? Helpful critique weeds out bad practice so the Polity flourishes,' I quoted ... Tailin shook his head. 'Beware the fools who cut fruiting branches when pruning; they will destroy the orchard.'"
Forrest has an impressive grasp of what a country like the Polity might be like, both the police-state aspects and the good-people-anyway aspects. The details are satisfyingly consistent and logical. That takes a lot of work. If it were easy, all inventors of imagined worlds would do it, and they don't. In *Lagoonfire,* everything about the geography and the ancient cultures hangs together well. No wrong notes.
The climactic scene is poetic and absorbing while still leaving room for wondering about the future.
The job of Decommissioner Thirty-Seven is to decommission deities that devotees no longer pay much attention and to help the Ministry of Divinities convert the populace from worshiping quirky gods who have awkward backstories and messy tastes and encourage citizens instead to honor Abstractions like Justice, Music, Compassion, and so on.
Decommissioner Thirty-Seven is not a rebel, but she thinks about things more deeply than the Polity would prefer. And she is kind. She has been known to stay friends with decommissioned gods who have become mortals, including the one sometimes called Lagoonfire, who is close to death. Known for his warm waves and the bioluminescence that appears at a certain time of year, he is suspected of somehow causing a flood at a construction site where there was once an estuary. Decommissioner Thirty-Seven is sent to investigate.
In the process, she learns about newly unearthed, inadmissable history and draws the unwelcome attention of Civil Order, which says her activities are giving comfort to undesirables and that her commitment to Thought Orthodoxy is slipping.
Here she is debating Thought Orthodoxy with a colleague: "'If something is true, though,' I said slowly. 'Then the Polity should face it--shouldn't it? Helpful critique weeds out bad practice so the Polity flourishes,' I quoted ... Tailin shook his head. 'Beware the fools who cut fruiting branches when pruning; they will destroy the orchard.'"
Forrest has an impressive grasp of what a country like the Polity might be like, both the police-state aspects and the good-people-anyway aspects. The details are satisfyingly consistent and logical. That takes a lot of work. If it were easy, all inventors of imagined worlds would do it, and they don't. In *Lagoonfire,* everything about the geography and the ancient cultures hangs together well. No wrong notes.
The climactic scene is poetic and absorbing while still leaving room for wondering about the future.
March 26, 2021
This is a follow-up to Forrest’s first novelette from Annorlunda Books, An Inconvenient God. Both books star Decommissioner Thirty-Seven, known as “Sweeting” to her friends. However, both books can be read independently; I loved An Inconvenient God but you do not need to read it first to enjoy Lagoonfire! But if you did enjoy the first book, you will love the follow-up, which deepens our understanding of Sweeting, her past, and her world.
Sweeting is a decommissioner at the Ministry of Divinities; her job is to officially retire, or “decommission” gods who are fading away due to a lack of human worshippers. Years ago, Sweeting had decommissioned Laloran-morna, god of the warm ocean waves of Sweet Harbor. She successfully retired Laloran-morna into mortal form, but something went wrong: even as a mortal, he retains aspects of his old divinity. Now flooding has disrupted the commercial development of an estuary in Sweet Harbor, and the government suspects that Laloran-morna may be involved. Sweeting is sent to investigate, and stumbles into a mystery with roots stretching far back in time. . . and that also touch her own personal, painful past.
One of the most remarkable aspects of Forrest’s series is the world she’s created in these books. Sweeting lives in a world that feels much like our own, with similar levels of technology and industry--touch-screens, text-messages, bosses that keep tabs on you through tech that you carry on your person; bus transport, apartment buildings, commercial real estate development. But this is also a world of magic and gods, set in a geography that appears inspired by Southeast Asia; and Sweeting and her friends live and work under a controlling, authoritarian government whose contours are only slowly revealed. The portrayal of mundane life under such a government is, in fact, one of the most impressive things about Lagoonfire; this isn’t an overtly nightmarish dystopia. For the most part it doesn’t feel like a dystopia at all. Life seems generally pleasant: children play happily in front of their school, there are tropical juice vendors in the park, art exhibits at museums, and gatherings with friends. The gods that Sweeting decommissions generally accept their entry into mortality, and become her good friends. Nearly everyone is genuinely kind. Life only becomes difficult if you cross the wrong people, go against the government orthodoxy, question the things you shouldn’t.
During the course of this short novel, Sweeting begins questioning things she shouldn’t. Reluctantly, she’s brought to question the foundations of her own life, as well as the official history of the Polity itself. There are heavy themes in this book, including cultural erasure, political oppression, and the conflict between tradition and “progress.” Yet despite this, the writing itself never feels heavy. There are moments of tension, including somewhat harrowing encounters with an official of Civil Order; there’s tension that builds wonderfully to the book’s climax. Yet there’s also a certain lightness of touch throughout, and warmth and generosity shine on every page. This world is one of characters who are all simply trying to do their best—including, perhaps, even the official of Civil Order who threatens Sweeting and her friends. And there’s magic, as I’ve said before. Magic that’s delicately threaded through the story, as in this early scene describing the decommissioned god Laloran-morna:
“The old man who remained when the decommissioning was complete had salt in his eyebrows and thin streams of water trickling down his spine and legs, and the odor of the ocean clinging to him. The dripping-wetness went away after a day or two, but even now, eleven years later, seawater finds its way to him when he’s distressed.”
And: “… seawater bloomed on Laloran-morna’s body, bloomed and effervesced, leaving behind white salt on dark sin.”
I don’t want to give away too much of the plot, for there are clever twists and turns. Lagoon is a satisfying mystery story, a love story, a story of secrets and hidden history and self-discovery. It also becomes, in its final pages, a story of quiet and stubborn resistance and hope. This is a story, ultimately, of good people trying to do good in their world, and that in itself is a joy in troubled times. Forrest’s warmth and compassion for her own characters is palpable. The author is working on a third installment of Sweeting’s story, and I can’t wait to see where that next one takes her.
Sweeting is a decommissioner at the Ministry of Divinities; her job is to officially retire, or “decommission” gods who are fading away due to a lack of human worshippers. Years ago, Sweeting had decommissioned Laloran-morna, god of the warm ocean waves of Sweet Harbor. She successfully retired Laloran-morna into mortal form, but something went wrong: even as a mortal, he retains aspects of his old divinity. Now flooding has disrupted the commercial development of an estuary in Sweet Harbor, and the government suspects that Laloran-morna may be involved. Sweeting is sent to investigate, and stumbles into a mystery with roots stretching far back in time. . . and that also touch her own personal, painful past.
One of the most remarkable aspects of Forrest’s series is the world she’s created in these books. Sweeting lives in a world that feels much like our own, with similar levels of technology and industry--touch-screens, text-messages, bosses that keep tabs on you through tech that you carry on your person; bus transport, apartment buildings, commercial real estate development. But this is also a world of magic and gods, set in a geography that appears inspired by Southeast Asia; and Sweeting and her friends live and work under a controlling, authoritarian government whose contours are only slowly revealed. The portrayal of mundane life under such a government is, in fact, one of the most impressive things about Lagoonfire; this isn’t an overtly nightmarish dystopia. For the most part it doesn’t feel like a dystopia at all. Life seems generally pleasant: children play happily in front of their school, there are tropical juice vendors in the park, art exhibits at museums, and gatherings with friends. The gods that Sweeting decommissions generally accept their entry into mortality, and become her good friends. Nearly everyone is genuinely kind. Life only becomes difficult if you cross the wrong people, go against the government orthodoxy, question the things you shouldn’t.
During the course of this short novel, Sweeting begins questioning things she shouldn’t. Reluctantly, she’s brought to question the foundations of her own life, as well as the official history of the Polity itself. There are heavy themes in this book, including cultural erasure, political oppression, and the conflict between tradition and “progress.” Yet despite this, the writing itself never feels heavy. There are moments of tension, including somewhat harrowing encounters with an official of Civil Order; there’s tension that builds wonderfully to the book’s climax. Yet there’s also a certain lightness of touch throughout, and warmth and generosity shine on every page. This world is one of characters who are all simply trying to do their best—including, perhaps, even the official of Civil Order who threatens Sweeting and her friends. And there’s magic, as I’ve said before. Magic that’s delicately threaded through the story, as in this early scene describing the decommissioned god Laloran-morna:
“The old man who remained when the decommissioning was complete had salt in his eyebrows and thin streams of water trickling down his spine and legs, and the odor of the ocean clinging to him. The dripping-wetness went away after a day or two, but even now, eleven years later, seawater finds its way to him when he’s distressed.”
And: “… seawater bloomed on Laloran-morna’s body, bloomed and effervesced, leaving behind white salt on dark sin.”
I don’t want to give away too much of the plot, for there are clever twists and turns. Lagoon is a satisfying mystery story, a love story, a story of secrets and hidden history and self-discovery. It also becomes, in its final pages, a story of quiet and stubborn resistance and hope. This is a story, ultimately, of good people trying to do good in their world, and that in itself is a joy in troubled times. Forrest’s warmth and compassion for her own characters is palpable. The author is working on a third installment of Sweeting’s story, and I can’t wait to see where that next one takes her.
March 12, 2021
Here are the first two completely captivating Tales of the Polity: the novelette The Inconvenient God and the short novel Lagoonfire. Their author, Francesca Forrest, suggests there will be more stories in her interview with the Little Red Reviewer. And I hope to see them soon. Forrest has a uniquely fascinating imagination that blends charming story-telling, thoroughly quirky characters and serious ideas in ways I haven’t encountered before.
From the moment we meet Decommissioner Thirty-Seven, wearing somewhat self-consciously her black velvet official robe with silver bells adorning the hem, we know we’re in a strange and interesting world. In many ways it seems similar to our own but it is infused by present and former deities. Most of them have been decommissioned into life as mortals but many persist because they are revered by so many devoted followers.
Apparently, a sufficient number of worshipers can not only maintain a deity in immortal life but even elevate a mortal to godhood. There is a plan by the ruling Polity to replace all divinities eventually with Abstractions, like Abundance, Engineering, Human Development and Justice, but this is being implemented gradually to give time for the old pattern of worship and reverence to die out. And that happens slowly because, after all, people want to worship a named god they can relate to, not an abstraction.
......
Francesca Forrest fills her world with beauty even as it is being reconstructed to serve a more utilitarian humanity, or at least ruling Polity, devoted to functional values and bleak abstractions. Her vision reminds me a bit of Shakespearean romances like The Tempest or The Winter’s Tale. Bad things may happen but there is always a kinder force waiting to transmute anger, death and decay into something beautiful, even transcendent.
Read the complete review at SciFi Mind
From the moment we meet Decommissioner Thirty-Seven, wearing somewhat self-consciously her black velvet official robe with silver bells adorning the hem, we know we’re in a strange and interesting world. In many ways it seems similar to our own but it is infused by present and former deities. Most of them have been decommissioned into life as mortals but many persist because they are revered by so many devoted followers.
Apparently, a sufficient number of worshipers can not only maintain a deity in immortal life but even elevate a mortal to godhood. There is a plan by the ruling Polity to replace all divinities eventually with Abstractions, like Abundance, Engineering, Human Development and Justice, but this is being implemented gradually to give time for the old pattern of worship and reverence to die out. And that happens slowly because, after all, people want to worship a named god they can relate to, not an abstraction.
......
Francesca Forrest fills her world with beauty even as it is being reconstructed to serve a more utilitarian humanity, or at least ruling Polity, devoted to functional values and bleak abstractions. Her vision reminds me a bit of Shakespearean romances like The Tempest or The Winter’s Tale. Bad things may happen but there is always a kinder force waiting to transmute anger, death and decay into something beautiful, even transcendent.
Read the complete review at SciFi Mind
November 16, 2025
We usually think of myths and gods made real as having nothing to do with a world of science or officiousness, but here there’s no difference. Everything exists and evolves beside each other, and the fact that the world presents as pleasant but is actually a police state (highly familiar to us) makes the interactions with the gods, ghosts, and notions that much richer. This series is slender but bursting, presenting on the surface as fantasy mysteries but with the stakes clearly what the reader takes from the words rather than an aha! Moment. The writing itself is a pure pleasure. I love stories where the words matter, where there’s flow and direction and an invitation to slow down rather than plow through. Forrest trusts the reader to be in the story, so there’s no need for massive exposition or explanations. The prose creates an immediate intimacy, like this description of a state-sponsored grand museum as “a modernist structure intended to call to mind a fish leaping from the water, but which looked to me more like a paper sack that had been twisted in the middle—if you imagine a paper sack clad in white marble.” The main character, Decommissioner Thirty-Seven, is the kind of narrator who lives within and outside the narrative. She would never see herself as a heroine or rebel, despite being both as unobtrusively as she can within the confines of the Ministry of Divinities, the Civil Order branch, and her own family mysteries. The previous book in this series (The Inconvenient God) established her compassion. This one expands on it in a number of touching ways. Excellent, highly recommended read.
March 19, 2021
Decommissioner Thirty-Seven’s jobs never quite follow the Ministry of Divinities’ protocols, no matter how dedicated to the job or conscientious she has trained her whole life to be. Does she simply get too attached to the gods she must ease into retirement? She does have enduring relationships with retired gods, which some of her colleagues envy.
We meet more of these colleagues in this second installment of the series, thus gaining insight into Thirty-Seven’s personality. But Book 2 also takes a seriously dark turn: as Thirty-Seven races to decommission an undocumented goddess before a ritual for her destroys a posh new development, we learn that the Polity’s official accounts of events, recent and historic, may be seriously revisionist. Of particular concern is the story of a terrorist attack that killed over 200 people.
Given Thirty-Seven’s family history, Is it possible for her to do good work for the Ministry? Can anyone ethically work for an unethical organization, and if so, how do they protect the people around them?
Forrest satisfyingly concludes the decommissioning storyline but leaves the broody ethical questions swirling at the end of Book 2, demonstrating equal command of both whimsy and philosophical heft. I eagerly await book 3.
We meet more of these colleagues in this second installment of the series, thus gaining insight into Thirty-Seven’s personality. But Book 2 also takes a seriously dark turn: as Thirty-Seven races to decommission an undocumented goddess before a ritual for her destroys a posh new development, we learn that the Polity’s official accounts of events, recent and historic, may be seriously revisionist. Of particular concern is the story of a terrorist attack that killed over 200 people.
Given Thirty-Seven’s family history, Is it possible for her to do good work for the Ministry? Can anyone ethically work for an unethical organization, and if so, how do they protect the people around them?
Forrest satisfyingly concludes the decommissioning storyline but leaves the broody ethical questions swirling at the end of Book 2, demonstrating equal command of both whimsy and philosophical heft. I eagerly await book 3.
March 3, 2021
**I received an ARC of this novella in exchange for my honest review.**
Forrest fulfills her promises laid out in The Inconvenient God. Thirty-Seven is involved in another unconventional decommissioning, but she makes sure the right thing is done. Thirty-Seven strongly believes that she should do the right thing, the truth will out, and she needs to fulfill her promises to her few friends. She has to decide whether it's more important to follow the rules or do what is right. She chooses to do what is right, and luckily doesn't suffer for that choice.
This book felt much more like a southeast Asian setting than the last book. The culture is based around expansion of territory by sea, and is undergoing significant development of the little space they have. It's also very much a "Do what you're told because I said so" kind of culture. I found it sad that the local divinities were being decommissioned and folded into Abstractions. Abstractions are so generic and boring. I think that's the point. The Polity is trying to unify many people spread over a large area. People need to worship the same ideas, and that's not possible if every region has it's own local deities. The Polity is flattening the diversity in their society.
We also find out why Thirty-Seven goes by her number instead of her name. Her parents were branded and terrorists and she took her grandparents' name as a child. However, she learns that the Polity version of her parents' deaths might not actually describe the events of that night. I hope that means there's more to come in this fascinating world!
Forrest fulfills her promises laid out in The Inconvenient God. Thirty-Seven is involved in another unconventional decommissioning, but she makes sure the right thing is done. Thirty-Seven strongly believes that she should do the right thing, the truth will out, and she needs to fulfill her promises to her few friends. She has to decide whether it's more important to follow the rules or do what is right. She chooses to do what is right, and luckily doesn't suffer for that choice.
This book felt much more like a southeast Asian setting than the last book. The culture is based around expansion of territory by sea, and is undergoing significant development of the little space they have. It's also very much a "Do what you're told because I said so" kind of culture. I found it sad that the local divinities were being decommissioned and folded into Abstractions. Abstractions are so generic and boring. I think that's the point. The Polity is trying to unify many people spread over a large area. People need to worship the same ideas, and that's not possible if every region has it's own local deities. The Polity is flattening the diversity in their society.
We also find out why Thirty-Seven goes by her number instead of her name. Her parents were branded and terrorists and she took her grandparents' name as a child. However, she learns that the Polity version of her parents' deaths might not actually describe the events of that night. I hope that means there's more to come in this fascinating world!
May 27, 2021
Such a fun and wonderfully inventive novella where the government of a rapidly developing world has the authority to decommission gods. But what becomes of these divine retirees and what happens if any are missed? And what of the deities that came before recorded history? Such lovely questions that Forrest answers well. I particularly enjoyed the lush seaside setting and the imaginative relationships in this story.
Read
December 1, 2020Disclaimer: can't rate 'cos I edited.
Love, love, love Francesca's writing so much, and especially this setting.
Love, love, love Francesca's writing so much, and especially this setting.
October 17, 2022
You can read this and other reviews on my book blog at https://www.thebookdragondotblog.word...
This is the second book in Francesca Forrest’s Tales of Polity series. I messed up, and actually read this one before the first book! The cover was just so pretty I couldn’t help myself ;). But despite my over-eagerness, this novella works perfectly well as a standalone. There is no need to read the first book, first! Now, on to the review:
Decommissioner Thirty-Seven, known as Sweeting to her friends–which happen to almost exclusively be the decommissioned Sweet Harbor Gods–is a bit of a screw up. One of her previous decommissionings of a Sweet Harbor God did not go quite as planned, and everyone knows that she is to blame. Now, it’s up to her to defend that same God-turned-mortal against accusations that he is messing with a development project in his old stomping grounds. But as she gets more and more involved, the tales becomes more and more convoluted–and dangerous. Is she willing to risk the rest of her reputation just to find answers? Even when the case seems to be closed?
Francesca Forrest introducers her readers to a completely new world, where polytheism is not only appreciated and followed by the masses, but the Gods can actually be seen and spoken with. Her ability to make readers feel completely at home in an unfamiliar world, full of Gods, mortals, and cool sci-fi-like technology is unparalleled. I had no difficulty fitting right into the world and its culture as if I’d been there my whole life.
The characters are also compelling, with just a touch of mystery and darkness to Sweeting, keeping readers engaged throughout for not only the main plot, but also to understand her character. The big reveal of her past is worth every page turn. Readers will feel frustration, affection, fear, and desperation, just as Sweeting does. So be prepared to experience a range of emotions in this tiny novella!
Overall, this novella is perfect for anyone wanting a short but moving read. The characters, writing style, and plot are all perfectly balanced, creating a rather poignant experience.
This is the second book in Francesca Forrest’s Tales of Polity series. I messed up, and actually read this one before the first book! The cover was just so pretty I couldn’t help myself ;). But despite my over-eagerness, this novella works perfectly well as a standalone. There is no need to read the first book, first! Now, on to the review:
Decommissioner Thirty-Seven, known as Sweeting to her friends–which happen to almost exclusively be the decommissioned Sweet Harbor Gods–is a bit of a screw up. One of her previous decommissionings of a Sweet Harbor God did not go quite as planned, and everyone knows that she is to blame. Now, it’s up to her to defend that same God-turned-mortal against accusations that he is messing with a development project in his old stomping grounds. But as she gets more and more involved, the tales becomes more and more convoluted–and dangerous. Is she willing to risk the rest of her reputation just to find answers? Even when the case seems to be closed?
Francesca Forrest introducers her readers to a completely new world, where polytheism is not only appreciated and followed by the masses, but the Gods can actually be seen and spoken with. Her ability to make readers feel completely at home in an unfamiliar world, full of Gods, mortals, and cool sci-fi-like technology is unparalleled. I had no difficulty fitting right into the world and its culture as if I’d been there my whole life.
The characters are also compelling, with just a touch of mystery and darkness to Sweeting, keeping readers engaged throughout for not only the main plot, but also to understand her character. The big reveal of her past is worth every page turn. Readers will feel frustration, affection, fear, and desperation, just as Sweeting does. So be prepared to experience a range of emotions in this tiny novella!
Overall, this novella is perfect for anyone wanting a short but moving read. The characters, writing style, and plot are all perfectly balanced, creating a rather poignant experience.
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