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Memoir of a Mad Scientist
Trying to survive an evil empire would drive anyone mad.
Dr. Jarian Voss has been a member of the Coalition’s interplanetary empire for as long as he’s been alive. As the highest power on the globe, they changed his life by sending him to the best schools from a young age and made him the cutting-edge scientist he is today. Now he’s repaying the Coalition by developing new technology for them, happy to be part of a laser array project designed to help the off-planet colonies.
Meanwhile, he is expected to use an accident victim for cybernetic research—no matter the cost. Thanks to him, Jarian’s world begins to crumble as everything he thinks he knows about the world—and even his own assignment—is called into question.
As he discovers more about the Coalition’s true goals, what will he have to sacrifice to keep himself and his team ahead of the laser fire? Ultimately, Jarian will have to make a deadly choice: stay loyal to the Coalition or become part of the rising rebellion.
Dr. Jarian Voss has been a member of the Coalition’s interplanetary empire for as long as he’s been alive. As the highest power on the globe, they changed his life by sending him to the best schools from a young age and made him the cutting-edge scientist he is today. Now he’s repaying the Coalition by developing new technology for them, happy to be part of a laser array project designed to help the off-planet colonies.
Meanwhile, he is expected to use an accident victim for cybernetic research—no matter the cost. Thanks to him, Jarian’s world begins to crumble as everything he thinks he knows about the world—and even his own assignment—is called into question.
As he discovers more about the Coalition’s true goals, what will he have to sacrifice to keep himself and his team ahead of the laser fire? Ultimately, Jarian will have to make a deadly choice: stay loyal to the Coalition or become part of the rising rebellion.
- GenresScience Fiction
406 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 4, 2022
2 people are currently reading
22 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 11, 2023
If you would have told me that in 2023, one of my favourite books was going to be a sci-fi thriller, I would have told you that you are 500% insane. Regardless, Memoir of a Mad Scientist by Erin Anderson is perhaps one of my favourite 2023 reads (sure, it's early in the year... but I have my reasons!).
Dr. Jarian Voss is a scientist for The Coalition, a government agency ruling over the planet he lives on. He makes lasers which he totally doesn't want to believe will be weapons for the government, but we all know how that goes. He's a happy, smart dude who just wants to keep working on his job, but then he's pulled into a new project to make cybernetic prosthetics for a poor teenaged kid who got his arms blown off in an unfortunate accident. "Unfortunate accident" .... Because, you know, the government... In space.
Dr. Voss works hard with the kid, but while he's working with him he starts to smell something fishy. Things just aren't right, with rebels attacking the Coalition, his victim friend, Milosh, bringing up The Reconstruction Zone, and people just keep saying things that make him question his reality... Turns out, there is a lot of dark stuff going on. The Reconstruction Zone might not be the friendly area the government says they send the over flow of population too. The rebels might actually have a good reason for what they are doing. And why is his boss just so darn pushy?
Jarian gets himself into the mix, having to make a decision on whether to stay loyal to the government that paid for his school and gave him a job, or help the rebellion fight against them. When he gets tangled in, he's likely going to bring everyone else down around him...
This book was so thrilling and kept me hooked! I binged the first 70% straight through (with wee breaks for tea and snacks, of course). I had to leave the book (sadly) to go out, but I dreamt about it the entire time... And when I got home, I curled up with a warm blanket and the book and finished it all. A 400 page book in one day? No problem!
Erin Anderson crafted one compelling story. I don't always get drawn into sci-fi books that easily, but this book was the perfect mix of sci-fi, thrills, intrigue, and action to keep me drawn in. The Memoir aspect was also super interesting too, because you see at the beginning what the end is, so you just wonder how you're going to get there. Is Jarian really a mad scientist? Really? Well, you'll find out.
I cannot emphasize enough how much I truly recommend this book. It's a great read and I need every other book Erin writes from here on out. It's mandatory. Authors who write like Erin and books who pull me in like this are rare, so I'm gonna keep this one close to my chest but also scream to the hills about it. Read this book! It's worth every penny!
Five out of five stars! Feel free to take a sixth if you'd like.
I received this book for free from the author, Erin Anderson, in exchange for an honest review.
Dr. Jarian Voss is a scientist for The Coalition, a government agency ruling over the planet he lives on. He makes lasers which he totally doesn't want to believe will be weapons for the government, but we all know how that goes. He's a happy, smart dude who just wants to keep working on his job, but then he's pulled into a new project to make cybernetic prosthetics for a poor teenaged kid who got his arms blown off in an unfortunate accident. "Unfortunate accident" .... Because, you know, the government... In space.
Dr. Voss works hard with the kid, but while he's working with him he starts to smell something fishy. Things just aren't right, with rebels attacking the Coalition, his victim friend, Milosh, bringing up The Reconstruction Zone, and people just keep saying things that make him question his reality... Turns out, there is a lot of dark stuff going on. The Reconstruction Zone might not be the friendly area the government says they send the over flow of population too. The rebels might actually have a good reason for what they are doing. And why is his boss just so darn pushy?
Jarian gets himself into the mix, having to make a decision on whether to stay loyal to the government that paid for his school and gave him a job, or help the rebellion fight against them. When he gets tangled in, he's likely going to bring everyone else down around him...
This book was so thrilling and kept me hooked! I binged the first 70% straight through (with wee breaks for tea and snacks, of course). I had to leave the book (sadly) to go out, but I dreamt about it the entire time... And when I got home, I curled up with a warm blanket and the book and finished it all. A 400 page book in one day? No problem!
Erin Anderson crafted one compelling story. I don't always get drawn into sci-fi books that easily, but this book was the perfect mix of sci-fi, thrills, intrigue, and action to keep me drawn in. The Memoir aspect was also super interesting too, because you see at the beginning what the end is, so you just wonder how you're going to get there. Is Jarian really a mad scientist? Really? Well, you'll find out.
I cannot emphasize enough how much I truly recommend this book. It's a great read and I need every other book Erin writes from here on out. It's mandatory. Authors who write like Erin and books who pull me in like this are rare, so I'm gonna keep this one close to my chest but also scream to the hills about it. Read this book! It's worth every penny!
Five out of five stars! Feel free to take a sixth if you'd like.
I received this book for free from the author, Erin Anderson, in exchange for an honest review.
February 8, 2025
Ambiguous antiheroes and antivillains are always my jam. Give me a book from the point of view of the bad guy. Give me a repentant antagonist—hell, give me an unrepentant one. Memoir of a Mad Scientist is exactly what it says on the tin, albeit with a tongue-in-cheek, slightly absurdist twist. Erin Z. Anderson has crafted a tale that gets you thinking about where to draw lines. How far is it OK to go in the name of science when lives are on the line? How do you reconcile a life of privilege with the growing awareness of its cost for others? Although it didn’t electrify me in the telling, this book nevertheless got me thinking and feeling in all the right ways. I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review.
Dr. Jarian Voss is a mad scientist. Well, not quite, but the next closest thing. Raised on a farm, he’s worked his entire life for the Coalition. They saved the planet. Now he does science for them. But the research institute where he’s sheltered from the inequities of everyday Coalition existence starts to feel like a less-than-gilded cage as security steps up, his bosses keep getting replaced, and now he’s been assigned to a high-pressure cybernetic experiment with a subject who … maybe consented. Wait, is Voss the baddie?
This is the essential question at the heart of Memoir of a Mad Scientist. Or rather, one might say the question is: once you know you’re a baddie, what do you do about it? Voss is arguably a hero with an F in good; he has the best of intentions but his morality shades towards amoral—or at the very least, he keeps his head down and thinks his science can be apolitical. As the story unfolds, it quickly becomes evident that this is not the case, and he has to take sides and make hard choices.
I read this at the very start of the year, after Donald Trump had been reelected president of the nation to the south of mine but before his inauguration. Now, writing this review the weekend he kicked off a trade war with my country, I am thinking a lot about resistance versus collaboration. This novel hits, for that is exactly the choice Voss has to make, again and again and again. Anderson demonstrates with chilling accuracy just how easy it is to sell your soul by saying you’ll give in just this one time because then next time you’ll be in a better position to resist. (You won’t.)
Voss is an interesting protagonist because I definitely don’t like him—he’s so cringe—but I still sympathize with him and at the very least appreciate his growth. Probably the part that’s hardest for me to swallow is his naivety, yet I suppose that is part of his privilege, the cosseted way he’s been raised and coddled as a member of the intelligentsia. I admire Anderson’s choice to write a main character who isn’t a squeaky-clean hero but rather someone with a laundry list of flaws, for like it or not, all of us are probably somewhat closer to Voss than we are to any of the Nazi-punching heroes in our comics. In a book full of cyborgs and space lasers, Jarian Voss grounds us as the most realistic element.
Indeed, Memoir of a Mad Scientist is a book that walks the line between surrealism and realism with grace. The title alone should say enough, but if you need to look further, consider Voss’s relationship with his boss, who is stressed out and overworked. He could be a caricature, but Anderson humanizes him, has him level just so slightly with Voss, and then of course later in the novel Voss gets a little more … perspective, shall we say? Similarly, Voss’s ambivalent relationship with the rebels showcases how often the novel veers into surrealist set pieces: cloak-and-dagger dead drops and pseudonyms, allies who could also be enemies and vice versa.
Anderson’s writing style didn’t always work for me, and there were times I was frustrated with how simplistically the characters and their relationships seemed to be developed and telegraphed. Some of that I’ll chalk up to the surreal atmosphere, as described above—some of these characters are more archetype than actual person. Reading this book felt, at times, a bit like watching a stage play with actors who are overeager, or a movie that knows it’s a little over the top—it’s not a bad experience, but it’s one I have to be in mood to seek out.
Finally, the resolution was a bit rushed—after feeling like it took forever to get to the climax—and morally uncomplicated. While I can appreciate the scenario Anderson constructs and the message it sends, I wanted to see more from Voss and his allies. I wanted some reckoning, wanted to see some deeper moral calculus at work.
All in all, I was neither blown away nor disappointed by this one. It’s a solid story sadly resonant with the mood of our current times, with a protagonist in whom you will hate seeing the less heroic parts of yourself. Memoir of a Mad Scientist reminds us that the baddies don’t always twirl moustaches and laugh maniacally—sometimes they’re us, going along with it, so as not to rock the boat or bite the hand that feeds. This is what science fiction is for.
Originally posted on Kara.Reviews.
Dr. Jarian Voss is a mad scientist. Well, not quite, but the next closest thing. Raised on a farm, he’s worked his entire life for the Coalition. They saved the planet. Now he does science for them. But the research institute where he’s sheltered from the inequities of everyday Coalition existence starts to feel like a less-than-gilded cage as security steps up, his bosses keep getting replaced, and now he’s been assigned to a high-pressure cybernetic experiment with a subject who … maybe consented. Wait, is Voss the baddie?
This is the essential question at the heart of Memoir of a Mad Scientist. Or rather, one might say the question is: once you know you’re a baddie, what do you do about it? Voss is arguably a hero with an F in good; he has the best of intentions but his morality shades towards amoral—or at the very least, he keeps his head down and thinks his science can be apolitical. As the story unfolds, it quickly becomes evident that this is not the case, and he has to take sides and make hard choices.
I read this at the very start of the year, after Donald Trump had been reelected president of the nation to the south of mine but before his inauguration. Now, writing this review the weekend he kicked off a trade war with my country, I am thinking a lot about resistance versus collaboration. This novel hits, for that is exactly the choice Voss has to make, again and again and again. Anderson demonstrates with chilling accuracy just how easy it is to sell your soul by saying you’ll give in just this one time because then next time you’ll be in a better position to resist. (You won’t.)
Voss is an interesting protagonist because I definitely don’t like him—he’s so cringe—but I still sympathize with him and at the very least appreciate his growth. Probably the part that’s hardest for me to swallow is his naivety, yet I suppose that is part of his privilege, the cosseted way he’s been raised and coddled as a member of the intelligentsia. I admire Anderson’s choice to write a main character who isn’t a squeaky-clean hero but rather someone with a laundry list of flaws, for like it or not, all of us are probably somewhat closer to Voss than we are to any of the Nazi-punching heroes in our comics. In a book full of cyborgs and space lasers, Jarian Voss grounds us as the most realistic element.
Indeed, Memoir of a Mad Scientist is a book that walks the line between surrealism and realism with grace. The title alone should say enough, but if you need to look further, consider Voss’s relationship with his boss, who is stressed out and overworked. He could be a caricature, but Anderson humanizes him, has him level just so slightly with Voss, and then of course later in the novel Voss gets a little more … perspective, shall we say? Similarly, Voss’s ambivalent relationship with the rebels showcases how often the novel veers into surrealist set pieces: cloak-and-dagger dead drops and pseudonyms, allies who could also be enemies and vice versa.
Anderson’s writing style didn’t always work for me, and there were times I was frustrated with how simplistically the characters and their relationships seemed to be developed and telegraphed. Some of that I’ll chalk up to the surreal atmosphere, as described above—some of these characters are more archetype than actual person. Reading this book felt, at times, a bit like watching a stage play with actors who are overeager, or a movie that knows it’s a little over the top—it’s not a bad experience, but it’s one I have to be in mood to seek out.
Finally, the resolution was a bit rushed—after feeling like it took forever to get to the climax—and morally uncomplicated. While I can appreciate the scenario Anderson constructs and the message it sends, I wanted to see more from Voss and his allies. I wanted some reckoning, wanted to see some deeper moral calculus at work.
All in all, I was neither blown away nor disappointed by this one. It’s a solid story sadly resonant with the mood of our current times, with a protagonist in whom you will hate seeing the less heroic parts of yourself. Memoir of a Mad Scientist reminds us that the baddies don’t always twirl moustaches and laugh maniacally—sometimes they’re us, going along with it, so as not to rock the boat or bite the hand that feeds. This is what science fiction is for.
Originally posted on Kara.Reviews.
June 20, 2022
I got an advanced copy of this book from the author.
It is FANTASTIC. For a dystopian future book it still feels fresh. Erin is really good at describing Jarian's thoughts and feelings. He is clearly torn about his love for his work and what is going on with the coalition. I love the character development as we see Dr. Voss start to see that all is not what it seems, and maybe it is not what it is cracked up to be.
It really did keep me guessing until the end what was going to happen. And I truly didn't see the twist coming!
It is FANTASTIC. For a dystopian future book it still feels fresh. Erin is really good at describing Jarian's thoughts and feelings. He is clearly torn about his love for his work and what is going on with the coalition. I love the character development as we see Dr. Voss start to see that all is not what it seems, and maybe it is not what it is cracked up to be.
It really did keep me guessing until the end what was going to happen. And I truly didn't see the twist coming!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 16, 2022
Bleak stories of the future of civilization have become popular lately as we have begun to seriously wrestle with climate change, overpopulation and other global issues. Erin Anderson confronts these crises by writing a story that is both troubling and exciting.
Anderson is an excellent writer. Her imagination knows no bounds as she introduces technological advances in an understandable way. I particularly like the overcoat that automatically adjusts to the outside temperature. She creates a detailed world of limited natural resources controlled by a world government intent on maintaining authority. As in any good story there is a conflict, this time provided by rebels seeking freedom and opportunities for themselves.
The story centers on Dr. Jarian Voss, a research scientist working for The People’s Coalition developing sophisticated devices using the latest technology. Told through journal entries recorded by Voss interspersed with an occasional chapter written in the third person, we see Voss grow from a nervous and fearful man of science to a more fully realized member of humanity. He is supported by a team of well-developed characters, some of whom are fully human while others are cyborgs with all the issues they carry.
This is a story which poses the ultimate question: Do we have individual responsibility for standing up to injustice no matter what dangers we might face?
My only criticism of the book is the title. Memoir of a Mad Scientist suggests an out-of-control genius with no thought for the consequences of his madness. In fact Jarian Voss had to break the bonds of his methodical training to become a fully realized human being. By doing so, the author gives us an ultimately hopeful future.
Anderson is an excellent writer. Her imagination knows no bounds as she introduces technological advances in an understandable way. I particularly like the overcoat that automatically adjusts to the outside temperature. She creates a detailed world of limited natural resources controlled by a world government intent on maintaining authority. As in any good story there is a conflict, this time provided by rebels seeking freedom and opportunities for themselves.
The story centers on Dr. Jarian Voss, a research scientist working for The People’s Coalition developing sophisticated devices using the latest technology. Told through journal entries recorded by Voss interspersed with an occasional chapter written in the third person, we see Voss grow from a nervous and fearful man of science to a more fully realized member of humanity. He is supported by a team of well-developed characters, some of whom are fully human while others are cyborgs with all the issues they carry.
This is a story which poses the ultimate question: Do we have individual responsibility for standing up to injustice no matter what dangers we might face?
My only criticism of the book is the title. Memoir of a Mad Scientist suggests an out-of-control genius with no thought for the consequences of his madness. In fact Jarian Voss had to break the bonds of his methodical training to become a fully realized human being. By doing so, the author gives us an ultimately hopeful future.
January 26, 2024
Here's what you really need to know about this book. It features:
-a protagonist who is an absolute hermit crab of a little fellow,
-bagels in the pockets. And croissants. And sandwiches. Like if Paddington Bear was a mad scientist with a fondness for snacks.
-cinnamon roll of side characters,
-one (1) really cool temperature-adjusting coat,
-We Interrupt These Experiments for Puzzle Time (because we deserve it),
-revolution.
Oh, and the overthrow of a corrupt regime, the moral squishiness of seriously unethical experiments, sleep deprivation, secret missions--am I missing anything?
Clearly. There's so much to talk about.
Check out the longer review here: https://bookmarkedone.home.blog/2024/....
A terrific thank-you to Erin Anderson for the complimentary e-copy and for inviting me to review her book! It's been quite lovely waltzing into this dystopia and watching the world fall apart.
Cheers!
-a protagonist who is an absolute hermit crab of a little fellow,
-bagels in the pockets. And croissants. And sandwiches. Like if Paddington Bear was a mad scientist with a fondness for snacks.
-cinnamon roll of side characters,
-one (1) really cool temperature-adjusting coat,
-We Interrupt These Experiments for Puzzle Time (because we deserve it),
-revolution.
Oh, and the overthrow of a corrupt regime, the moral squishiness of seriously unethical experiments, sleep deprivation, secret missions--am I missing anything?
Clearly. There's so much to talk about.
Check out the longer review here: https://bookmarkedone.home.blog/2024/....
A terrific thank-you to Erin Anderson for the complimentary e-copy and for inviting me to review her book! It's been quite lovely waltzing into this dystopia and watching the world fall apart.
Cheers!
October 28, 2023
When the author sent me the review request for this one, I was immediately intrigued. I'm a sci-fi fan in general, but I particularly loved the idea of telling a story from the POV of a supposed "mad scientist."
This book is a well done example of an anti-utopian. It can be tricky to pull this off in the modern day, when people have consumed so much dystopian content that they can easily recognize the signs. A lot of the time, the protagonist comes off looking like an idiot for not seeing the obvious.
This book, however, threads the line well. It makes sense that Jarian doesn't know the truth of his surroundings. He's sequestered in a Coalition facility for most of his work with few connections to the outside world. It makes sense that he'd believe Coalition propaganda. He even refers to himself as a "child of the Coalition" as he was born after the giant war that created a supposed unified planetary government.
I also loved the moral grayness of the conflict. The Coalition is obviously evil, but the rebellion isn't spotless in their methods either. In fact, they both have a similar "ends justify the means" mentality that leaves innocent bystanders in danger. There is no perfect "good" side to the brewing conflict. And watching Jarian trying to thread the needle of keeping keeping everyone he cares about safe while having a personal reckoning with what his inventions have actually been used for is a delightfully messy moral quandary. It might be the religious trauma talking, but I love a good moral quandary.
The only real critique I have is that story is a bit more scientist than mad. Admittedly, my sci-fi preferences tend towards the softer side, so when Jarian would go in-depth on the tech-talk for various inventions, I mostly just glazed over those paragraphs. It didn't necessarily ruin my reading experience. Just wasn't something I paid much attention to. As for the "mad," there's really only one moment in the story where he earns that moniker: a particularly exciting scene right at the end. You could argue that the "mad" in mad scientist is more of a tongue in cheek reference or a way to describe how he appeared to outsiders when he was in reality quite banal. But I generally like my characters a little strange.
Also, I did catch the subtle references to his bisexuality. Throw away lines like "the man looked familiar, but he didn't think they'd dated in school." It's the little things, but I appreciate them.
I was prepared to be hyper critical of the end. I was afraid it would be a fully happy, "all loose ends tied up" kind of ending. The conflict and moral quandaries set up were too large for everything to end well, but a lot of authors will default to happy endings to keep readers happy. While this one didn't go quite as dark as I thought it could have, I did like the ambiguity. It felt like the most logical conclusion of what was set up. With one or two twists along the way. (Also I love a good climactic scene with explosions.)
In general, I think this is a great pick for anyone looking for a slightly harder sci-fi with moral quandaries. There's a lot of tech talk, but also philosophical thoughts. A great one to make you think.
This book is a well done example of an anti-utopian. It can be tricky to pull this off in the modern day, when people have consumed so much dystopian content that they can easily recognize the signs. A lot of the time, the protagonist comes off looking like an idiot for not seeing the obvious.
This book, however, threads the line well. It makes sense that Jarian doesn't know the truth of his surroundings. He's sequestered in a Coalition facility for most of his work with few connections to the outside world. It makes sense that he'd believe Coalition propaganda. He even refers to himself as a "child of the Coalition" as he was born after the giant war that created a supposed unified planetary government.
I also loved the moral grayness of the conflict. The Coalition is obviously evil, but the rebellion isn't spotless in their methods either. In fact, they both have a similar "ends justify the means" mentality that leaves innocent bystanders in danger. There is no perfect "good" side to the brewing conflict. And watching Jarian trying to thread the needle of keeping keeping everyone he cares about safe while having a personal reckoning with what his inventions have actually been used for is a delightfully messy moral quandary. It might be the religious trauma talking, but I love a good moral quandary.
The only real critique I have is that story is a bit more scientist than mad. Admittedly, my sci-fi preferences tend towards the softer side, so when Jarian would go in-depth on the tech-talk for various inventions, I mostly just glazed over those paragraphs. It didn't necessarily ruin my reading experience. Just wasn't something I paid much attention to. As for the "mad," there's really only one moment in the story where he earns that moniker: a particularly exciting scene right at the end. You could argue that the "mad" in mad scientist is more of a tongue in cheek reference or a way to describe how he appeared to outsiders when he was in reality quite banal. But I generally like my characters a little strange.
Also, I did catch the subtle references to his bisexuality. Throw away lines like "the man looked familiar, but he didn't think they'd dated in school." It's the little things, but I appreciate them.
I was prepared to be hyper critical of the end. I was afraid it would be a fully happy, "all loose ends tied up" kind of ending. The conflict and moral quandaries set up were too large for everything to end well, but a lot of authors will default to happy endings to keep readers happy. While this one didn't go quite as dark as I thought it could have, I did like the ambiguity. It felt like the most logical conclusion of what was set up. With one or two twists along the way. (Also I love a good climactic scene with explosions.)
In general, I think this is a great pick for anyone looking for a slightly harder sci-fi with moral quandaries. There's a lot of tech talk, but also philosophical thoughts. A great one to make you think.
August 31, 2025
A very enjoyable read. Trying to keep this review general enough to avoid spoilers, but detailed enough to give insight of what kind of story to expect.
Told in a memoir-fashion, it bounces back and forth between the present and the past, that eventually meet up, and keeps you in anticipation the whole time. It gives a generous dose of foreshadowing morsels making you question how in the world point A reaches point B.
The science in the story reads rather realistically. It’s clear the author has a strong background in science to paint a more complete picture of the technologies involved without having to fall back on “it’s magic, but we’re calling it science.” The minutae of the protagonist’s job is vital to the plot and isn’t conveniently swept under the rug for the sake of progressing the story, but really thrives in demonstrating just how passionate he is about what he does. The character couldn’t be nearly as successful in his development without such a vested interest in science on the protagonist’s part.
The journey of our main character is a slow-burn of realization of how his perceptions of the society around him differs from the reality. He is joined by an increasing myriad of others as he slowly learns how things really are. At points, it makes the stomach squirm with the discomfort of an unexpected truth that you know is hitting the protagonist just as poignantly.
The pacing is spot on, and keeps you asking “and then what happens?” The dramatic peaks are tense and beautiful. There were at least two points, close to the end, where I did tear up, feeling especially invested to the main character, and his cast of ensemble members.
I very much look forward to the pleasure of reading any future work that comes from Erin Anderson!
Told in a memoir-fashion, it bounces back and forth between the present and the past, that eventually meet up, and keeps you in anticipation the whole time. It gives a generous dose of foreshadowing morsels making you question how in the world point A reaches point B.
The science in the story reads rather realistically. It’s clear the author has a strong background in science to paint a more complete picture of the technologies involved without having to fall back on “it’s magic, but we’re calling it science.” The minutae of the protagonist’s job is vital to the plot and isn’t conveniently swept under the rug for the sake of progressing the story, but really thrives in demonstrating just how passionate he is about what he does. The character couldn’t be nearly as successful in his development without such a vested interest in science on the protagonist’s part.
The journey of our main character is a slow-burn of realization of how his perceptions of the society around him differs from the reality. He is joined by an increasing myriad of others as he slowly learns how things really are. At points, it makes the stomach squirm with the discomfort of an unexpected truth that you know is hitting the protagonist just as poignantly.
The pacing is spot on, and keeps you asking “and then what happens?” The dramatic peaks are tense and beautiful. There were at least two points, close to the end, where I did tear up, feeling especially invested to the main character, and his cast of ensemble members.
I very much look forward to the pleasure of reading any future work that comes from Erin Anderson!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews