The Wakeful Wanderer's Guide to Disillusionment

by Jim Infantino

Society is divided along socio-economic and technological-philosophical lines. The Traditionalists eschew invasive technologies in favor of tangible materials. They value the structures of hierarchical systems based on wealth and birth. They long for the return of the grand markets that boomed before a world shaking disaster called The Great Tide wiped them out. Across from this culture are the Interconnected, who have incorporated the world of data, information, and social networks into their bodies. They live in constant communication with each other, mind to mind, and employ a gifting economy based on Merit to maintain their post-scarcity automated economy.
Marto, the traveling Interconnected historian, has exiled himself to protect the ones he loves from his dark secret. In his absence, Helen, a runaway Traditionalist aristocrat, struggles to find her place among the Interconnected, unwilling to return to her cruel family. Reyleena, the former head of security in the Interconnected down of Reverside, has returned to a life of quiet solitude, broken occasionally by the impositions of The Other, an omnipresent AI, who cannot leave her alone. Barnabas, the Traditionalist leader of New Atlantic, fights to get back to his town and regain control in the wake of a chaotic attack. Nora, his sister, is trapped in Reverside and must come to terms with her new life in captivity.
This middle book of the Wakeful Wanderer's Guide series delves deeper into the origins of the Interconnected and Traditionalist worlds, and broadens the perspective on both. The Memoria emerges as a force that might dissolve the divisions between these cultures. Old friends hold the key to forward progress or a backslide into disaster. The struggle to control the future of humanity in this near-future America is a battle of cultures, stories, and ideals.

328 pages, Hardcover

Published June 9, 2021

About the author

Jim Infantino grew up in the Manhattan of the 70s and 80s. He studied Philosophy moved to Boston to become a songwriter and busker. His songs have been featured on NPR’s Weekend Edition and All Things Considered. At the age of 52, after years of touring with his band, Jim got the inspiration for a story too large to fit into song and began writing his debut novel. He is currently working on the third book in the Wakeful Wanderer’s Guide series, a science fiction novelette, and a collection of short stories based in the Interconnected world of The Wakeful Wanderer’s Guide.
When not writing, Jim runs a web design company, plays with his band, writes code, teaches meditation, reads to his daughters, and drinks a lot of coffee.

Reviews

[Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very strong second book in the Wakeful Wanderer’s series. Most middle books in a trilogy are merely bridges to the conclusion, but this book actually propels the narrative. I’m very eager to see how this story concludes. Highly recommended!

[Gordon Long · Rating 4 out of 5]

All fantasy writers are sociologists, creating societies that contain elements of our own world and exploring the possibilities for change. For most of us, the social and political setting is background for the development of the characters. “Wakeful Wanderer” has it the other way around. The philosophies of the various groups are the main elements in the conflict that drives the story, and the main interest is created by the differences between the competing sects.

This is a thoughtful book about people who have been given the chance to create societies that will function according to their principles. Now they are faced with making these societies work in an imperfect world.

Thematic material is nicely blended in. You don’t often get as well entertained by a discussion of what a just society should do with a murderer whose actions were done in defense of his own group. Like the characters of any thoughtful work, these people show unsettling echoes of our present society. Some of the arguments they use, I see regularly on social media.

The format of the book is a series of stories interconnected by characters, events and themes. Unfortunately, these are necessarily fragmented, jumping around in place and time, requiring readers to create their own mosaics. Since I have not read the first book in the series, my perception was flawed. Despite this, I enjoyed the creative function of building the story myself, because I was given enough clues, and I put them together as I wished, constantly juggling them as more information was revealed.

The strength and weakness of this work is the characterization. There are no villains, just people with conflicting ideals. Interesting, strong, but flawed characters. We enjoy seeing the external conflict from each one’s point of view. This makes entertaining reading but means that the story lacks suspense because just when we have decided someone really deserves to win, we jump to the enemy’s point of view and find that it is equally valid.

Finally, 200 pages in, an event of importance actually happens. The plotlines start to come together, and characters get to make choices. But then, just at the point where a normal novel would have the climax point, we are treated to a full chapter where people on the various sides sit and have a political argument. Once again, an absorbing discussion, but nevertheless…

A fascinating and enjoyable read for those who like their action on a philosophical plane.

This review was originally published on Reedsy Discovery.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm withholding that 5th star because this book is such a middle book of a trilogy, ending mid-thought on a cliffhanger. I tempted to encourage people to wait until the 3rd book comes out, but, that risks it not coming out at all, which would be awful.
This post-apocalyptic world is fascinating, and presumably has evolved in the ongoing tumultuous history we've been living through in just the short time since his initial inspiration. The first book presented a sort of utopia that, well, I had doubts about, and intimated as such when he sought reviewer feedback. Most of those are addressed in this book, and a few others that hadn't occurred to me which seem obvious now.
Commenting on specifics of the plot would be too spoilery, and it's Not Done Yet!
I _thexted_ Jim exactly how I felt about that, and only got an evil grin in response. Arrrrrgh!

[Thomas Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as the first - I think due to the widening of the perspective, with more of the war focus, whereas for me the really interesting bits were about how the interconnected societies worked, how the non-connected ones worked, and the more subtle things about their advantages and disadvantages. This one has more high-drama and a grander scale, and for me it just wasn't as engaging - I think the whole character-has-family-on-the-dark-side parent/child drama is a bit over-done in sci-fi, personally. But I do want to read the final part of the trilogy, definitely.