The city of Eadonberg rests at the edge of a precipice as a tide of vengeance rises from within.
Amidst suspicions of Orwellian double-speak and doctored evidence, and driven by a knowing he cannot explain, Keeto leaves the cocoon of the archives to face the adventurer he aspires to be. If only his impatient twin sister, Elize, were able to slow the whispers in her mind from feeding the voices in her head, as their chatter tests her highland upbringing with each argumentative intrusion, time would surely bend in her favor. But the search continues … and they are still looking.
In this episode, the role of first narrator falls to Nepharisse, the soft-spoken sapphire-eyed redhead whose quiet dealings play to misguided expectations. No human can resist the sparkles that dance on the wings of her words, while she glides through time by the grace of her kind.
The murders resurface. They spread to an unsettling new set of young victims, and, once again, the twins and their poke-happy dweeb-of-a-genius co-conspirator, Zafarian, are sleuthing. This time, however, they venture outside their bio-walled haven to uncover something much more personal.
Nepharisse also has a few choice words about the shocking developments, as she gathers some facts of her own. Even as she questions her own value, she aspires to more than current constraints would impose upon her. But that is not her place.
As new alliances are revealed, still others are suspected. A degenerative virus fuels distrust between cultures as the twins discover they aren’t the only ones being hunted. While the government intensifies its secret campaign against the Gadlin underground with allegations of biological terrorism, Zafarian, the twins’ half-Gadlin friend, questions his own loyalties. Could the Unification broadcasts be true?
Humanity trades freedom for fear. Control passes to the very entities Keeto has vowed to hide Elize from, the ones who had caged their mother — the Global Health Unit.
What price would you pay for safety?
A conspiracy is indeed growing, but by whom and towards whom may surprise you.
Assessment:
Plot: The narrative is split across three perspectives, each styled differently. The perspectives relate to the plot in different ways, justifying the use of the multiple perspectives and adding to the tension and occasional dramatic irony. The primary plotline is entertaining, suspenseful, and cerebral. The conclusion is satisfying, while also leaving unresolved elements for a subsequent installment.
Prose: The writing is strong, though occasionally verbose, particularly in Nepharisse’s sections. Dialogue flows naturally, and the different sections of narrative are consistent in their respective styles. Elize’s first-person stream of consciousness can occasionally feel a bit hectic or stumbling in its execution, though this does aid in her characterization.
Originality: The premise is robust and fleshed out satisfactorily. As the best science fiction ought to, the narrative speculates on the consequences of real-world issues, primarily environmental damage wrought by human society. The characters and scenarios are original, distinct, and relatable.
Character Development: The three protagonists are distinct and interesting, and their characterizations are complimented and enhanced by the stylistic choices of their narration. This skillful combining of structure with expositional characterization results in complex and dynamic characterizations that many authors would envy.
Blurb: The right sci-fi blend: speculative, profound, relevant, and fun.
Date Submitted: August 27, 2018
Nemecene: The Gadlin Conspiracy (Episode 2 in the Nemecene series)
In the second installment of Lefave’s (The Epoch of Redress, 2017) sci-fi series, twins try to prevent the extermination of a people blamed for child abductions and a viral epidemic.
It’s been a year since Gadlin siblings Elize and Keeto took refuge at Schrödinger University as a student and employee, respectively. They had feared that their father would send Elize away because she had symptoms that were similar to their institutionalized mother’s. Those symptoms disappeared for a while, but Elize recently began hearing voices again and suffering memory lapses. Now the city of Eadonberg is plagued by a virus and a rash of child kidnappings, and the Unification government’s oppressive Ministry holds the Gadlin race accountable for both. The twins respond by joining their half-Gadlin pal Stitch’s underground network to spy on the Ministry. Later, Stitch’s Gadlin mentor Odwin mysteriously disappears. An enigmatic woman named Nepharisse also dabbles in espionage; as a member of Global Health Unit’s catering staff, she gets close to Sothese, the personal adviser to the Pramam, who heads the Unification. Nepharisse, who has a unique method of killing (when necessary), believes that the twins are “chosen ones,” and she wants the same thing that they do: to stop the Pramam from committing genocide. Reading Lefave’s preceding novel isn’t mandatory before reading this one, but it does enhance the experience; for example, the references to Caroline, an essential character in the earlier story, will become much more meaningful. There’s a plethora of strange happenings in this installment, such as the fact that a curious red-granite rock, which Elize retrieved from a murder victim, keeps turning up in her pocket. Some questions also linger from the first volume, particularly regarding the twins’ mysterious father, who has ties to the Pramam. Lefave’s prose remains strong; one particular highlight is when Elize peruses Keeto’s journal, skipping the boring parts and adding her own commentary.
An elaborate, futuristic tale that will draw in new readers with its keen characterization.
