ECHO NOVA

Reality TV stars battle corporate exploitation in this science-fiction time travel adventure.

Dashiell Keane wants to be a timestar. In the Dregs where he lives, people lack opportunities to lead fulfilling lives, but timestar celebrities get paid to travel to the past where they take part in dangerous, heroic adventures broadcast for all to watch on timenet channels. Dash’s best friend, Garon, a talented videographer, takes footage of Dash illegally racing on rooftops. This pursuit eventually leads recruiter Mr. Myrtrym to offer Dash a timestar job with the Dominus Corporation. Dash, who presents white, accepts despite his parents’ and brother’s warnings. Knox has mobility issues and Myrtrym promises Dash the opportunity to earn enough to access cutting-edge medical treatments for him. However, Dash comes to realize that Myrtrym’s promises are empty—and that his own violent interactions with humans in the past are ethical violations. Myrtrym, who refers to these people from history as “echoes” and has no compassion for them, keeps tempting Dash with promises of a lucrative contract. The story balances Dash’s action-packed timestar training and epic battles for survival with his growing awareness of his corporate sponsor’s intentions while simultaneously critiquing reality shows and their stars’ obsession with fame. The worldbuilding is memorable, and the story explores ethical questions, such as the exploitation of natural resources from the past to combat climate change in a wasteful future.

An exciting yet thoughtful critique of self-absorbed materialism and corporate greed.