CONJUNCTION

A social scientist outlines how people can change their selfish ways and heal humanity in this debut philosophical SF novel.

In 2610, humanity must decide whether or not to colonize planets beyond the Milky Way galaxy. At the United Council headquarters, Earth’s leaders are discussing the subject when a sudden explosion occurs. While extremist groups are suspected, like the “God Created Us fundamentalists,” the focus remains on the survivors. April Iridan ends up in a coma. When she wakes, her husband, Erin Amodan, is by her side. Erin is a social scientist and influential thinker in the field of neuroscience. He tells April that they “wouldn’t see each other for a long time” and then exits her life. Now, in 2625, Erin’s niece, Kate, is at Stanford University studying psychology. She’s determined to learn where her uncle vanished to years ago. Along the way, she delves into “The Book,” a work by Erin that proposes “thought communication” could create a fully sincere society. Later, when Erin reappears in Kate’s life, he advocates for a “centralized intelligent system” to govern humanity and eliminate ills like inequality and poverty. A glimpse at the year 3200 reveals that humanity is on the verge of contact with aliens, who may or may not enhance Erin’s now legendary mission. Zoltan and Nagy’s SF epic is reminiscent of the episodic structure and philosophical underpinnings of Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series. With eyes on society’s potential collapse, the authors conjure a lush example of resilience on the planet Füzen. The blue-skinned Füzeni possess great mental powers and utilize the “éta sphere,” a mental realm where nearly anything is possible. Certain characters are connected as the narrative jumps in time and space, but ideas like immortality and education stand in for engaging protagonists. Casual SF fans may be put off by the extensive worldbuilding and minimal drama in this series opener. Despite their passionate pleas, the authors’ lengthy discussions of sociology sound didactic, as in the line “Bias is not at all a sign of intelligence.” A story with a traditional plot, dialogue, and character arcs would have presented the ideas more naturally.

An evocative futuristic tale espousing high morals—though it may lose fans of linear storytelling.