THEY COULD BE SAVIORS

In Colleen’s novel, five of the world’s wealthiest men are kidnapped and tasked with solving climate change.

Josh Latham is the CEO of Omnicia, “the largest corporation on Earth.” He is greed personified and almost cartoonishly evil in his disregard for probity in favor of amassing endless wealth: “Integrity was a commodity, and he’d sold his many times.” On the precipice of an important meeting, Josh—along with fellow billionaires and corporate honchos William, Matt, Joel, and Mykle—is abducted and later wakes in a remote, high-tech facility in Saskatchewan. This facility, created by mysterious bosses known only as “the founders,” is staffed by an all-female team: Mel is the orchestrator of the abduction, and Thalia, Monica, and Cath serve as therapy guides for the captives. The goal of the operation is to use therapeutic techniques, including meditation, yoga, and psychedelic drugs, to expand the captives’ consciousnesses and ultimately use their combined intellect and resources to save the planet. As Mel says to Josh, “Humans are the only animals who hoard wealth while others die; we think that’s an illness.” The men’s reactions to their confinement vary, from Josh’s obstinacy to Matt’s deep depression; however, they inevitably submit to the program, if only in the hope of returning home. Meanwhile, the women face their own personal demons from their respective pasts—most notably Mel, who is an alcoholic still struggling with her late husband’s suicide. Colleen’s story effectively incorporates elements of familial drama and speculative climate fiction. While the narrative is very engaging, the ending is a bit underwhelming; although it seems entirely plausible that a group of self-serving billionaires would deem themselves enlightened after a single ayahuasca ceremony, the novel’s conclusion wraps up too neatly to bear believability. Additionally, too much time is spent on frivolous details (such as Josh’s foray into virtual reality porn), and the ending feels rushed as a result. Still, Colleen’s fresh premise is intriguing.

A unique and compelling exploration of topical issues.