THE INVASION OF MRRALDA

In Leighton’s SF novel, an ancient prophecy comes to pass when a man from Earth arrives on Mrralda and teams up with a local woman to save the planet from malevolent forces.

In the far future, the planet Mrralda is thriving. The inhabitants—evolved from felines rather than from primates—prioritize sustainability and provide everyone with healthcare and other necessities. However, Mrraldan culture struggles with systemic misogyny and racism. Dr. Eoni Sant, a brilliant linguist and software engineer, has firsthand experience with Mrraldan sexism. She’s just invented a universal translator, but instead of being met with support, her boss makes her take a sabbatical from her job at a local university. Meanwhile, Earth has devolved into an ultra-capitalist dystopia in the year 2204. Temperatures climb to 130 degrees Fahrenheit, the government has outlawed eco-friendly vehicles, and corporations routinely indenture those who fall into debt. Lee Marris, a bankrupt former special ops leader and software engineer, boards a one-way shuttle to Mars to be permanently indentured in the mining industry. After first having an encounter in a spiritual realm in a dream, Eoni and Lee meet in person when Lee’s shuttle instead lands on Mrralda. A romance blossoms as Eoni helps Lee integrate into Mrraldan society. However, the pair learn that clandestine forces are working to topple Mrralda’s democratic society—and that they’re the central figures in an ancient prophesy. Over the course of the story, Leighton shows a palpable enthusiasm for SF and fantasy, and showcases progressive values throughout the narrative. Readers may also find it refreshing that the female characters don’t have romantic interests as their primary focus. However, the book falls flat due to constant information dumping and a frequent lack of character development. The overly expositional dialogue doesn’t help, as when Eoni has a lengthy discussion about the Mrraldan economic system, nor does the fact that main characters too easily overcome every challenge they face.

An energetic but awkwardly executed SF tale.