CHAWLGIRL RISING

Survivors in the 22nd century rebel against totalitarian leaders in Young’s SF novel.

By 2118, a war-ravaged Earth has dwindling resources. Lucas Seraph, a control officer for the governing Hegemony, helps relocate citizens to other cities when fuel or water run low. But in India, his superior enlists him to assassinate “rogue implants.” These implants are people with modified minds linked to the Hegemony; evidently, some rebel by fighting to end the government’s relocations. Meanwhile, many believe that Shakti, a local Indian woman, is “the gods’ avatar” since she can heal herself and others. She hears voices incessantly tell her that she’s “meant for other things.” It isn’t long before Lucas suspects the Hegemony is covertly hunting this woman. As Lucas searches for details on Shakti, he realizes she’s connected to his father, who died from cancer almost three decades earlier. Lucas, knowing his boss is brewing a diabolical plan, may soon join the rebellion. Evading an enemy as powerful as the Hegemony isn’t easy, but Lucas gathers allies, from his best friend to Shakti’s family. Young’s bleak tale rarely lets up. Lucas, for one, who undergoes implantation for his assignment, suffers unrelenting headaches, and he rarely sees his wife of 19 years. Lack of humor or lighter moments makes the story even harsher. The trade-off, however, is an exhilarating sense of dread; the villainous Hegemony seems inescapable. There’s urgency as well—the planet and key characters may be dying. Young’s spirited prose suits the mood: “Here...sleepers lay with the quiet elegance of a rock garden, and as the blue cloud of his breath rose upward among catwalks and disappeared he found their stillness just as soothing.” The final prolonged act spawns a satisfying resolution.

A somber, fascinating dystopian tale.