This is another book that came up as a suggestion for a quiet apocalypse with the bonus element of being flashback-driven like my current work in progress. I think it's too risky as a comp title.
Still, I found a lot to admire here. I can't even imagine trying to cram the plot into a brief summary, let alone the standard one- or two-page synopsis required during the book submission process. King Rao, born on a coconut farm in India, eventually moves to America and becomes the most influential tech titan of the twentieth and twenty first centuries.
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| Image via Indianapolis Public Library |
His daughter, Athena, is currently imprisoned, having been accused in his death. Oh, and King Rao has implanted his memories in her mind, using a digital mind-link to do so. The frame story is from Athena's perspective as readers learn about King Rao's modest origins, his move to the United States, his fascination with computers, and his first meeting with the love of his life.
It all leads to his creation of an Apple-like company ("Coconut") so thoroughly dominant in the technological sphere that it essentially becomes a world government. This tech hegemony aims to "free" people but ends up oppressing them instead, leading to the formation of a radical group determined to unshackle themselves from technology altogether. Athena joins this group, and is accused of murdering King Rao. She awaits judgment from an algorithm.
In the background, the Earth is undergoing an environmental crisis from climate change. With King Rao dead, it's clear no one has the willpower to stop it.
Needless to say, Vara packs a lot into this novel thematically. It's a sweeping family saga, a cautionary tale about oligarchs and corporatocracy, a warning about global warming and collective indifference, an examination of the role of technology in culture, and an exploration of the true meaning of freedom.
It is a fascinating read and not something I would normally expect to pull off the shelf. The narrative is a little overstuffed and some readers will experience whiplash from various time jumps and intercutting. Still, I think it's worth reading for the clever prose and excellent worldbuilding.
