SF/FANTASY/HORROR
Titan’s Tears
Chad Lester
423p, te-book, $9.99, ISBN 979-8-9896121-2-3
Set before and after a singularity that, at first, no one cares about or even much notice, this captivating science fiction novel from
Lester (author of the story collection Continum) offers a surprising and resonant story of technological advancements, the bonds of family, born and found, and most urgently the ways tech and power can change humanity. Belle is a young woman stuck in her small Alaska hometown until she receives a life-changing job opportunity working for Sophia Eccleston of the world famous tech company, Eccleston Evolution. Upon meeting the 70-year-old woman— who doesn’t “look a day over twenty”—Belle is tasked with being a caregiver to Sophia’s eight-year-old daughter, Juno, who’s hidden away from a world Belle worries soon will be aflame. Meanwhile, Seth Johnson is a hardworking warehouse worker until a life altering accident and machines put him out of work and a devastating tragedy befalls his family after a work accident results in chemicals in his system.
Told through the narratives of Belle, Sophia, and Seth, Titan’s Tears conjures a near-future where miraculous breakthroughs, like deliverybots and cloned mammoths, quickly are regarded as mundane. It builds to a crescendo with climatic tension and a plot line that intricately weaves each character’s lives together, eventually bringing them to Eccleston’s remote island of ancient beasts, bleeding-edge wonders, and literal “murder-machines.” The mysteries and suspense entice, while Lester digs deeper than simple thrills, capturing the textures of life in this future.
Especially provocative: through journal entries, readers learn more about Sophia as she reflects on curing diseases such as Parkinson’s, her heart-breaking relationship with a previous business partner, Lucas, and her vision for a brand new beginning. Lester deftly ties it all together into a layered, eerie puzzle. Fans of ensemble narratives and thoughtful thrillers with truly jolting twists will relish this trio’s journey into a stranger, newer world—and this novel that, as it looks forward, playfully engages with some SF classics of the past.
Cover: A | Design & typography: A | Illustrations: – Editing: A- | Marketing copy: A