This fast-paced, intergalactic novel takes readers on a thrilling journey from planet to planet as siblings Cade and Claire attempt to find their long-lost father. Cade and Claire’s adventure takes place in a future where wormhole travel is possible, and humans are programmed with wetware. The wetware has transformed human existence. Wounds heal almost instantly, and death develops a new meaning. When Cade and Claire’s mission changes drastically and finds them surviving with The Realm’s convicted criminals, the meaning of their existence—and the personal privacy their interconnected world violates—becomes even more relevant to them. A life drastically different from their original one unfolds, and both Cade and Claire wonder if a sanctuary, known as Tēleos, actually exists or if it is a myth.

This novel holds a powerful message about class and social status and how wealth and poverty, even in the future, determine one’s accessibility to basic human rights. The novel also poses introspective ideas about the role of technology in humanity’s future, which makes it relatable, especially as the incorporation of AI poses more and more controversy in certain fields. Cade and Claire’s experiences are eye-opening and thought-provoking, and they challenge readers to think about economic and social accessibility in modern society despite the novel’s fictional, intergalactic setting. Nonetheless, that setting is integral to Cade and Claire’s journey. Their journey is both physical and philosophical, and as they grow as individuals, their encounters draw into focus the careful balance between individual rights and collective expectations. For readers who appreciate thoughtful science fiction laced with action and philosophy, this book is a must-read.

RECOMMENDED by the US Review

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