When anything can be owned, how can we be free
Earth, 2144. Jack is an anti-patent scientist turned drug pirate, traversing the world in a submarine as a pharmaceutical Robin Hood, fabricating cheap scrips for poor people who can’t otherwise afford them. But her latest drug hack has left a trail of lethal overdoses as people become addicted to their work, doing repetitive tasks until they become unsafe or insane.
Hot on her trail, an unlikely pair: Eliasz, a brooding military agent, and his robotic partner, Paladin. As they race to stop information about the sinister origins of Jack’s drug from getting out, they begin to form an uncommonly close bond that neither of them fully understand.
And underlying it all is one fundamental question: Is freedom possible in a culture where everything, even people, can be owned?
A distinct change of pace this week. From the whimsical fantasy of Arm of the Sphinx, we move on to some cutting-edge science fiction. Autonomous by Annalee Newitz is a near future thriller where the world is split down the middle. If you can afford it, your health can easily be managed so you can live longer and avoid a whole host of medical woes. If, however, you are not quite so well off then getting sick is a far more dangerous business. You have little choice, you have to rely on someone like Jack.
The complexity of all the characters is where Newitz’ writing excels. Jack, Paladin and Eliasz are as far from two dimensional as you could get. Each have their motivations picked apart and it adds a welcome layer of depth to the plot.
Jack is driven be a sense of fairness and equality. From her perspective, everyone she meets is deserving of the same basic rights as one another*. Jack sees it as her responsibility to offer the same opportunities to everyone irrespective of their income.
On the face of it Eliasz is just a military contractor who does what he gets paid to do. Underneath all that machismo however there is a man in conflict. When it comes to Eliasz it is definitely more about what he doesn’t say than what he does say. His struggle is internal and his silence really does speak volumes.
It is Paladin who is the most intriguing character of the lot. As the plot unfolds, you discover it is Paladin who is the one on the road to self-discovery. There is a level of introspection and awareness that makes every action and reaction that Paladin displays far more emotive than expected. Paladin has a single biological component, and the burning question becomes is Paladin a robot, a human in a robot’s body or something else entirely?
I think there is an underlying sadness to each of the characters that makes the story so memorable. Eliasz is trapped in a role he no longer wants to be part of. Jack is driven to do what is morally right, irrespective of the personal cost, and Paladin just wants to understand the world.
Aside from all the excellent characterisation, the plot focuses on the political and humanitarian cost of human survival. Universal healthcare is a topic near and dear to my heart (well technically my brain but let’s not split hairs). Autonomous is a rare beast, it brings together a whole host of ideas that all fit together so seamlessly. I have to admit I was a little in awe. I’m a sucker for fiction that forces the reader to engage their grey matter. Not only does Newitz craft a compelling tale, she also raises topics that are going to make you question your own preconceptions and prejudices. Everything from free will and social responsibility, to gender identity and artificial intelligence are touched upon. Though the author has created a work of fiction, many of questions that have been woven into the narrative are as topical as they come.
Annalee Newitz writing shines a direct light on the sorts of issues we need to be talking about as a society. We may still be very much in the infancy of medical technological developments, but it is only a matter of time before this level of scientific know-how becomes the norm. I’ve read articles recently about bio-hacking and body mods that are already happening right now. Before we can embrace it fully we need to understand how science and technology are going to shape the future of the human race.
Autonomous is a wonderful, thought provoking read that manages the trickiest of tasks, it entertains and informs in equal measure. I loved the characters, was hooked by the plot and found myself still pondering some of the ideas the author explores days after I finished the book.
Near future science fiction requires a suitably near future soundtrack. I went with Deus Ex: Mankind Divided by Michael McGann, Sascha Dikiciyan and Ed Harrison. It feels like a good fit. If, like me, you enjoy some tunes with your reading then I would suggest giving this a try.
Autonomous is published by Orbit and is available now. Highly recommended.
*I agree entirely with this sentiment. I’m fortunate I come from a country where free healthcare is provided for all. As it should be.
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