First published 1996
Aiah works as a minor bureaucrat in a world where plasm serves as the ultimate energy source. She distributes this precious substance according to strict government quotas, watching as those in power use it to heal wounds, eliminate enemies, and reshape reality itself. The ruling class hoards plasm while ordinary citizens struggle without it. Aiah knows the system crushes people like her, but she has never imagined challenging it. Everything changes when she stumbles upon a massive, untapped plasm reservoir. For the first time, she holds enough power to fight back against the oppressive regime that controls her world. She begins planning a revolution that could free her people from tyranny. But plasm corrupts as easily as it liberates, and wielding such force means risking everything she hopes to protect. Aiah must decide whether overthrowing her government justifies the dangerous path ahead.
Genres: science-fiction, dystopia, political-thriller, activism
Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: power-dynamics, underdog
Setting: Moscow
359 pages · Mass Market Paperback · HarperPrism
Content warnings: violence