WELCOME TO THE FREE WORLD
by Lloyd Raleigh
In Raleigh’s debut novel set in the future, climate change and advanced technology transform what it means to be human.
As part of group known as Scalpels, Will Robin is one of the few people willing to break the law and go against the Cirrus corporation and help people who wish to be free of their Aurora implants—artificial intelligence microchips that are seamlessly integrated into every aspect of their human carriers’ senses and emotions. Ostensibly, the implants are supposed to help them live peaceful lives, but Will and his fellow Scalpels feel that such peace comes at the cost of freedom. When Will’s father, also a Scalpel, is killed and other comrades go missing, Will knows it’s a matter of time before they get to him. When they do, he finds that the Aurora implant is everything he feared, tapping into his every thought, every dream—and every nightmare. Will manages to flee to the remote paradise of Firefly Cove, where other members of his family live, but the world around him descends into chaos. When water becomes scarce, it sparks riots and a massive refugee problem. In a parallel narrative, Martin and Jade are a couple who happened to fall in love at the wrong time, and their journey from lovebirds to criminals to refugees puts them on a collision course with Will and those he loves. Raleigh’s smart apocalyptic novel delves into a credible near future in which climate change and AI reshape the world and call the very essence of humanity into question. The fast-paced narrative primarily follows Will, Martin, and Jade, all of whom constantly interrogate aspects of the world around them that others take for granted. One of its most intriguing themes examines the conundrum of the Aurora implant: Is it actually a limit on personal freedom, or “could the Aurora enhance human evolution and consciousness”? Will’s viewpoint is full of engaging philosophical musings; they sometimes veer into navel-gazing territory, but they consistently serve the overall story.
A thought-provoking and plausible speculative tale.