THE PHOENIX EFFECT: PART I: THE REUNITING

A novel in which a nanotechnology-infused, militaristic race attempts to conquer humans.

MacDonald’s SF novel takes place in a vaguely described world (whether it’s Earth is uncertain). Following a sort of global war, humanity has divided into two competing factions. Nanotechnology infusions that were intended as a benevolent upgrade in evolution and survival created the “Unity,” a formidable group for whom the microscopic robots in their blood confer superior speed, acuity, and rapid healing—all of which are assets on the battlefield. The nanites also dampen emotions, and the resulting robotlike conformity has made the Unity a conquest-oriented empire, seizing and assimilating non-nano-humanity’s city-states one by one. Timothy Arin, who now goes only by Arin, is a high-echelon Unity military officer, overseeing the absorption of yet another settlement of unconverted people. An assassin strikes down top Unity occupiers, and Arin recognizes the sniper as Lianna “Lia” McMillan—his childhood sweetheart and first love from the pre-Unity era. Now she’s a leading figure in the resistance. He pursues and captures the resourceful, fierce Lia but can’t bring himself to kill her or turn her over to the rest of Unity. Because the others in his collective will be able to read his memories and uncover the disobedience, Arin has no choice but to immediately go back with Lia to her rebel headquarters beyond the “badlands.” But she has a new relationship (with resistance leader Roland), and earning trust with Lia’s people is complicated by the impossible love triangle developing among the three. Nitpicky readers may wish for greater background on this feudal/medieval/futuristic dystopian culture (“The surprise appearance of the resistance soldiers on motorcycles had delivered its order, corralling all the battling bodies together like livestock to slaughter. Roland swiftly closed in on the fighting and pulled out his sword”). MacDonald’s decision to pare things down to the basics, however, creates an agreeably lean narrative. Though a plot outline might sound like one of the Borg storylines from the Star Trek universe, the novel actually leans closer toward the Camelot legend than Gene Roddenberry.

A semi-Arthurian SF swashbuckler that swaps future tech for Merlin wizardry.