Hey Bookworms, what have you been reading lately? I recently finished Lost Ark Dreaming and since its release is around the corner, now’s the perfect time to share my thoughts!
Thanks to Netgalley and Tor Publishing Group for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Author: Suyi Davies Okungbowa
Genre(s): Science Fiction, Dystopia, Afrofuturism
Publisher: Tordotcom Publishing
Format Read: E-book, ARC
Pub Date: May 21, 2024
Standalone
Cover Artist: Raphael Lacoste
Synopsis
Centuries after the rise of the Atlantic Ocean, all that’s left of the old city of Lagos is a few half-submerged, kilometres-high towers. The survivors have created a socially stratified way of life where those at the top of the towers rule, while the rest are shoved into the dangerous underwater floors. We follow three different people who, through circumstances, are forced to work together for a better future. Yekini, a mid-level analyst; Tuoyo, an undersea mechanic riddled by grief; and Ngozi, a self-centred bureaucrat from the highest floors.
Pace: Fast, Mix of Character-and- Plot-driven
Tone: Suspenseful, Thought-provoking
Firstly, this eco-sci-fi dystopian story surprised me by also having a thriller component. I went into this book assuming it was slow and meditative, but thankfully I was wrong because my attention never wavered. I picked this up because it’s being compared to The Deep by Rivers Solomon, which I read earlier this year and loved (see my review here)! The author himself specifically claims The Deep as an influence and it shows through. I also see little bits of Howey’s Silo series—a population living in a tower divided by class depending on which floors they live on. Regardless of the tropes or inspirations, Lost Ark Dreaming is a compelling story in its own right.
The book has short chapters and alternates POVs between our three protagonists, with interludes sprinkled throughout. The interludes contain excerpts from archives, intelligence reports, and such which help to provide some in-world historical context to the events unfolding in the present. Sometimes those sections are philosophical musings or communications of bone-deep knowledge that feel like prayers which I found difficult to parse but integral to the lore and culture of this world. The writing style felt to me at times matter-of-fact and at others poetic, which kept me turning the pages at a quick pace.
“This, friend, is the way the world always ends, has always ended since we have watched it together: with those who Have choosing demise—always demise—for everything but themselves.”
Regarding the three protagonists, I found their actions believable within the context of their respective personalities. Although each character played a crucial role in the story’s progression, some of them showed more growth than others. While at the end all three characters felt self-actualized, to me, Yekini carried the emotional weight of the story. Ngozi’s arc was one of more obvious growth but I didn’t connect as much with it, and even though I found Tuoyo more likeable, it also felt like she was relegated to the background (which is a bummer).
Overall, I felt like this novella was a satisfying blend of pacey adventure and thought-provoking ideas—Which, by the way, is my favourite type of sci-fi! Above all, it’s a story about the negative effects of capitalism and colonialism on the environment. I loved the way the book called out greedy corporations for messing with ecosystems they know nothing about because that’s something we’ve been seeing more and more in real life. Something else I appreciated, surprisingly, is the open-ended ending; there are mysteries left unexplained but the reader is left with an understanding that not everything has to be! The book concludes on a powerful yet optimistic note, encouraging readers to imagine potential futures for both the book and themselves.
Final Thoughts on Lost Ark Dreaming & Rating
Lastly, I want to mention a small bone to pick with the blurb of this book: I feel like it gives too much information away. The blurb is a disservice to the careful way the book presents information to readers. It’s not the book’s fault but rather a fault of the marketing which negatively affected the intrigue and emotional impact of the book for me.
| CAWPILE | Rating (0-10) |
|---|---|
| Characters | 7 |
| Atmosphere | 7 |
| Writing Style | 8 |
| Plot | 8 |
| Intrigue | 9 |
| Logic | 9 |
| Enjoyment | 9 |
Representation
Black, Lesbian
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mass Murder, Violence, Confinement
Moderate: Grief, Classicism, Xenophobia, Slavery
Minor (Mention): Climate Disaster
Let’s chat in the comments!
How do you feel about book blurbs? Or are there any eco-sci-fi books that you love?
Your description of this makes me think of the cities in Metatropolis — it’s also eco-SF or ‘cli-fi’ (a term I saw just yesterday!). Metatropolis took the interesting approach of having several SF authors write different stories set in the same universe — where environmental factors had caused the effective collapse of civilization, aside from now independent cities trying to adjust. Lots of interesting social development! This one sounds interesting and varied; I’ll have to take a look for it! My review is here if you are interested.
Hi Stephen, that sounds fascinating and yes I’ll read your review! I am always looking for more “cli-fi” or any sci-fi that deals with topics of the environment. I like the idea of having multiple authors contribute stories to a world because that’s how worlds develop, with the voices of many people!
Yes, and there was an nice mix of shared themes and unusual storytelling as well. By the way, I just checked out Booksirens . I used to use NetGalley but they were overly fond of epubs ..
Oh, great okay I hope you like BookSirens better then! I actually use both but I find they have different selections and the wait time to get approved is way less for BookSirens which is nice 🙂