Valentine Weis is a salvager in the future wastelands of Utah. Wrestling with body dysphoria, he dreams of earning enough money to afford citizenship in Salt Lake City – a utopia where the testosterone and surgery he needs to transition is free, the food is plentiful, and folk are much less likely to be shot full of arrows by salt pirates. But earning that kind of money is a pipe dream, until he meets the exceptionally handsome Osric.
Once a powerful AI in Salt Lake City, Osric has been forced into an android body against his will and sent into the wasteland to offer Valentine a job on behalf of his new employer – an escort service seeking to retrieve their stolen androids. The reward is a visa into the city, and a chance at the life Valentine’s always dreamed of. But as they attempt to recover the “merchandise”, they encounter a problem: the android ladies are becoming self-aware, and have no interest in returning to their old lives.
The prize is tempting, but carrying out the job would go against everything Valentine stands for, and would threaten the fragile found family that’s kept him alive so far. He’ll need to decide whether to risk his own dream in order to give the AI a chance to live theirs.
File Under: Science Fiction [ Finding Your Way | Everybody Hurts | Body Bound | City Dreams ]
Publisher: Watkins Media Limited
ISBN: 9781915202239
Number of pages: 312
Dimensions: 216 x 135 mm
“Full of adventure, charm, and deeply human insights, the world in Hess’s World Running Down is an apocalypse you won’t want to leave.”
“A piercing mix of relevant social commentary braided into a riveting scifi adventure."
"Books, like Hess's characters, still dare to love"
"A rousing and touching read."
"It poured warmth and light into my chest"
"playful and lovingly crafted romp."
"A profoundly charming, funny, romantic, and endearing read."
"wildly fun trans sci-fi adventure"
"World Running Down is a Valentine’s Day release in the vein of Becky Chambers’ cozy, progressive science fiction."
"I'm still buzzing with excitement."
"Engaging prose and compelling dialogue make this novel an easy read"
"should please those looking for a diverting and fun queer-sf read."
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