Sleeping Worlds Have No Memory by Yaroslav BarsukovMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Back Cover Blurb:
Refusing the queen’s order to gas a crowd of protesters, Minister Shea Ashcroft is banished to the border to oversee construction of the biggest defensive tower in history. However, the use of advanced technology taken from refugees makes the tower volatile and dangerous, becoming a threat to local interests. Shea has no choice but to fight the local hierarchy to ensure the construction succeeds—and to reclaim his own life.
Surviving an assassination attempt, Shea confronts his inner demons, encounters an ancient legend, and discovers a portal to a dead world—all the while struggling to stay true to his own principles and maintain his sanity. Fighting memories and hallucinations, he starts to question everything...
Sleeping Worlds Have No Memory is a thought-provoking meditation on the fragility of the human condition, our beliefs, the manipulation of propaganda for political gains, and our ability to distinguish the real from the unreal and willingness to accept convenient “truths.” The novel is a compelling exploration of memory, its fragile nature, and its profound impact on our perception of identity, relationships, and facts themselves.
A unique blend of science fiction, fantasy and noir, with zeitgeist and prophetic qualities (the original novella anticipated the Russo-Ukrainian War), this is a must for fans of China Miéville’s Bas-Lag series, Ted Chiang’s Tower of Babylon, and Robert Silverberg’s Tower of Glass.
Review:
Sleeping Worlds Have No Memory is a book that defies description. Readers looking for non-conventional Speculative Fiction should look no further as you have everything you want right here. Part Fantasy, part sci-fi, part China Mieville-esque political message, there's simply no way to pin this story down into one box. It's also told in a very unique way as pieces of the story jump back and forth, finally coming together at the end to reward your hard work and patience as the reader.
I had a great time with this one as I love books that don't spell everything out for you. I know some readers need everything explained but for me it's always fun to be slightly confused for a bit while also realizing that there will at some point be a light bulb moment where the payoff makes it all worth it. Barsukov does an excellent job with his vivid worldbuilding and that's where I felt the book really excelled. The tight writing and the wondrous descriptions were what kept me turning the pages and ultimately feeling slightly disappointed that there wasn't more.
Another aspect that carried the narrative was the political turmoil that existed and how that led to some truly jarring and exciting moments. The tug of war made this a very suspenseful reading experience and I have to say that it made the story fly by in a blink. I can't wait to read more from Barsukov as this book hit all of the right chords that I usually enjoy in an engaging fantasy. For now I will just savor this one and feel glad that I got to take the journey.
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