Cut off from the rest of the world by choice, the city of Ora relies on heavy surveillance of its people and surroundings to maintain order. Anima is one of the extrasensory humans tasked with running the city. Even if it means never leaving the Hub, Anima is content with ĂŚr job, as it offers ĂŚr a direct connection to the Gleaming, a powerful network that spans the globe and connects all things. Then, a mysterious figure named Vessel enters Ora without going through one of the border gates. Se offers Anima the chance to look at ser cabinet of curiosities from around the world in exchange for a memento of ĂŚr own. Instead of turning ser in to the authorities, Anima, who has never seen the world outside Ora, accepts Vesselâs offer. But as ĂŚ learns the story behind each item, Anima realizes that the rest of the world isnât like Ora and begins to doubt ĂŚr role in enforcing the cityâs rules. As events collide, Anima is left with one question that destabilizes everything ae knows: What good is a city if it canât protect its people?
REVIEWS
âBeautiful prose, a complex structure, and well-wrought Asian-influenced worldbuilding... This masterful work positions Lu among the vanguard of contemporary futurism and speculative fiction.â?Publishers Weekly, starred review
âFor those cyberpunks looking for a beautiful fantasy story, this is a truly amazing novella.â?San Francisco Book Review
âLu has crafted an impressive mythos that draws from the traditions and legends of a variety of cultures.â?New Scientist Magazine
âStories within stories, possibilities within impossibilities: In the Watchful City is half-tapestry, half-menagerie, adding up to an intricate, transcendent fantasy.â?Chuck Wendig
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
S. Qiouyi Lu writes and translates between two coasts of the Pacific. Ăr work, including fiction, poetry, and essays, has appeared in several award-winning venues. In the Watchful City is ĂŚr first novella. You can find out more about S. at ĂŚr website or on Twitter.