Jus Neuce, Nocturne

Nocturne

Jus Neuce

Aio, September 2005, $14.00

ISBN: 1933083018

Over a hundred and fifty years ago, earth sent ships to the stars seeking habitable planets. They found one in Nocturne, an orb circling a red dwarf star with only one side ever facing its sun. Earth sends colonists there once, but never returns, and over time three societies form, consumer-based Prime, blue collar factory Back and agricultural Kaettegut. They are tied together by the same capital Jefferson and a dependency on trade.

Terrorists blow up a Kaettegut hydroponics unit injuring several members of a visiting Prime inspection team headed by Jenning Crote. Kaettegut's highest ranking official Agricultural Administrator Chauncey Benner leads an investigation to uncover who is behind the attack and why. However, the Jefferson contingency do not trust her or anyone from Kaettegut so they refuse to cooperate. Some of the Kaettegut cabinet see this as an opportunity to break away from the oppressive ties to Nocturne. In Jefferson, three political parties (Expansionists, Resourcists, and Status Quo) vie for power, with different opinions on how to react to the terrorist act, even as those in the Back see this as a chance to demand better working conditions. Everyone agrees nothing will be the same, as fears mount that open warfare is imminent.

This is an interesting but very complex science fiction thriller that showcases the societal differences between the three prime groups that make up Nocturne that has led to decades of distrust. The storyline is built around the official investigation, but in fact is more about how substrata populations, especially those vying for power react to the explosion and the inquires, as everyone has an agenda. This is not easy to read as no one truly carries the plot, but fans of deep thought provoking sci fi will want to take the time, as Jus Neuce writes an insightful look at societal pressures that run the gamut from total reform to total control to status quo.