Justina Robson, Living Next Door to the God of Love

Living Next Door to the God of Love

In Metropolis on Sankhara what existed yesterday does not exist today as every night the world is remade based on the dreams of those who reside there. For instance in a short period of time, Jalaeka has lived several lives from a prostitute, to a pilgrim, a pirate, a princess and a physics student. Through all his nightly transformations, he believes he deserves better though his dreams speak otherwise. Still he is determined to find a mage or God or something stronger to help him because his creator is coming for him.

Teenage runaway Francine removes her identity chip and flees the emptiness of her AI sub world for Sankhara. Instead she finds a bone castle containing a scientist searching for the seemingly vanished light of the universe by mapping the human mind. Francine and Jalaeka meet are attracted to one another. However, instead of him having been chased by the minion of Unity, she serves as the focus of a war between the Gods that only she can prevent from destroying all who live in Sanhara by displaying love to others especially Jalaeka.

LIVING NEXT DOOR TO THE GOD OF LOVE is not an easy book to read. The changing perspectives mostly between Jalaeka and Francine, but also including others like an intriguing female warrior is difficult to follow and the subject is complex. However, those who prefer a deep science fiction cerebral yet action-packed tale will want to journey to this odd world where change is more than the norm, it is life. With NATURAL HISTORY and now this thrilling tale, Justine Robson has carved out a niche starring her creative realms. Readers will want more works set in the Robson universe where physics does not necessarily repeat each time the experiment is run.

Justina Robson

Bantam, Apr 2006, $13.00

ISBN 0553587420

Harriet Klausner