<
https://katherinephelps.com/2023/06/review-mindtouch-the-dreamhealers-1-mca-hogarth/>
"I am a great fan of storytelling that inspires us to create a healthy and
humane future. These sorts of stories can come from many different genres.
Right now I am focussing on #solarpunk, #hopepunk, and #cosycore. Also, I am
adding my own literary genre #funkyfi. This is fiction to do with functional
behaviour in basically functional worlds. Utopia can set unrealistic
expectations. Good things and bad things will continue to happen for as long as
we exist, but if we all learn how to behave in a functional manner, we are more
likely to sort things out.
Mindtouch is about a future where animals and even some humans are the result
of genetic engineering. The sapient animals were created to perform dangerous
tasks for humans, and at some point in the past left Earth in order to find
freedom. As such they chose to colonise distant solar systems. One set of
humans, the Eldritch, were developed to live long lives. Despite the long
lives, they are not reproducing sufficiently to preserve their species.
The story itself is about the friendship that develops between a “Pelted”
person and an Eldritch person when they become roommates at a medical
university. Part of this relationship is also shared with a group of child
patients who are terminally ill.
We do get a certain amount of futuristic technology, but it’s not clear if this
is particularly appropriate technology, ie solar-powered. However, we do have
alien peoples who have learned from human mistakes. We also discover the
wisdoms of their various cultures, as well as some of their weaknesses.
Ultimately, this story is about how these peoples uniquely and well sort out
their various emotional challenges through introspection, friendship, and
kindness.
Hogarth writes in an intelligent manner with enough twists and turns in the
plot to keep things interesting.
Mindtouch is not high literature, but it is
exceptionally competant, and quite an achievement for someone without the help
of a professional editor. We can all use professional editors for long projects
like this! I felt uplifted by it, and have ordered the second book in the
duology in order to find out what happens to the characters. This has all the
charm of a Becky Chambers book. I can recommend it!"
Share and enjoy,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
