Imber
A group with telepathic connections to animals fights a plot that endangers their world in the gripping postapocalyptic novel Imber.
Deborah Mistina’s absorbing science fiction novel Imber is set in a postapocalyptic future, with the earth devastated by environmental disasters and earthquakes.
Most survivors live underground in the mountain city of Apricus, while others remain on small patches of livable land above ground in Fulminara. Many cultures disappeared, and those that survive are suppressed by strict language laws and enforced agnosticism. In this setting, Violet and three strangers are drawn together by mysterious empathic connections with animals. As their friendship deepens, they discover a secret government project that could destroy Earth for good. Forced to flee from the Security Bureau, they work to save their world and its remaining animals via quiet acts of resistance that set them apart from the dominant culture.
The story is set against the backdrop of the Elbrus Armistice, a worldwide agreement that dismantled all weapons and turned the military into a humanitarian force. Apricus’s motto, “Onward,” is carved into buildings and shapes its culture; people prefer to forget the past and focus on progress, though some—including Jack, who is haunted by loss, and Emily, who spends her life trying to recover and save what the world has left behind—have trouble looking forward.
The worldbuilding is also built on clear contrasts: Underground Apricus is controlled, gray, and full of political tension, leading to instances of danger and suspense as people are drawn into complex situations. In contrast, Fulminara is wild and sensual, and in its spaces, people have a chance to grow and change. This is reflected in the vivid language that captures the beauty of nature and highlights each person’s strong connection to it, as with
His breath condensed in the frosty air, reminiscent of winters of yore when regions of the world experienced distinct seasons. Violet, he decided, was winter starlight. She was not the powdered sugar twinkle of summer. No, his love was the breath-stealing, clarion sheen of midwinter.
People’s complicated relationships also drive the story forward, as each person, and their particular telepathic power, is shaped by their unique view of the world. Violet relies on science and her love for the land, though her strict sense of right and wrong makes her feel idealized at times; Jack is influenced by tradition and loss; Emily is driven by history; and Mason is influenced by data and loneliness. This variety is edifying.
Moving with speed toward a surprising climax in which the the details surrounding animal telepathy and the people’s fates remain unresolved, the book closes with a piquing suggestion that there are more stories to be told in this world.
In the rich science fiction novel Imber, four strangers bound by a rare connection race to stop a secret government project from destroying what little remains of Earth.
Reviewed by
Corinna Underwood
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
