108
An Eco-Thriller
Active and introspective by turns, 108 is a philosophical thriller that conveys the necessity of a constant pattern of give-and-take with nature.
Science, the politics of environmental justice, and the supernatural collide in Dheepa R. Maturi’s near-future ecological thriller 108.
In San Francisco in 2040, Bayla works at the Environment Wire news agency. A vision reveals to her a forest in peril; her father, long presumed dead, delivers a sinister warning of impending trouble. On the other side of the planet, ZedChem, a formidable corporation headed by billionaire production magnate Krakun, tests a product for slowing topsoil erosion with mixed results.
The more Bayla learns about her family’s past, the more she realizes that ZedChem is a global threat. Though she is consistently vulnerable to self-doubt and the discomfort of shattered illusions, she calls on an ancient force and learns to use her newfound abilities to combat the organization.
Descriptions of Bayla’s circumstances and the modern city she calls home are juxtaposed with detailed images of the past, all of which serve as guideposts that illuminate the beauty of the earth despite its decline. Lush forests teem with life and possibility; haunting displays of decay, including in Bayla’s initial vision, hint at the bleak future that is to come if she is not successful. Likewise, Bayla’s wild appearance postvision and the physical side effects the experience inflicts on her clash with the polished atmosphere of her workplace and her less harried coworkers. Further, Bayla’s acute sensitivity to what occurs both in her visions and in real time as her inner circle becomes more complex results in a growing, palpable tension that’s accentuated by visceral details, as of the contrasting smells of smoke and soil, sharp sounds of innovation, and the buzzing of insects.
Reflecting the balance that Bayla strives for and the story’s foundation in nature, the plot works through action and introspection to convey the necessity of a constant pattern of give-and-take with nature. Likewise, what Bayla discovers about the otherworldly powers at play, her family’s history with ZedChem, and the scientific factors that contributed to the volatile state of the planet are used to highlight differences and commonalities between facts and faith. Bayla exemplifies this in the most obvious way thanks to her ongoing internal debate regarding the power she’s been granted, but the book’s secondary characters also lend their perspectives to the conflicts at hand. Krakun, for example, is skeptical of and derisive toward those who work against his interests; although sometimes diplomatic when the situation calls for it, he is also prone to arrogance when it comes to his products, which he swears “hold the answers and the way forward.”
The plot progresses at a gradual rate, with pieces of the larger puzzle falling into place at a measured, even pace. The timeline is arranged such that sometimes events occur out of order, but in addition to the flashbacks, dreams, and visions, the use of limited omniscient point of view is used to fill in holes and guide the story through harrowing, horrifying developments.
108 is an evocative science fiction novel in which a hesitant heroine embodies the interconnectedness of life on Earth even as she races to preserve it for future generations.
Reviewed by
Katelynn Watkins
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.
