Electric Titan
Electric Titan is an intriguing science fiction novel in which a powerful girl chooses hope over despair in order to protect her planet.
In C. R. Reardon’s spiritual science fiction novel Electric Titan, a disabled teenager sets out to save her planet from destruction.
In the distant future, humans have colonized other planets, and diseases and other health issues have been almost eradicated. The future seems prosperous for all. But Rosa, a teenage resident of Civigem on Titan, is left unable to walk after a surgical complication; she uses a hover chair instead. The sole disabled occupant of the colony, she battles depression and a develops a sour perspective toward others, feeling coddled by their empathy and short-changed by bad luck.
Circumstances take a darker turn with news that Civigem is in the direct path of an approaching meteor. All hope is not lost: Rosa discovers that she has magical abilities that could save her colony from destruction. She finds comfort in her belief system and her budding abilities to move objects at will, receiving guidance from deities and advancing her knowledge by way of astral travel through her thoughts and dreams. Her romantic interest in a classmate, Cordelia, adds another layer of motivation, spurring her to join Civigem’s top scientists to find a way to stop the meteor in a short time frame.
Focusing on Rosa’s altered life path and her newfound responsibility to save her colony, this character-driven novel is narrated via flashbacks showcasing Rosa’s past passions, including for sports and Wicca. She chose to leave a past romantic relationship behind, and her cold, unemotional mother was additional hurdle. At one point, she attempted suicide. Her efforts to navigate her disabilities are complemented by the dangers of the approaching meteor, pushing her to live in the moment while she’s able to. At the same time, others check in with their loved ones and use the approaching meteor as an excuse to party.
Dome-protected Civigem is an intriguing but undeveloped setting, with passing references made to robotic companion animals and animacs, human-android lifeforms including Rosa’s mother; beyond these details, the particulars are hazy. Instead, Rosa’s experiences at school, with astral travel, and on dates with Cordelia take precedent, limiting the novel’s scope. Further, she spends so much time worrying that others are looking down on her that her own development is stunted. Interest reignites when Rosa focuses on practicing and understanding her powers, though the advice that she receives from deities and dreams is vague from the outside. The book’s end strains credulity as a result of such haziness.
In the hope-filled science fiction novel Electric Titan, an injured girl learns the importance of making the most of her time and circumstances.
Reviewed by
Brandon Pawlicki
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