In the future the elite live in towering skyscrapers, literal monoliths to the analogy of the gap between the rich and poor of Robin Murarka’s furitistic Rone Isa. Despite this though, the education system is such that engineers can wax poetic with a fervor that gives this old reader hope for our literary future. That is one of the contrasts of Rone Isa, a story that follows the budding new artificial life of Enoya, as she learns about the world of man, guided and as much hindered by Dargaud and his indulgences.
Despite the brevity of my introduction, Robin Murarka’s story is a deep epic – a literary punch and counterpunch that will both challenge your reading comprehension and keep you on the edge of your seat. It is, however, as alluded, an endeavor. Literary Science Fiction doesn’t get as much play as it used to, and I can at times understand why. Rone Isa is no exception, laying out several obstacles to accessibility that would sink a less skilled author. From the intricate (and at times tedious) dialogue-a-vis between creation and creator, to the normal tropes and required background knowledge of the genre, it is not a quick read.
Yet, it is a worthy journey. I found one of the more interesting contrasts to be the obvious erudition of the main protagonists, against his often-crude actions and desires. It is a story that plays out with moving scenes of him reacting to music and his subsequent introspection, to vulgar and (content warning) graphic depictions of sex. This helps set to tone, or perhaps the rhythm of this piece what is somehow both surprising, and in the end predictable.
Rone Isa is an introspective character drama, despite the setting. Robin Murarka weaves complicated sub themes of human nature, against the backdrop of evolution in an imaginary future. In short, this is an excellent book that deserves the time and attention it demands.
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