UNDERCITY: REBELLION by SC Jensen is a post-apocalypse dystopian adventure novel that I absolutely loved. Anyone who knows what I write is aware that I am a huge post-apocalypse fan and I absolutely love when weird new civilizations emerge out of the wasteland. I’m also a fan of SC Jensen with her Bubbles in Paradise books that are goofy cyberpunk adventures. So, I was all set to read this one and just didn’t get around to actually enjoying it until this week. Yeah, my TBR is huge and that sunk me from my efforts to get around to it for almost a year. Now I’m kicking myself for letting it get so long.
The premise is that society has been destroyed by war in the distant future. Out of the ashes of this apocalypse has emerged a new civilization divided into two separate parts: the top dwelling Elysian Empire and the bottom-dwelling City. The Elysians still have access to advanced technology ranging from genetically engineered supersoldiers to immortality while the City only has a few districts where electricity is available. It is a distinctly uneven relationship with the Elysians also frequently buying unwanted (or wanted) children as slaves.
One of the City’s scavengers, Ghost, has a worse life than most citizens because her younger sister, Lyca, has been missing for over a decade. Ghost vainly (?) hopes she’s still alive somewhere and that her searches will ease the guilt she has for not protecting her. It is after one of her last leads dries up that Ghost encounters the mysterious Lynch, a man who claims that not only is her sister alive but that he can lead her to her. Unfortunately, this comes with the strings attached that Lynch is a well-known anti-Elysian terrorist and wants Ghost’s help in organizing another attack on the upper levels.
What follows is an interesting variation on a caper story and a revolutionary story in one. Ghost must use her contacts with the city’s underworld to assemble a group willing to suicidally throw themselves at the overwhelming power of the Elysian Empire while also deal with the fact that most of them have severe issues with Ghost herself. Ghost also has an attraction Lynch but this would mean betraying her relationship with her existing girlfriend, Mirelle. Ghost is not the only LGBTAQ character in the book but I like how it’s just not a big deal in the City.
As antagonists, I had a few issues with the Ursaal. He’s basically a Baron Harkonnen-esque monster with no redeeming qualities whatsoever that affects my enjoyment of the story. In post-apocalypse stories, I generally prefer more moral ambiguity. The Time Keepers, of which the series is named, are much more interesting on that level. Are they good, bad, or a mixture of both? They’re supporting Lynch’s war but definitely put off an incredibly shady vibe. Certainly, they’re extremely ruthless and that is something I hope to see more of in future installments.
In conclusion, Undercity: Rebellion is a fantastic novel that I really enjoyed. The world building was well-done and evocative. I really felt like I understood both the Elysian Empire portions of the setting as well as how the City functions. I like the characters, especially Ghost, and I hope to see a lot more of these in the future.
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