ARIA (novel)
| Left Luggage, Returning Left Luggage, Lost Luggage | |
| Author | Geoff Nelder |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | science fiction |
| Publisher | LL-Publications |
| Media type | Print, ebook |
Download a book of the serie ARIA (novel) or buy them on amazon
ARIA is a science fiction trilogy published by British author Geoff Nelder. The series is comprised of Left Luggage, Returning Left Luggage, and Lost Luggage. The series is set in the near future and revolves around an alien attempt to infect Earth with ARIA – Alien Retrograde Infectious Amnesia, a fictional disease that can be compared to Ophiocordyceps unilateralis.
Plot summary[edit]
In 2015, a mysterious case found at the orbiting International Space Station is sent to NASA's labs at Edwards Air Force Base, California. Bungled security reveals that it contains an unknown virus inducing infectious retrograde amnesia. Chaotic breakdown of society develops exponentially. Ryder, with inside information from his media-career specializing in space-issues, realizes what's happening and is as exuberant as the astronauts in the awareness that this is Earth’s first alien contact, but he fails to convince the authorities of the seriousness of the problem. He is unaware that Jena, the feisty US astronaut is to meet him and will rip apart his existing love life.
The effects of infectious amnesia are revealed in various scenarios: The first amnesia victim seeing his town fall apart, becomes a criminal to keep his family alive, and despairs as his young daughter loses her ability to read, write and talk. A zookeeper joyfully beds his wife, who forgets they were recently divorced, but his subsequent amnesia makes him forget the medication for the gorillas in his care.
The ISS crew find a second container and return to Earth meeting up with Ryder’s isolated group to plan survival. The two groups gel except when they fight over procedures and relationships.
The aliens do not communicate directly with Earth, only by leaving the cases on the ISS. An object, assumed to be the alien ship, is observed in Saturn's rings. Ryder and the ISS crew speculate that the aliens may have misguided good intentions. Some assume the aliens will be back to occupy the future clean and depopulated planet.
In another plot thread Manuel, Ryder’s friend, is infected. Although he is losing his memory he keeps notes and being in touch with Ryder via his handheld device is able to cope. He hides in a Banff log cabin with a diabetic young woman, running out of insulin.
The astronaut doctor, Antonio, opens the second case isolated in a cave. Nothing happens until a signal from the alien ship activates the case contents. Antonio reappears with extraordinary mental abilities but soon goes berserk. He kills some of Ryder’s group, but after a battle, he’s shot.
The second case contents halts the amnesia's progress to infected people. Ryder’s group risk exposing some local amnesiacs to it, but after the terrible experience with Antonio daren’t expose themselves. Ryder’s group and the astronauts escape in a plane to an uninfected group in the South Seas. The journey is hazardous, but volume one ends with the plane over the Pacific with the survivors, while buoyed with self-deprecating humour, full of uncertainty.
The story continues in Volume two: Returning Left Luggage and Volume three: Lost Luggage.
Reception[edit]
Critical reception has been predominantly positive.[1] Katy O’Down of the British Fantasy Society gave a positive review for Left Luggage, commenting that it was "a great fun, romp of a read."[2] SF Crowsnest gave a mixed review, saying that they felt that placing the events in 2015 was a potentially big flaw, as "It is too close to now, which means that in two years time, the book will become dated, unless Nelder has a means to overcome this. If so, it will have to be very original."[3] At the same time the reviewer also stated that "there is enough that is intriguing for me to want to read [a second volume] if a copy came my way."[3]
Awards[edit]
- Preditors & Editors Award for best science fiction novel through the British Fantasy Society (2013, won)[4]
References[edit]
- ↑ Ball, Maggie. "Book Review: ARIA: Left Luggage by Geoff Nelder". Seattle PI. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
- ↑ O'Dowd, Katy. "Aria: Left Luggage by Geoff Nelder. Book review". BFSA. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Morgan, Pauline. "Aria: Left Luggage (book 1 of 3) by Geoff Nelder (book review). Aria: Left Luggage (book 1 of 3) by Geoff Nelder (book review)". SF Crowsnest. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
- ↑ "BSFA member Geoff Nelder wins fiction award". BSFA. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
External links[edit]
This article "ARIA (novel)" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
