Bookworms: Tankborn (2012) Karen Sandler
Posted By Adele A. Lugosi on May 6, 2013
I’m always looking for books that feature protagonists of colour, especially in the science fiction field where they seem to be few and far between. Understandably, I was, excited when I discovered Karen Sandler’s series Tankborn, that features a black female hero. Expecting the book to explore racial issues, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the book centered around issues of class.
On Loka, a post-Earth world, there two types of people, Trueborns (born in the traditional mammal way) and tankborns. Trueborn humans choose their own path in life and tankborns or Genetically Engineered Non-Humans (GEN) are bred and programmed for a specific assignment. At the age of 15, all GENs are sent to their work placement to live out the rest of their lives. Approaching their 15th year, GEN best friends, Kayla and Mishalla, know they will be separated soon.
Mishalla is assigned to an orphanage to raise lowborn kids while Kayla is sent to look after an old patriarch of a high class trueborn family. During the first few months in their assignments, Mishalla and Kayla realize they are playing a part in an underground movement and begin to uncover secrets and mysteries that will eventually lead to their reunion.
When an author situates their story on a new planet, there is always a reader culture shock. A new world means learning the language, the customs and the culture of a society. As a result, Tankborn starts out as a bit of a slow read butafter a few chapters, the setting begins to unfold for the reader.
Karen Sandler has thoroughly mapped out this world and Tankborn is an impressive read just based on that. I found elements of Plato’s Republic, American slavery, and even the British class system woven into the text. But this novel is more than just its setting, Sandler has allowed her story to unfold an organic fashion.
Sometimes in a novel, the author has one character that knows all the answers to a particular complex situation and has the miraculous solution. Thankfully, Sandler doesn’t fall into this cliche. Her society is sophisticated and complex, and to fully understand the society, the reader needs to experience it through multiple points of view.
Every character has a piece of the puzzle and when all of the pieces come together, readers will appreciate the quagmire that the characters face. Sandler sews together a complex plot beautifully. Thankfully, the second book, Awakening is out now.
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