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| Review by Morayo Sayles |
Bald New World
Peter Tieryas Liu
Perfect Edge Books
Released: May 30th 2014
In this futuristic not quite dystopian world, Bald New World writer Peter Tieryas Liu takes us on a ride from the heights of San Francisco to the gritty grimy depths of China.
Nick Gunn was eleven years old when the great baldification occurred – the affliction where all humans in the world lost their hair en masse. This traumatizing event was the catalyst for the moral, fiscal and natural decline of society that loomed ominously for decades.
Now 25 years later, Nick works as a photographer/graphic artist for his billionaire friend Larry Chao who is as reckless and irresponsible as he is wealthy.
This story is a tale of Wall-E meets Blade Runner.
Tieryas tells the story of earth’s demise masterfully in the shadow of the main story – sinister mechanisms of corporate sabotage and political subterfuge. Nick by virtue of his friendship with Larry is drawn into a dangerous play of cat and mouse as corporate moguls and nations battle for Larry’s wealth.
The story is funny, sad and engaging but also very busy and disorienting at times because there is so much to take in. Absorbing the image of naked hordes of humans running across the great highways in San Francisco, while processing the now not-so foreign concept of oxygen for sale and in the midst of this, human greed and lust for power still driving society deeper into moral decline – readers are brought to a place that is relatable and frightening all at once.
Bald New World is an entertaining read and a book you definitely want to add to your wish list if you like your science fiction tales believable.
