QSFer Simon Hosking has a new queer dystopian sci-fi book out (Bi, Gay, Lesbian, Gender Fluid, Cross Dressing) – The Sky is Grey.
It is a dystopian nightmare wrapped in a Versace gown.
The world is gorgeous, with dazzling cities full of beautiful people and almost endless entertainment. ‘Dorimu’ machines allow people to download sleep giving a true 24/7 lifestyle, much of which is spent in a fabulous, completely immersive VR game called ‘Pachinko’.
But the dorimu machines also download subconscious instructions and suggestions. Everyone must conform, everyone will conform, which is fine if you’re not different … but if you are …
Controlling this utopia is an artificial intelligence that is answerable to no-one.
In The Sky is Blue, Amanda and Steven managed to strike at the very core of the AI but at a high price. Amanda is on the streets, eating scraps from the garbage bins when Steven tracks her down. He has made a discovery that gives them a second chance.
Amanda and Steven fight a powerful new enemy that blurs the lines between the virtual and real worlds. They make new partnerships, some of which turn against them and threaten their very identity.
The Sky is Grey is a futuristic, queer, cautionary tale of the power of unchecked technology, juxtaposed with the power of love and friendship.
Warnings: Violence, rape, assault
Amazon
Excerpt
Chapter 1 – Waking Up
Amanda awoke with a start. She held still and listened. Had some noise woken her? Was she in danger? Hearing nothing, she slowly climbed out from the cardboard boxes and crates in which she had been sleeping. She squinted up and down the tunnel. Dappled light from holes in the ceiling gave more than enough illumination once her eyes had adjusted. She relaxed. There was no one there.
Amanda knelt down and opened a worn, grey satchel. Unscrewing a jar, she spooned some green-coloured powder into her mouth, washing it down with the contents of a nearby gin bottle. She repeated the process again, shuddering at the horrid taste of the powder.
A few minutes later, the mixture had done its magic, and Amanda was feeling alive again. She pulled the hood of her jacket over her head, slung the bag over her shoulder, and was ready to go. Before she left, she drained the rest of the gin.
No point in wasting it, she thought.
Amanda strode out of the tunnel into the cold as if she knew exactly where she was going. It was important to project confidence, or you became a target.
The truth was, she had nowhere to go.
Chapter 2 – Cold Noodles
Some time later, Amanda slipped into the darkness behind the Emperor Shōwa Noodle Bar, one of the larger chains across the country. Their bins usually had enough leftovers. The bar had a good turnover, so the scraps were fresh, particularly this time of year when it was cold.
Amanda found some fresh prawns – clearly, someone hadn’t liked them – but they tasted delicious to her.
A noise from further up the alley caught her attention, and she froze.
The city was well-lit with almost every surface bathed in artificial light 24/7. Darkness was so rare that people tended to avoid it. Darkness represented the unknown and the dangerous. Amanda, too, avoided the dark unless the reward – like fresh prawns – warranted the risk.
This was a particularly dark alley. Dark enough that anything not moving was hard to discern.
Amanda mentally checked her options and nearby weapons before relaxing. It was Joe. He was OK. He was safe.
‘Hey, Mary,’ Joe called, slowing down as he approached her, ‘you cool?’
‘It’s okay, Joe. Come on over, there’s plenty here.’
Amanda wasn’t using her real name. She hadn’t used it for quite some time. Joe was right to be cautious. Mary had a nasty reputation for unprovoked violence – particularly if she’d been drinking. Part of this was strategic on Amanda’s behalf, but only part of it.
Joe approached and started rummaging through the bins. He kept one eye on Mary as he did so. He found something suitable and moved back a respectable distance. Amanda hadn’t budged an inch and appeared to barely look at Joe. She was watching, though. She knew exactly where he was.
Joe had a mop of curly dark hair and eyes that lit up when he smiled. The same eyes hid a lot of pain when relaxed. He was young, and Amanda guessed he was probably gay. There were a lot more young gays leaving their parents and hitting the streets recently. Joe was pretty smart, but the streets were indifferent and he was finding life difficult.
‘There was some guy looking for you,’ Joe said between mouthfuls.
‘Say what?’
‘Tall guy. Blonde hair. Good clothes – clean clothes. Had a photo of you. Called you Amanda.’
‘Where was this?’
‘Round near the interstate. He was offering money for information.’
‘What did you tell him?’
‘I didn’t say shit. I’m not a rat.’
The conversation paused as they continued eating. Amanda was on full alert but playing it cool.
‘So,’ said Joe, dropping the empty food container on the ground, ‘you’re Amanda, are you?’
Amanda shrugged.
‘I’ve had so many names I’m not even sure anymore. Tell me about the photo.’
‘It was definitely you.’
‘What was I wearing?’
‘It was just a headshot.’
‘Did I have this scar?’
‘No. You looked younger, a bit less…’ Joe didn’t complete the sentence.
Amanda abruptly moved in Joe’s direction, and he jumped backwards in alarm. She stopped and bent down to pick up her satchel.
‘Thanks, Joe. You’re a good man,’ she smiled.
Amanda walked slowly past Joe and gave him a friendly punch in the arm. Joe watched her leave and quickly moved back to the bin. There was a lot of good food there.
Author Bio
Simon Hosking is a white, married, middle aged, cisgender, bisexual male living in Adelaide, South Australia. He has studied music teaching, computer programming and nursing. When not writing novels he enjoys singing barbershop with his quartet – ConFusion and messing around with synthesisers.
Author Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheSkyIsBlueOfficial