Audition
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- $12.99
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
A mind-bending journey through space, incarceration, and the search for meaning.
In Pip Adam's Audition, three giants—Alba, Stanley, and Drew—are trapped on a spaceship hurtling towards an event horizon. To keep the ship moving, they must talk, but silence brings a terrifying consequence: they resume growing. As they converse, they piece together fragmented memories of their past lives as prisoners, grappling with themes of power, identity, and the possibility of redemption.
Audition is a thought-provoking blend of science fiction and social commentary, exploring what happens when systems of power deem individuals as taking up too much space. This novel is for readers seeking philosophical science fiction that delves into the complexities of incarceration, transformation, and the search for justice. Will they find a new kind of justice, or are they doomed to repeat the violences of their past?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The provocative latest by New Zealander Adam (The New Animals) combines science fiction with a treatise against carceral systems. The dialogue-driven narrative has the feel of improvisation as it follows passengers Drew, Stanley, and Alba aboard a spaceship called Audition, where they negotiate the cramped quarters and try to stay positive ("It would be better if we took a moment to be really grateful for this beautiful spacecraft which used to be so perfect for us. Which was built especially for us. When we got too big for Earth," says Stanley). It turns out the trio have grown to more than 18 feet tall while on board, and have discovered that the only way to stop their dangerous rate of growth is to continue talking. They reflect on their metamorphosis, which began in a vaguely described classroom where they prepared for their mission. Eventually, the reader learns that the classroom was not a nurturing environment but a prison, and the Audition constitutes the trio's punishment as it hurtles toward a black hole. Adam charms with her nonstop dialogue and her characters' determination to be hopeful. This ebullient tale thrums with life.
