Mysterion, November 2022

“My Soul, and With the Sun” by Duke Kimball

Reviewed by Victoria Silverwolf

In flashbacks, “My Soul, and With the Sun” by Duke Kimball follows the life of the main character from boy to man. He lives in a future United States where one form of authoritarianism has been replaced by another. The current regime divides the populace into different levels, depending on how much they can pay. It uses satellites, drones, and body implants to monitor those it rules. The protagonist tries to evade detection as he brings a religious artifact, forbidden to his class, to the dying woman who raised him from childhood.

With the flavor of dystopian cyberpunk, the story suggests that oppressors will always come and go, and that real change must come from within. There is also a touch of dark satire, as the regime, with its use of so-called users’ fees and premium levels, resembles modern technology providers. How readers feel about whether fighting against authoritarianism is worthy or futile may influence how they react to this work.

Victoria Silverwolf bought a lot of apples recently.