Tom - Bookrastinating reviewed Famous Men Who Never Lived by K. Chess
A work of multiverse art. Amazing debut novel
5 stars
Content warning I talk about the plot a bit... nothing outlandishly spoiling
Do I recommend: Yes, if you like sci-fi, if you don't ... you should.
I was browsing the stacks at my library and looking for those lovely blue "Science Fiction" stickers found on volumes of that ilk. Many SciFi authors on the shelf are prolific and have over their careers produced many works which are on the shelves, but this one stood alone. Its clever title also stood alone in ALL CAPS.
I enjoyed the plot, the characters, the style of writing. It's all a fantastic modern work of art. It may be that K just hits my brain in the sweet spot or maybe it's a fantastic novel. Either way, I recommend it!
The plot centers around characters from one dimension very similar to our own who are marooned here in our world as refugees. Think the 1990's TV show "Sliders" but there are more than 150k of them and they can't go back. Their world, it's culture, the people, the technology are tenuously linked to this world by their memories, and the items they brought with them here. These refugees react in very human ways and the author explores their emotions and the limits of their adaptability to their new home.