The Archive Undying

April 17, 2023
The ambitious science fantasy that kicks off the Downworld Sequence trilogy from Candon (Star Wars: Ronin) immerses readers in a fascinating if sometimes disorienting world of AI gods, dissolute hermits, and fantastical biotech constructs. Years after the cataclysmic death of Iterate Fractal, the AI that once oversaw the city-state of Khuon Mo, rebellion is stirring against the Harbor, the police state that took over in its wake. Traumatized by his patron deity’s death, former archivist Sunai chases oblivion, but when he inadvertently sleeps with a biotech researcher working for the Harbor, he finds himself inexorably drawn back into city life and toward old friends, all of whom have their own agendas. Inhabiting the Downworld universe is often a joy: Candon’s fresh, vivid worldbuilding skillfully blends anime staples like giant robots and cigarette-smoking aunties with edgy SFF tropes like dying gods and legendary hybrid beasts. Though the emotional thread of trauma, guilt, and grief is well-executed, the narrative is written in an elaborate, often evasive style that may lead some readers feeling left behind by the plot. Still, fans of diverse, queer genre fiction seeking a challenge should take note.