If you haven’t read this science fiction duology yet, please check it out. It's as relevant today as when it was first written.
The two books in this series are ROOMS and THE CHOSEN. They were originally published in 2014, and people who have read them often comment on how extremely relevant they remain, even today, in an almost prescient way.
This is because within the plot of the two books there exists a deep and abiding concern over the growth of right-wing, autocratic governments across the globe that come to power often times by promising their citizens that only they can improve their lives. However, in the end, these types of governments are influenced much more by the interests of large corporations and wealthy oligarchs than by anything else. When that is the case, terrible consequences inevitably arise for the poor, the middle class, for worker’s rights, the environment, for freedom, and for democracy in general. This could even be beginning to happen in the United States right now.
Look at the election that we just had. Soon, people in the U. S. may no longer have a government “of, by, and for the people”, but one that is autocratic in nature that will do everything in its power to support the ultra-wealthy and big corporations, with little respect or consideration for the largest segment of our country, the middle-class and the poor. The “almighty dollar” could become its guiding principle, not the health and happiness of its people.
Over half the U. S. citizens who voted in the election did not vote for this outcome. And it is my belief that they are thoughtful and responsible voters who keep themselves up to date on important events, read books and periodicals, travel, understand the difference between truth and lies, and are very tolerant and caring people. I also believe that they have empathy and concern for others, for their country, for the world, and for the environment. They will be the ones who will continue to stand up for freedom and democracy no matter the cost.
However, that will not be an easy task because of the large number of people who voted against our democracy and are responsible for this mess. That group, I believe, is made up of three kinds of people: those who chose not to vote at all, the wealthy who selfishly wanted more than they already have, or the wantonly ignorant who cast their votes without properly performing their due diligence. The people that I do not hold responsible, even though they did not vote, are the poor, the overworked, the homeless, or anyone who has been denied their basic rights, despite being a citizen of the U. S.
I mention all this because I wrote the Rooms’ Series, in part, to cause people to ponder the possibility of just such a dystopian future. But you must also know that the series contains considerable "hope!" With hard work, a facts-based, scientific approach to life, thoughtful governance, and some luck on our side, the human race still has the potential to overcome whatever lies ahead.
So, please, take a look at the series, with the understanding that it is a very creative and scene-driven story, told from the view of a diverse cast of characters. It takes place in the distant future after most of the human race had already left the Earth because it had become uninhabitable. They are now living inside large, protective lifeglobes on planets, moons, or asteroids that contain enough raw materials to sustain life. None of those heavenly bodies, however, were anything like the Earth of old - a dazzlingly beautiful and diverse celestial orb where all life had once been able to evolve and flourish on its surface with no barriers between them and the "outside."
ROOMS
Summary
There was a time in Earth’s past when the entire planet was sick and dying and could no longer sustain life. A group of wealthy humans, who called themselves "The Chosen,” decided to abandon the Earth. And just as a person might skip across a shallow pond, moving from stone to stone, the human race multiplied and over hundreds of years gradually stretched across the Milky Way in the hope of finding another jewel, another Earth-like planet.
In this time of exploration and colonization, the humans on each of these desolate outposts lived in protected settlements called lifeglobes. Their daily life had a surreal consistency that affected and numbed them. They longed to see beyond the horizon, to feel something new. Because of this, their freedays and evenings were often spent in Rooms. These were extremely sophisticated, holographic, multi-sensory game rooms, which could adapt to each player. Each session in a Room was unique and helped to fill the void created by constantly having to live inside an enclosure, always separated from the outside, never being able to walk open and free.
One of those humans was Rad. He had just moved to the lifeglobe on planet R-131 and was a member of the governing council. However, he was also an elite Rooms’ player. His main reason for coming to R-131 was that he had heard rumors about one particular Room, which was steered by a woman called the “old one.” It was supposedly unparalleled for its graphic realism and complexity. All the best players were moving there, and for some, like Rad, to be chosen to play it had become an obsession. However, this particular Room had not been designed for entertainment or pleasure. This Room had been created to change the course of human history.
THE CHOSEN
Summary
In the future, the Earth is dying and is abandoned by The Chosen, an elite and powerful, corporate upper-class. Most of their descendants have settled in lifeglobes on various rocks throughout the galaxy. Their original society and culture has been lost and forgotten everywhere except on M-78. On that rock-strewn, resource-laden planet, The Chosen’s way of life has remained in tact for over five centuries, and Harlequin has been their leader ever since leaving Earth.
But now, Harlequin is determined to locate another Earth-like planet to inhabit and exploit. She succeeds in finding one; its name is Loon. And not only does she learn how magnificent Loon is, but at the same time discovers that Earth has reset itself. The Chosen may even be able to reinhabit their ancestral home once again.
This sets up a struggle between two extremely divergent cultures: one where reason, science, and social awareness have created a society in tune with their world; the other, that of The Chosen, whose main philosophy is centered upon the acquisition of profit at any cost.
In The Chosen, these two societies and the unique individuals who inhabit them, tell a story of two worlds on a collision course, with the result being a galactic conflict whose outcome will impact the human race for eons to come.
