Tattoo-Kirsten Imani Kasai

Tattoo
Kirsten Imani Kasai
Del Rey, Jul 26 2011, $15.00
ISBN 9780345508829

Submarine engineer Morig conceals the fact that he/she is a Trader, a type of the human-inhuman DNA blending who shifts between genders. Sorykah knows how difficult hiding one’s natural state is as the body types of Sorykah and Soryk are different and the two personalities distinct. Complicating matters is only one persona exists at a time.

Meanwhile Queen Sidra and her Erun Forest allies killed the evil Matuk the Collector, head of the malevolent evil Tirai Industries (see Ice Song). Matuk’s death impacts everyone on the planet. Sorykah and Soryk battle each other for full control of the body they share. She wants to raise her twin infants she rescued from Matuk while he waits the birth of his child, which will kill the mother Queen Sidra. Under the southern ice continent Sigue lays the ancient gods like Diabolo whose descendants the octameroons contain venom that Matuk’s cruel son Chen introduces as an addictive drug that is tattooed on the skin. The two sides of the sub engineer need each other, but remain hostile. Diabolo begins to awaken threatening climate change with the melting of the ice.

Soryk/ah is a fascinating protagonist and antagonist as much of the fight is within her/his mind and body. The complex story line contains a futuristic extrapolation of scientific research especially genetics combined with the trends of the global government-military-industrial complex, which insures control of the masses through addictions and profound proclamations such as global-warming is faith based while creationism is science. Action-packed and thought provoking this is an engaging science fiction thriller with fantasy elements

Harriet Klausner