In a world where memory defines reality, three lives become intertwined in a harrowing fight for truth.

In Zachary Mason’s Void Star, readers are drawn into a vividly rendered future where the seas have risen, and a stark divide between wealth and poverty shapes daily life in San Francisco. The central protagonists, Irina, Kern, and Thales, offer a multifaceted perspective on a society where artificial intelligence dictates existence, and the preservation of memories can be a double-edged sword.

Irina, with her advanced artificial memory, secures a precarious role mediating between powerful clients and their opaque AIs. Her earnings afford her the luxury of regular rejuvenation treatments. In stark contrast, Kern survives on the fringes of this high-tech society, evolving from a thief and enforcer to a figure of intrigue after a heist goes awry. Meanwhile, Thales, escaping from the shadows of a violent past, grapples with his identity as he navigates a new and dangerous world.

As their lives intersect, propelled by unseen yet potent forces, the narrative unfolds in a fugue-like exploration of memory, violence, and mortality. This taut, distressing thriller raises profound questions about the limits of AI, the nature of recollection, and the essence of humanity. Mason expertly crafts a suspenseful inquiry into what it means to remember—or to forget.

Published in 2017 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Void Star has garnered an average rating of 3.67, resonating with readers due to its innovative approach and gripping storyline. With 400 pages of richly layered prose, this novel invites readers to reflect on the complex relationships between technology and the human experience. Zachary Mason, already well-regarded for his debut, The Lost Books of the Odyssey, continues to captivate with his distinctive voice and thought-provoking themes.