An Inhuman Race — Lions In The Fog

The Inhuman Race, Yudhanjaya Wijeratne, 2018.

First dead tree book of 2023. 161 pages.

Inhuman Race explores an alternate world where rebellious colonies and uppity Marxists were subdued and the British Empire never ended. Masses of ordinary people eke out disempowered and often miserable lives in the shadow of overwhelming military might and a shadowy, frightening and bizarre secret police force.

Against this backdrop, the author brings us to an alternate Sri Lanka where things are not going well. Colombo lies in ruins following a war between two Empires: British to the west and Chinese to the east. Within the city, gangs of youngsters, abandoned and feral, rule the ruins. They also fuel televised gladiatorial games for the amusement of the masses. Then suddenly, two youths break out, heading up country on the run from their pasts towards an uncertain, precarious and short burst of freedom.

Wijeratne, himself Sri Lankan, writes with a deft and sure style. He’s crafted a fascinating and bleak alternate world shot through with all-too-real inhumanity. His story questions what it is to be human through a series of shifting perspectives and viewpoints. He does an excellent job of bringing us into and then through these, exploring each and then gradually zooming out to the next. His world is both bleak and vivid, crafted with care and told with a light but devastating touch.

Smirk factor: All clear: 2 pts (No untoward smirking and lovingly-used words.)

Immersion factor: Chest high: 1.5 pts

Writing quality: Above-average: 1.5 pts

Character/plot development: Above-average: 1.5 pts

Innovative/interesting: High: 2pts

Total: 8.5/10 (4 stars, rounded up to 5.)

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