New Book Alert: The Sun Casts No Shadow by Mark Richardson; Dystopian Fantasy Takes Some Unique and Bizarre Turns

 

New Book Alert: The Sun Casts No Shadow by Mark Richardson; Dystopian Fantasy Takes Some Unique and Bizarre Turns

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews

Spoilers: Mark Richardson's The Sun Casts No Shadow is sort of like what would happen if 1984's Oceania was populated not only by humans enslaved by Big Brother but if Faeries also existed and were treated as outsiders and second class citizens. It's a strange but clever mix of Dark Fantasy and Dystopian Science Fiction that has twists that fit both genres and strangely mix well together.

In this efficiently organized world, Wellington Thorneycroft, the protagonist, lives in a city that is completely surrounded by a large wall that keeps the citizens from the outside world. The City is colorless, smog ridden, structured, and dull. No one can even see the world beyond the Wall. 

The citizens take pills to be sedated, docile, and never questioning. Not because the government allows it but Felix does. Felix is a feared creature who seems to have control over the entire city. He has a reputation like a supernatural creature who will swoop down and catch anyone who breaks the City's laws. (The type of character that children are warned "Be good and obedient or Felix will come and get you!") He is a despotic tyrant with a whole city to act as his playthings.

 On his way to his job at the Factory, Thorneycroft encounters Lilith, a beautiful woman who gives him passionate heat whenever he sees her and hears a voice, maybe hers, saying "we will escape together." Well Lilith is the type of woman that most straight men would risk escape for as well as certain torture and possible death for and he is no different. He also is convinced that she may know a way outside the city. For someone whose only escape is to read forbidden books, Thorneycroft hopes for a life outside the Wall and is willing to risk his life to see if she knows of a way out.

 Thorneycrofts's friend, Dempsey suggests that she might be a nymph, one of various creatures who lived in the City and performed magic before the "Transformation" and the wall was built. (It's never said what specifically the Transformation was that kept the City from the rest of the world, possibly an environmental disaster or a nuclear war.) 

Nymphs and other magical creatures exist in this universe but were kept on the other side of the Wall, except Lilith. So Lilith is stuck in this dull colorless prison away from her people. No wonder she is looking for someone like Thorneycroft to help her.

There are some confusing parts to the book that are clearly meant to throw Thorneycroft and the Reader off kilter. Thorneycroft becomes involved with Riba, an exotic dancer who may or may not be Lilith taking another form. For a long time, it's never fully stated but considering what we know about Fairy Lore it's not out of the realm of possibility that Lilith is taking a separate glamour form to lure, entice, and maybe betray Thorneycroft.

Felix and his entourage are nothing like what you would expect either. Felix himself is only large in reputation and control. In reality, he is a Little Person. But despite his size, Thorneycroft sees someone who assumes total control. Now is he a Little Person like we know, a very short human being or since we know that Nymphs are real, could Felix himself be a magical creature himself, a dwarf or a gnome? He exhibits a lot of power and knowledge about the people underneath him almost supernaturally so it is possible that he isn't completely human.

His assistant, Woden, seems to have gotten lost on his way to Nicole Givens Kurtz's Kill Three Birds. Thorneycroft insists that no Woden isn't bird like, he's an actual bird "wings, talons, feathers...a crane to be precise." Of course since it's established that since fairies and nymphs exist in this universe are talking sentient animals really that far fetched? With an exotic dancer who may be a nymph, a Little Person/dictator who may be a magical creature, and a talking bird assistant The City seems to come from the dark creepy depths of the imagination that only David Lynch could dream about.

Thorneycroft is a sardonic narrator but is the type of rebel who isn't born. He is made. An orphan, he is raised and educated by the City's laws. Until he met Lilith, his only form of resistance was to read books provided by Dempsey. Until he meets Lilith and goes on this journey, his rebellion is all internal. Lilith inspires him to take action.

Throughout the book, Thorneycroft is taken down the resistance path found in such novels.

There are the usual night time meetings citizens who may or may not be members of a Resistance organization. Of course there is a mole in the works. We also see the moments where Thorneycroft's new found resistance breaks down.

 However, through his interactions with characters like Lilith, Thorneycroft is free to imagine and dream of a world beyond the Wall. That world allows him to resist even when he is forced to outwardly conform. Thorneycroft's dreams become more vivid and real.

The Sun Casts No Shadow is a brilliant mix of Fantasy and Science Fiction. It throws into a world devoid of color and imagination and gives us glimpses to imagine the better world that could be waiting beyond that Wall.