New Book Alert: The White Pavilion by Ruth Fox; World Building and Protagonist Elevate This Science Fiction Novel to Brilliance

 

New Book Alert: The White Pavilion by Ruth Fox; World Building and Protagonist Elevate This Science Fiction Novel to Brilliance 

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews 

Spoilers: When I read a Science Fiction novel, especially one set on another planet, I look for how it approaches world building. How different this new world is from Earth. Whether the characters are unique in appearance, personalities, society, culture or whether they are just Earthlings on another planet. Science Fiction is large in technology and science, as compared to Fantasy. But there must also be a strong sense of creativity and imagination from the authors as much as (and I would argue more) than from Fantasy.

Some recent examples of Science Fiction that I read with brilliant world building include: What Branches Grow by T.S. Beier, Merchants of Knowledge and Magic by Erika McCorkle, Moon Deeds by Palmer Pickering, The Descendants by Destiny Hawkins, The Angela Hardwicke Science Fiction Mysteries by Russ Colchamiro, Cooper's Ridge by Ian Conner, Dusk Upon Elysium by Tamel Wino, Fancy Fanciful Fantasticality by Francessca Bella, Fearghus Academy by I.O. Scheffer, The Love of the Tayanmi by T.A. McLaughlin, Hades Forest by Simon Elson, Salvage Trouble Black Ocean Galaxy Outlaws Mission by J.D. Morin, The Sun Casts No Shadow by Mark Richardson, Pride of Ashna by Emmanuel W. Arriaga, One If: A Virago Fantasy by Carol R. Allan, Suzy Spitfire and the Snake Eyes of Venus by Joe Canzano, Demons of Time by Varun Sayal, Canvas of Time by Amelie Pimont, Bound by P.L. Sullivan, Centricity by Nathaniel Henderson, Orange City by Lee Matthew Goldberg, VanWest by Kenneth Thomas, Behind Blue Eyes by Anna Mocikat, Life is Big by Kiki Denis, Star Wolf by L.A. Frederick, Star Wars: Tales From the Mos Eisley Cantina Edited by Kevin J. Anderson, The Girl Who Found The Sun by Matthew S. Cox, Multiverse Investigations Unit by R.E. McLean, Joshua N'Gon: Last Prince of Alkebulahn by Anthony Hewitt, Dragon's Destiny by Carl Cota-Robles, Zodiac States by William Stalker, Sapphire and Planet Zero by Christina Blake, The Thursday Next Series by Jasper Fforde, Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut, Agents of the Nevermind by Tantra Besko, World Shaken: Guardians of the Zodiac by J.J. Excelsior, Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell, Imajica by Clive Barker, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle, and The Martian Chronicles and other works by Ray Bradbury.

To that illustrious list, I include The White Pavilion by Ruth Fox. This is a top notch Science Fiction novel which captures a planet whose people pay homage to Earth cultures but make their own. This book also has well thought characters, particularly the protagonist to dwell in it.

Imre is a dancer from the highly regarded White Pavilion in Tierra Major. Tierra Mejor is a planet that is populated by people whose ancestors fled what is now called Old Earth. That was many centuries ago so the Tierrans are far removed from their former lives on Earth and have their own way of thinking and doing things.

One of the most intriguing aspects of Tierra Mejor is how its residents capture the Earthling culture but up to a point. Imre lives in a society that seems to be based on Medieval and Renaissance Italy and Spain. There is a monarchy that has the main power like La Reina, the ill queen whose son, Thaniel, is the Principe Regente in all but name. They speak Spanish and English in tribute to their Earthling ancestry. There is a strong appreciation and acceptance for art and music to the point that dancers like Imre are highly revered and invited to perform certain dances representing different stages in life and the planet's history. There are some people who live a monastic lifestyle in which they transcribe history, pray to their religion, and have tremendous hold over the royal family.

Besides Medieval and Renaissance eras, we find that Tierra Mejor also captures the Victorian Era, specifically Steampunk. There are automatons but aren't very sophisticated like many robots and AIs found in most Science Fiction works. Instead they are more like clunky clockwork mechanicals that serve as drivers, clerks, and servants.

Speaking of clockwork, the whole planet runs on clockwork, literally. Instead of being a naturally made planet, it is operated by a giant wheel built inside the core. So Tierra Mejor is a human made mechanical planet from creation. People help run the wheel and work in an assembly run manner reminiscent of steelworkers, sweatshop workers, and coal miners during the Industrial Era.

Fascinatingly enough, Tierra history doesn't go further than Victorian in appearance. Perhaps, they realized the toll Progress took on Old Earth that they don't want to go any farther involved in science and technology. They want to choose a stopping point and try not to destroy this world as the old one was.

If the White Pavilion ever becomes a movie, it would be fascinating to see how the Production Design team would capture this society that is sort of like Earth but not quite. The architecture, costumes, and lighting would be a challenge to mesh these time periods together at once. Imre for example, at first could dress in flowing elegant feminine Renaissance era gowns at first then slowly as her situation changes, she wears more strident industrial androgynous Steampunk style trousers and shirtwaists. It would be a fascinating thought about how this world could be visualized.

The Tierrans have a unique sense of religion. Because the planet is run by a clockwork wheel, everyone tries to keep their world going in a strict formation called the Pattern. They worship the Pattern. Everyone works in a timely manner and knows their place in society. Everything has to run smoothly and the Pattern cannot be disrupted in any way.

If it is, then disaster could erupt.

Imre learns this during what should be the most important moment of her life. She and her fellow dancers perform the Dance of a Thousand Steps, a heavily mythologized and idealized version of how people traveled from Old Earth to Tierra Mejor. Imre has the coveted role of the Crane which took the people from the old world to the new (more than likely a starship). Unfortunately, during her performance Imre stumbles, falls, and hurts her ankle.

The fall is not her fault (in fact we later find out it was deliberate on someone else's part), but that doesn't matter. As far as everyone around her is concerned, she broke the Pattern. Subsequent earthquakes and a pandemic is enough evidence for them. Imre then finds herself a pariah and then just as quickly taken to the palace to be a dancer/courtesan for the Principe Regente.

The world of Tierra Mejor is a fascinating creation and what makes it even stronger is the characterization. Imre in particular is a standout. When she is first introduced, she is happily situated in her role as a lead dancer. She was sent to the Pavilion at a young age leaving behind a drug addicted prostitute mother. During her time at the Pavilion, she finds her talent. She works hard at her dancing and understands that the dances that she and her colleagues perform symbolize important life events like birth, life, love, and death. It's a form of entertainment for the audience and also an artistic way of revealing their society's culture. 

Imre also finds a surrogate family. She refers to her instructor in maternal terms and her fellow dancers as sisters. 

That makes her rejection after her fall all that more upsetting. Instead of supporting her, assuring her that we all make mistakes, or encouraging her to try again, they turn their backs on her. They don't visit her as she is recovering. Her instructor is satisfied to get rid of her.

Imre goes through so much suffering and maturity that later when she is later given the opportunity to return to the Pavilion, she sees her former sisters as silly, uninformed, and thoughtless and knows that she would never fit in with them.

Imre's time away from the White Pavilion, particularly at the Palace and even more so at the Wheel enlightens her and opens her eyes to how this world is really run. She finds love and lust with a few characters that arouse her sexually or reaches her emotionally. She goes to the library and studies the history of Old Earth and the creation of Tierra Mejor. 

She comes in close contact with the interior workings of Tierra Mejor and what really goes on inside the world that thought she knew. 

Most importantly, Imre gets to know Thaniel, the Regent. She sees him as a young man trapped by his role of being a figurehead but not being able to do anything proactive to help anyone. He is sheltered and protected by relatives and advisors which act like they have his best interest in mind, but really are looking out for themselves. 

Imre sees Thaniel not as a symbol or a figurehead but a human being, a friend, and later a love interest. 

Imre's relationship with Thaniel and the knowledge that she obtains outside of the White Pavilion causes her to see Tierra Mejor as it really is and realize that there are people who will manipulate the Pattern for their own desires.

The White Pavilion is elevated into sheer brilliance because of its memorable protagonist and world building.