Our Content Director, Nimayi Dixit, recently sat down with TQ Contributing Writer, Jeff Montoya to discuss his book review of "A Psalm for the Wild-Built." Jeff presents the novel, written by Becky Chambers, as an exemplar of a new movement in sci-fi called "Solarpunk." Unlike it's spiritual predecessor, cyberpunk, which emphasized the dystopian potential of advanced technology, solarpunk tries to envision a harmonious symbiosis between man, nature, and technology. A "Psalm for the Wild-Built" builds a world that embodies this vision of balance. It bucks conventional narrative building, discarding the usual tension between good and evil and climactic action sequences. Instead, it builds a story around a journey of humble and quiet self-inquiry and a quest for self-acceptance. Jeff and Nimayi discuss the appeal of the values embedded in solarpunk, the unique narrative structure of "Psalm...", the practical impact of sci-fi, and the challenges of utopian thinking.

Follow Jeff on Instagram: @fez_monty

RECORDED SEPTEMBER 2024; ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 2024