A Song for a New Day

Starred review from June 10, 2019
This excellent debut novel by Nebula winner Pinsker (after the collection Sooner or Later Everything Falls into the Sea) establishes her as an astonishingly impressive writer of day-after-tomorrow SF. Band leader Luce Cannon is devoted to writing rock music and performing it live, even though threats of terrorism and disease have led Americans to retreat into solitude, connected only virtually. Rosemary Laws has grown up in impersonal, shallow isolation, but music awakens her, and she strains against the restrictions that are supposed to be keeping her safe. Luce plays clandestine concerts for tiny audiences while Rosemary, whose job is to find illegal musicians like Luce and build them into virtual reality stars, struggles to steer the monolithic StageHolo entertainment corporation toward more humane activity. Without shortcuts or heartstring-tugging tricks, Pinsker shows how people whose personalities and backgrounds seem incompatible can be united by art, and how the need to feel safe can be less important than the need to create together and share joy. She handles both intimate emotions and extrapolative worldbuilding with aplomb. This tale of hope and passion is a remarkable achievement. Agent: Kim-Mei Kirtland, Morhaim Literary.

Narrators Dylan Moore and Nicol Zanzarella team up to offer differing views of a near-future world in which true human connections are scarce. Luce, portrayed by Zanzarella, is an up-and-coming musician on the cusp of fame when her career is shattered by bombings, deadly viruses, and a worldwide wave of terror. Rosemary, portrayed by Moore, grew up after the cataclysms in a world without public gatherings or concerts. She's a music recruiter who scouts talent for a massive virtual music corporation. Zanzarella and Moore depict these women and the world in which they live, highlighting their passion for both music and community. Listeners will appreciate the grittiness of Luce's voice and Rosemary's warmth and openness, but it is their courageous commitment to self-expression that makes this audio shine. S.A.H. � AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine