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Al Hess

World Running Down Paperback – February 14, 2023

by Al Hess (Author)

4.5 53 ratings

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A transgender salvager on the outskirts of a dystopian Utah gets the chance to earn the ultimate score and maybe even a dash of romance. But there's no such thing as a free lunch…
–––

Valentine Weis is a salvager in the future wastelands of Utah. Wrestling with body dysphoria, he dreams of earning enough money to afford citizenship in Salt Lake City – a utopia where the testosterone and surgery he needs to transition is free, the food is plentiful, and folk are much less likely to be shot full of arrows by salt pirates. But earning that kind of money is a pipe dream, until he meets the exceptionally handsome Osric.

Once a powerful AI in Salt Lake City, Osric has been forced into an android body against his will and sent into the wasteland to offer Valentine a job on behalf of his new employer – an escort service seeking to retrieve their stolen androids. The reward is a visa into the city, and a chance at the life Valentine’s always dreamed of. But as they attempt to recover the “merchandise”, they encounter a problem: the android ladies are becoming self-aware, and have no interest in returning to their old lives.

The prize is tempting, but carrying out the job would go against everything Valentine stands for, and would threaten the fragile found family that’s kept him alive so far. He’ll need to decide whether to risk his own dream in order to give the AI a chance to live theirs.

File Under: Science Fiction [ Finding Your Way | Everybody Hurts | Body Bound | City Dreams ]

Print length

312 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Angry Robot
Publication date

February 14, 2023
Dimensions

5.31 x 0.98 x 8.46 inches
ISBN-10

191520223X
ISBN-13

978-1915202239
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From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

Review

"incredible book… I'm still buzzing with excitement."
– Charlie Jane Anders, Hugo Award-winning author

"World Running Down is a Valentine’s Day release in the vein of Becky Chambers’ cozy, progressive science fiction."
– Den of Geek

"A profoundly charming, funny, romantic, and endearing read."
– Buzzfeed

"Spunky, scrappy, and earnest, the heroes—both human and AI—of Hess’s wildly entertaining latest make pitch-perfect guides through a dystopian near-future… Hess uses android bodies to offer additional insight into the trans experience, focusing on issues of autonomy and self-discovery… A rip-roaring adventure plot helmed by characters whose vitality and hope one can’t help but root for. Fans of speculative fiction and inventive queer stories will delight in this playful and lovingly crafted romp."
– Publishers Weekly

“A piercing mix of relevant social commentary braided into a riveting scifi adventure."
– Sunyi Dean, author of The Book Eaters

"Hess's debut makes me glad I'm a reader because I couldn't have gotten this story any other way. Books, like Hess's characters, still dare to love."
– R.W.W. Greene, author of Twenty-Five to Life

"Hess's story asks big questions about selfhood, identity and consciousness with sweetness and verve and a big dollop of queer love. A rousing and touching read."
– Khan Wong, author of The Circus Infinite

"Get ready for a wildly fun trans sci-fi adventure"
– BookRiot

"Much more light and energetic than the usual dystopia, Hess’ story of queer lovers in a variety of forms should please those looking for a diverting and fun queer-sf read."
– Booklist

"Engaging prose and compelling dialogue make this novel an easy read that will appeal to teen and adult readers who enjoy sci-fi that addresses social justice issues."
– Library Journal

"It poured warmth and light into my chest brighter than the biggest Steward’s Eye. I can’t do it justice. The characters are my children – I have adopted them all. All of them. I am their found family."
– Kel Russell, Independent Bookseller

“Full of adventure, charm, and deeply human insights, the world in Hess’s World Running Down is an apocalypse you won’t want to leave.”
– Seth Fried, author of The Municipalists

About the Author

Al Hess is author of World Running Down and the self-published Hep Cats of Boise series. Semi-finalist in the SPSFC with Mazarin Blues.

When not hunched before a computer screen, Al can be found at his art desk. He does portraits in both pencil and oil paint, and loves drawing fellow authors' characters nearly as much as his own. He writes cozy and uplifting stories with queer, trans, and neurodiverse representation.

Al is represented by agent Ren Balcombe at Janklow & Nesbit.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Angry Robot (February 14, 2023)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 312 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 191520223X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1915202239
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.9 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.31 x 0.98 x 8.46 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #220,108 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #76 in LGBTQ+ Science Fiction (Books)
- #2,543 in Science Fiction Romance (Books)
- #2,673 in Post-Apocalyptic Science Fiction (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.5 53 ratings

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Al Hess

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Al Hess is author of World Running Down, Key Lime Sky, Yours Celestially, and the award-winning Hep Cats of Boise series.

When not hunched before a computer screen, Al can be found at his art desk. He does portraits in both pencil and oil paint, and loves drawing fellow authors' characters nearly as much as his own. He writes cozy and uplifting stories with queer, trans, and neurodiverse representation.

Al is represented by agent Ren Balcombe at Janklow & Nesbit.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5

53 global ratings

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Much needed post-apocalyptic trans read

Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2023

Verified Purchase

I was really looking forward to this book; it's got everything I'd want in a novel: transmasc, neurodiverse MC, MLM romance, androids, AI, post-apocalyptic setting.

On most counts, it hits the mark. The transmasc rep hits *just right* - it doesn't dismiss dysphoria, but it's not the entire character motivation, either. Sometimes it hurts, but it's that good kind of hurt, where I felt seen. I'm not the ADHDer in my household, but the rep there felt true to what I know. I feel like raisins get a bad rap: clearly, the texture of oranges and grapes is far worse. ;) My husband claims it's mushrooms.

I liked the characters. I didn't always love how quickly they flew off the handle, but it made sense, given that they're stuck together 24/7 (and Valentine is neurodiverse), that they would be tense and minor misunderstandings would flare up quickly. Osric was interesting, his journey as an AI stuck in an android body and how that complemented and contrasted Valentine's journey as a trans man was great. I understood Ace, too, and the point about how we tolerate the barely tolerable in friendships so we're not alone was taken. I do feel like Valentine never gave any thought to how she might feel sidelined and abandoned once he got together with Osric, but in the end, the best part about close POV is that we get to see a character's flawed, biased perspective.

So why not five stars? Some scenes felt rushed. Sometimes I'd get confused and have to read back a little to make sure I didn't miss something because the characters had already moved on. The world building brought up some fascinating and horrifying questions that were never fully answered, specifically related to the concept of android/human reproduction and abominations. It felt like the elephant in the room during the sex scene and overshadowed it for me, because the threat of pregnancy as a transman is already horrifying. I can't imagine it being even worse and being like, "yup, gonna trust all this to a condom!"In the circumstance they were in, I think I would have been more comfortable with non-penetrative or anal sex, but that might have been the point. Regardless, it kind of poured cold water on the sexy times for me.

I still really enjoyed it. Just not quite as much as I'd hoped to, and not as much as Mazarin Blues or Sable Dark by this author.

One person found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Heartfelt and empowering

Reviewed in the United States on July 10, 2023

Verified Purchase

Heartfelt and empowering. This book was a delight from start to finish. The characters are complex and endearing, and I was rooting for all of them (except the baddies, obviously). The trans experience is a key part of the text, and its portrayal is beautifully rendered. It's a story about what it means to be sentient, what it means to be human, what it means to be yourself and in your own body. But it's also a story of people getting by to the best of their ability, and eventually finding community and happiness with the help of their friends. I'd recommend this book to everyone, especially those who need a ray of sunshine and hope when the world looks bleak.

One person found this helpful

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Helen Whistberry

Thoughtful exploration of identity and romance in a dystopian setting

Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2023

Verified Purchase

Lots to love here from the trans rep to thoughtful ruminations on AI and what it means to be sentient to the many different types of alienation one can experience in this complicated world of ours. I thought the parallels between the two main characters (Valentine is a trans man suffering from dysphoria and frustrated with his lack of access to surgery and hormones and Osric is an AI trapped in an android body against his will) was an effective way to explore trans and identity issues. Likewise, the idea of the group of android women slowly gaining sentience and personalities of their own was a very engaging storyline. Drawbacks for me were some weakness in worldbuilding, a bit of a muddled plotline, and plot bunnies that were introduced but then didn't seem to go anywhere. The core of the story though is Valentine and Osric's burgeoning relationship and in that respect, it is a satisfying cozy dystopian romance with some action elements thrown in for good measure. Definitely original and worth a read for fans of post-apocalyptic fiction who appreciate the addition of positive LGBTQIA+ rep, humor and optimism.

One person found this helpful

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Mary

Highly recommend this sweet, insightful, powerful story of trans joy and the fight for liberation

Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2023

Verified Purchase

Highly recommend this sweet, insightful, powerful story of trans joy and the fight for liberation, not just for the self but all oppressed entities. Hess writes a memorable love story amidst post-apocalyptic ruins, not full of heartless marauders but deeply empathetic and selfless humans and non-humans. The post-human/trans parallels are smart and engaging. This shows us the best of what the sci-fi genre can do! Fans of Becky Chambers will also love it!

One person found this helpful

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Keith Frampton

lovely book

Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2023

Verified Purchase

A beautifully written gentle tale of finding oneself and helping others do the same. Another rare dystopian book hat includes some hope. The subtext on what is sentience was very well handled and thought provoking. As an older straight white male I loved the book and found it thought provoking. Thank you for writing it.

One person found this helpful

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Darby

World Running Down is a courageous, ambitious declaration of hope in a dystopian world.

Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2023

Verified Purchase

World Running Down is a courageous, ambitious declaration of hope in a dystopian world. Al Hess is a fearless writer brimming with unique ideas, characters, and situations. Osric and Valentine make an instant impression and won't leave you anytime soon. Neither will the optimism that feels more and more necessary when it sometimes feels the real world is more threatening than any imaginary one. A fantastic debut by an author with a limitless future.

2 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Shelly Campbell

Incredible, heart-warming, cozy apocalypse.

Reviewed in Canada on February 16, 2023

Verified Purchase

Every now and then a really special book comes along that isn't like anything else out there, one that you didn't know you needed, one that fills a hole you didn't realize needed filling. World Running Down was a joy of a story to fall into. Al Hess masterfully introduces us to characters that we can't resist falling in love with. He puts them through hard times, but this isn't an apocalypse story that focuses on how the world is falling apart. Rather, it reveals how people hold it together--even as it's running down--and turn it into something better with grace, humor and empathy. Valentine and Osric are the kind of heroes the world needs right now. This is a comfort read you'll come back to over and over again, Reader. I know I will!

L. J. Bennett

Joyously gay

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 2, 2023

Verified Purchase

Absolute joy of a book. Excellent world-building, wonderfully deep characters and very very gay. This is one for anyone who has ever felt out of place - either in society or in their own body.

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