Out of the Drowning Deep

July 15, 2024
The latest from Wise (Wendy, Darling) is more puzzling than fascinating. In a magic-infused near-future, three characters come together to solve the Pope’s murder: Scribe IV, a near-obsolete automaton whose official duty is to transcribe prayers; Quin, a trauma-laden recovering addict in a bleak relationship with an angel called (among many names) Murmuration; and Angel, another angel, nongendered, relatively youthful and naive, who is trying to help however xe can. In this world where gods and angels are not only real but more or less tangible and reachable by prayer, it can be hard for readers to see the forest for the trees. The expansive worldbuilding also encompasses many of the classic hallmarks of far-future science fiction, including references to mining on distant moons, robots of all shapes and sizes, space travel, and various other technological gizmos. While the story at the core of all of these disparate elements occasionally tugs at the heartstrings, there’s too much clutter to be able to truly appreciate it. This is a head-scratcher.