From the Publisher
"Rise of the Red Hand mixes the best of cyberpunk and anime with a tale of family and revolution to create something completely unique--intimate yet action-packed, touching yet thrilling. Olivia Chadha delivers as much action as she does heart, all with a healthy dose of mecha. It kicks ass." -MIKE CHEN, author of Here & Now and Then "A captivating sci-fi debut that masterfully weaves in commentary on climate change, technology, and class inequality. Rise of the Red Hand delivers on its promise of an action-packed story of rebellion and resistance, and you'll be rooting for the badass revolutionary hero, Ashiva--a girl with teeth, and a metal fist." -FARAH NAZ RISHI, author of I Hope You Get This Message "An exhilarating and relevant story that gives voice to those often unheard and sticks with you long after that last page." -ALECHIA DOW, author of The Sound of Stars Innovative, smartly written, and harrowingly relevant." -JULIA EMBER, author of The Seafarer's Kiss "It's everything I want in a cyberpunk story: devastating political and existential stakes, a surging pace, and profoundly rad cybernetics." -HANNAH ABIGAIL CLARKE, author of The Scapegracers This is speculative fiction as we rarely see it—with the global south speaking up in a powerful and compellingly imagined near future. Rise of the Red Hand explores the most urgent issues of our time, the soullessness of technology and the gap between rich and poor, with non-stop action propelled by a sharp young cast. More brilliant speculative fiction like this, please!" —Ausma Zehanat Khan, author of The Bloodprint "Olivia Chadha’s heartfelt, adroit, brisk and thoughtful debut novel proves that everything old is new again . . . Rise of the Red Hand proves itself willing to shatter daringly all its initial assumptions and verities, putting its cast through life-altering fires, in order to create new forms of beauty and hope and possible salvation." —Locus Magazine
School Library Journal
01/01/2021
Gr 8 Up—A quarter-century after a massive nuclear World War III, dying Earth is divided into nine provinces contending for resources. In the South Asian Province, corporation-run on fascist lines for the benefit of the powerful and privileged (in their elite Strata), a Central district separates Northerners from the "Unsanctioned." Then a pandemic breaks out. Ashiva (a talented smuggler and avid trainee of the Red Hand resistance) is a feisty, though not fully realized, cyborg hero. She and two others—her brilliant 12-year-old nerd sister, and a connected-but-disaffected male teen data-specialist—alternate first-person, present-tense narration. Power is a key theme, along with identity, bias, and trust. Occasional Punjabi, Urdu, and Hindi phrases (contextually clear), and much techno-speak, could be either assets or liabilities. Little beyond the odd mango or sari signifies "sub-continent" specifically, cultural distinctions having presumably been vaporized. After a lively opening, the story stutters in the middle, with confusing alliances and motivations, too many new characters, and too little continuity and plausibility. The final chapters recover their charge, but leave the plot unresolved. VERDICT Readers seeking sci-fi with political, environmental, technological, and South Asian dimensions might overlook the shakier aspects and stick with this series.—Patricia D. Lothrop, formerly of St. George's Sch., Newport, RI
Kirkus Reviews
2021-08-11
In a divided future, two teens struggle to save their respective worlds.
In the South Asian Province, Uplanders approved by Solace Corporation live in Central City, a sheltered and technologically advanced city. Perfected by genetic edits, even their thought processes are sped up with neural-synch implants that keep them constantly connected. Riz-Ali interns at Solace Corp, secretly playing mecha fighting games on the underweb and seeking the rebel organization Red Hand in hopes of learning the truth behind his uncle’s death. Those who fail the Solace tests live in the Narrows, an area plagued with disease, poisoned air, undrinkable water, and scorching heat. These Downlanders, orphaned and wounded by the deadly aftermath of World War III, scavenge Uplander technology for prosthetics and survive by forming found families and through the support of the Red Hand. Ashiva, a Red Hand trainee, strives to bring the fight for justice to Central. When the Planetary Alliance Commission’s gaze falls on their province, Ashiva’s and Riz’s paths collide. Steeped in elements from real-life South Asian cultures, the worldbuilding is original and intriguing, incorporating dystopian and utopian elements along with current hot issues such as societal inequities, digital surveillance, and technology’s impact on humanity. Explanatory infodumps and some awkward scene transitions and dialogue weaken an otherwise strong and intricate story. While the side cast is expansive and interesting, they remain underdeveloped due to unbalanced pacing, and readers will hope for more time with them in future volumes. All characters are South Asian.
An entertaining series opener. (glossary) (Dystopian. 12-18)
