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Reviewed by Keana Sackett-Moomey for Readers' Favorite
Liberation by Lee Schneider continues the Utopia Engine Trilogy. Set in 2053–2054, this story follows Kat Keeper, Ravven Vaara, Spaceman, Renzo, Tristan, and Michel as they navigate the fallout from a global network collapse known as the Fracture. Their world is one where technology fails, communication stalls, and society teeters on the edge of destruction. Members of Kat's resistance group work to reestablish order and survive manipulations from the MIND—a powerful AI that has achieved authoritarian rule. As disasters strike, fires, storms, and misinformation separate communities. Kat and her allies must fight to maintain trust and solidarity as a team. Mystical experiences with orcas and humpback whales suggest nature itself is pushing back against human recklessness. Can the crew see their mission through and help restore balance?
Liberation by Lee Schneider is an exciting, fast-paced, and intriguing environmental sci-fi story that you will never forget. Not only does it masterfully introduce a future shaped by machines, it also helps readers envision what could happen when global technology collapses and nature begins to demand a response. The prose, world-building, and story conflict are all well-structured and skillfully crafted. In the character development, each person is well-defined and does an impressive job of pulling readers further into the storyline. The Fracture becomes more than just a plot device—it shows the limitations of the systems people heavily rely on daily. By weaving whales and storms into the story, Schneider suggests that the planet itself will not stay silent forever. I enjoyed this element of creative writing and inventiveness. Liberation is best suited to readers who enjoy sci-fi novels about resistance, climate change, abuse of power, AI domination, and confronting personal trauma.
