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Reviewed by Saifunnissa Hassam for Readers' Favorite
Chris Coward's novel Perpendicular Women: Adventures in the Multiverse is an intriguing science fiction story about perpendicular universes, which can be similar to, or quite different from, the original home universe. The novel begins with the life of Kara Cuesta. In 2012 Kara was a marketing manager and the keynote speaker at a tradeshow convention in Arizona. She was unhappy with her family life and professional life. On a brief visit to the Organ Pipe Cactus National Park, she finds two unusual sparkly stones. She discovers the stones are a gateway to other universes and that she can return to her home universe. She wants to be happy, to love, and be loved. She travels to a perpendicular universe to live out her fantasy. The novel moves forward to 2098, where Pandora Garnett is the vice-president of Magic Inc., the foremost robot manufacturer in the world. She is a gifted inventor, and a techie at heart. She is working on creating artificial intelligence singularity in the form of sentient AIs with self-awareness and learning abilities. In her universe, her project is illegal. Can an alternate universe provide a solution to the dilemma?
I particularly enjoyed reading Chris Coward's Perpendicular Women for its two different characters, Kara Cuesta and Pandora Garnett. The novel gained great depth as the two women took on different challenges. Both characters are compelling, and Kara faced demanding family issues. I liked the drama of the family situations and the family's interpersonal relationships. Conversely, Pandora cannot accept a society that fears sentient artificial intelligence. I like her approach of first bringing together a team that can help her create self-awareness in robots, plus the concept of an alternate universe, where characters can pursue their dreams. I was curious about the differences between perpendicular universes and the home universe. What would the characters do differently in their perpendicular universe compared to their home universe? The novel's pace and action vary with each character's story. I enjoyed the multiple twists and turns from start to finish! I liked the questions about the limits to an individual's pursuit of a dream and the compromises that may be necessary. This is a fascinating and thought-provoking science fiction novel about people's dreams, ambitions, and transformative journeys.
