Neom

Every time I turn around Lavie Tidhar has published another novel. I've only had the chance to read [b:Unholy Land 39791736 Unholy Land Lavie Tidhar https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1531831184l/39791736.SY75.jpg 61518815], which I loved, but each book he puts out sounds imaginative and entirely original. With Neom, Tidhar returns to the world of his most popular book, [b:Central Station 25986774 Central Station Lavie Tidhar https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1460506349l/25986774.SY75.jpg 45899481]. Having not read it, I was unsure if I'd be missing the proper context to evaluate this one, but Neom works perfectly well as a standalone story.Neom is (or at least was) a techno-paradise in the Arabian Peninsula, surrounded by remnants of the endless wars that once ravaged the desert. We're introduced to several inhabitants of Neom and its surrounding environment. These folks, both human and robot alike, grapple with surface level post-war scars/memories and ones that must be, both literally and figuratively, dug up.This was superb and I'm in awe of Tidhar's vision. He's conjured up a futuristic city that feels simultaneously ultramodern and also run down. The rich histories of the region and its cultures are seamlessly interwoven into the fabric of this fully-realized world. Tidhar writes beautifully, as well. The chapters fly by as the seemingly disparate lives and motivations of the characters tidily intertwine, as Tidhar explores the nature of belief, memory, and love.I'll surely seek out more of Tidhar's back catalog, including Central Station, as well as whatever he thinks up next. He's clearly producing some really outstanding science fiction right now.See this review and others at The Speculative Shelf.