Voellers prose is both poetic and robust, taking readers on a heightened, hypnotic journey that complements the surreal, dreamlike nature of the world the characters inhabit. The books first 30 pages are particularly excellent, composed of very short chapters, as each character presents him- or herself with a short, first-person introduction. This results in a rich tapestry, similar in form to a documentary. Voeller steeps this story of life on a terraformed planet in the spiritualism of ancient Sanskrit culture, which contrasts intriguingly against the futurism of nanotechnology. Powerful is his depiction of a society in which all sexualities are embraced and fully integrated. Voeller does a commendable job of developing a rather unique sci-fi landscape that blends ancient mysticism, surrealism, futuristic tech and even queer theory in a literary mlange. -Kirkus Indie Reviews In Vanatanahon, Peter Voeller has created an alternative reality and a parable of apocalypse and renewal. The title refers to the storys setting: an imperiled world inhabited by psychic natives, specter-like beings, and animals. Although set on an alien world, Vantanahon successfully uses familiar human artifacts ranging from the Sanskrit language to science-fiction concepts such as nanotechnology and interplanetary colonization. Overall, its a fast read and an enjoyable, thought-provoking ride. -Joe Perez, author of Soulfully Gay and Writer/Owner of Writing Wolf. Complex and completely absorbing...Vantanahon is the kind of story that not only leads to you to think, but invites you to imagine. -Virginia Lore, author of Northwest Exposure! and Absurdities.
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“Who died and made you yeshmani?”
This is an environmental science-fiction novel about people who travel from one place to the next, using up the resources before moving on. Most of the book is on the quest for their new place. I loved Peter Voeller's world-building ability—for example, he has thought through rituals, social customs, and characters' histories. It's interesting to see the concerns and themes that interest him: the environment, eros, spirituality, and Sanskrit. It's also interesting to see his construction of a world that accepts and assumes multiple kinds of sexuality.
