Solarpunk: Short Stories from Many Futures by Francesco Verso

Book Review

Martin Willoughby

Fourteen short stories examining possible near and distant futures set in the aftermath of our fossil fuelled age. What will life look like if we fully embrace renewable energy? What catastrophes will we face even if we do?

Most of these stories were published in Italian and English and are from non-English writers. For that reason alone, it’s worth a read for those of us caught up in an Anglophone world as it allows us an insight into how writers in other nations think.

But that is not the only reason to read these stories. They are good, thoughtful in many cases, and well written. Not one of them had me mentally urging the writer to get on with it.

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Rules for a civilisation – The world is buffeted by storms that can take down the areologies people live and work in. A teacher tries to deal with an errant child as a flood cascades through her classroom during one of those storms.

Byzantine empathy – A young woman has found a way to bypass the corporate charity monoliths using cryptocurrency. But will she succeed in helping the people she has come to care about?

Orchidaceae – The planet is slowly recovering and humanity is using seed banks to reflower the Earth. One woman is looking after the orchids and is looking for companionship.

The soma Earth – She thought she’d found a home in South Italy with her partner. An ‘end of world’ feel about the place has the locals trying to protect themselves at her expense, even if what she does could help them live. Is there a better place? Will her partner leave with her?

For the snake of power – The temperatures are rising and a long solar grid sits above a poor area, supplying them with power and shade. Yet there are still power cuts. Where is all the electricity going?

Anticipation of hollowness – Robots are ubiquitous and one young woman is struggling with her old model. It needs a software update or it will fail. Can she keep her only companion going or will she have to sell it to a programmer and face a lonely future?

Oil and Ivory – They’re still drilling for oil and the ice hasn’t completely melted. For one small group of people, living in the arctic and living as they have done for millennia, the Narwhals are important. But can they save them?

The maestro of small things – In modern China there are still people who live the old ways. Not for them agro-businesses and genetically modified sheep. Yet in the midst of this one old man has created something unique that he wants his granddaughter to know about.

The spiral ranch – Small cows are disappearing from a tower block, the spiral ranch. Who’s taking them and why?

Drawing the line – In Africa they’re reforesting the desert, one line of trees at a time. By creating new technology, they are succeeding. Yevgeney moved there to fix things and is very good at it, but who is stealing the technology?

Lizard skin – Ran has created a technology and a charity that cleans up oil spills. The press and the oil companies fear her, but with the death of one of the volunteers, have they found a way to bring her down?

Have space bike, will travel – Capturing satellites that are about to enter the Van Allen belt is not for the faint-hearted, but using space bikes from atop a space elevator is cheap and effective. Until someone decides the elevator needs bringing down.

The lighthouse keeper – The area is full of antiques, including a lighthouse, all of which need maintenance. Now he’s had a heart attack. Who will replace Bast and care for them?

The spider and the stars – Insect protein is part of the future, but getting people to eat bugs is proving difficult. Del has other ideas for insects beyond food. She wants them to help clean up space junk, so travels to a world’s fair to showcase her ideas.

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Fourteen short stories full of ideas, full of humanity and compassion. Well worth the time spent reading them.