“A collision of our era’s catastrophes fuses a new world, becoming something rich and strange.” Kim Stanley Robinson, Hugo Award–winning novelist
Description
Inception meets Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind in this captivating prequel to the acclaimed, bestselling science fiction romance Reset by Sarina Dahlan
Can you give up a love you can’t forget?
After the Last War destroyed most of the world, survivors formed a new society in four self-sustaining cities in the Mojave Desert. To halt extinction, everything in the Four Cities is carefully predicted and carefully controlled … even love.
But how can you control love and freedom? In the engrossing prequel to Reset, Preset weaves the tales of Eleanor, the Crone, and Eli, the Planner, before and after the creation of the Four Cities. Much has changed in the world and their relationship, but there are some truths that have yet to come to light.
Fighting for change yet still loving her husband Eli, the scientist Eleanor travels to Elara, the lone city resisting fully bending to Eli’s control. There she must separate reality from lies, memories from desires, as she tries to piece together the truth about what is happening in the Four Cities.
But the gulf between love and freedom, between the past and the now, between what we remember and what we strive to become can be as vast as the break between two hearts bound together. It is here, in the dark fissure left by loss, where Eleanor discovers the true cost that has been paid to save humanity.
Praise
“A collision of our era’s catastrophes fuses a new world, becoming something rich and strange.” Kim Stanley Robinson, Hugo Award–winning novelist
“Intricate, imaginative, and often surprising, Preset propels you through a future of warning, danger, and possibilities.” David Brin, New York Times bestselling author
“What risks will we take to hold on to each other and ourselves, this elegant and ethereal novel asks. Through her sage storytelling, Sarina Dahlan richly weaves philosophy, science, and dystopia through the complexities of the human psyche, relationships, and the desire to protect what we hold dearest. This dazzling prequel clutches its secrets tightly as seeds in the palm, cleverly scattering them for us enchanted readers to follow until the novel’s bittersweet end, which, of course, is only the beginning. Preset offers a trenchant meditation on what we both lose and gain when we choose to remember.” Jennifer Givhan, author of River Woman, River Demon
“Dahlan once again works magic with her prose…Preset is deeply emotional and deeply thoughtful. Heartwarming and heartbreaking. The characters Eleanor and Eli, and so many of the side characters, will live with you long after you have finished their story.” S. L. Choi, author of the Blood Fae Druid series
“Sarina Dahlan wraps moments of clarity and meaning in beautiful prose while exploring themes of love, heartbreak, and the aftermath of war. She’s never afraid to ask the big questions and consider what survival costs us, as individuals, or as humans on the edge of extinction.” David R. Slayton, author of the Adam Binder Series
Details
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| Release Day | May 22, 2023 |
| Release Date | May 23, 2023 |
| Series Display String | The Four Cities Series |
| Release Date Machine | 1684800000 |
| Imprint | Blackstone Publishing |
| Provider | Blackstone Publishing |
| Categories | Literature & Fiction, Genre Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Science Fiction, Romance, Post-Apocalyptic, Dystopian, Action & Adventure, Sci Fi and Fantasy, Science Fiction |
Author Bio
Sarina Dahlan was born into an Indonesian family in Thailand and immigrated to the California desert at the age of twelve. While children in the West grew up on fairy tales, she learned parables through ghost stories, mythologies, and Japanese manga.
A graduate of the University of California, San Diego, with degrees in psychology and visual arts, she has blended both disciplines in careers as an advertising producer, a corporate marketing strategist, and a writer. She lives in San Diego with her young family and a senior cat. Her debut novel, Reset, was an instant bestseller.
Narrator Bio
Shiromi Arserio is a stage actor, voice talent, and audiobook narrator from London. She holds a BA in theater from Rose Bruford College of Theatre and Performance. In addition to narrating dozens of audiobooks, her voice can be heard in documentaries, e-learning projects, and video games.
Overview
Inception meets Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind in this captivating prequel to the acclaimed, bestselling science fiction romance Reset by Sarina Dahlan
Can you give up a love you can’t forget?
After the Last War destroyed most of the world, survivors formed a new society in four self-sustaining cities in the Mojave Desert. To halt extinction, everything in the Four Cities is carefully predicted and carefully controlled … even love.
But how can you control love and freedom? In the engrossing prequel to Reset, Preset weaves the tales of Eleanor, the Crone, and Eli, the Planner, before and after the creation of the Four Cities. Much has changed in the world and their relationship, but there are some truths that have yet to come to light.
Fighting for change yet still loving her husband Eli, the scientist Eleanor travels to Elara, the lone city resisting fully bending to Eli’s control. There she must separate reality from lies, memories from desires, as she tries to piece together the truth about what is happening in the Four Cities.
But the gulf between love and freedom, between the past and the now, between what we remember and what we strive to become can be as vast as the break between two hearts bound together. It is here, in the dark fissure left by loss, where Eleanor discovers the true cost that has been paid to save humanity.