Bell Corp declares that civilization is free from discrimination.
A universal system of Merit determines an individual’s worth to society.
We are a Meritocratic Technarchy.
We are the future of the human race.
- – from the Bell Charter on Human Rights
- Lavanya Lakshminarayan; Analog/Virtual: And Other Simulations of Your Future
In Analog/Virtual: And Other Simulations of Your Future, Lavanya Lakshminarayan describes a world where “productivity is power,” and “persona is paramount.” In a post climate calamity world, Bangalore, now called Apex City, is bisected by the Carnatic Meridian. On one side, live the Virtuals, in comfort, as long as they conform. On the other side are the Analogs, who face extreme deprivation. Which side you’re on, depends on where your productivity puts you on the bell curve.
Within the boundaries of this world, Lavanya Lakshminarayan situates a changing cast of characters, and via interconnected short stories, she imagines truths about discrimnation, class differences, dissent and revolution, that speak to our realties today.
About the speaker:
Lavanya Lakshminarayan is the Locus and BSFA Award-nominated author of Analog/ Virtual: And Other Simulations Of Your Future. She is currently shortlisted for the Times of India AutHer Award for Best Debut Novel.
She’s also a game designer, and has built worlds for Zynga Inc.'s FarmVille, FarmVille 2 and Mafia Wars, dabbled in building games around NFT’s on blockchain, and attempted to design an augmented reality robot-fighting game.
Her forthcoming publications include a short story in the Gollancz Book of South Asian Science Fiction (Volume 2), and a novelette in the anthology, Third Eye.
In her spare time, Lavanya is a classically trained pianist with stage fright, an animal lover with two dogs, and a world-traveller who can’t wait for her next big adventure.
About the moderators:
TG Shenoy is an SFF enthusiast, a columnist and critic. Shenoy hosts To Boldly Go, a fun SFF quiz every Saturday.
VIjayalakshmi Harish is a columnist, writer, and author of Strangely Familiar Tales.
Participation: is via Zoom for registered participants. Alternatively, you can watch the livestream here and post comments on https://hasgeek.com/bookclub/analog-virtual-and-other-simulations-of-your-future-talking-with-lavanya-lakshminarayan/
Contact details: For queries, write to info@hasgeek.com or call 7676332020