October 23, 2017
This densely lyrical novella combines science fiction, Greek mythology, botany, philosophy, and erotica into a resonant whole—but understanding that whole takes dedicated effort. In Erehwyna, a “town-state” on a future Mars that was long ago terraformed and settled, hedonistic adolescent Jaq Cartier notices fellow teen Puk Massinger soon after Puk and his adult sister, Ana, relocate there from Earth. Jaq and Puk spend several weeks exploring each other’s bodies and minds, while Ana and Jaq’s mentor, Renart, discuss pataphysics, their shared field of study that extends “as far beyond metaphysics as the latter extends beyond physics.” Weaving around scenes with these “fleshlings” is Susurrus, the sentient breeze offspring of Ares and Zephyros, as well as the mythological stories behind and botanical qualities of a wide variety of plants. Through these scenes and digressions, Duncan (Scruffians!) creates an exquisite mosaic, but the shape of that mosaic isn’t clear until the end of the novella, and the tale’s opacity will prevent some readers from making it that far.