SPSFC3 Finalist Review: Three Grams of Elsewhere by Andy Giesler

Hi all! We are in the finalist round for the third year of the Self Published Science Fiction Competition which means everyone is reading the same six books to choose the winner! The round is nearly over now so you don’t have much longer to wait to know the winners!

My last read for this year is Three Grams of Elsewhere by Andy Giesler.

These are my own opinions and do not reflect the team’s opinion or score. We are holding our individual scores until everyone on the team is finished reading and an official post is made. Please go to our Team Four team update page to see everyone’s reviews throughout the competition ⭐♥️🚀

Let’s take a quick look at the book and I’ll share my thoughts.

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Bookish Quick Facts

• Title: Three Grams of Elsewhere
• Author: Andy Giesler
• Published: Self, May 2023
• Length: 340 pages
• Rate & Recommend: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ for fans of future technology, empaths, a mystery

Here’s the Synopsis

A reclusive empath confronts his role in the war that fractured the United States.

Fifty years ago, a new civil war fractured the United States into a mosaic of polarized nations. Ever since, Harmony “Bibi” Cain has isolated himself: from society, from technology, from family. A powerful empath weary from the constant intrusion of others’ emotions, he’s finally cloistered in his rural Wisconsin retirement community. He hopes to find, if not peace, then at least a little quiet.

But when four impossible-seeming killings shake North America, Bibi is drawn into an investigation he wants nothing to do with. The victims were killed by unstoppable drones only an empath can control—and decades ago, Bibi was an unwitting subject in the wartime program that created them: the program that weaponized empathy.

With his few remaining friends at risk, and tensions between countries of the former United States reawakening, everything may depend on Bibi’s lifelong struggle with his own extraordinary ability.

• _{From Am*zon}

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My Thoughts

It’s a nice change of pace to read something with an older protagonist. Life expectancy is getting longer in this future due to technology, so Bibi and many of the characters are in their 70s or older which is awesome.

The synopsis pretty much covers things. Bibi is recovering from his empathic meltdown/ trauma (cause unknown) by living a technology free life with his cat and closest friends. He is a retired detective. He still has an active sex life (at 70 hahaha). America has fractured into a couple of different countries where people thought living with like-minded others would stem the hatred of The Others.

Well…. This is a hard book to talk about but I think the less you know going in, the better. Geisler tells the story through the Now (interviews), reflections (the past) and five years ago when the bulk of the story happens. We aren’t sure who the interviewer is or who Bibi is telling the story to, although the answers to these mysteries are solved in brilliant fashion later on.

The book revolves around two other mysteries: who killed the four Americans, and where is BiBi in the Now?

While I found the majority of the book to be slow and meandering, I have to say it came together beautifully. I don’t quite understand most of what happened at the end book-science wise but it fed into the science textbook excerpts we got throughout the novel.

Seniors have a whole different world view and set of struggles and Giesler presented them well. Bibi can still grow as a person and heal, as evidenced by how …. accepting …. he was at the end.

My only qualm is that I started seeing some small editing issues towards the end, but overall this was much more tightly edited than most of the entries I’ve read.

Overall

This is a complicated book that tackled a huge number of moral issues around personal and government rights. It doesn’t feel like it as you are reading but there is a lot packed into those 380 pages. Would definitely recommend for those interested in weaponized empathy, AI ethics, and a look at where our hatred really lies.

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Thanks for checking out my SPSFC book review for Three Grams of Elsewhere by Andy Giesler. I received a free electronic copy for judging purposes and as always, all opinions are my own ⭐🚀