Two recent novellas, George Saunders’ Vigil and Matthew Kressel’s The Rainseekers, offer starkly different but equally compelling visions of the future, both grappling with themes of reckoning, environmental impact, and the search for meaning in a changing world. These works aren’t just genre exercises; they reflect real anxieties about climate change, corporate power, and the human condition in the face of technological progress.
Vigil : Confronting Complicity
George Saunders’ Vigil plunges readers into the final hours of K.J. Boone, an oil tycoon facing death. The story unfolds through the perspective of Jill “Doll” Blaine, a ghost tasked with comforting the dying man. However, Boone shows no remorse for his life’s destructive impact, forcing Jill to confront not only his indifference but also her own unresolved past.
The novella’s strength lies in Saunders’ masterful prose, which avoids cliché at every turn. The narrative isn’t about a dramatic reckoning; rather, it explores the unsettling reality that some individuals remain unrepentant even in their last moments. While the ending may leave some unsatisfied, the lack of closure feels deliberate, mirroring the unresolved nature of real-world accountability for environmental damage. The book’s lasting power stems from its refusal to offer easy answers.
The Rainseekers : Humanity on a Terraformed Mars
In contrast to Saunders’ grounded realism, Matthew Kressel’s The Rainseekers presents a more speculative future. Set on Mars as terraforming efforts begin to succeed, the story follows Sakunja Salazar, an influencer-turned-journalist, who joins a group determined to witness the first rainfall on the Red Planet. The novella unfolds as a series of interconnected short stories, each revealing the motivations of the “rainseekers.”
Kressel excels at conveying complex emotions and narratives concisely. The fragmented structure effectively portrays a society grappling with the implications of planetary transformation while still burdened by human flaws. Though Sakunja herself remains a less compelling character, the collective stories create a vivid portrait of a future where humanity’s reach extends beyond Earth, yet its core desires and failings persist.
A Broader Context: Sci-Fi as Social Commentary
Both works demonstrate how science fiction can serve as a powerful medium for social commentary. Vigil confronts the moral implications of unchecked corporate greed, while The Rainseekers explores the psychological impact of large-scale environmental engineering. These narratives aren’t escapist fantasies but rather thought experiments that force readers to confront uncomfortable truths about our present and potential futures.
The inclusion of Tim Winton’s Juice as a related recommendation further underscores this point. These books collectively suggest that even in distant futures, the consequences of past actions will continue to shape human destiny. Sci-fi, at its best, doesn’t predict the future so much as it reflects our fears and hopes back at us.
Ultimately, Vigil and The Rainseekers are compelling reads that challenge conventional genre expectations. They demand not just entertainment but also reflection, reminding us that even in the most advanced technological landscapes, the most enduring struggles remain fundamentally human.
