This is a fantastic new science fiction story, set in a truly futuristic world that challenges the imagination as to how humanity may change as we develop and assimilate more technology to a point where life and death take on new meanings for many people. The characters in this book take a while to get used to because their world is so alien to ours, but as the story develops we see some glimmers of our species's past in the way these future people interact with each other and their strange and oddly hostile world.

I picked up We Lived on the Horizon, by Erika Swyler, because it tries to imagine a place designed to survive cataclysm. The book is an examination of utopia that falls short in many ways while offering an incredible look at an artificial consciousness inhabiting a human-shaped body.

The city of Bulwark seems to stand alone after a series of cataclysms put humanity on its heels. The AI in charge of the city rewards the sacrifices of citizens that keep the city running. Over generations, the families that gave the most became known as the Sainted. Saint Enita Malovis is nearing the end of her life without anyone to pass her decades of knowledge in bioprosthesis to. In an attempt to preserve her legacy, she designs and constructs a body to encase her house’s AI named Nix. In the background, something odd is going on that threatens to upend her life of quiet luxury and giving.

There is a pretty applicable meme that applies to my experience with We Lived On The Horizon, “they had me in the first half.” The book spends a good amount of its page count setting up a really interesting world that presents a lot of contradictions. A new society had to be built from the ruins of the old world, and new ways of living developed to survive the harsh conditions. Bulwark is managed by a city-wide AI, giving it a sheen of logical legitimacy as resources are distributed by “need” and social standing. While I found the system fascinating and compelling, it doesn’t offer a historical need for its continued existence. This does a great job of insulating the reader, giving them the same kind of perspective that the characters themselves live in. But it sort of nagged at me that the only real explanation is that “this is just how it had to be.” It mirrors our own explanations for the system of global capitalism in a way that pleases me while also having zero trails to follow backward, unlike our own world. This also just makes the background revolution a little weird – but we’ll get to that.

My excitement about the world in We Lived On The Horizon is centered around the fact that it feels like a compassionate-intent-gone-wrong version of our world. Life hours are the name of the game, and some people are born into a debt accrued by their forebears, while the Sainted live off the good deeds their ancestors have accrued over generations. Life hours earned by sacrifice replace the hard currency we’re used to, with debts accruing by using someone else’s service. But that’s if the person offering the service chooses to log it.

Enita, the main protagonist, is known to the denizens of Bulwark as the stitch skin. With her work in bioprostheses, she can craft limbs and organs that are functionally equivalent without needing someone else to donate a part of their body. Since she is a Sainted, she sees no need to charge those less fortunate for her services. So, her moniker is both a curse and a term of endearment for those seeking her services. It pains Enita, and gives her a sense of pride that she is the sole arbiter of this knowledge, which gives her character some depth.

Other aspects of Enita’s character revolve around her relationship with Nix and her former lover, Saint Helen. I honestly don’t remember much about Helen beyond her penchant for studying history and the awkward ways in which the two long-time friends/frenemies/lovers snipe at each other. There were some real feelings here, laced with some melodrama that wore thin fairly quickly for me. Nix themselves were a real delight, though. The exploration of their body, its limitations, and their journey of losing aspects of themselves to gain other learnings to be of help to those around them was clever and carried me through the story. If any of the themes about giving and sacrifice were fully realized it would be through the character of Nix as they interact with humans and other AI systems. Their life was both beautiful and sad as they tried to emulate humanity, torn between two people who couldn’t help but fight about what Nix was. It’s the kind of story about AI consciousness on an emotional level that could be better explored in the genre.

Where I started to have issues with the story was with Neren. Neren is a body martyr. In the time in which the story takes place, their role is vestigial, but their history feels interesting. A body martyr is someone who is basically a walking organ donor. In the history of Bulwark, they were citizens who had an innate desire to give so that others would not have to suffer. Neren took special pride in their ability to give, recover, and devote their life to continuing to give, even after sacrificing a lung. The problem is that the only people who really want things from body martyrs in Neren’s time are the Sainted. And if a body martyr had their body tainted by nano-machines or any mechanical supplementation, they were deemed impure by the Sainted and no longer able to give. My ultimate problem with the story is that the characters refused to actually talk about who benefits from the body martyr system in their present. I think there are some interesting discussions that occurred and exist as the barest of scratches on the surface of the iced over lake that is the body martyr discussion. Now, I am not well versed in how to portray disability in fiction, but it just feels like there was a lot to be desired in terms of examining Neren’s vocation as a body martyr and the pride they felt at their own bootstrap rehabilitation, and the disgust they felt at receiving treatment.

This seems to be a recurring theme throughout the rest of the book. Hints at grander ideas while circling the same talking point again and again. We Live on the Horizon posits an interesting thought experiment but kind of leaves a huge glaring issue on the table. The city of Bulwark is functionally a form of capitalism, measuring people’s contributions to society as a form of time. It even dives into similar language with the notions of “debt” and “sacrifice.” How often do we hear about the rich being the ones who are taking the risk while the workers are there just to get paid? It isn’t really that hard to make the leap that the Sainted are just the “good billionaires,” or at least the ones we engage with who offer their services for free to people who live in apartment blocks prone to collapse on their residents. Luxury items like tea are shown as status symbols and the book spends a lot of time explaining why mechanically that is so. It’s frustrating because all the pieces are there, but We Lived on the Horizon refuses to look in the mirror. It just sort of slowly collapses on itself without any agency. Society goes through cycles and someone has to pay the price. Most of the time, it’s the poor, but maybe once in a while, the rich get it too.

After having read so many books that engage in the concept of revolution, examining faults, triumphs, and the costs of it, materially and spiritually, We Lived on the Horizon falls flat in its portrayal. Personally, I actually liked that it was something that was brewing in the background. A sort of historical process that the characters can only prepare for. But at the same time it robs the “revolution” of its agency and its power. We don’t know why it’s happening (we do, it’s just nebulous within the book), or who is involved. There is a vague sense that the AI of Bulwark is trimming the fat to feed the anger of the masses, but it feels lame. It’s a bog-standard revenge mob searching the city for the Sainted so debts can be lifted from the invisible toiling masses. It was just so vague and incomprehensible – which would have been an interesting route had it had more presence. But it just sort of happens all at once near the end of the novel. And without the hard work of deep discussions about what it all means, I’m just sort of left wondering – what the fuck it was all about. That vague feeling then starts to become the main thought about revolution “what the fuck is it all about if nice people die?” That feels insidious to me.

In the end, the bits that worked for me beyond Swyler’s prose were the sections about Nix’s awakening. Their wrestling with the knowledge that in order to gain something, you might have to give up something was engaging. It wasn’t the most in-depth examination, but the novel sold Nix’s specific encounters with that contradiction. Neren, too, offered some interesting discussions on the nature of giving, but without diving deeper into who Neren was giving to and why, her story didn’t stick the landing. And while I can leave the conversation about “what is utopia,” behind, I will at least remember the trials of Nix and the things they gave me.

Rating: We Lived on the Horizon Could have made a really sick novella.
-Alex

An ARC of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts on this book are my own.

I actually DNF-ed this book because I couldn't;t get into the writing. I;m sure someone would love it. I just couldn't get into it

This was a really interesting story and I liked the premise. I had a hard time connecting to the characters but still felt it was strong overall. And I love the cover!

AI speculative fiction is having a moment, and I am getting a little tired of it. But then, along comes We Lived on the Horizon. This is absolutely adding something new to the discourse and this is complex and horrific.

This is a book to be savored. It's slow and thoughtful, but that's what makes it so worthwhile. At times, even individual chapters just feel like short stories in themselves.

Does that mean that it took me three months to read? Well, yes. But a book worth reading for three months is a good book!

There's a lot to unpack about this book, and I would consider it worth reading just for the world-building alone (which, coming from me, an avowed world-building hater, is high praise—this is a book that spends quite a bit of time exploring the practicalities of the world it has created, and the fact that it manages to do so in a way that comes across as intriguing rather than heavy-handed and tedious is quite an accomplishment). I loved the characters, the moral quandaries, and the exploration of a society on the brink of potential violent upheaval.

That being said, at times, it felt as if the book and I weren't in agreement about what was interesting about what was happening. The explorations of humanity, sacrifice, relationships, morality, and revolution were all absolutely fascinating and handled so well, but ultimately, the biggest focus of <i>We Lived on the Horizon</i> is the story of Nix, an AI who has taken human form, and that means that much of the book is absorbed in discussion of the actual practicalities of their transition. This is an interesting theme, sure, but it's far from the <i>most</i> interesting idea explored in the book—in fact, I'd personally rank it among the least—and it felt as if it took up a disproportionate amount of focus in a book with so many other fascinating ideas to explore. So many other stories and parts of this world were touched on that felt like they could be whole books in themselves, and instead, it felt like we spent pages and pages hearing about the color of code and how AI communicates.

Ultimately, though, all that is personal preference. My bigger grievance comes with (probably unnecessary spoiler tag, but I'm being cautious!) <spoiler>the ending--the VERY end--which felt like it cheapened much of the exploration done earlier in the book.</spoiler>

Regardless, still absolutely worth a read!

READ THIS IF...
• You can't stop thinking about AI and figure "Why not humanize it?"
• You want more robots and tech in your sci-fi
• You want the BrainyQuotes page of revolution quotes in book form
• You like queer rep and/or older female protagonists in your books
• You want to think a lot (and cry a little) as you read

THIS MIGHT NOT BE FOR YOU IF...
• You're not into world-building
• You want a super quick or action-packed read

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a temporary eBook loan of the book! All opinions are, of course, my own.

This was a slog. It started off interesting, but it quickly petered off into a whole lot of words that didn't say a whole lot. The pacing didn't work for me, I didn't feel connected to any of the characters, and the central conflict felt extremely superficial and I was so bored the whole time.

I think this would have made a great novella, but I struggled with this as a full length novel. I didn’t love the writing style and had a bit of a hard time following the ideas throughout the story. It also got very slow and seemed unsure where to go halfway through the story. I think the idea of the story just needed some streamlining because otherwise is was really interesting and unique.

Ahoy there mateys! The main characters of a bio-prosthetic surgeon and her personal AI are what captivated me about the book.  Saint Enita Malovis is one of the city's elite thanks to the sacrifices her family made when the city was founded in order to save humanity after the cataclysms.  She does not have to work but chooses to be a surgeon.  She has no children so she decides to create a body for her house's AI system, Nix, and train it to take over when she dies.  Cool right?

The set-up and history of how the city is structured was fascinating.  I loved Saint Enita and Nix's relationship.  I loved the body horror in how they grow prosthetics.  I also appreciated the body horror in Body Martyrs and how they donate organs to the elite in return for credits towards living expenses.  There is also a murder with interesting ramifications for why the city is failing.

I managed to get to 61% of this novel before I found it dragging.  The problem was that I was not interested in the newer characters and the revolution.  I also found that a lot of the world building and the politics did not always make sense and ended up being confusing once the setting extended outside of Saint Enita's home.

The ideas here were worth exploring but the novel didn't seem to have a strong focal point.  There was the AI portion of Nix exploring the world with a new body and then the sections about the poor and how they are exploited. But overall it became muddy in both plot and purpose.  However, what I did enjoy was evocative.  I am willing to try whatever the author writes next.  Arrrr!

really thought I would love this one. The premise and post-apocalyptic world 300 years in the future sounded so promising. But it just didn't some together in a satisfying way for me. Maybe what's left of humanity is surviving inside a walled city. Everything is controlled by artificial intelligence.

‘We Lived on the Horizon’ tells the story of a crumbling A.I.-run society through multiple POVs, including Parallax (the A.I. responsible for upholding the status quo); The Stacks (sentient library); Enita (a member of the elite “Sainted” class); House Saint Malovis (Enita’s “house system,” or the A.I. who manages every aspect of her life); Neren (a member of the working class who donates organs to the Sainted in exchange for “life hours”); and Davet (a human who holds some of Parallax’s consciousness, aka this world’s version of a cop).

I’m of two minds about this book. On one hand, the world is brilliantly detailed and the author is clearly talented. It’s immersive. The challenges the characters face are relatable despite how “in world” they are (for example, House Saint Malovis/Nix experiences a shift in consciousness from plural to singular; while Nix’s struggle is unique to this world, the themes of identity and trying to hold onto your true self are universal). On the other hand, there’s so much world to build that worldbuilding is where the book has to spend most of its time. The result is a book set in a thoughtful, well-crafted world that unfortunately is not very exciting to read.

I enjoyed this book for its characters and themes, but would find it difficult to recommend. But I also don’t want to give the impression that I didn’t like it. Instead of recommending or not recommending, I’m sharing my notes from the first few chapters. These initial impressions are pretty much the vibe for the whole book. If it sounds like your jam, check it out.

- This is good but it’s so much work
- So dense
- This is like starting a series 5 books in
- Literally this is book 5 and I never read books 1-4
- I always say I want the books I read to be smarter than me, but this book is so MUCH smarter than me that I feel stupid
- DID A ROBOT WRITE THIS

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read ‘We Lived on the Horizon’ in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.

This might be reader error, but I had a hard time tracking what was going on in this book- especially at the beginning. I do think the author shows a lot of promise, but this read wasn't for me.

We lived on the horizon was an excellent read. I loved the writing and it was propulsive. Great character study. I would read more from this author.

Thank You Netgalley for an early arc of this book, We Lived on the Horizon. I liked this so much, I was so happy when it was one of Aardvark book choices. I had to grab it. Thank you Erika Swyler for writing this and I would highly recommend reading it. I rated this 5 stars.

This sci fi/dystopian is set on earth in a far-ish future, taking place all in a self-contained city with a complicated social structure where certain families descending from important figure in the founding of the city are known as Sainted and are essentially the rich and privileged of the society, while most people work very hard but can never escape their “life debts.” The murder of one of the Sainted sets in motion a story told from the perspective of a Sainted woman who is also a scientist who grows replacement body parts, the AI of her house which she has now transplanted into a humanoid body, one of the have- not people who donates her organs known as a body martyr, and more.

If you’re confused already, well so was I when I started this book which plunges you right into the mix of this complicated society and situation without really explaining anything! But after a slow and tough start, as I slowly figured out what was going on, I actually ended up getting pretty into it. It felt kind of like a cross between Kazuo Ishiguro and Margaret Atwood, with a dash of Adrian Tchaikovsky.

This book is DEFINITELY not going to be for everyone. There are some books I call sci fi for beginners, which are set in a world more like are own and anyone can enjoy regardless of how they feel about science fiction. Indeed, Erika Swyler’s book before this, The Light From Other Stars, is one of those. But this most definitely is not - if you’re not a sci fi fan, I’m sure the first paragraph of my review was already enough to scare you away. 😂 But if you are a sci fi fan, I think this one is worth checking out.

3.75 stars

Unfortunately I expected more from this book. It sounded intriguing, but lacked the action. It fell flat for me and I wanted more. I would say it’s a great inbetween read.

I also found it hard to keep track of what was going on. I do believe the premise was interesting, but there was more potential.

We Lived on the Horizon by Erika Swyler is a thought-provoking science fiction novel set in a dystopian future where a walled city is governed by a distant AI. The story delves into themes of body autonomy, utopia versus dystopia, and the future of technology. Readers have praised the book for its beautifully written narrative and complex character development, noting that it offers a fresh perspective on the genre. While some found the first portion of the book slow and challenging to follow, the novel's depth and exploration of societal issues make it a compelling read

It seems like the appropriate time for a dystopian novel depicting a future where our lives are run by almost sentient beings (are they? aren't they?) I think that if I were reading this at any other time, I would have balked at the idea that I could really care about what happens in a place almost completely run by AI. Now, I think this is the genius of Erika Swyler—she can pretty much convince me to love anything. Swyler's tale, like our not so distant future, is compelling and terrifying at once. The line between the haves and the have nots is stark—surgeons are able to "grow" organs while destitute others are coerced into donating their own—and stunning, but also, not so hard to imagine. Once again I was swept into a world I could not possibly have dreamt, and yet, Swyler's odd bunch of characters provoke my empathy, concern, and yes, maybe even love.

I personally enjoyed this and I would classify this squarely in science fiction. I am a librarian and I enjoyed the tension and conflict between humans and AI. I thought this story eloquently spoke about who is human and what a human acts like. I also felt this reminded me of Neil Shusterman’s novel Unwind when speaking about Body Martyrs - the discussion of who donates body parts and who receives them really delved into classism between the Saints and the workers of this society. It was wholly interesting to me as a librarian.

The future is a mystery that each of us see in a different manner, imagining a time when what we know today is no longer. In WE LIVED ON THE HORIZON, it seems the world has grown from a start that was just beyond our view. As we meet the characters, the story moves backwards in history to show how the world has evolved to this point. Then we strain our eyes....and a few brain cells.....to look beyond the what if of time ending. Stir in the ability to utilize AI while trying to save history and this book will make you think, and wonder.