Award-winning science fiction author Geoff Nelder packs a real punch in this short tale of the mind. “The Chaos of Mokii” explores the bizarre and mysterious world where people may not be who you think they are, places can change at the drop of a hat, and questions arise at every turn.
When Olga enters Mokii, finagling her way past the bouncer into a world that is a ‘cross between Titanic and a Cinderella nightmare’, the adventure begins. Rather like Neo in The Matrix when presented with the red and blue pills and told he must choose one, Olga is offered a tray of silver thimbles filled with ruby and emerald elixirs. What seems a simple choice may actually be a trick in this well-developed world.
Moving through this world and seeing it through Olga’s eyes it’s impossible not to be caught up in Nelder’s vivid description of the surroundings. Just when I thought that was the crux of the tale, along comes Keiran who seems to exist only in this fantasy world. There is no question Olga has feelings for this “co-MC”. In fact, they have had a relationship in Mokii. While she is able to move from the physical world to the mind world, Keiran seems to be trapped. That begs the question, does Keiran truly exist?
Nelder takes a poke at money hungry corporations in this story but I won’t give that tidbit away. I will say it strikes very close to the real world where money is lord and master and no price is too high to charge the masses who always want more. Are they being given what they desire or led to desire to what they are given?
I confess to being more than a little stunned at the ending. I wished it went on because I found myself wondering what might or might not happen next. This is a tightly plotted, very well written story. Nelder has created a world, a conflict, and an epiphany in fewer pages than a Dr. Seuss book. He does it neatly and like a good science fiction writer leaves his reader with questions and hungry for more.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/geoffnelder
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