Written by Olle Ordsmed
As much as I love cyberpunk and believe the genre can be explored in a variety of ways, it’s rare that a cyberpunk story can truly surprise me. Yet Streetcab Seshjack by Olle Ordsmed did exactly that. Looking at its blurb (included above, as always, for your reference), it features many elements familiar to fans of the genre—virtual reality, the adtech industry, hackers, cryptocurrency, bodyjacking—and yet the book presents it all in a way that feels entirely new and unique to this story.
From the moment I started reading the novella, the prose struck me as very noir in its delivery—once again, this is not uncommon for cyberpunk—however, as the book progresses, the writing takes a more literary tone, particularly in relation to the bodyjacking. One can only imagine what it would be like to “borrow” somebody’s body, or to have your own body “borrowed.” It is something I imagine would be an incredibly surreal experience, and almost indescribable. Unlike other cyberpunk books I’ve read that have touched upon this, Streetcab Seshjack presents such events with such surreality. Through these sequences, Ordsmed beautifully conveys these literally out of body elements, and does so in a way that meshes with the reality of the real world presented throughout the rest of the book.
While cyberpunk stories often pay close attention to the morality of the technology being used, few hone in on it as tightly as Streetcab Seshjack does. Not only do its themes cover privacy and the profits associated with invading said privacy, it delves into the ethics behind “borrowing” bodies—particularly without the consent of a body’s owner—in an arresting way. While it is clear from the outset that the author hasn’t written this novella for younger readers, thanks to a large amount of adult language and references to suicide, the use of bodies without consent takes this to another level. Without providing detail (I was tempted to use a passage from this as featured quote, but some readers may find it a bit much; besides, the scene is best enjoyed as part of the book), this leads to the most interesting masturbation scene I have ever read in a book. Nothing is left to the imagination to the point that it verges on transgressive fiction, but it packs a punch, both in the way it is written and the impact it has on the characters, and the reader.
At an estimated 100 pages on Kindle (the only way to enjoy the book), Streetcab Seshjack is not a long read, and is perfectly digestible in a single sitting. While I won’t discuss elements of the plot not mentioned in the blurb (with an exception made for masturbation, obviously), the book packs a lot into those pages. This feat is all the more impressive thanks to the novella’s thematic resonance. While packing a lot into a novella can undo a book of this size, the elements are perfectly tailored to the book’s length.
In addition to the plot and themes, Streetcab Seshjack also manages to include wonderful characterisation. While, as the book’s protagonist, most of this is focused on Aedan, his brother, Adam, is also wonderfully written. The other characters are handled well, but in comparison to Aedan and Adam, they’re ancillary—a necessary byproduct of the novella’s length. The brothers are strong characters in their own right; however, their relationship and rivalry forms the book’s heart. This is a three-dimensional relationship between three-dimensional characters. With them operating on opposing sides, it would have been easy to present the relationship as a simple good vs evil tale, but the book escapes such cliches.
With the novella offering so much to the reader, given its length, it is perhaps inevitable that the plot moves at a quick pace. That it does so without either sacrificing any of its elements, or feeling as though it rushes through its plot points is remarkable. The pacing draws the reader into the world while telling a story that ensures the reader eagerly turns the page (or swipes their screen) to see what happens next.
No matter how well a book is written, if it doesn’t present an interesting setting, it usually won’t hit as strongly as it could. This is doubly true of science fiction, particularly science fiction that presents a world unlike our own. Cyberpunk complicates this further by presenting a speculative view of the world, and where we might be headed. Streetcab Seshjack presents a stunning cyberpunk world. It’s familiar enough that readers will see Earth in it, and provides enough of the genre’s tropes to ensure fans will enjoy it. Yet Ordsmed has created a unique world that will surprise readers. It is vividly realised with a visual language that ensures the reader is fully immersed in it.
While the book’s use of adult language and subject matter won’t be to everybody’s taste, Streetcab Seshjack is a cyberpunk book that takes the reader outside of their comfort zone. Its themes and the presentation of the world are familiar to cyberpunk fans, and yet, it presents them in a way that constantly surprises. An engrossing plot and brilliant characters serve to elevate it further. Streetcab Seshjack is not only a masterful example of the cyberpunk genre, it’s a masterful example of novellas.
Favourite Passage
There was a soft murmur of water, familiar and comforting, and he was alone in and with himself, unshared and unwatched. His racing heart slowed, a heaviness spreading throughout his body. His body. He reached out with his mind, reclaiming extremities, skin, flesh, muscles and bones. He could hold himself, stand or walk, watch whatever or keep his eyes closed, speak any word or stay silent. Free will, the power to choose and to act out a choice, was existential freedom. Never again would he take that freedom for granted.
Streetcab Seshjack, Chapter 8
Streetcab Seshjack was provided by the author for the purpose of an honest review.
Streetcab Seshjack will available on Kindle, exclusive to Amazon, from 19 July, 2023.
Note: I do not post scores for reviews on this website, but do post them on my Amazon and Goodreads reviews:
- Amazon – To be posted upon the book’s release
- Goodreads
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Interested in purchasing Streetcab Seshjack?
Please find a link below; please note I do not collect any proceeds from the sale.
Streetcab Seshjack
wastanley.com 