Written by Zeb Haradon
Some series follow a formula, with each book offering readers a familiar experience with each new outing, Other series take the opposite approach, offering something wildly unexpected. With the Disposable Soma Trilogy, author Zeb Haradon has enjoyed the best of both worlds. You can read my thoughts about The Disposable Soma here and Psittacide here (and while you’re at it, why not read my thoughts about another of the author’s novels, Cousin Calls, right here?), to which Bubblequake forms the trilogy’s end. Psittacide took the foundations The Disposable Soma built and used them to weave a different tale, yet Bubblequake takes the formula that works so well in the first two books and uses it to craft something that feels both like a natural extension of what came before, and something altogether different from it.
Where both The Disposable Soma and Psittacide open with a standalone chapter that stands largely apart from the main narrative while also setting the scene for the story, Bubblequake’s opening follows similar rules without being beholden to them. Like those books, Bubblequale’s opening chapter features characters other than protagonist Jim Liu and those in his orbit. But where the preceding books’ openings act as prologues, the latter’s is more nebulous. Where each chapter—including the first two prologues—is named after the month and year it takes place in, Bubblequake’s doesn’t offer such clarity, instead opting for a mysterious “????.”
The world presented in “????” is alien, both in a general sense, being unlike the book’s readers have experienced, as well as in context to the series. The setting is strange, made up of tribes in something reminiscent of prehistoric times. Instead of providing any relations about how it connects to the novel, the trilogy, or its world, the opening chapter tells an intriguing tale, leaving it to the reader to theorise about the connection. The “????” setting returns in later chapters—unlike the previous books’ prologues—which deepen its world and continue the characters’ stories. Eventually, the mystery is resolved, in a thoroughly engaging and earned manner, resulting in an extra layer to the trilogy’s finale. As strong as those first two books are, the added mystery and Haradon’s presentation of it, set Bubblequake apart from, and above, the earlier volumes.
Despite the overarching air of mystery, at its core, Bubblequake remains the transgressive political satire of its predecessors. Like those two books, the author presents a speculative fictitious world that examines the world in which we live. The novel casts an eye on politics, our relationship with our sexuality, how humanity treats one another, the US prison system and far more than I can list, all under a humorous science fiction lens. Like those first two novels, Bubblequake opens with a disclaimer warning it’s not suitable for children, and it is as apt here as it is in those first two books. This isn’t as outwardly transgressive as the first two, though there’s still plenty to offend people sensitive to Haradon’s humour. Yet while the book is as funny as both The Disposable Soma and Psittacide, it also brings with it a darker undercurrent than seen in those books. The tone never feels at odds with what came before; it feels like a natural extension.
Coming in at 431 pages in paperback (or an estimated 433 pages on Kindle), Bubblequake is slightly longer than its predecessors. The book has more ground to cover in its space, including the “????” chapters, further mysteries to draw the reader in, and setting up a fitting conclusion for the trilogy. It accomplishes all this while maintaining a fantastic pace, moving the story forward, and delving into the characters. The novel continues the series trend of increasing the science fiction elements, but unlike the previous volume, it doesn’t come at the expense of its political satire. The elements complement each other wonderfully with every turn feeling natural.
The plot, mysteries, science fiction lens and acerbic nature are underpinned by characters who feel like they are real human beings. Their plights—and, indeed, their characterisations—are relatable, even those in the mysterious chapters when readers are wondering how they connect to the overarching story. Bubblequake is set in a deliriously heightened reality, and the characters are written to match the book’s world. Instead of simply extrapolating characterisations to fit in with the book’s world, the characters are entirely believable, as are their motivations. In some ways, they act as caricatures of people in our time, but they do so while also being three dimensional.
One thing that makes it easy to connect with a book’s characters is their dialogue, and like the previous books, Bubblequale’s dialogue works wonderfully. The conversations all feel natural, with the characters having their own unique voices. Some voices have been refined through three books, though the new characters all hold their own. Likewise, the novel’s prose flows wonderfully. It captures the book’s heightened reality and the various settings within it. The prose conveys the book’s darker subject matter without dwelling on it, ensuring the reader feels the impact of certain events while still bringing the reader along for the ride as it injects its perfectly timed comedic beats.
While both The Disposable Soma and Psittacide feel as though they can stand alone, Bubblequake feels less so, a symptom of the not only needing to resolve its own story but closing out the trilogy. The novel still tells a complete story, but it tells one where having background knowledge will add to the reader’s understanding. There are numerous parts of the tale that refer to previous books, and these help fill in the gaps. Coupled with an introduction that covers the story so far, most readers will be able to follow along, but I would strongly recommend reading the book’s prequels ahead of time.
As fantastic as The Disposable Soma and Psittacide are, Bubblequake is the most accomplished book of the trilogy. Whether it’s the book’s humour, the plot, the mystery or its characters, it fires on all cylinders. Part science fiction, part transgressive political satire, the novel blends its elements to create a satisfying whole and a wonderful end to the Disposable Soma trilogy.
Favourite Passage
Jim woke in his hotel room with tears streaming down his face from the pain. It was worse than cramps. He felt like a giant had taken his head by one hand and his ankles by the other and twisted him up like licorice. He stood and tried to run to the bathroom, losing his balance and banging his face against the wall. He crawled the rest of the way but didn’t have the strength to lift his head to the toilet bowl before the vomit came. He redirected some of it to the walk-in shower. After emptying the contents of his stomach (several times over, it seemed like), he curled up on the cold bathroom floor and didn’t move.
He stayed there for about half an hour, afraid the slightest movement might set his stomach trembling again. The only sound filling the room was the faint echo of the pro-war protesters’ chant, make war, not excuses, repeating hypnotically from the powder keg just below his balcony, occasionally banging against the sound of a siren or megaphoned order to disperse. Once he felt able to move, Jim crawled back to his bed, took his terminal rod off the bedstand, and pulled up a terminal.
Bubblequake: Book 3 of the Disposable Soma Trilogy, “August 2180”
Bubblequake: Book 3 of the Disposable Soma Trilogy was purchased for the purpose of an honest review.
Bubblequake is available in both paperback and on Kindle, exclusive to Amazon.
Note: I do not post scores for reviews on this website, but do post them on my Amazon and Goodreads reviews:
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Interested in purchasing Bubblequake?
Please find a link below; please note I do not collect any proceeds from the sale.
Bubblequake (The Disposable Soma Book 3)
wastanley.com 