Nominated for the Philip K. Dick Award 2013 and The Kitschies Golden Tentacle (Debut) 2013
Published by 47North
What is the next evolutionary step for the human species? This is the question I had in mind when I created the character of Jayna in A Calculated Life. I came to write fiction after working in journalism for New Scientist, The Guardian, Geographical and BBC World Service. And I now blog for The Huffington Post.
[quote quote=”for readers who want a smart, subtle exploration of human emotion and intelligence, this is an excellent choice. ” who=”Strange Horizons”]
[quote quote=”Charnock has fascinating, complex things to say about work, sex, family and hope (and that pretty much covers it, don’t you think?).” who=”Adam Roberts, Author of Jack Glass, BSFA Award best novel”]
And here’s a spoiler-free video trailer and synopsis:
Synopsis
Late in the twenty-first century, big business is booming and state institutions are thriving thanks to advances in genetic engineering, which have produced a compliant population free of addictions. Violent crime is a rarity.
Hyper-intelligent Jayna is a star performer at top predictive agency Mayhew McCline, where she forecasts economic and social trends. A brilliant mathematical modeler, she far outshines her co-workers, often correcting their work on the quiet. Her latest coup: finding a link between northeasterly winds and violent crime.
When a string of events contradicts her forecasts, Jayna suspects she needs more data and better intuition. She needs direct interactions with the rest of society. Bravely—and naively—she sets out to disrupt her strict routine and stumbles unwittingly into a world where her IQ is increasingly irrelevant…a place where human relationships and the complexity of life are difficult for her to decode. And as she experiments with taking risks, she crosses the line into corporate intrigue and disloyalty.
Can Jayna confront the question of what it means to live a “normal” life? Or has the possibility of a “normal” life already been eclipsed for everyone?
I work for a firm of expert witness economists in Los Angeles where a Jayna would be very handy. Thank you for a fascinating story!
Thanks, Paul. Yes, Jayna would be perfect for your line of work. I can see her in court, cool as a cucumber!
Please, let Jayna’s memory find her so you can continue her story.
I’ll give that some serious thought, Lewis!
Thank you for telling a really (REALLY) good story. I look forward to reading more from you.
Thank you, Dawn. Watch out on this blog – I’ll post any news about ongoing writing projects!
For the past few years, I’ve found non-fiction and serious science fiction to be more rewarding than new “literary” fiction, which seems bloodless to me most of the time. Thank you for A Calculated Life.
So pleased you enjoyed the read. The boundaries are pretty porous so I’d be happy with the label serious science fiction or literary science fiction!
Will this title be available via Apple’s iBooks at some point? I would love to read this based on Adam Roberts’ review, but I am not buying through Amazon, and I don’t have an English-language bookstore handy. Thanks!
Hi Dominic – ACL is exclusive to Kindle as an eBook. Sorry about that! But the paperback edition may be ordered through several websites including Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository (which is Amazon-owned), IndieBound and Powell’s Books. I don’t know where you live but I hope this helps. Apologies for slow reply-the notification email went, weirdly, to my spam folder!
I love the story of Jayna, very thought provoking.
I wondered, her character spoke a lot to me as a person with Aspergers Syndrome, she and I seemed to have a lot in common, was this something you were trying for or happy coincidence?
I was indeed hoping to create some confusion, at least initially, Confused Brit. I deliberately chose to have a slow reveal about Jayna’s genesis. So her awkward social interactions were bound to be interpreted in different ways, depending on the reader’s own experiences. I’m so pleased you enjoyed reading about Jayna!
Just wanted to say how much I enjoyed your novel. It was really nice to feel myself inside another mindset, a believable but very different way of seeing the world. The ‘missing childhood’ element was particularly moving, seeing Jayna caught between her super-adult analytic side and her childlike-but-yet-not emotive side. Looking forward to your next book!
Thank you, Rev.Andy! Jayna’s observations and reflections on childhood were some of the most rewarding sections to write. If you subscribe to this blog I’ll be able to keep you up to date with my writing projects.Or follow me on twitter if you’re a twitterer.
I just finished it, I kept thinking about Blade Runner, and the how the story could form part of that universes early life (in and entirely complimentary way), hard to put down, easy to read, with the subtle but obvious undercurrent of an over populated world waiting in abeyance for a post human revolution.
Hi Graeme, You’re right to see the links with Blade Runner. I always felt that Rachel’s story would be fascinating to dig into. A great screen character!
Thoroughly enjoyed a calculated life, so thank you. Jayna, more human than human?
Thanks, Gary. Difficult question that begs other questions, What’s normal? What are the limits?
I just finished the book – loved it. Please, as Lewis mentioned, let there be a sequel.
Oh! The pressure! I can’t see myself writing a sequel as such. But during the Skype chat yesterday with The Science Fiction Book Club I did for a moment think it would be fun to write a story that weaves through Jayna’s world; centred more on the enclaves. I’ll mull that over.
Sequel? No, don’t do it. You will regret watering down Jayna’s story. That inevitable trajectory that you see coming and feel powerless to stop…. don’t betray that with “What Jayna Did Next”.
Of course if you did, the word that comes to mind is… residuals. Yes that’s it 🙂
PS) The film that reminded me of Jayna’s downward spiral is Vivre sa vie by Jean-Luc Godard. I’m sure I’m the only person in the whole world who feels that way bur have a look at it & let me know what you think. https://www.google.com/search?q=Vivre+sa+vie
I do like “Residuals”… But I definitely will not write “What Jayna did next”.
Thanks for the film reference. I’ll check that out.
No No No No. This opinion is wrong.
SPOILERS! – I just finished it and loved it. I know you will get a lot of pressure to write a sequel. I hope you continue to write books set in this world, but leave Jayna’s story as is. A couple of chapters from the end I was torn between wanting Jayna to succeed and knowing that it would serve the story better if she didn’t. You probably had the same feeling as the writer except the power was yours! Well done on a great work and good luck for the future.
Hi Marty! I agree with you—if I did return to Jayna’s world to write another story it probably would have a different set of characters. I’m so pleased you enjoyed the novel and I’ll be posting on the blog with news of new releases. Another novel this year from 47North and a short piece of fiction that I might self publish.