How to Lose a Planet: The Afrofuture Epic (ePub)

Kato Washington has been freed from prison but doesn't feel free.

In his heart, he's still an ex-soldier, court martialed for refusing to kill during wartime. He's also a remorseful grandson who, in a moment of self-defense, killed his grandfather.

But he tries to build a life. Sometimes, he falters. He fistfights his boss' son and starts an affair with a married woman. Other times, he makes progress. He befriends Bobby, his co-worker, and helps Nova, a fellow barfly. But a police officer and a journalist know Kato's parole was actually a prison break and are working to send him back.

While building his personal world, his general world faces ruin. Humans have lost Earth and remade society on a collection of moons, which has placed them in the crosshairs of Pendo Tye, a telekinetic Hannibal Lecter. Pendo has plans for Kato who possesses a magic so slight he's unaware of it. The magic of Kato, Bobby, Nova, and others is needed to stop Pendo's rampage.

The police and the journalist are closing in. And Kato, because of his dead grandfather, doesn't think he deserves to be free. If he succumbs to the torments of his past, prison or Pendo will have him. On two sides, he faces disaster that rivals the loss of a planet, which is to lose everything.

How to Lose a Planet s a 100,000-word speculative fiction story with a diverse cast of characters. The story was written with an appreciation for NK Jemisin's detailed world-building, Octavia Butler's philosophy on a clear and accessible storytelling voice, and Nalo Hopkinson's attention to the effect of culture on dialogue.