In The Velocity of Revolution, the city of Ziaparr is part of an island nation that was once independent of the rest of the world, but a tyrannical ruler got the small nation involved in a global war, and when his side lost, the island came under the occupation of the winning allied forces. Since then, the allies have worked to help the nation build its own government and ruling body and it looks like the time when they can stand on their own is nigh.
This story follows two main characters, Nalia and Wenthi. Where Wenthi is a member of the city constabulary and the son of a prestigious noble woman, Nalia belongs to a lower class of people who struggle to use their rations to barely get by and has recently joined a resistance movement against the occupation. Both hope to rise in the ranks of their respective organizations for essentially the same reason. They each believe that they can help improve their nation, albeit the two paths are very different. Where Wenthi feels that a newly-established government that lets his people stand on their own two feet is a must, Nalia's life under the occupation has been hard and doesn't see much change for the lower class people of Ziaparr when the top switches from the Alliance to the new government.
While Wenthi grew up wealthy and Nalia grew up scrounging, the two share a love for motorcycles. The tight streets of Ziaparr seemed to be designed for the slim machines to weave and wind their way down so its residents can get to their destinations quickly. Sure there are large automobiles, but those have to take wider pathways and aren't nearly as fast. Where Wenthi uses his cycle as part of a patrol group though, Nalia uses hers to help the resistance steal petrol to further the cause. It's during just such a mission when the two first meet.
Wenthi is able to corner and arrest Nalia and bring her in, but little does he know that she, like many resistance members, is using the strange mushroom known as myco to create a psychic connection with her partner on the mission-gone-wrong. While the existence of myco is far from a secret, propaganda warns of overuse leading to drug-addled minds never wanting to come out of the blissful embrace it offers. Many use it to have heightened experiences while being romantic, but many of the more well off people of Ziaparr see its use as a sign of poverty and low class.
The resistance seems to have found a way to use the mushroom's ability to connect people in a whole new way. When the resistance cells go out on a mission, the members consume the same myco plant and form such a strong bond with each other that they are able to work in perfect concert and talk with each other as if they were whispering in one another's ears. This closeness is one of the main reasons why the government hasn't been able to successfully infiltrate the resistance. Any undercover agent is quickly sussed out and dealt with, not only because they are psychically-connected with their targets, but even nearby cops feel different and can be sensed while the resistance is on a job. This sense helps the cell evade police and easily escape pursuit, that is until Wenthi's capture of Nalia.
While the people in charge aren't sure exactly why Wenthi was able to get the better of Nalia, especially considering how deeply connected to the myco she was, they decide to take advantage of the boon and task Wenthi with infiltrating a resistance cell and trace down its leadership. In order to help him in his mission, one of the government scientists feels she can use Nalia's strong connection to the myco as a shield for the policeman. She forces Wenthi and Nalia into an even stronger myco-induced bond that forces Nalia into unconsciousness and all but living only in Wenthi's head as a prisoner. Using her knowledge and emotions, even when Wenthi is using the myco with his new resistance cellmates, none of his new partners seem to suspect his real purpose. Can Wenthi navigate the world he now finds himself in without betraying himself? Can he find the leader of the resistance and report her location? Will he be able to live for months in the very slums the resistance is trying to help without switching sides himself? These are all questions Wenthi will struggle with on his mission, all while Nalia is in his head berating him for planning on betraying all the people he is starting to know and maybe even care for.
Marshall Ryan Maresca's departure from more traditional fantasy settings is a nice exercise in world building. I don't know if The Velocity of Revolution is the start of a new series or a one-off break from his Maradaine adventures, but either way, it is an enjoyable read delving into a rich culture and complex world. If you are looking for a good, fun story that touches on everything from class discrimination to street racing, then you will find what you are looking for here. If The Velocity of Revolution does turn into a series, then I will be interested to see where it goes, but if not, as a one-off it is a fun and complete story worth checking out.
