Back in August 2019, author Mark Dowson introduced me to his book, ReCO2nition Part 1. I read it and was fascinated by the story and the concepts presented. One of the major concepts was redesigning sports stadiums and adding wind generators to the rooftops to provide electricity not only for the stadium, but for the surrounding businesses and homes.
Several weeks ago, Mark sent me an early draft of part two in the series. I read it and was again intrigued by what was written there.
Overall, Part 2 picks up shortly after the events in the previous volume. There are many twists, turns, and backstory reveals. All those are interlaced with philosophical ideas about corporate structure, leadership, and many others. Included in the text are discussions on science, science fiction, time travel, history, art, and religion. It always amazes me how Mark gets all of this into a single volume, yet writing so it makes sense.
Dr. Ben Richards wakes up in the hospital disoriented and suffering from memory loss. He remembers having some strange dreams but cannot figure out what they mean. As he awakes, his friend Grazia Rossini attends him. What he also doesn't realize is that Rossini is not the Grazia he has become enamored with, but she is actually the evil Shui Feng, a shapeshifting android assassin sent from the future to eliminate Richards before he can see his dream of efficient, clean production of electricity come to fruition.
It seems though Feng is no longer trying to take Richards' life following the failed attempt in Part 1, but is more curious about what Richards' next move will be.
When 'Grazia' leaves the room to get Richards some tea, he is contacted by Agent Merisi, the man from Part 1 who was also sent from the future to make sure Richards' dream isn't lost by his assassination. Merisi knows Grazia is actually Feng and tells Richards to get out of the hospital as quickly as possible.
Richards complies with Merisi's suggestion and they meet up near the hospital. Merisi gives Richards a drug that helps him recover his memory and think more clearly than ever before. In a secluded place, the two discuss drawings by the Italian artist Caravaggio (1571-1610) (Note: the illustrations discussed are included in the book. To get the full effect of these striking drawings, one should view them in a paper and ink copy of the book, or use a computer, tablet, or color-enabled e-reader to view them). Merisi then tells Richards he needs to travel to the future for a deeper understanding of the role he can play in the survival of life on Earth. So begins the adventure for Dr. Richards.
Dr. Richards is a good man who finds himself in a dangerous situation. He has a few hang-ups and a slight case of PTSD because of an incident as a youngster. He was always curious and open to learning new things and now, all he wants to do is apply what he has learned for the betterment of people and the environment. Ben is very intelligent and knows what needs to be done and how. Unfortunately, rather than working on selling his ideas to those that can set the wheels of progress in motion, he has to fight for his life. He seems to be a little naive as far as his dealings with people are concerned.
Merisi moves in and out of the story, helping Ben when needed. He seems to want Ben to learn things on his own, but gives him a lot of encouragement and advice. Merisi is a time traveler who got the Caravaggio drawings from the artist himself. He uses leading questions to help Ben find the answers to his questions. He just appears to be a nice older man, a kind of Merlin-like figure.
Shui Feng is an Artificial Intelligence enhanced, shapeshifting android assassin. He is programmed in the most efficient ways to incapacitate his targets. He is very effective in his role, but he is not perfect, he gets it wrong from time to time, but his faux pas are usually not noticed by Richards. The best description of Feng comes from Merisi...
" He has no trace of humanity, no scruples and so there is never any danger that he might hesitate in his mission."
Feng's original mission was to eliminate Richards, but in Part 2, he appears to have been given new orders. But even then, he is still a killer.
If I had to choose a favorite point of the plot, it would have to be when Richards travels to the future. The future is not a better place in the least. Mark's description of the dystopian nature of the world is downright depressing. As Richards and his escort fly from the time travel portal to a place for Richards to rest, he sees the air is so polluted that sunlight cannot even reach the planet's surface. The city of Beijing is bathed in light just so everyone can see, and the lights are on 24 hours a day. The people Richards meets seem friendly enough, but some of them are Artificial Intelligent beings, and he cannot tell the difference between the AI's and humans.
It is also at this point in the book where the action ramps up into a major struggle for survival.
Among the themes that stood out to me were...
How the style of leadership may determine the effectiveness of the success of a project. Richard's idea is to switch the world over to cleaner, more efficient, and renewable sources of energy production. According to the author, if the project were left to the corporate world, it may not happen at all. In the story, before Ben was saved from assassination, his project never got off the ground. In the first book, it was thought by a businessman that the cost of redesigning a stadium to Richard's specifications is prohibitive. Obviously, the businessman didn't immediately see the redesign as an investment. So, the corporate world's leadership for such a project would be determined by the bottom line.
There are many business leaders who start out with a vision, but it often seems that when they see that vision become a reality, they also see how much money there is to be made. I will not throw around any names, but some just get bigger and bigger; billions in assets are never enough.
Richards is not looking to get rich off his ideas, he is doing what he thinks is best for the environment and for the people of the planet. His style of leadership is for the betterment of all. He's not looking at the profit, just a better future.
Another theme is what might happen if climate change is left unchecked. In this story, GIATCOM may do whatever they want. They are solely invested in nuclear power and damn the consequences. As a result, in this world, there is an oxygen debt, and the atmosphere is full of carbon dioxide. The heat has risen to where many coastal cities no longer exist. There are a lot of places that have been flooded because of the melting of the polar ice caps, so there is a food shortage. People are sick and viruses spread wildly because of inadequate ventilation and air quality. Are Ben's ideas the cure for the problem? Dowson's story shows that it at least may be a step in the right direction.
The Nature of Artificial Intelligence is also a theme that stood out to me. Shui Feng is a highly intelligent being. He has his programming, but also can learn and interpret situations from a strictly logical point of view. What makes him different from humans is that, while he can understand and even invent, he doesn't have humanity in him. There are no experiences that have shaped his thought processes. Feng has no compassion or capacity for it. An extensive discussion on this very subject happens in the book; it is quite thought provoking.
ReCO2gnition Part 2 is a complex book with a lot of philosophical ideas. But it is written in such a way one can understand what is in the text. Mark is sharing his thoughts as a story while leaving room for the reader to make up their own minds about what is presented. The author is calling upon his life experiences to present a plea to think about what we leave our children and grandchildren after we are gone, but it is done in such a way that leaves hope if something is done soon.
I enjoyed this book and the story it gave me through the eyes of excellent characters and innovative ideas. We see ideas that come from the ancient Romans all the way past our time, and into the future. We get some amazing artwork to fuel our imaginations, and, is pleasing to see to the eye..
This is not your common Sci-Fi story because of the way it draws many diverse disciplines. It is presented well and I would recommend it for readers looking for writing that is innovative and fresh. Mark told me, “anyone who is a fan of the first Blade Runner movie will enjoy this second part of the ReCO2gnition series.”
In the acknowledgment section, Mark thanks me for helping with the editing of this volume. So I will extend my thanks back to Mark for the opportunity to help and learn from the experience.
Well, there it is…
Qapla!
You have made me proud Jim, and a good friend in me. All the Best Mark
ReplyDeleteThanks Mark! Looking forward to the third part!
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