In the novel XYZT, hosts provide an authentic experience of a country Alec Soth/Magnum Photos
WHAT happens when our experiences of reality splinter? Two new sci-fi novels explore the idea in very different ways.
The first is XYZT by Kristen Alvanson, with a very provocative premise. A new technology allows volunteers to travel between Iran and the US, with chosen “Hosts” providing an authentic experience of each country. Its inventors, Amir and Kade, hope it will lead to a shared understanding of the world, but the forays prove more divisive than unifying.
The narrative follows scientist Estella as she unlocks…
