I find that futurist stories from Black Mirror to Parable of the Sower are most compelling when they amplify the flaws we already see in society. That’s why Samit Basu’s The City Inside was a must read as soon as I came across the premise. In this world, influencers and the machine behind their success have gone from an industry that employs millions of people in the name of global reach and sponsorship to a full scale cover up of the oligarchs’ worst deeds.

In The City Inside, we follow Joey, one of the world’s most respected Reality Controllers—a producer for an influencer’s feed. Attuned to audience sentiment seemingly before they can even weigh in, Joey is used to people trying to use her fine eye for curating the most popular industry in the world for their own gain. And she is able to maneuver handily around the machinations of her grasping family and acquaintances time after time because of her reticence and confidence—skills she’s refined as the Reality Controller for her ex-boyfriend from university. It’s quite hard to stick to a moral creed in a world whose morality centers on getting views and approval from corporate overlords. Joey finds herself confronting this reality when she unwittingly becomes involved in a corporate and political power play that involves a family friend, Rudra. Making matters worse, Rudra seems to be wholly unmotivated by any particular purpose outside of not wanting to belong to the cult that has made his family rich. It is only when the pair are confronted by the many forces in play for the industry that they learn just how effective even Joey can be in a world ruled by false appearances and subterfuge.

Filled with poignant takes like: “She’s learned, over time, that actually executing any of her plans usually involves three people above her in the food chain claiming to have come up with her carefully documented and publicly delivered idea.” and “Climate change will break walls. The robots will break walls. New diseases, tech disasters, all these things. They’re all coming, all at the same time, until one day there’s only one wall, and the people inside it are gods, and the people outside it are monsters, or dead.” The City Inside is a story that shows how ill-prepared the world is for the inequality we live under to reach its conclusion. I found this novel just as unsettling as a good Black Mirror episode for how deeply the author seems to understand where we are as a society. Pick this up if you’d like to bring that old—soon to return—feeling back.

I really liked this one, it was easy to read and managed to grab my attention till the end. It's not a favorite but a solid book that I would recommend if the premise sounds like something you'd be interested in.

I was originally drawn in completely by the cover and the appeal of a dystopian future Delhi. What I found was a dark, emotionally heavy, dystopian world where virtual reality and social media had grown to maladaptive proportions. This story is also rich with sexual assault, depictions of rape, racism, and sexism. Many trigger warnings. It’s a pass for me.

Sincere thanks to NetGalley and Tordotcom for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

As per usual, post-apocalypse tales don't seem as distant or far-fetched as I would prefer. But I suppose that's the charm? Welcome to New New Delhi after the Years Not to be Discussed. The latest phase of technologically crafting, curating, and branding (of course) "reality" for a massive audience is Flow. Our protagonist, Joey, is a Reality Controller for a successful Flowstar, meticulously producing his content to ensure him the best numbers. Joey is a clever Controller, ensuring her star (and ex, incidentally) reaches the most viewers and seems "natural," more poised than his competitors, the scripting unobtrusive and responsive. Flowstars are a cross between social media influencers and reality TV stars, jockeying to capture the most interest and snatch up the best financial revenues. Joey is rather reluctantly enmeshed in this race for status and image from a moral perspective, but she knows she's good at what she does and is pragmatic enough to make the most out of the limited, dangerous career options available in dystopia.

This book is ~weird~ and I say that with affection since it's a common feature of science fiction. It grapples with power, privilege, and the way they're driving our world into the ground. The machinations of pop culture and social media make for endlessly fascinating story fodder, and Joey's delicate role is especially intriguing.

What didn't work for me personally is that this is more in the vein of allegory or thought experiment than a study in plot or character. This was especially frustrating when either the author or the author-via-character would monologue on a topic rather than integrating the ideas into the action, giving us a way to consider or experience it for ourselves via the story. That's a matter of preference, though, and not a critique of the message. If you want a short form science fiction piece that directly addresses our possible future with social ramifications and class battles, you'll find a good match in this book. It also stands out because of its particular focus on a New Delhi context. Thanks to Tordotcom for my copy to read and review!

The ideas of the story are phenomenal and although at times I didn't feel it was thoroughly fleshed out, I really did enjoy the execution.

Beautifully written and thought provoking

This was such a phenomenal take on the dystopian genre. The prose and character work were fantastic. The world building is stunning. The small details woven throughout were impressive. I highly recommend this one!

Probably more of a 3.5 though.

I couldn’t read it early despite having the arc because I was in a bad slump. But now that I managed to get the audiobook, I had to give it a try. It’s quite well narrated by Reena Dutt and I didn’t wanna put it down much. However, despite the lovely voice, I can’t say I was completely into the story. I totally believed the world (or a near future Delhi) the author created, which felt both similar to the current political climate in the country and as a natural progression to the future if the authoritarian tendencies of our politicians aren’t curbed soon. This world where reality is what we see on social media platforms, and everything is controlled by politicians and corporations and oligarchs, dissent is curbed immediately - there’s just so much information here and I was lost in the world, but I also couldn’t keep up with it.

On the other hand, I didn’t feel the same with the characters. Atleast it felt like Rudra had some kind of a character arc, but Joey who has the biggest presence was more static. I think I understood the reasoning - because most people are going to keep their heads down and work within any existing system, not participate in revolutions - which is what Joey does for the most part, but she also has a good understanding of what she is capable of. The other side characters really weren’t ppl I cared about much, or even kinda hated - but that was also the expected reaction I suppose, so the author succeeded.

I guess I’m not disappointed because I knew going in that this book is not about characters participating in a revolution and bringing about drastic changes in their world - it’s about the characters realizing that they want to change the system and hope to be part of a resistance. So it stops where most dystopian novels start. However, despite knowing this, this story just felt more like a recounting of all the cool and bad facts of this futuristic world, with not much focus on character development. I would still definitely look forward to the author’s work, even more so if he decides to write a sequel for this one.

3 stars

I am grateful to the publisher Macmillan-Tor/Forge for sending me an advanced copy of this book for review.

I initially gave this book 3.5 stars immediately after reading it, but as I've sat on it for a while, I feel like it is more of a 3 star read... if so much. It simply isn't a memorable book. I remember thinking the ideas were very good and that is the reason why I requested this book in the first place for review; however, the delivery felt a bit sparse.

We have this interesting futuristic Indian setting with characters who are working in this very intriguing industry, but we simply did not get enough exposition of this world or how this industry is integrated into everyday life. At the end of the day, I felt like this story read like a draft of a story that focused more on themes and ideas, than a finished book with developed storytelling and delivery.

I do believe there was potential with this story. I like how the author balanced talking about interpersonal relationships and (on a smaller scale) the concerns of an individual living in this futuristic society with the large-scale implications of the industry our MC works in. However, when the author started introducing the layers of society and the whole idea of this almost underground sort of resistance and then these people in the shadows who were pulling the strings on the society …..I felt like the author lost control of the story.

I did think this story was only fine, but I would be interested in seeing what the author produces in the future, because I really do think the ideas presented here were intriguing and solid.

I didn't like this book as much as I thought I would.

The idea of this book is interesting as it is the first of its kind but the writing and the world building isn't one that I favoured.

I don't know if this is a book for me.

I loved this book and can't want to get my hands on a physical copy. It is original and the writing kept me engaged. This is a must have for libraries serving adults and some teen libraries.

"The City Inside" by Samit Basu is a science fiction novel set in Delhi, India in a not-too-distant future. The story is primarily about Joey, a young woman who has an extremely successful job as a reality controller: managing and editing the livestream content of her influencer ex-boyfriend Indi. However, her personal life pales in comparison; despite having a luxury apartment, she spends most of her free time sleeping at her parents' house where her family carefully avoid saying anything controversial. Meanwhile, Rudra, the estranged son of a wealthy man who has been living incognito among struggling migrants, reconnects with his family at his father's funeral. Avoiding his brother's attempts to join the family business, when he bumps into Joey who offers him a job, he accepts. However, as Indi's ambitions grow bigger and Rudra's family interests begin to reveal their true nature, Joey and Rudra realise that corporate power and sinister conspiracies run much deeper than either of them could have possibly realised.

This was a richly conceived book with exceptional and completely plausible worldbuilding. Basu draws on contemporary sources of power and influence and imagines how they may have evolved a decade from now. Influencers have merged with reality TV: carefully curated content with fictionalised storylines and strategic advertising placements. Airborne-illnesses, increasing temperatures and air pollution have normalised mask wearing, filtered air and avoiding the outside. The setting in Delhi brings further layers of complexity and nuance; drawing on ethnic tensions, historical protests and political influence to create a conflicted present still grappling with caste, wealth and freedom of speech.

Joey was a really interesting character whose personality at work and personality at home seem almost completely incompatible, raising questions about how much her memory is influenced, and by whom. Joey is politically engaged enough and fluent enough in progressive discourse to be aware of her own moral shortcomings, and tries to make what little difference she can through her work. In contrast, Rudra's attempts to completely distance himself from his family prove to be inadequate in counteracting the harm they are causing to society. However, any kind of political action is dangerous, and Basu pushes the reader to make up their own mind about what is right, what is wrong and what is understandable.

While I really enjoyed the setting and the character development, I did find the plot a little confusing. The book draws on cyberpunk traditions in science fiction and using digital spaces, avatars and social media to create and recreate reality, social connections and even business deals. However, between a meeting in one of these digital spaces, subject to surveillance on multiple levels, and the action really kicking off, I found it hard to keep track of exactly what was happening. Basu is quite a subtle writer, leaving a lot to the reader to interpret themselves, but when crucial plot items were happening I found that I was hoping for a little more clarity and a little less like scenes whipping by me in a speeding train carriage.

An intricate and highly original premise that conveys a lot but becomes a bit muddied towards the end.

The impact of Tordotcom on promoting transnational SF cannot be underestimated. When I received an arc of ‘The City Inside’, I had no idea who Samit Basu was or what the book was about. Going into it blind was a good thing, as I emerged a couple of days later completely bowled over by Basu’s dense world-building and evocative characters.

I like to think of this type of near-future SF as ‘bleeding edge’ fiction. On the surface of it, ‘The City Inside’ seems to be a rather outlandish and lurid dystopia extrapolated from current trends such as neofascism: “the repeated pandemic-wave collapses … the blasphemy laws in several states … the mass de-citizenings, the vote list erasures, the reeducation camps, the internet shutdowns, the news censors, the curfews … even the scary stories of data-driven home invasions …”

But there is nothing here that could not conceivably happen in our current world, or that is not already poking its nasty head out somewhere. At the same time there is an element of timelessness, in the sense of being frozen in a never-ending nightmare, about this book that sucks the reader into its dark maw.

Remarkably, given how quickly global events have progressed recently, this was originally published by Simon & Schuster India as ‘Chosen Spirits’ in 2020. That version had an ending that a lot of people found to be quite abrupt, but which I quite liked. The American version, however, adds a final chapter called ‘Deleted Scenes’, which rather sneakily makes that abrupt ending even more tenuous and ambiguous.

In his 27 July review for Locus, Gary K. Wolfe remarks that ‘The City Inside’ “is yet the latest example of what seems to be a remarkable period in Indian and South Asian SFF.” This did remind me somewhat of ‘River of Gods’ (2004), but Ian McDonald’s procedural-cum-singularity opus is more concerned about an idealised version of India (maybe in a similar way that William Gibson is attracted to China because of its exotic grit and texture.)

A particular achievement of Basu’s writing here is that he never resorts to warts-and-all polemic, but instead puts his characters through the wringer of an increasingly distorted world ravaged by both climate change and the death throes of neoliberal capitalism. Throw in the diabolical evil of social media as the ‘new’ reality, and you have a recipe for an extraordinarily evocative read.

This is a bit of a slow burn, and the reader is allowed ample time to become immersed in Basu’s world before the story gains legs. This may be frustrating to readers used to more conventional plot-driven narratives, but hang in there. That ending is really worth it.

The City Inside was an entertaining scifi mix that hooked me from the very first chapters. The world is so creative and I loved the world-building. I thought Basu did an amazing job with explaining the complex world and politics in a clear and easily understandable manner. It was remarkably easy to understand everything, which I always appreciate in a science fiction novel. And this world is so incredibly diverse! Although the plot was fast-paced, it was also easy to follow.

Published by ‎ Tordotcom on June 7, 2022

Samit Basu creates an astonishingly detailed near future in The City Inside. It is so detailed that the story is sluggish. Far too much time passes before the outline of a plot leaks through the background data. Still, the background is impressive.

Basu imagines a future India dominated by the Flow: live streams that allow fans to follow social media stars through their carefully orchestrated daily lives. Real World meets live streaming You Tube. Fans get customized Flows depicting different versions of a Flowstar’s life to match their interests. The biggest Flow star in India at the moment is Indi, whose Flow is managed/directed by his ex-girlfriend, Joey Roy. Her job title, fittingly, is Reality Controller. She hires Indi’s writers, casts his friends, manages the different versions of reality that are served to different fans. Some fans think Indi is a serious gamer; others believe he is an artist. Most just watch him hanging out with friends and being charming.

Joey is the best Reality Controller in a competitive industry but she’s beginning to hate her job. Her employers are mid-level oligarchs. Unlike many, Joey can pay her bills, but she belatedly realized she made a huge mistake by staying in Delhi.

The background is tech heavy. People wear smart tattoos that communicate with a personal AI who is even more annoying than Alexis. Joey’s personal AI is Narad, a combination of work assistant and life coach that defines itself as a happiness sherpa, constantly noting when Joey feels stressed and offering mantras or an appointment with a therapist. Fans live their lives vicariously through Flows, as do many of today’s consumers of celebrity news and viewers of reality television.

In the political background are riots, dysfunctional government that betrayed India’s founding principles, and natural disasters enabled by global warming. Water mercenaries hijack water trucks. Discriminatory citizenship laws have cemented division. “India is about staying the same but acting like you’re going to change soon,” a character explains. We learn little about India’s Years Not to Be Discussed because they aren’t discussed, but mass graves are discovered in their aftermath. Some sort of purge occurred during the Years that convinced people to remove their opinions from social media. Joey’s father lost his job over a Facebook rant while her mother failed to recognize that “it was a loyalty-based economy now.” She “hadn’t been able to adjust when an oligarch bought her ad agency.” Joey urges her parents to be cautious because people are still disappearing after saying the wrong things. Technology (even a toothbrush) is listening to every word; privacy no longer exists, a road paved by social media. Joey spends much of her time figuring out how to protect her parents and minor characters, although why they need protection is not always clear.

Several characters contribute their personal melodramas to the story. Tara is recruited to be Indi’s new love interest but she wants to be a Flowstar, not a sidekick. Tara views herself as an intellectual but doesn’t mind her gig as Indi’s new girlfriend because he’s good in bed. She has no reason to be concerned when hidden cameras in his bedroom catch him shagging another woman unless the scenes end up on the Flow and make her look bad. The cameras don’t bother Indi much (any publicity is good publicity, as Paris Hilton proved), even when the video suggests sexual violence (he’s certain his fans will forgive him). When new writers decide that Indi needs a girlfriend who is more Hollywood than Bollywood (they’re trying to make Indi an international star despite the view that in the West, he’ll be just another immigrant), Tara is offered the role of the new girlfriend’s best friend. Tara assumes the audience will adjust. One point of the story seems to be that social media followers are easily manipulated.

Rudra is in Joey’s orbit despite (or because of) his estrangement from his wealthy family. He will be confronted with a difficult choice when he is invited back into the fold. As is true of Joey, his choice is whether to sell out or fight the power.

The story is heavy with exposition and lectures. Near the story’s end comes Joey’s lengthy plea for more diversity and inclusion in this imagined world. Diversity and inclusion are good in any world, but this is one of many bits of extended dialog that substitute for a plot. To the extent that the story is more than its background, it follows Joey through a slice of her dissatisfied life until she finally decides that she could be something more subversive than a Reality Controller for meaningless Flowstars. It’s a long walk to that destination. I’m recommending The City Inside for its elaborately constructed near-future Delhi rather than the meager story that unfolds inside the city.

RECOMMENDED

Fascinating example of near future SF that nails the extrapolation of trends so key to that subgenre, in this case livestreaming. Highly enjoyable.

An unfortunate DNF. I was excited for the premise of the book. Near future cyber dystopia, an idea about how social media and digital tracking could be used to suppress speech. Sounds kind of familiar right. This takes the shadows we see today and tries to turn them into a solid terror.

The outline of the world is great but the expansion when reading doesn’t pan out. It’s certainly a personal; thing but the terms the author uses for future tech don’t work for me. Slight spoiler, there are mentions of what happened between now and the time of the book but even 80 pages in its annoyingly vague.

My biggest issue was the complete lack of present tense action. Jokes about Greek theatre are fun but this really is. Everything happens off the page. Technically present tense action is told as a memory; everything is reflective internal monologue. I read close to 100 pages and there were no conversations or dialogue that wasn’t past tense or longer then three sentences. It drove me a bit crazy….

I wish the author luck in their next venture, this book was not for me.

Thank you to netgalley and Tom Doherty Associates Books for a free copy in turn for an honest review.

This book is an excellent premise but just fell a bit flat for me. I found that I wasn't engrossed in the story as much as I would have wanted to be. For some reason I just couldn't like the main characters, this may just be a me problem though. Thank you to netgalley and the author.

The City Inside is set in Delhi of near-future dystopia picking up from the recent events made headlines in the country where and the city where I am from, i was much much intrigued and excited to read this one but the writing style was a clear giveaway that will not last this book no matter what the context or the pretext of this book was. i couldn't bring myself to finish this one at all.

Giving two stars for the attempt and idea but poor writing(for my taste) takes away the rest.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Samit Basu gives us a near future India that is both terrifying in its many horrors, while terrifyingly plausible based on its current religious-, caste-, ethnic- and economic-based hatred and violence.

This near future Delhi has mass surveillance by the government, people’s words are constantly monitored for sentiments critical of or against the government as people can and have disappeared and been murdered for possible dissent. There are also gangs of men who look for opportunities to rape and beat people who express desires or feelings online in the Flow contrary to whatever these men deem unacceptable. There was a period of deep instability and violence sometime in the past, with vast numbers of people killed by the government. It’s a tense and dark place to live, and at the same time, there are wealthy people constantly posting video and photos of their excellent lives in the Flow, providing entertainment and aspirational content for the many millions who follow them.

Joey is a Reality Controller, a manager of a super popular influencer, but not just a manager. She’s known, within her industry, as being outstandingly good at her job. Her work entails crafting narratives around one influencer who is her narcissistic ex-boyfriend. Joey has no life outside of her work, and tries her best to curate her parents’ online experiences to prevent them from expressing sentiments that could get them into trouble with the government.

Rudra is the youngest son of a wealthy family who are acquaintances of Joey’s family. Rudra left his family’s compound behind him years earlier, and hangs out in an immigrant quarter, playing video games and doing his best to stay away from his criminal family. After the death of his father, he shows up for the funeral, and is told by his older brother that it’s time to assume responsibility for some of the family’s slimy businesses, and it’s only because of Joey’s quick thinking that Rudra goes to work for her.

After a revelation about their influencer, Joey finds she can’t keep going as if nothing has happened, and Rudra begins to feel that he, too, needs things to be different, though his motivations are different from Joey’s.

This book was excellent. The near future Delhi with its overwhelming heat, smog-choked air, constant surveillance and the constant potential for violent reprisals from government and gangs makes for a frightening setting. That so many choose to ignore the devolving climate situation and violence in favour of watching the wealthy online is definitely an extension of people’s current behaviour. Samit Basu also poses the question of what will it take for people to stop immersing themselves in the soothing, false narratives they’re fed daily in favour of working towards something different.

That it takes Joey and Rudra as long as it does, only speaks to the inertia of daily life and the perceived hopelessness of working for change.

The story is brilliantly conceived, and just really good. It’s not got a propulsive plot, but rather is instead wonderfully textured, and felt sadly real. At the same time, though there’s no obvious wrap-up or stunning dénouement (though the Deleted Scenes gave hints at possible later events), which makes it much more plausible, and also means this book won’t be for everyone. But it worked wonderfully for me.

4.5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Macmillan-Tor/Forge for this ARC in exchange for my review.

This book was just spewing examples of how everything in society is bad. It felt like reading a disorganized catalog. This was not for me. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.