Review of “Tankborn” by Karen Sandler

In 2010 Lee and Low acquired Tu Publishing, dedicated to diversity in fantasy, science fiction, and mystery. Out of this division comes Tankborn, a scifi story of a future dystopia on the planet Loka in which status is almost solely a function of skin color. In this world, the highest members of society are a rich medium brown. Pale skin indicates demi-status rather than high, and moreover is considered unattractive.

The author based her complicated stratification on the Indian caste system, and in fact, the linguistic inspiration for most of the “foreign” language terms came from Sanskrit. [These words are introduced by “incluing,” a term attributed to author Jo Walton, who defines it as “scattering information seamlessly through the text, as opposed to stopping the story to impart the information.” The reader gradually learns the terms by context, rather than by “infodumping.”]

Kayla, a GEN, or genetically engineered non-human, is at the bottom of society’s rungs. GENs were created to be slaves to the “Trueborn” (as opposed to “tankborn”). Slavery assignments are made when a GEN turns fifteen. GENs are identifiable by facial tattoos, inter alia. Through these tattoos, which can be interfaced with datapods, GENs can be monitored or even “reset” – i.e., their entire personalities wiped out – if they are found to be unsatisfactory to the ruling class in any way. GENs feel only a mild dissatisfaction with their lot, however; their religion teaches them that their enslavement is “ordained, even glorious.”

Kayla’s best friend Mishalla, who was formed to be a nurturer, is assigned to a “crèche” to help raise Trueborn babies. Kayla was engineered to have upper body strength, and so gets assigned to be a caretaker for a wealthy older man, Zul, who has nerve damage. Before either girl leaves for her assignment, however, each receives a mysterious message hinting that something sinister is happening, and both of them are needed to help fight it. Eventually, they will need to convince the Trueborns around them that something about the slavery system is rotten. But first, they need to convince themselves.

Discussion: I enjoyed the complex world-building in this story, in which clothes, food, jewelry, leisure-time activities and more all are different, depending on social status. I would have liked to see as much attention paid in this book to the development of the mindsets that facilitate the continuation of the stratification and enslavement systems. So many stories assume readers’ minds will round up the usual suspects: religion, socialization, education, the fostering of internecine conflicts, etc. But it would be nice to see these factors played out a bit in a story if it could be done without undue didacticism. With slavery, the author posits that the religious system induces docility and convinces slaves to wait until the next life for happiness. But what about the Trueborn’s attitudes toward the slaves? How is this society getting the upper classes to deny what their eyes are telling them? These are subjects I hope get more treatment in future installments of the series.

Evaluation: Much of the plot was predictable (including the inevitable forbidden attraction between a Trueborn and each of the girls), except, ironically, for the big reveal at the end, which disappointed me by not being radical enough. That is, the thought-system of the Trueborns isn’t challenged by the reveal, because it doesn’t need to be.

Although there are two more Tankborn books planned, this one actually does end, so you can read it for its own merits without having to make a commitment to continue with the series. I may continue; I’m hoping the story addresses more systemic change as it progresses.

In terms of genre, this book is labeled as “scifi” but I really don’t see it as different from any other dystopia that happens to take place either not on earth or on a radically transformed earth.

Rating: 3.5/5

Published by Tu Books, an imprint of Lee & Low Books, Inc., 2011