New Roanoke is a city riven by wealth inequality and governed by a feckless, predatory elite, its economy run on heedless consumption and income inequality. But in other ways it’s different from the cities we already know: it’s covered by an enormous dome, it’s populated by alien abductees, and it happens to be terrorized by an invisible entity so disturbing that no one even dares acknowledge its existence.
... awareness of echoes and borrowings merely enriches an already exciting story ... simply quoting a few passages from Invisible Things hardly conveys its bounce and energy, though matters do grow a bit heavy-handed in the second half ... For a final act of pulp chutzpah, Johnson’s last page suddenly presents a melodramatic image that could have easily graced the cover of some 1940s issue of Astounding or Thrilling Wonder Stories.
... a chilling, bitingly funny sci-fi allegory ... The theme of inescapable oppression sits heavily, but incisive observations and over-the-top confrontations both support and cut the tension. This horror story in comedy's clothing may intrigue sci-fi fans but should find its warmest welcome among readers looking for insightful food for thought served in an unconventional package.
Relentlessly cynical and sarcastic, Mat Johnson's Invisible Things offers sociopolitical commentary wrapped in the trappings of a classic space adventure ... avoids soapbox territory as Johnson focuses instead on engaging, often funny conflicts between his well-drawn characters while the plot circles around two key questions: Will New Roanoke's inhabitants and the crew of the Delany band together to escape the colony? And who put them there in the first place? The intriguing mystery combined with Johnson's irreverent sense of humor make it easy for the reader to engage with the satirical elements—a refreshing trait given that social commentary in modern sci-fi is often either watered down, thrown in by default or both ... a wonderful sci-fi ride full of lovable characters that dissects modern American capitalism with a barbed, sardonic wit.
