REVIEW: World Running Down by Al Hess

Valentine and Ace are living in a post apocalyptic world. They are go-getters, with a van, a gun and a spicy attitude. They scavenge and do jobs that other people might turn up their noses at. Why? Because they want to be able to purchase a Visa for the city. Only once they have moved to the city can Valentine get T and gender affirming care and live his best life.

Osric approaches Val and Ace to hire them. He wants them to track and retrieve some missing female androids from a less than reputable place. Osric is in a bit of an unusual situation himself. He was once an A.I. steward. Much more than an A.I. because he is sentient. But he’s been ripped from his digital existence and slammed into a body he didn’t ask for.

Osric and Valentine bond over being in bodies that don’t “feel” right… and this is where things in this book begin to get epic. 

I’m not Trans, but I have never read anything before that communicated to me so clearly and empathetically. The story follows the growth of the androids, Osric’s exploration of his body and the ways his feelings are changing and Valentine’s battle to be the person he knows he is.

I’m not sure I can describe how beautifully this book is written. There are lovely scenes between Val and Osric as they get to know one another. Osric’s spirit is genuine and loving and that enables to two of them to have wonderfully vulnerable conversations. I was so invested in their relationship because of the development of their characters. It is done so purposefully and with such care that I found myself expecting them to step off the page.

This book is a delight! It’s funny, charming, intense in places, adventurous and still manages to explore some serious topics like consent, self actualization, gender dysphoria, and body dysmorphia.