Can you find the pop culture references in Earth-Sim?
by Jade Kerrion
Jem Moran is a college student with a reputation to prove and a secret to protect. The prestigious world simulation program seems the answer to both her problems, but only if she can succeed in spite of her teammate, Kir Davos.
The premise of Earth-Sim sounds simple enough, right?
But I wanted more Earth-Sim to be more than just a story about Jem, her challenges, and her secrets. I wanted it to be a story about humans too, in all our foibles, our courage and our weaknesses, and most of all, our ingenuity and resilience. Earth-Sim showcases Earth’s history in a seamless blend of popular culture, science, and religion. Fact and fiction fit together into a jigsaw puzzle, sometimes called out clearly, at other times nestled into a single passing comment in a dialogue.
What were the sources of the puzzle pieces? Many puzzle pieces are built upon Earth’s history, both the planet’s geological history and the history of human civilization. I also drew extensively from religion, mythology, and popular culture.
Here are examples of the puzzle pieces you can expect to find:
- The extinction of the dinosaurs
- The cascading effect of the ten plagues of Egypt
- The rise and fall of ancient empires
- Geographical wonders like the Nazca lines in Peru
- Mythical creatures like the Loch Ness Monster
- The city of Atlantis, and why it was destroyed
- The title of a book by Pulitzer Prize winner, Jared Diamond
- The kamikaze, the “divine wind” that saved Japan from two Mongol naval invasions
- The transformative power of the Renaissance
- Galactic empires and superheroes drawn from popular comic series
- The title of a New York Times Bestseller by David Fromkin
- Stuxnet, the computer worm that attacked Iran’s nuclear facilities
- The real purpose of the mysterious manuscripts, like the Voynich Manuscript
All of these and more are explained through the eyes of Jem Moran, Kir Davos, and SimOne—the two students and the android assigned to manage the planet Earth. Though presented as a whimsical and often irreverent romp through the history of Earth and its connection with the universe, Earth-Sim is a treasure trove of real information. I invite you to check out Earth-Sim. You may recognize most of the references, but if there’s something you don’t recognize that you think might actually be a historical event or a pop culture reference, you can check Google or Wikipedia, or just send me a note…
Either way, you finally have someone to blame for the shape our world is in.
Author biography:
Jade Kerrion unites cutting-edge science and bioethics with fast-paced action in her award-winning Double Helix series. Perfection Unleashed and its sequels, Perfect Betrayal and Perfect Weapon, have been described as “a breakout piece of science fiction” and drawn rave reviews for their originality and vision. Her novel, When the Silence Ends, is a Young Adult spinoff the Double Helix series. She is also the author of Earth-Sim, a whimsical and compelling view of Earth’s history through the eyes of the two students assigned to manage our planet.
What reviewers are saying: 5 Stars! “What a fantastic book by Jade Kerrion, it grabbed me from the very first page...Ms Kerrion's writing is exciting and well paced to keep you wanting to know more…”
Jem Moran has a reputation to prove and a secret to protect. The prestigious world simulation program seems the answer to both her problems, but only if she can succeed in spite of her partner, Kir Davos, and the uncooperative human beings who populate her planet. From the Great Extinction to the Renaissance, from world wars to intergalactic treaties, Jem’s conflict with Kir will shape Earth’s history, and their opposing management styles will either save or doom our planet. Either way, you finally have someone to blame for the shape our world is in.
Genre - Young Adult, Science Fiction (G)
Website http://www.jadekerrion.com/
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