It’s also a little bit like Dark City, a movie from quite a while ago.

Right from the beginning, I was thinking they were either in space or in the middle of an ice age. Of course, we don’t find out it’s actually a ship travelling through space until the end, but the hints and clues are there. The story itself reminded me a little bit of Pandorum, since the whole thing takes place in a ship. Trella is clearly a very curious individual, otherwise she wouldn’t be sneaking around the pipes in the first place, but she’s not curious about her own mother’s motivations for things? That just seems off to me. Lamont does, she still doesn’t give her a chance to explain what prompted her to take the actions that she did. I was a little frustrated at Trella’s continued reluctance and even outright stubbornness to learn anything about her parents. The entire system is run by a family of security specialists, the Travas. The scrubs are those who clean the pipes to keep them running efficiently and there is a very distinct caste system wherein those who are the scrubs who clean the ducts and handle all the laundry are kept separated from the uppers who control the computers and the population. The Inside is set up as a cube and is completely self-sustained. The story revolves around a scrub, Trella, who moves easily through the pipes and air vents of a very controlled area known as Inside. Also, I categorize the books I read based on what I think, not based on where you can find them in the store. I give away the end twists, so if you haven’t read the story, you might not want to read behind the cut.

It’s a quick read and an interesting story. Snyder (Science Fiction, 315 pages) at Borders yesterday.

Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder