Kezza, an aerialist in the Martian circus, can never return to Earth ? but she can assassinate the man she blames for her grim life on the red planet. Her murderous plans take an unexpected turn, however, when she uncovers a sinister secret. A thousand years into the future, Azad lives a safe but controlled life on the beautiful desert planet of Nabatea. His world is upended when he joins a crew of space-traveling historians seeking to learn the true reason that their ancestors left Mars. Separated by time and space, Kezza and Azad's stories collide in the Martian desert. AUTHOR: Nadia Afifi is the author of The Sentient and numerous science fiction short stories. Her debut novel was lauded as 'staggering and un-put-downable' in a starred Publishers Weekly review and recommended by Booklist for 'readers who love a thrilling narrative and welcome moral and philosophical questions in their science fiction.' Analog Magazine describes her as 'a brand-new voice in our field, and one you should become familiar with.' The Sentient is the first novel in a near-future series about a controversial cloning project, human consciousness and a high-stakes conflict between religious fundamentalism and science. Her short fiction has appeared in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction ('The Bahrain Underground Bazaar') and Abyss & Apex ('Exhibit K').
