Undead Walking
Fansided

The First Sister raises the bar for LGBTQIA+ representation in sci-fi

By Sara Large

BARCELONA, SPAIN - APRIL 22: A worker of Altair bookstore prepares the shipments of books for the feast of Sant Jordi (Saint George) on April 22, 2020 in Barcelona, Spain. San Jordi is one of the main festivities in Catalonia celebrated on April 23rd where roses and books are exchanged as gifts. Due to the Covid crisis, home delivery of books is being used due to the impossibility of buying in bookstores. Starting last week, some businesses deemed non-essential have been allowed to resume operations, and it is expected that from April 27 children under 12 will be allowed to come and go from their homes more freely. Spain has had more than 200,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and over 20,000 reported deaths, although the rate has declined after weeks of lockdown measures. (Photo by Manuel Medir/Getty Images)
BARCELONA, SPAIN - APRIL 22: A worker of Altair bookstore prepares the shipments of books for the feast of Sant Jordi (Saint George) on April 22, 2020 in Barcelona, Spain. San Jordi is one of the main festivities in Catalonia celebrated on April 23rd where roses and books are exchanged as gifts. Due to the Covid crisis, home delivery of books is being used due to the impossibility of buying in bookstores. Starting last week, some businesses deemed non-essential have been allowed to resume operations, and it is expected that from April 27 children under 12 will be allowed to come and go from their homes more freely. Spain has had more than 200,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and over 20,000 reported deaths, although the rate has declined after weeks of lockdown measures. (Photo by Manuel Medir/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Skybound’s new The First Sister is a sci-fi novel that raises the bar

With all of the constant Skybound releases, fans get to paint the picture of a company that values inclusion at its core. Fans have long clamored over amazing characters from Skybound who represent more than the plain vanilla heroes we have seen in the past. A completely new age of characters is coming upon us and The First Sister is a novel who paves the way to a future where everyone feels appreciated in media.

The author of this amazing novel, Linden A. Lewis, is actually closer to The Walking Dead fandom than readers might realize. They got the opportunity to play a walker in season 1 episode 2. Now that is a long time fan! They are also part of the LGBTQIA+ community which makes this story feel more authentic.

During the Skybound Xpo, I took the opportunity to place an order for a few items I had been eyeing for a long time. When my order arrived, I had been given a couple of extra gifts out of appreciation for my order. One of those gifts happened to an advance reader’s edition of The First Sister. After reading this novel I feel incredibly lucky to have been sent a free copy from the publisher.

One of the main things that separate this book from anything I have read in recent years is how naturally LGBTQIA+ inclusion was written into a story that is so otherworldly. It will leave readers wondering why isn’t there more inclusion in the sci-fi genre. While non-fiction books about real-life experiences are extremely important to further the world’s acceptance as a whole, representation in fiction work matters just as much. It shows we matter everywhere, and we aren’t a phase, with voices that can be shut out. We are here and here to stay.

Without taking a heavy stroll down spoiler avenue, this book is framed around three main characters. The novel jumps in with First Sister, this character has her world turned totally upside down by a person she put her trust into. Appearance to her and her group is everything, and her journey is anything but easy. Imagine having nothing, no true identity, no voice, no say in your life, and wanting nothing more than to be heard.

The second character Lito sol Lucius is a soldier. He is plucked from his current assignment, a more mundane job of training fighters to embark on a mission that might be impossible for him to complete. His world, much like the First Sister has been turned upside down. These characters from the start have already been through so much, it’s hard to picture being in their shoes and staring at such harsh futures.

The last character we meet is Hiro val Akira. The chapters in this book rotate from the point of view of the First Sister to Lito sol Lucius. Hiro val Akira’s story plays out a little differently. However, it certainly doesn’t lack detail or structure. This character is non-binary and deep dives are taken into that subject and more.

This book is not for the faint of heart, and it doesn’t shy away from the reality these characters face which are things that people face every day here on planet earth. Gender identity is a huge highlight of the book for me. A character being so open and vulnerable is something new publications need right now.

If I had to summarize The First Sister using one word it would be DARING. Linden A. Lewis put their heart and soul into this novel and it shows with every word. The flow of the novel is perfect, you hang on every word and by the end, readers will be begging for the next book, desperate for the next story.

Another highlight of the book is the imagery painted by Lewis’s words. The descriptions of the planets and people are breathtaking. This universe they have created is vast and endless and could easily be the next Star Wars. This universe has so much to give and I hope for feature films on the horizon for The First Sister, and the two future books. The First Sister by Linden A. Lewis is a gem that any person would be fortunate to own.

Related Story. The ladies of The Walking Dead Universe empowering one another. light

Are you a fan of The Walking Dead who wants to support Skybound and the LGBTQIA+ community? Check out The First Sister released on August 4th, 2020! Follow the author Linden A. Lewis for updates on future novels as well as Skybound Books to see how they lead the charge for an inclusive future.

Home/Skybound