One thing I look for in modern SF is exotic locales. When I read science fiction, I want intrepid explorers in strange landscapes… and what could be more exotic than a near-future Taipei plagued by viruses and strange pollutants? Cindy Pon’s new novel Want features a group of teens who take on a corrupt society to save their city, and soon discover that their enemies may be even more dangerous than they thought. It was published in hardcover this month by Simon Pulse.

Jason Zhou survives in a divided society where the elite use their wealth to buy longer lives. The rich wear special suits, protecting them from the pollution and viruses that plague the city, while those without suffer illness and early deaths. Frustrated by his city’s corruption and still grieving the loss of his mother who died as a result of it, Zhou is determined to change things, no matter the cost.

With the help of his friends, Zhou infiltrates the lives of the wealthy in hopes of destroying the international Jin Corporation from within. Jin Corp not only manufactures the special suits the rich rely on, but they may also be manufacturing the pollution that makes them necessary.

Yet the deeper Zhou delves into this new world of excess and wealth, the more muddled his plans become. And against his better judgment, Zhou finds himself falling for Daiyu, the daughter of Jin Corp’s CEO. Can Zhou save his city without compromising who he is, or destroying his own heart?

Want was published by Simon Pulse on June 13, 2017. It is 327 pages, priced at $18.99 in hardcover and $10.99 for the digital edition. The cover is by Jason Chan. Get more details at cindypon.com.