Al Hess

In a world where many wealthy elites have fled, life goes on, with scavengers in the desert and cities in which people live well. Valentine, a trans man, would love to get a visa for a city where he could get T and top surgery, but his undiagnosed ADHD and the general expenses of living as a scavenger hold him back. With his partner, he’s offered an incredible opportunity—retrieve some androids for a citizen and they’ll both get visas. But the opportunity comes by way of an android who is actually a sentient AI city manager displaced into an android body, whose own dysphoria and experience of abuse lead Valentine to make riskier choices. It’s mostly a romance; despite the sometimes-dangerous circumstances and a lot of misgendering by non-heroes, the people at the heart of the story are largely trying to be kind.… (altro)

2023. Valentine and Ace are broke salvagers outside Salt Lake City. The live in a van and scrape by doing dangerous missions and fighting pirates. Valentine wants to save up enough money to buy a visa to live in the city where he would have access to gender-affirming health care. He meets Osric, a powerful and sexy AI, who has been unlawfully downloaded into an android body. Osric, wants nothing more than to get back into the network where he belongs. But having a body has its benefits. After falling in love with Valentine, will he really go back to the network? Meanwhile they have to save eight android sex-workers who have gained sentience. Hijinks ensue.… (altro)