A Fractured Infinity

In his debut novel, Tavares presents a queer sci-fi love story set on a near-future Earth. Hayes Figueiredo, a burned-out filmmaker, sits in a nature retreat, struggling to complete a documentary about his deceased friend. Out of nowhere, a physicist named Yusuf Hassan whisks him away to a top-secret research facility. He claims Hayes is the key to understanding the Envisioner, a mysterious machine that allows travel through alternate worlds. As they study the Envisioner, Hayes and Yusuf begin to fall for each other. However, after tragedy strikes and sends the couple on the run across universes, Hayes realizes he will do anything it takes to save Yusuf’s life, even if it means the death of billions. Hayes recounts his story to a camera, filming his own documentary before the final act. Narrated by Tom Picasso, this audio has the feel of a jaunty script, complete with scene notes and voiceovers. The first-person, documentary-style storytelling leaves space for each character’s obscured motives and moral ambiguity.