Frontier

The far-future Earth of Curtis’s rocky debut is devastated and near abandoned when its first visitor in three centuries falls from an escape pod. There’s an Old West feel to this apocalyptic world, which will draw in readers of weird westerns, but after the strong opening, the plot devolves into an increasingly disjointed series of vignettes, each featuring a different name for the newly arrived “stranger” and a different trial she must overcome in her trek to be reunited with the rest of her ship and the woman she loves. Raising the stakes are the nefarious High Sheriff at New Destiny and his invidious Deputy Seawall, who pose a threat to the stranger’s mission. The style shifts repeatedly and often abruptly as Curtis gradually reveals her heroine’s military backstory and the truth of her arrival on Earth. A moving theme of redemption and an admirable focus on environmentalism are both obscured by the jerky and convoluted structure. There are good ideas here, but the execution falters. Agent: Zoë Plant, Bent Agency. (Feb.)