The story “Two Worlds” (“Due Mondi”) by Francesco Verso was published for the first time in 2011. It was translated into English by Sally McCorry.
After a global climate catastrophe, genetic engineering led humanity to split into two different species: the Aquamancers, who live in the seas, and the Aeromancers, who live in the mountains. When an Aeromancer gets rescued by a group of Aquamancers while searching the Tower of Seeds, a collaboration between the two human species can save the world’s plants.
“Two Worlds” is a science fiction story told with tones typical of the fantasy genre making it in some ways a modern fairy tale. Francesco Verso specifically chose this approach in writing a story that can go beyond labels. You can consider this review’s tag just a formality.
The story quickly introduces us a climate catastrophe that leads to a world covered with a great ocean and with few lands still emerging after the huge rise of the sea level. Humanity also changed to survive by through DNA modifications. The inclusion of fish and bird genes led to the emergence of Aquamancers and Aeromancers, two new species that usually have not contacts because they live in two environments that are too different.
The situation changes with the encounter between a group of Aquamancers and an Aeromancer who is looking for the Tower of seeds, a kind of ark where the seeds of many plant species are preserved. Their discovery could mean a hope for a new beginning for the world and for the humans of both species.
“Two Worlds” is based on a quest, albeit short due to the fact that it’s short fiction. It has a moral, like all fairy tales, which is simple: the future depends on the ability of different people to go beyond tribalism and myopia and work for the common good.
Today we’re seriously in danger of causing a catastrophe so that just a few people can keep on making a lot of money, for example from fossil fuels. Many people do nothing just because they can’t have a long-term view of the consequences. If we want to have a future with good prospects we have to change attitudes and to have a more global view of the problems.
In my “Two Worlds” has only one flaw: it’s too short! The limited length prevents Francesco Verso from fully developing the plot with the various ideas contained in the story and it’s a shame because I can see a great potential. The ideas would be enough to make even a whole series.
As it’s typical of Francesco Verso’s works, in “Two Worlds” there’s food for thought. In his work as and editor, he also tend to choose that kind of stories. This story was translated in English but also in Spanish, Portuguese and even Chinese with successful results.
“Two Worlds” is a big hit in China, possibly also because its basic concept has a Tao-like flavor with Aquamancers and Aeromancers simbolizing yin and yang instead of the tiger and the dragon. In the hope that Francesco Verso turns it at least into a novel, meanwhile, you can enjoy it in this short form.
