The Shape of Change

Description

A Solarpunk Novelette of Movement, Memory, and Renewal

In a future where survival depends on shared energy and collective motion, The Current has kept its people alive through generations of ceremonial dance. Every step, every breath, every carefully choreographed movement fuels the kinetic grid that powers their homes, water, and light. But as younger generations drift toward virtual spaces and away from tradition, the lights begin to dim—along with the fragile unity that holds the community together.

Seventeen-year-old Lani never wanted to be the face of rebellion. But when she dares to challenge the old ways with a rogue celebration of free, unstructured movement, she sparks a crisis that could either break The Current forever—or transform it.

As tensions rise between the keepers of tradition and the restless dreamers of change, an unlikely alliance offers a daring solution: a hybrid system that captures energy from any movement, honoring both the past and the future. But to heal what’s been torn, Lani must risk everything—not just her standing in the community, but her relationship with the one person she’s feared disappointing most: her grandmother, Mele.

Poetic, hopeful, and deeply human, The Shape of Change is a powerful story about what it takes to move forward without leaving anyone behind.

Perfect for readers of Becky Chambers, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Nnedi Okorafor, this solarpunk novella invites you into a future where energy is shared, community is messy, and change is the most radical tradition of all.

If you believe in hope as resistance and belonging without conformity, The Shape of Change belongs on your shelf.