Kezza, an aerialist in the Martian circus, can never return to Earth but she can assassinate the man she blames for her grim life on the red planet. Her murderous plans take an unexpected turn, however, when she uncovers a sinister secret. A thousand years into the future, Azad lives a safe but controlled life on the beautiful desert planet of Nabatea. His world is upended when he joins a crew of space-traveling historians seeking to learn the true reason that their ancestors left Mars. Separated by time and space, Kezza and Azad's stories collide in the Martian desert. AUTHOR: Nadia Afifi is the author of The Sentient and numerous science fiction short stories. Her debut novel was lauded as 'staggering and un-put-downable' in a starred Publishers Weekly review and recommended by Booklist for 'readers who love a thrilling narrative and welcome moral and philosophical questions in their science fiction.' Analog Magazine describes her as 'a brand-new voice in our field, and one you should become familiar with.' The Sentient is the first novel in a near-future series about a controversial cloning project, human consciousness and a high-stakes conflict between religious fundamentalism and science. Her short fiction has appeared in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction ('The Bahrain Underground Bazaar') and Abyss & Apex ('Exhibit K').