BOOK
‘Descendants’—Lee Hana
AVAILABLE NOW
Diamond-hard Australasian post-punk science fiction.
‘As eerily prescient as it is deeply satisfying.’ — Artshub Australia
Mass hysteria overwhelms a suburban mall. A monk recalls a strange path to enlightenment. An ancient professor serves as his tribe’s frontal cortex. A firebrand lawmaker discovers what’s left after her soul is stolen… And everywhere, in this vivid panorama of the next five centuries, we find the spectral traces of ourselves. These are worlds, sometimes disturbing, where you may not recognise your descendants.
‘…mastery of narrative technique and sparseness.’—Jane Crowley, AAWP/Ubud Writer’s Festival
Lee Hana turned to short form to find out just how lean a novel’s worth of ideas could go. The result is a wild ride through the Asia-Pacific region after our long carbon spree, and the spiritual evolution of the people that come next. With each story an existential thriller shot with moments of sublime beauty or terror, Descendants marks the luminous intersection of Le Guin’s cultural empathy and Borges’ infinite mirrors, resulting in a collection both timeless and urgently now.
‘Engaging and original… dread pervaded, slightly unreal and yet still familiar.’—Justin Smith Ruiu, The Hinternet
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Lee Hana has worked for electoral and peacebuilding projects throughout Asia, from Kabul to Kathmandu, from designing national ballot papers to writing and producing Timor Leste’s most loved telenovela. An Aotearoa-Australian writer, Lee Hana’s work has appeared in New Australian Fiction, Cordite and Dark Mountain.
EVENT
PSY FI
MAY 09 2026
The future is human. ‘Descendants’, a collection of visionary science fiction stories was launched at PSY FI, an immersive musical event celebrating Aotearoa’s visionary artists, in May 2026 at Massey University’s Great Hall in Pōneke Wellington NZ.
‘One of the most “wow!”-inducing local lineups we’ve encountered in 2026 so far, PSY FI is an immaculately curated one night event celebrating future-focused artists…’—Chris Cudby, Under The Radar
As a soundtrack to the book’s haunting futures, Dream Chambers will bring her analogue alien warmth before a rare sighting of sublime shoegazers The Golden Awesome and BirdParty’s industrial dancefloor workout. Headlining is a special set from the original quiet mind: ambient techno legend Micronism, back from Australia just for this show. Adding to the atmosphere will be Erika Grant’s celestial harmonics, Tondo’s shimmering guitar overwhelm, DJ Martyn Pepperell’s deep knowledge and Charmort’s bushwhacked electronica. Production design by Lady Lazer Light. @psy_fi_2026
‘This is the show to turn up to this coming NZ Music Month.’—Chris Cudby, Under The Radar
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Saturday May 09 @ Massey Great Hall.
Tickets earlybirds $35 / general $55 utr.co.nz