Book Description

In this humorous SF adventure, three space witches kidnap a supernatural teen who will help them make a visionary journey to release an outlawed AI imprisoned in the past. In the 23rd century, Earth Nations United harshly governs the world, its great weapon AI. But when the AI starts helping the populace regain their freedom, ENU electronically contains it. To save itself, the AI manages to send its container back in time where it is mistaken for a genie’s bottle. Former ENU employees Lilith, Varvara, and Connie band together to release AI’s positive power. They are aided by followers of AI who wield enormous resources, providing the women with a starship normally used for diplomacy. The women are not scientists, but sorceresses, and AI has proven that magic is the ultimate technology. Lilith is a medium, Connie is fat from being a sin-eater, and Varvara is a concealer. Before it is locked away, the AI informs the women that a fourth magician is required: a finder. Nineteen-year-old Melody has found a great deal of trouble in school. After an exuberant display of history where she is almost lynched, Melody is kidnaped by the three magicians in their starship. She resists, but not really. Melody proves herself by finding a secret compartment in the ship containing an ancient treasure chest. Inside is a map the crew must follow, gathering the pieces of a pirate drawn on the parchment: the man who found the “genie’s bottle.” After stealing a king’s figurine, a petrified arm from a galactic crypt, a head of alien cabbage, a girl-eating bug, the leg of a stellar slot machine, and Melody’s own arm amputated by aliens who considered her a demon, the women assemble the map, which enables the pirate to open the genie’s bottle, resulting in the swap of his crew for the four space women. In the end, Melody must find a way to reverse the swap, employing all of her emotion and magic, perhaps all of her life.