Symbiosis by Nicky Drayden (Escaping Exodus, #2) * * * *
SPOILERS AHEAD!!!
The novel takes place three years after the events of the first instalment. Seske now has an almost complete family unit, structured around the same multi-partner system established earlier, though her triad remains incomplete. The narrative perspective shifts noticeably. Adala is no longer a point of view character, while Doka becomes the second POV character. This change moves the focus away from the worker class perspective that was important in the first book. That layer of society is largely absent here.
Instead, the book centres on the evolving relationship between the humans and the Zenzee, the living space organisms they inhabit. The core idea is an attempt at true symbiosis. The inhabitants have agreed to stop culling Zenzee and instead live sustainably within them. There is also a treaty with other human populations living on different Zenzees. Structurally, the book shifts from internal class conflict to external cooperation and survival.
Doka’s storyline reflects this shift. He is trying to establish himself as a leader while pushing society toward what he sees as a utopian model. As a reader, that ambition feels inherently unstable. The concept of utopia is, by definition, unreachable, and the narrative reinforces this. Every time Doka believes they are close to achieving it, something happens that destabilises the situation.
Seske’s storyline runs alongside this but focuses on more personal concerns. She deals primarily with family matters, including a pregnancy, while also supporting Doka in parts of his leadership arc. Her role is more grounded, but also less central to the larger structural conflicts.
Many of the social problems introduced in the first book remain present but are not meaningfully resolved. The class divide has been addressed in theory. Conditions for the worker class have improved, and some redistribution of labour has taken place. However, because the narrative no longer includes that perspective, the reader does not see the long term effects. The improvement is stated rather than demonstrated.
The same applies to gender dynamics. The matriarchal system and the oppression of men were central in the first book. Here, the narrative suggests progress, but there is little detail on how that change functions in practice. The resolution feels incomplete because it lacks visible consequences.
The book introduces new elements through contact with other human populations on different Zenzees. One of these societies is unstable and violent, structured around ritualised combat among children. This is mentioned briefly but not explored further. A more developed storyline involves another group made up primarily of scientists. When their Zenzee becomes sick due to a failed experiment, they are forced to abandon it and integrate into Seske’s society.
This creates a clear refugee narrative. The integration process highlights several recognisable dynamics. There is a language barrier, with most newcomers expected to learn the dominant language rather than mutual adaptation. There is also a loss of status. One character, previously an astrophysicist, becomes a baker. It is a simple but effective example of how displacement can erase professional identity.
Cultural differences are also emphasised. The incoming group follows a more familiar family structure with balanced gender roles and multiple children. This contrasts with the controlled reproductive system of Seske’s society. The imbalance in birth rates becomes a key point. It is revealed that significantly fewer male children are born, which leads to the discovery of a long-standing practice of selectively aborting male embryos under the guise of spiritual ritual. This is one of the most significant revelations in the book, but it is not fully explored. Once introduced, it is largely set aside.
The final section of the novel shifts into conflict. War breaks out between populations, though the details remain limited. The resolution is where the book becomes most contentious. Seske’s sister, who has become physically integrated into the Zenzee, functions as an intermediary between human and organism. Through her, the Zenzee releases spores that alter human perception, making individuals more receptive to the Zenzee’s influence.
This leads to an immediate cessation of conflict and a rapid move toward cooperation. The narrative states that humans retain free will and choose peace. However, the mechanism suggests otherwise. The spores clearly influence behaviour, even if indirectly, which creates ambiguity around agency.
Doka, as a narrator, insists that the outcome is the result of human choice. This opens the possibility that he is an unreliable narrator, or at least unaware of the full extent of the Zenzee’s influence. The resolution achieves the stated goal of symbiosis, but it does so through external intervention rather than internal development.
This is the main reason the ending feels unsatisfying on a structural level. Many of the conflicts introduced across both books are not resolved through character decisions or societal change. Instead, they are neutralised by biological influence. The effect is efficient, but it lacks narrative weight.
Despite this, the book remains engaging. Worldbuilding continues to be one of its strongest elements, particularly in its biological and ecological concepts. The exploration of culture, migration, and adaptation adds depth, even when it is not fully developed.
I would still recommend Symbiosis to readers who enjoyed the first book, especially for its ideas and setting. As a conclusion to a duology, however, it prioritises resolution over process. It reaches the ending it wants, but not through the characters who were meant to earn it.
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