EMPTY OF NOTHING — A Cyberpunk Semiotics Love Story

Though Empty of Nothing can be read and appreciated without its greater context, it is nevertheless an essential addition to the Constelis Voss universe. Kira Leigh’s short prequel gives us important insight to the inner workings of Alex’s mind prior to the events of Colour Theory. For those familiar with the existing story, the sudden shift in setting was jarring in a deliciously horrific way.

Alex, now an unnamed narrator, is trapped in a hellish, white-walled complex filled with those who are Empty, seeking to fill their Lack. On the shoulders of their jumpsuits is stenciled what they are missing. One reads, ‘Empty: Water’ and seeks another whose ‘Empty: Dry’ will complete them. Those who are coupled are permitted to leave the facility, those who are not must stay. Alex is designated as an ‘Empty: Nothing.’ Because ‘Nothing’ cannot be a fulfilled Lack, he is stuck in the complex. The only other option is to become Violent and to be expelled from the facility through a tube that shoots its passengers up to the unknown surface above.

Alex and Olive struggle against the Didacta, an all-seeing computer entity that monitors their every move. However, it is an unfeeling creature and provides necessary information for our protagonists as well.

Empty of Nothing is a delicious morsel of story, an appetizer before the main course of Constelis Voss. Colored with Alex’s characteristic piss and vinegar and Olive’s optimism, this addition to K. Leigh’s post-apocalyptic space opera will scratch any sci-fi addict’s itch for the unusual.

Aside from its part in the greater storyline, Empty of Nothing is an important meditation on finding one’s place in a world where every puzzle piece is expected to fit. While the rest of the Empty individuals are expected to fill their Lacks, to seek satisfaction in others, Alex poses a question - why not fill your own Lack? Or, in Alex’s case, why should anyone be considered ‘lacking’ in anything?

Empty of Nothing is a different beast from the Constellis Voss trilogy. It's an introspective look into a neurodivergent mind, embracing that their understanding of the world is different but not wrong. To the contrary, the author extolls that neurodivergence as a path to truth and perhaps liberation from the restrictions of a binary world. It's a very thorough exploration of a perspective often poorly understood by neurotypicals (including myself!).

It's a really great story to read after finishing the trilogy. It will get you to go back to Color Theory and start reading the original books all over again. Even without the preceding story's context, it's still a good mindtrip and exploration of neurodivergence but reading the whole trilogy beforehand makes it a real treat, especially as a prequel.

Empty of Nothing is mindfucky cyberpunk weirdness, and that's what you should love about it.

Whether you're a robot, a program, or a human, we all deal with garbage data. We can only create things with what we have and what we've learned. Garbage in, garbage out. That's all the harder to deal with when you feel EVERYTHING.

Find meaning along with our protagonists as they seek to understand a nonsensical system and realize that they're not the ones who are broken, in this prequel to the stunning trilogy Constelis Voss.

A truely incredible story with enlightening message. The prose is truely next level. Makes you think, cry, and laugh. Truely a wonderful thought provoking read.