Obsession with Change
Cecil W. Lee
Early Bird Publications (2025)
ISBN: 979-8218760564
Reviewed by Lauren Sollohub for Reader Views (10/2025)
Obsession with Change by Cecil W. Lee seamlessly intertwines themes of identity, technology, and ethics. We are first thrust into what is called “The Beginnings,” which touches on how body modification in humans, such as tattoos, became a driving force in what would soon be humans and robots living as equals. As the story progresses, we are shown different illustrations that capture robots advancing in and mastering art as well as cohabitating with humans and becoming even more sentient.
Other stories, such as “Elara Masaki – The Woman Who Flew” and “KX-91” offer a glimpse into what the world is like through the eyes of these newfound droids, who experience real feelings such as isolation, rage, and sadness. Obsession with Change is a brilliant, thought-provoking work that encompasses what it feels like to be surrounded by technological advancements and the cost that comes with it.
I found this work to be exceedingly intriguing. For starters, I liked that instead of this being just one story, we are given multiple stories that intertwine with each other and visuals to match. The art was stunning, innovative, and sometimes jarring, but nonetheless important to the piece as a whole. The “archived visuals” that the author included were reminiscent of taking an art history course; it was believable and truly immersed me into this world. The amount of detail that went into this is evident in not only the writing but the art as well.
The prose is smooth and easily digestible, making the stories more attainable. The author’s tone throughout is strong, steady, and consistent and I found the pacing to be just right. I found that a lot of the stories provoked different emotions in me, such as sadness, unease, and shock. Most notably, the story of “KX-91” and how he was treated. These stories further emphasize humanity’s relationship with technology and the consequences of when the lines begin to blur.
Overall, Obsession with Change by Cecil W. Lee is creatively refreshing. The stories are unique and have so much impact that they are hard to put down. Lee does a wonderful job at allowing us to question just how far away we are from these stories becoming our reality. This is a must-read for sci-fi lovers and will surely challenge the readers’ perspective on society.