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Project V : a novel / Park Seolyeon ; translated by Gene Png.

Park Seolyeon, (author.). Png, Gene, (translator.).

Summary:

STEMinist mecha fantasy meets reality television in this high-stakes novel from the author of A Magical Girl Retires--a wildly imaginative tale of sibling bonds, unexpected friendship, and an existential quest to understand what it means to be human. Robotics student Kim Wooram, runner-up at the World Gigantic Mechanics Olympiad, is a world-class pilot and engineer. Unlike many of her contemporaries, she likes working solo, preferring the company of robots to most other humans. Sought by robotics centers across the globe, she chooses to return to Korea after learning of an exciting new secret government robotic project known as V. To her disappointment, only male pilots are allowed to apply. Desperate for a chance to make history and encouraged by her twin brother, Boram, the usual rule-following Wooram makes a risky choice. Posing as Boram, she auditions for Project V, the reality competition show whose winner will pilot the robot V--and quickly becomes one of the top contestants in both skill and popularity. Wooram attracts fans and friends like Seojin, the show's youngest female writer and ardent "Boram" stan, and Jeonghoon, the clumsy but lovable underdog. She also gains a rival in Jinyoung, the ruthless heir to a Korean corporate dynasty. As Wooram comes tantalizingly close to achieving her goal, she begins to realize that V's arrogant AI is a ticking time bomb. With victory within reach, and her identity at stake, will Wooram destroy the robot of her dreams to save lives, or stick to the script? Project V is a playful yet sharp meditation on some of the most pressing issues roiling modern society in Korea and across the globe: the male dominance in STEM fields, the ethics of parasocial idolatry and our addiction to social media and reality television, and the promise and peril of an AI-oriented future. Punchy and compelling, Park Seolyeon's novel is a winning exploration of ambition and creation--a quintessential novel of our present and future for mecha fans and all curious readers.

Record details

  • ISBN: 9780063429789
  • ISBN: 0063429780
  • ISBN: 9780063429758
  • ISBN: 0063429756
  • Physical Description: 280 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm.
  • Publisher: New York : HarperVia, imprint of HarperCollins, 2026.

Content descriptions

General Note:
Originally published as Peurojekteu beui in South Korea in 2023 by Safehouse Inc.
Language Note:
Translated from Korean.
Subject:
Women engineers.
Robotics.
Women > Social conditions.
Reality television programs.
Artificial intelligence.
Social media and society.
Social media > Ethics.
Korea (South)
Genre:
Science fiction.
Psychological fiction.
Novels.

Available copies

  • 3 of 4 copies available at NC Cardinal. (Show)
  • 1 of 1 copy available at Madison County Public Library.

Holds

  • 0 current holds with 4 total copies.
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Show Only Available Copies
Location Call Number / Copy Notes Barcode Shelving Location Status Due Date
Mars Hill Library FIC PAR (Text) 30229101446739 Adult New Fiction Available -

Accessibility Features

Summary: STEMinist mecha fantasy meets reality television in this high-stakes novel from the author of A Magical Girl Retires--a wildly imaginative tale of sibling bonds, unexpected friendship, and an existential quest to understand what it means to be human. Robotics student Kim Wooram, runner-up at the World Gigantic Mechanics Olympiad, is a world-class pilot and engineer. Unlike many of her contemporaries, she likes working solo, preferring the company of robots to most other humans. Sought by robotics centers across the globe, she chooses to return to Korea after learning of an exciting new secret government robotic project known as V. To her disappointment, only male pilots are allowed to apply. Desperate for a chance to make history and encouraged by her twin brother, Boram, the usual rule-following Wooram makes a risky choice. Posing as Boram, she auditions for Project V, the reality competition show whose winner will pilot the robot V--and quickly becomes one of the top contestants in both skill and popularity. Wooram attracts fans and friends like Seojin, the show's youngest female writer and ardent "Boram" stan, and Jeonghoon, the clumsy but lovable underdog. She also gains a rival in Jinyoung, the ruthless heir to a Korean corporate dynasty. As Wooram comes tantalizingly close to achieving her goal, she begins to realize that V's arrogant AI is a ticking time bomb. With victory within reach, and her identity at stake, will Wooram destroy the robot of her dreams to save lives, or stick to the script? Project V is a playful yet sharp meditation on some of the most pressing issues roiling modern society in Korea and across the globe: the male dominance in STEM fields, the ethics of parasocial idolatry and our addiction to social media and reality television, and the promise and peril of an AI-oriented future. Punchy and compelling, Park Seolyeon's novel is a winning exploration of ambition and creation--a quintessential novel of our present and future for mecha fans and all curious readers.