AGAINST THE MACHINE: EVOLUTION (Research samples)
COMING IN AUTUMN '23!
Earth, 2212.
The third in the AGAINST THE MACHINE trilogy, yet a free standing read on its own, tells of three societies amid catastrophic climate change. Multiple climatic disasters have caused waste zones, massive forest fires, ocean flooding, desertification, and enormous migrations in search of sustenance. Billions have died. The minority of those remaining inhabit MEGs (the first society), former cities transformed by technology into huge protective domes. With the use of nano technology, machine intelligence, and Silicon droids to serve them and suppress those outside the walls of their crystalline domes, all seems well for those within the protected CORPORATE.
It is not. With worsening climate, the MASS (the second society) living outside the MEGs, has become increasingly restive and with their AI Silicons (the third society) becoming sentient, the Select must leave the planet. The Dì yī Select, those at the top of this distorted world, have concocted a complex and final solution for Earth.
In an isolated island relatively spared by climate change, the CORPORATE has created a Dì yī Select resort serving too, as a space port with heavy lift rockets. These craft are meant to carry the Dì yī Select, as well as remaining examples of animal and plant species, to massive space stations where each craft will interlock and begin the long journey to Alpha Centauri. The project is called the OMEGA/ARC.
Once gone, the Dì yī Select have planted nuclear devices along Earth’s fault lines, effectively killing everything on Earth, particularly the AI whom the Dì yī Select know will, if allowed to survive, surpass human intelligence and follow them.
The third in the AGAINST THE MACHINE trilogy, yet a free standing read on its own, tells of three societies amid catastrophic climate change. Multiple climatic disasters have caused waste zones, massive forest fires, ocean flooding, desertification, and enormous migrations in search of sustenance. Billions have died. The minority of those remaining inhabit MEGs (the first society), former cities transformed by technology into huge protective domes. With the use of nano technology, machine intelligence, and Silicon droids to serve them and suppress those outside the walls of their crystalline domes, all seems well for those within the protected CORPORATE.
It is not. With worsening climate, the MASS (the second society) living outside the MEGs, has become increasingly restive and with their AI Silicons (the third society) becoming sentient, the Select must leave the planet. The Dì yī Select, those at the top of this distorted world, have concocted a complex and final solution for Earth.
In an isolated island relatively spared by climate change, the CORPORATE has created a Dì yī Select resort serving too, as a space port with heavy lift rockets. These craft are meant to carry the Dì yī Select, as well as remaining examples of animal and plant species, to massive space stations where each craft will interlock and begin the long journey to Alpha Centauri. The project is called the OMEGA/ARC.
Once gone, the Dì yī Select have planted nuclear devices along Earth’s fault lines, effectively killing everything on Earth, particularly the AI whom the Dì yī Select know will, if allowed to survive, surpass human intelligence and follow them.
WHY I WROTE THIS BOOK: ISSUE #7 Miramichi Reader
FEATURING BRIAN VAN NORMAN
Why do your favourite Canadian authors write the books they write? Let’s find out in this exclusive feature here at The Miramichi Reader.
BRIAN VAN NORMAN, AUTHOR OF AGAINST THE MACHINE: EVOLUTION (2212) with (GUERNICA EDITIONS 2023)
With two highly acclaimed novels currently on the market: AGAINST THE MACHINE: LUDDITES (1812) and Against the Machine: Manifesto (2012) both stand alone novels, yet parts one and two of his trilogy on the theme of human/machine interface over 600 years, The Sunday Times called it “A UNIQUE ENDEAVOUR…”
Through my extensive travels I observed with alarm how the Earth is in climate crisis. I saw some transformations in person and read extensively to discover the potential results of this calamity: desertification, flooding, and human tribalism. Through my earlier research of artificial intelligence and cognitive robotics I learned the concept of artificial consciousness, also known as machine consciousness. I learned too of the human fear of being replaced by androids. I hoped to bring readers an approximation of what could happen to Earth in a mere 200 years.
I knew I was going to push borders. Accustomed to historical fiction (LUDDITES) and contemporary literary style (MANIFESTO), I’d never written speculative fiction and discovered it required even more research and concentration than other genres I’ve employed.
To understand this style and genre, I read every book of speculative fiction I could find, gradually discovering a voice through a mix of other authors’ styles. Yet I wanted something different. I wanted to write a trilogy with three stand alone novels to be read without having to ‘catch up’ by reading the others. With AGAINST THE MACHINE: EVOLUTION (2212) I believe I have accomplished what I set out to do 8 years ago.
FEATURING BRIAN VAN NORMAN
Why do your favourite Canadian authors write the books they write? Let’s find out in this exclusive feature here at The Miramichi Reader.
BRIAN VAN NORMAN, AUTHOR OF AGAINST THE MACHINE: EVOLUTION (2212) with (GUERNICA EDITIONS 2023)
With two highly acclaimed novels currently on the market: AGAINST THE MACHINE: LUDDITES (1812) and Against the Machine: Manifesto (2012) both stand alone novels, yet parts one and two of his trilogy on the theme of human/machine interface over 600 years, The Sunday Times called it “A UNIQUE ENDEAVOUR…”
Through my extensive travels I observed with alarm how the Earth is in climate crisis. I saw some transformations in person and read extensively to discover the potential results of this calamity: desertification, flooding, and human tribalism. Through my earlier research of artificial intelligence and cognitive robotics I learned the concept of artificial consciousness, also known as machine consciousness. I learned too of the human fear of being replaced by androids. I hoped to bring readers an approximation of what could happen to Earth in a mere 200 years.
I knew I was going to push borders. Accustomed to historical fiction (LUDDITES) and contemporary literary style (MANIFESTO), I’d never written speculative fiction and discovered it required even more research and concentration than other genres I’ve employed.
To understand this style and genre, I read every book of speculative fiction I could find, gradually discovering a voice through a mix of other authors’ styles. Yet I wanted something different. I wanted to write a trilogy with three stand alone novels to be read without having to ‘catch up’ by reading the others. With AGAINST THE MACHINE: EVOLUTION (2212) I believe I have accomplished what I set out to do 8 years ago.
REVIEWS for "AGAINST THE MACHINE: EVOLUTION"