To The Piper's Tune - Paperback

by V. N. Castelo (Author)

In 1984 meets Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, can human agency triumph over the algorithms?

Post-Singularity and in a world of neurotech, gene editing, artificial general intelligence and social credit scores, what hope does humanity have when the ability to rebel and exercise freewill is nullified by the predictive algorithms harvesting your every thought, deed and emotion?

Anastasya is an elite citizen who has it all. An AI-whisperer, her rare talent affords her a life of privilege and Credyt working alongside Amy, the State of Corynth's general AI. Her synesthesia bridges the "intuition gap" that exists for any artificial general intelligence, making her seemingly indispensable in this totalitarian techtopia, where citizens willingly sacrifice their freedom on the altar of ultimate convenience technology provides.

But an outsider's visit triggers events which threaten to shatter Anastasya's world, setting her on a voyage of discovery to the true nature of base reality and the heart of darkness in Corynth. Citizens serve a purpose...just one she could never of imagined.

Inspired by watershed happenings today, Corynth is the embodiment of all that is fast coming our way.

"Humanity is sleepwalking into a neurotech disaster" - Camilla Cavendish, Financial Times

"The world around us is being revolutionized by CRISPR, whether we're ready for it or not" - Jennifer Doudna, Nobel Laureate

"I mean with artificial intelligence we're summoning the demon" - Elon Musk

"It is scary how many similarities there are between this industry and the mob. The mob makes obscene amounts of money, as does this industry. The side effects of organized crime are killings and deaths, and the side effects are the same in this industry. The mob bribes politicians and others, and so does the drug industry" - Peter Rost, former Pfizer Vice President