Omniscience

by Christophe Bruchansky

A dystopian novel about artificial intelligence and augmented reality.“Omniscience” is a thought-provoking sci-fi graphic novel. Its story is set in a hypothetical future where augmented reality has invaded our daily lives, thanks to contact lenses superimposing virtual characters into reality.One of these characters, Ingeborg, is particularly she is like a second mother for generations of children, devoted and insightful. She is, however, disavowed by more and more of her subscribers - authorities suspecting her of being more harmful than beneficial to their well-being. This is what two teenagers are going to discover when they help a young fellow from their boarding school to find his parents, who abandoned him a few years earlier for an unknown reason...The graphic novel sits halfway between dystopian novel and psychological drama. It invites the reader to reflect on the finalities of some of the social changes that we witness today, such as the virtualization of human interaction, its increasing documentation, and its use for commercial purposes.Reviews“This isn’t a lighthearted read but it’s not really dark either. It’s simply thought provoking. Which makes it extremely worthwhile.” – What’cha Reading?“The philosophical and economic questions raised were a cut above what you usually find in mainstream comics.” – I Want my Two Dollars“The story is about humans, their part of responsibility in a universe that seems more appealing, faster and easier than the dull reality.” – Actu BD

Genres: Science Fiction

100 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 27, 2021

About the author

Belgian essayist and digital artist creating moving images, micro–art games, and virtual experiences.
My essays — published in AI & Society, Philosophy Now, and The Disconnect — explore the limits of self-determination in a world reshaped by technology.
My videos and installations stage the tension between fantasy and a messier off-screen reality: a superflat aesthetic disrupted by digital glitches.
My point-and-click games and virtual worlds function as heterotopias: contemplative spaces, in Foucault’s sense, that mirror and invert reality, reflecting on the gamification of life and the impossibility of winning it all.

Reviews

[Ric Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want cutting-edge socio-economic science fiction I can't recommend this enough. In the near future the economy is shaped by augmented reality and the artificial intelligences that live there and shape the knowledge economy.

Three orphans must examine their own past to save an artificial intelligence.

Well written, high concept, beautifully drawn.

[Myriam · Rating 1 out of 5]

Livre numérique gratuit ; Trop bizarre, pas ma vibe.

[Doreen · Rating 2 out of 5]

11/29/13 Interesting premise, but the execution faltered. It's a lovely book to look at, but the art doesn't really mesh well with the dialogue, often seeming too busy (also an issue I have with a lot of manga, which was a clear influence here.) Review tk.

12/15/13 http://www.iwantmytwodollars.com/2013...

[Ricardo Gladwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want cutting-edge socio-economic science fiction I can't recommend this enough. In the near future the economy is shaped by augmented reality and the artificial intelligences that live there and shape the knowledge economy.

Three orphans must examine their own past to save an artificial intelligence.

Well written, high concept, beautifully drawn.