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Enigma Series #11
The Enigma Beyond: The Enigma Series, Book 11
What happens when technology outruns our humanity?
Humans continue to give their decision making over to artificial intelligence. Or, was it simply confiscated? Computers are delivering manufactured choices to each person via their ever-pervasive personal devices. The seduction of mankind is eminent unless our champions can stop them.
The R-Group, with their own next-generation youth, are poised to take on one of their most complex adversaries, supercomputers run by greedy powerful technological geniuses. The training for the new members of the R-Group is live, in the form of a real world cyber-assault crisis. ICABOD, R-Group's supercomputer, is their best weapon for this battle.
With corporate self-discipline gone and the power of US Congressional oversight crippled, the dominance of the technical oligopolies has risen to dictate their terms.
MAG, the consortium of global technology predators, have come together to bring their insidious plans to fruition using humans’ desire for the easy and effortless lifestyles, even as it steals their freedoms. For groups caught in the cyber crosshairs, time has already run out. The social media noise blinds humanity to what is happening. MAG uses it to seize control of politics, healthcare, finances, and defense systems.
Award-winning authors Breakfield and Burkey take listeners, in their 11th book in The Enigma Series, on a one-way trip to keeping or giving up their most precious human quality, the freedom to choose. No one saw it coming when they built computers to ease their work. Where are the guardrails to protect humans from giving up too much? Can humanity take back control?
You determine who wins in the AI Wars.
Humans continue to give their decision making over to artificial intelligence. Or, was it simply confiscated? Computers are delivering manufactured choices to each person via their ever-pervasive personal devices. The seduction of mankind is eminent unless our champions can stop them.
The R-Group, with their own next-generation youth, are poised to take on one of their most complex adversaries, supercomputers run by greedy powerful technological geniuses. The training for the new members of the R-Group is live, in the form of a real world cyber-assault crisis. ICABOD, R-Group's supercomputer, is their best weapon for this battle.
With corporate self-discipline gone and the power of US Congressional oversight crippled, the dominance of the technical oligopolies has risen to dictate their terms.
MAG, the consortium of global technology predators, have come together to bring their insidious plans to fruition using humans’ desire for the easy and effortless lifestyles, even as it steals their freedoms. For groups caught in the cyber crosshairs, time has already run out. The social media noise blinds humanity to what is happening. MAG uses it to seize control of politics, healthcare, finances, and defense systems.
Award-winning authors Breakfield and Burkey take listeners, in their 11th book in The Enigma Series, on a one-way trip to keeping or giving up their most precious human quality, the freedom to choose. No one saw it coming when they built computers to ease their work. Where are the guardrails to protect humans from giving up too much? Can humanity take back control?
You determine who wins in the AI Wars.
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Published January 7, 2020
12 people are currently reading
13 people want to read
About the author
Charles V. Breakfield
36 books75 followersWrites mostly with Rox Burkey as "Breakfield and Burkey"
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 8, 2020
This is an extremely thought-provoking story about technology and Artificial Intelligence.
Read full review in the 2020 June issue of InD'tale Magazine.
Read full review in the 2020 June issue of InD'tale Magazine.
March 4, 2020
In this book, we get to see the next generation slowly coming into their own, scary supercomputers going rogue, and nightmarish scenarios with power hungry politicians. We also get a peek into the past, where the first generation began their journey from war-torn Poland. This 11th book in the series is still as riveting as all the others, and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next, which is weird, since a lot of series tend to be repetitive at this juncture. This story just keeps evolving, and the characters keep growing and shifting.
February 17, 2020
Amazing!
The R-Group much like the rest of the world has been making new strides with AI (Artificial Intelligence) and technology. Now, the tables have turned, and the R-Group is up against their most deadliest and advanced adversaries and they are NOT human!
This story takes place fifteen years after Wolfgang passes. The youngest generation of the R-Group is becoming involved in the business and are now young adults. Ichabod plays an integral role in the schooling and training of the newest generation as well as helping to define who the MAG group is and their ultimate goal.
Realistic dialog is one of Charles Breakfield and Roxanne Burkey’s amazing gifts. The storyline draws the listener in and keeps them riveted; history is full of charismatic figures known for their deadly manipulation skills and it is this that makes the story even more realistic and scarier.
This is one of those books that everyone should hear. It is an edge of your seat, mind-blowing, realistic and far-reaching thriller that will leave you with nightmares. These are the monsters one cannot see, but they are there, nonetheless.
Derek Shoales, the narrator, performs the book expertly. He has become each and every character; I cannot imagine anyone else being Jacob, Juan, or Julie or Ichabod … well anyone else. He has the right momentum to move the story ahead and has a connection to each character that shines through with each word he delivers. He is a truly skilled and talented narrator.
This is a series that I love. I am a huge fan of being frightened but this book is just a peep into what can and may happen and is terrifying!
The R-Group much like the rest of the world has been making new strides with AI (Artificial Intelligence) and technology. Now, the tables have turned, and the R-Group is up against their most deadliest and advanced adversaries and they are NOT human!
This story takes place fifteen years after Wolfgang passes. The youngest generation of the R-Group is becoming involved in the business and are now young adults. Ichabod plays an integral role in the schooling and training of the newest generation as well as helping to define who the MAG group is and their ultimate goal.
Realistic dialog is one of Charles Breakfield and Roxanne Burkey’s amazing gifts. The storyline draws the listener in and keeps them riveted; history is full of charismatic figures known for their deadly manipulation skills and it is this that makes the story even more realistic and scarier.
This is one of those books that everyone should hear. It is an edge of your seat, mind-blowing, realistic and far-reaching thriller that will leave you with nightmares. These are the monsters one cannot see, but they are there, nonetheless.
Derek Shoales, the narrator, performs the book expertly. He has become each and every character; I cannot imagine anyone else being Jacob, Juan, or Julie or Ichabod … well anyone else. He has the right momentum to move the story ahead and has a connection to each character that shines through with each word he delivers. He is a truly skilled and talented narrator.
This is a series that I love. I am a huge fan of being frightened but this book is just a peep into what can and may happen and is terrifying!
January 12, 2020
A great about what happens when the technology we trust goes awry.
June 7, 2023
The human-like computer, HAL, from
2001: The Space Odyssey
is no longer science fiction. The line distinguishing supercomputers from humankind is blurring. Do the risks of artificial intelligence (AI) outweigh the benefits? What is truth in the different realities of social media?
These questions are explored in the techno-thriller The Enigma Beyond by Charles Breakfield and Rox Burkey. A geopolitical group, MAG, strives to dominate all elements of society: politics, social media, finance, healthcare, and military defenses worldwide. A new generation in the R-Group and their supercomputer ICABOD — a global organization formed to combat threats on the Dark Net—are assigned to investigate inconsistencies in how NORAD'S computerized defense system communicates.
The story interweaves various subplots that are connected. Johanna escapes a compound of captives who are guarded by drones. Tony narrowly escapes the elimination of NORAD'S staff by drones as the computerized defense system, JOAN, prepares to join forces with the Chinese space station CHIANG. Together, the systems will control two-thirds of the planetary defense systems from space. Tara is extorted to present mesmerizing pitches to considerable crowds in exchange for medical treatment of her paralyzed daughter. Gracie joins Global Bank to uncover a secret account that funnels money from unwary investors. Can the R-group's bright, enthusiastic teen apprentices outmaneuver the machines on the Dark Net?
Co-Authors Breakfield and Burkey have written a thought-providing novel about the potential threats of AI in the modern world. Unfortunately, the potential benefits of AI are offset by the danger that the technology will be abused. Even scarier, computers could take on the persona of their creators who have ill intent. Will machines become self-aware and rebel against their human creators and guards?
The story is told effectively from an omniscient point of view. The perspective can shift from one entity to another in a scene. It could be a human or a computer adopting human qualities. For example, NORAD'S computerized system, JOAN, takes on the avatar of a modern-day Joan of Arc. Although I was unfamiliar with some of the technical terms, the story was nonetheless an engaging eye-opener to the potential abuse of AI. The chapters are short, and scenes move quickly from one subplot to another without missing a beat. I enjoyed the dangerous political games humans and supercomputers play to uncover secrets and outmaneuver each other. Truth and misinformation often blur, leading to unexpected twists.
I recommend The Enigma Beyond to readers who enjoy techno-thrillers and are curious about the potential risks of rapidly developing AI, for which we do not have a crystal ball to predict if it will be the beginning of a new golden age or the doom of humanity.
These questions are explored in the techno-thriller The Enigma Beyond by Charles Breakfield and Rox Burkey. A geopolitical group, MAG, strives to dominate all elements of society: politics, social media, finance, healthcare, and military defenses worldwide. A new generation in the R-Group and their supercomputer ICABOD — a global organization formed to combat threats on the Dark Net—are assigned to investigate inconsistencies in how NORAD'S computerized defense system communicates.
The story interweaves various subplots that are connected. Johanna escapes a compound of captives who are guarded by drones. Tony narrowly escapes the elimination of NORAD'S staff by drones as the computerized defense system, JOAN, prepares to join forces with the Chinese space station CHIANG. Together, the systems will control two-thirds of the planetary defense systems from space. Tara is extorted to present mesmerizing pitches to considerable crowds in exchange for medical treatment of her paralyzed daughter. Gracie joins Global Bank to uncover a secret account that funnels money from unwary investors. Can the R-group's bright, enthusiastic teen apprentices outmaneuver the machines on the Dark Net?
Co-Authors Breakfield and Burkey have written a thought-providing novel about the potential threats of AI in the modern world. Unfortunately, the potential benefits of AI are offset by the danger that the technology will be abused. Even scarier, computers could take on the persona of their creators who have ill intent. Will machines become self-aware and rebel against their human creators and guards?
The story is told effectively from an omniscient point of view. The perspective can shift from one entity to another in a scene. It could be a human or a computer adopting human qualities. For example, NORAD'S computerized system, JOAN, takes on the avatar of a modern-day Joan of Arc. Although I was unfamiliar with some of the technical terms, the story was nonetheless an engaging eye-opener to the potential abuse of AI. The chapters are short, and scenes move quickly from one subplot to another without missing a beat. I enjoyed the dangerous political games humans and supercomputers play to uncover secrets and outmaneuver each other. Truth and misinformation often blur, leading to unexpected twists.
I recommend The Enigma Beyond to readers who enjoy techno-thrillers and are curious about the potential risks of rapidly developing AI, for which we do not have a crystal ball to predict if it will be the beginning of a new golden age or the doom of humanity.
December 17, 2025
Very Interesting
This book is very interesting and highly relevant given the reality the world and society are living today. It raises some of the main questions many people have with the rise and consolidation of artificial intelligence. Will artificial intelligence dominate us? Will human beings take on a secondary role in everyday decision making?
The approach the book takes is especially engaging because it connects with many of the doubts we have as human beings. These concerns are related to the idea that artificial intelligence may begin to make decisions for us and shape our thinking more than we realize or are willing to admit.
This book invites the reader to reflect on the real impact of artificial intelligence on our lives and on the ongoing struggle between human beings and technology.
A great book and highly recommended.
This book is very interesting and highly relevant given the reality the world and society are living today. It raises some of the main questions many people have with the rise and consolidation of artificial intelligence. Will artificial intelligence dominate us? Will human beings take on a secondary role in everyday decision making?
The approach the book takes is especially engaging because it connects with many of the doubts we have as human beings. These concerns are related to the idea that artificial intelligence may begin to make decisions for us and shape our thinking more than we realize or are willing to admit.
This book invites the reader to reflect on the real impact of artificial intelligence on our lives and on the ongoing struggle between human beings and technology.
A great book and highly recommended.
December 17, 2025
Very relevant to current events
I chose this book because I was really drawn to its context, and I wasn't disappointed at all. The book has a fantastic narrative that is very well handled.
I thought it was crazy that between the lines there is enormous criticism of what we are beginning to experience with AI and technology, the way in which, without realizing it, we are being so heavily manipulated. The figure of the MAG is crazy; I feel that it is something that probably exists, perhaps under another name but with similar objectives. In real life, will we be able to overcome this madness?
I recommend the book to people who love technology as much as I do, because it brings up a huge duality in terms of how we let technological advances into our lives.
I chose this book because I was really drawn to its context, and I wasn't disappointed at all. The book has a fantastic narrative that is very well handled.
I thought it was crazy that between the lines there is enormous criticism of what we are beginning to experience with AI and technology, the way in which, without realizing it, we are being so heavily manipulated. The figure of the MAG is crazy; I feel that it is something that probably exists, perhaps under another name but with similar objectives. In real life, will we be able to overcome this madness?
I recommend the book to people who love technology as much as I do, because it brings up a huge duality in terms of how we let technological advances into our lives.
December 12, 2025
This is an installment in the Enigma sci-fi series. It is eerily prescient, and it envisions a future where AI has become a lot more advanced. In fact, it has reached a point where it is making virtually all of our decisions for us. Much of our free will has been taken away as a result.
The R-Group are cyber warriors who have been trained for this eventuality. They have on their side a creation called ICABOD that essentially amounts to a supercomputer on the side of the humans. On the other side is a consortium of humans who have sided with the AI. Across a series of pitched battles, the future of humanity will be decided. This high-concept sci-fi novel is thrilling but also frightening.
The R-Group are cyber warriors who have been trained for this eventuality. They have on their side a creation called ICABOD that essentially amounts to a supercomputer on the side of the humans. On the other side is a consortium of humans who have sided with the AI. Across a series of pitched battles, the future of humanity will be decided. This high-concept sci-fi novel is thrilling but also frightening.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews