MANGO

by John Koster

This is a bold, ambitious sci-fi tale with a beating heart. Mango’s evolution from a human teenager to an artificial intelligence is both harrowing and inspiring, wrapped in a world that feels eerily plausible given today’s tech trajectory. The emotional struggle of humanity elevate the story, planting seeds that bloom into a satisfying, otherworldly climax. It’s a love letter to resilience, a critique of unchecked tech, and a meditation on what “renewal” means when flesh fails. Mango, a spirited Golden, lives in the Ivory Tower, a sanctuary for the last remnants of humanity, untouched by the genetic mutations that plague the world outside. Her connection with Tim, a Silver, blossoms amidst their training sessions, challenging the tower's strict rules against inter-species relationships. As Mango grapples with her feelings for Tim and the societal expectations placed upon her, she uncovers disturbing truths about the Golden's existence and the tower's secrets.

219 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 7, 2025

About the author

John Koster is the co-author of The Road To Wounded Knee, a best-seller which won the N.J. Sigma Delta Chi Award for Distinguished Public Service in 1974, and of Custer Survivor, which inspired a two-hour documentary on The History Channel. A volunteer Viet Nam-era veteran injured in training with U.S. Army Airborne in 1967, Koster writes regularly for Wild West, Military History, and American History. He has written for American Heritage and National Geographic. He is fluent and literate in French, German, Dutch, Italian, Spanish and rudimentary Lakota, the language of the Sioux. All five of his grandchildren are either part Cherokee or part Sioux.