The People's Library

by Veronica G. Henry

From critically acclaimed author Veronica G. Henry comes a thought-provoking science fiction fantasy set in near-future Cleveland that follows a reluctant curator of digital human consciousness who must uncover twisted secrets and navigate ethical quandaries and dangers when anti-technology rebels attack the futuristic library.

Echo London never wanted to be the curator of the People’s Library, a digital collection of human consciousness. But when she’s assigned as its head librarian, Echo is entrusted with humanity’s greatest minds and historical figures, all of whom have been recreated through controversial consciousness-capturing technology that lets visitors interact with the dead.

But an anti-tech rebellion is stirring. When a rebel attack results in tragedy, a mysterious woman wearing an ancient death mask leaves behind cryptic final words for It all begins with nothing. Caught between the resistance and a potentially virtual evolution, Echo begins to fear that there’s more to her job than meets the eye and the mind. There are secrets here. And the People’s Library may be less of a promise of things to come than a warning of the danger that lurks beneath the surface. Now the fate of humanity lies in uncovering the truth.

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Fiction, Ebooks, Dystopia, Mystery, Artificial Intelligence

295 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication February 1, 2026

About the author

Veronica G. Henry is the author of Bacchanal, The Quarter Storm, and The Foreign Exchange in the Mambo Reina series.

Her work has debuted at #1 on multiple Amazon bestseller charts, was chosen as an editors’ pick for Best African American Fantasy, and shortlisted for the Manly Wade Wellman Award.

She is a Viable Paradise alum and a member of SFWA and MWA. Her stories have appeared, or are forthcoming, in the Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction and FIYAH Literary Magazine.

Reviews

[Catherine E Larklund · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

I received this as an Amazon First Read book. I'm very glad this was the book I chose. I read this in one go. Started it and couldn't put it down. Really interesting thoughts about AI and virtual reality wrapped up in a killer story. I love libraries and am always saddened by closures. My brain is running in so many directions I don't know what to write. Very good book. Highly recommend.

[Pamela Shrewsbury · Rating 4 out of 5]

Techno-thriller meets history

📚✨Book Review✨📚
The People’s Library
by Veronica G. Henry
Genre: Speculative Fiction
Amazon Prime First Reads - January 2025
Publishes: February 1, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Vibe: Black Mirror meets The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.

Would you want your mind preserved forever? 🧠✨

Echo London never asked to run The People’s Library — a digital archive where human consciousness is preserved and recreated, allowing people to interact with history’s greatest minds long after death. But when she’s put in charge, everything changes. As political tension rises and an anti-tech rebellion pushes back against this controversial technology, a devastating attack leaves Echo with a haunting message: It all begins with nothing. What starts as a job quickly becomes something far more dangerous, forcing Echo to question the true purpose of the Library — and what humanity is risking in the name of progress.

This book completely pulled me in. What I loved most is how the story asks big questions—about memory, legacy, technology, and who gets to decide what’s worth preserving—without ever losing its emotional core. I loved how it balances big, high-concept sci-fi ideas with very human questions about grief, control, and who gets to decide what “progress” looks like. It’s atmospheric, thought‑provoking, and the kind of book that lingers after you close it.

Echo is such a compelling character — quietly observant, increasingly uneasy, and clearly standing on the edge of something much bigger than herself. She is the kind of protagonist you root for because she’s flawed, curious, and trying to do the right thing even when the ground keeps shifting beneath her. The tension builds in a slow, creeping way, and by the end I was left staring at the ceiling, thinking about how thin the line is between preservation and possession.

If you like speculative fiction about secret societies, tech-conspiracies, or just a really good "what if" scenario, put this on your TBR immediately. 📚✨

[Ecaroh Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars?

This was a strange book…

I’ve seen others call it a techno-thriller, and I think that would be an accurate description. The concept was extremely interesting and definitely relevant to today’s world. I wanted to love this, but I do think that the execution was lacking. While I don’t think that this needed to be a series, I wish the author had taken a little more time to expound upon the plot rather than catching us up to speed through a monologue in the middle of the story. Although I have to admit that this choice is writing did humor me.

Side note: The writer’s choice to include a spicy moment was definitely interesting… It caught me off guard so I guess bonus points to her lol (I normally am not shocked by a storyline as I am pretty good at anticipating possible upcoming events. This caught me wayyyy off guard). If you’re reading this review without having first read the book, I promise I’m not crazy. There’s a reason why this was shocking 😭

Overall, I enjoyed the book and I’m excited to read other novels by this author.

[Jodi Tandet · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great premise and a compelling start but quickly turned boring, with far more telling than showing. Did Not Finish (a rarity for me), as midway through, I realized I simply did not care—about the plot, the characters, or the world they live in.

[Bryan Bradley · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a silly book. It has intellectual pretensions like the lengthy dissertation on the nature of zero, but in the end it is just silly. I hate to include a spoiler, but here goes. The heroine’s solution to stopping the evil organization and its chief henchman is to broadcast him standing and outlining his scheme to the heroine. The people are outraged, riots ensue, EvilCorp collapses, cliches and lazy writing abound.

The parts of the book where the author describes her UBI paying, low carbon emitting, everyone recycling utopian future is interesting. A socialist’s dream list, but at least she seems to care. The ending of the book just seems like she had a deadline to meet and threw together some crap to be done. It feels, frankly, disrespectful.

Got it as an Amazon First of the Month choice. I don’t recommend spending money to read it.

[Reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great concept but missed opportunity

When I saw that interesting people from the past were going to be characters in the future, I hope they're particular skills and styles of speaking would play a significant role, but alas.

And although the science involved has some potential validity, much of it (the rules by which entities may change from one form to another) is very inconsistent.

And finally, as to writing style, the author appears to be deeply enamored of similes.

[Rebecca]

Amazon First Reads - January 2026

[Brooke Robinson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found the topic interesting but the book bored me. There were some really good parts of it and the whole idea of ai was definitely great. Just personally for me the story just didn’t connected and pull me in.

[Raven · Rating 2 out of 5]

Amazon first reads pick, I couldn't finish it. Somewhere in the middle I just gave up.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great premise and the writing is enjoyable, but the world-building is disjointed and at times contradictory. The author throws in bits and pieces that do not come together in a cohesive manner and like some previous works, can be overly focused on delivering an environmental message - like hempcrete, compostable napkins (aren’t they anyway?), recycled algae fibers and incinerator toilets (seems like a massive energy waste).
On the world building, which is it? “There was no getting back some of the jobs. Fast food, manual labor, service, even most coding jobs had been taken over or nearly so about a decade earlier. In the bad times that ensued, the city, and the country, nearly tore themselves apart. Anarchy only suppressed by a strong show of force by the police and the enacted national guard.” Or is it: “But the mass job loss, that never came to be. It was all hype.” Take your pick.
In one part she tells a virtu representing someone from 1,500 years ago, “It works via a bidirectional audio conductor in the chip.” They are non-plussed and make no comment at all. Another one opines, “That sounds positively delightful, though I must confess, I have not the faintest notion of what a television station might be, nor, I suspect, ought I to.” Too much inconsistency. Even the romance seems disjointed. No buildup, just there.
Wonderful premise, decent prose, but poor execution on what could have been some really good sci-fi. Meh.

[Allison Goins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really well-written, easy-to-read book with a story that moved along at a good pace. I especially liked the main character. She was well developed, and I genuinely cared about what happened to her as the story progressed.

While I enjoyed the plot overall, a few things kept it from being a full five stars for me. Even though it’s set in the future, it leaned a bit too heavily on present-day conversations around AI, which sometimes felt a little on the nose. This sometimes pulled me out of the story and distracted me from staying engaged with the protagonist. I also felt the ending dragged slightly, as the author tried to wrap up every storyline. While I appreciated the authors wanting to give the reader closure. I think it made the story drag out and I got a bit disengaged at the end.

Lastly, the romantic subplot didn’t fully land for me. It felt somewhat forced, and I didn’t quite buy into how the relationship developed. I had to go back and make sure that I had not missed pages where the relationship developed, because the intensity of the feelings confused me at first.

Overall, this was still an engaging and enjoyable read with a strong protagonist, and I’d recommend it to fans of near-future or speculative fiction.

[Jessamyn West · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will read any book about a library. This one was particularly good. A near future tale of book-type libraries being shuttered in favor of "check out an AI author/personage" experience-based libraries. But something's up. The "virtus" (as the virtual personas are called) are escaping. And things may not be what they seem. Our protagonist is an introverted book-loving African American librarian with synesthesia (TAKE MY MONEY) who is trying to figure out what's up and make it right. There are a lot of wrinkles to what goes on and I liked the various places it went. Most importantly, to me, the librarian character felt real, not just a staid book-toucher and not some cybrarian telling the book-lovers to get with the program. It's tough to do well and I appreciated Henry's care with the character.

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

In an AI-dominated future world, the traditional physical book library in Cleveland is shuttered and the librarian is transferred to a new facility, The People's Library, where patrons check-out 3D, AI-generated replicas of famous people (called virtus) with whom they can have discussions, seek advice, learn from, and befriend. The virtus sometimes escape their confines and flee the library that digitally imprisons them. It starts to beg the question of what consciousness really is. Human beings are implanted with microchips that allows them to constantly access a virtual assistant/companion. Kind of like carrying Siri around in your head, but with more intimate knowledge of you. Universal Basic Income has been implemented in the country because AI has eliminated so many jobs. Interesting sci-fi that hits too close to what may actually happen someday!

[Kylie Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I appreciated about this novel is that it was a true-blue science fiction novel. There were a lot of aspects about this book that I enjoyed. The world building was fantastic; I was instantly transported to a high-tech, futuristic world. The exploration of both the benefits and the dangers of technological advancement was well thought out & insightful. Where I struggled was with our main character, Echo, and the central conflict. It was hard to understand some of the choices that Echo made throughout this book, and while the overarching conflict made sense, some of the details were convoluted to the point that the final showdown/battle was a bit anticlimactic. Overall, I think this book had a strong start and sort of petered off to an okay finish.

[Andrea Stoeckel · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Evolution. An integration of people and technology,”

Can such a thing happen? In a future world instead of books you check out Virtus- virtual people. It sounds wonderful but should it be allowed? Librarian Echo London is both fascinated and horrified by the idea. The dilemmas she faces are quite stunning as well as horrific. What will she do? What can she do?

Without a doubt this book will be added to my life list. It is that good. Before I'd even finished it I pre- ordered a paper copy. It reminds me of another book from my life list: *Sophie's World* a novel about the history of philosophy by Jostein Gaarder. Highly Recommended 5/5

[ Disclaimer: I received this book through Amazon First Reads. It is not published yet. It will be out February 1st 2026]

[Gloria Amescua · Rating 5 out of 5]

The People’s Library is fascinating! It takes all our fears ( or maybe only some of us ) about AI and AGI (Artificial Intelligence) in our near future and fleshes out what it might be like. Yes, AGI can be helpful in many ways but this book brings out humanity’s thousands of years search for what consciousness really means and whether AGI can develop consciousness. The characters are well drawn, the changes that occur in society are believable and scary. I couldn’t stop reading to see what happened next. . I’ve been talking to family and friends about this book. It’s about power, greed, truth and lies, being vulnerable and being strong and much more.

[International Cat Lady · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had a very fantastic and timely concept, which made it interesting all the way through. That being said, it had some issues. The biggest was the idea that someone whose number-related synesthesia is so bad that she dreads meeting new people or going out of her comfort zone for fear of seeing certain numbers is a professional librarian. Dewey Decimal System, anyone? Plus I feel like it needed a good editor - not in terms of grammar or spelling, but someone to read the text and point out where more background details are necessary. There were a lot of things that were glossed over or underdeveloped.

[Whitney Lavaux · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

I think the concept was interesting but it didn’t quite hit for me. I think there needed to be more world- and character- building. From a world perspective, there were a lot of pieces to the world that I still didn’t quite grasp at the end of the book, and I think it distracted from the story because I was trying to figure out exactly how the world worked. And, sadly, I just never really cared too much about Echo or what happened to her. I wish she had been developed more, so I could feel that connection.

[Jennah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this. the premise is extremely cool. However, I just wasn't completely sold on the whole technology story science situation. it didn't quite make sense to me. also, the relationship with Jesse did not seem to be at all what the story implied it was. the Margaret relationship seemed much much more meaningful, yet Jesse was like, the one? And I still don't really understand how the synesthesia mattered at all. An enjoyable read, still, but the world building in large (individual scenes were lovely) could use some work.

[Domino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Profit over People

Humans are singularly flawed but that’s what makes us….. human. It is very tempting to want to become more powerful, all knowing, with the ability to control our minds but history has repeatedly shown that we will always use it to our detriment.

I really enjoyed reading this. The possibilities enthralled me and scared me, much like they did Echo. I only hope that if I ever find myself in a similar situation, that I, like her, will make the right choice.

[Stormy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is both brilliant and terrifying!

In today's AI-driven world, I wish everyone would read this, just to see where our dependency on computers and AI may take us in the very near future.

I absolutely loved this book, and at the same time, it scares the Bejesus out of me!

Is this what the world will become for our grandchildren?

[Audra Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read!

I was immediately hooked and had a hard time putting this book down. The portrayal of AI’s impact on our not to distant future feels scarily realistic. The story explores questions about what is consciousness and how the choices humans make affect one another and our world. I hope book clubs everywhere read and discuss this one.

[Elizabeth B. Barber · Rating 5 out of 5]

"1984's" Next Chapter

I chose this cuz I'm a native Clevelander for a look to its imagined future. Ms. Henry far surpassed anything I expected. I'm going to tell everyone to read this book. 1. It's well written. 2. It's tremendously though provoking. 3. It's may be as prescient as Orwell's "1984."

[Jolie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sharp and suspenseful and scary

I picked this as a First Reads selection and later saw it mentioned as one of someone’s most-anticipated releases of 2026. Now I know why, and this was a rare and marvelous exception to my experience of First Reads novels being meh. Sharp. Suspenseful. Scary. Twisty. Challenging. Thoughtful. Fascinating. It’s an excellent book!!!

[Joanne M Brunelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really a 3.5. First half of book was engaging and imaginative. The idea of virtu's is intriguing. Felt the second half of the book stumbled, dialogue was stilted at times, and hard to follow the trail of what was really going on. The writing in the first half was very good, and I liked that I had to look up words sometimes to make sure I had the meaning correct.

[Michael Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

great premise

I enjoyed the book. I liked the premise, and the virtual characters were colorful and interesting. Somehow, though, it was not unputdownable. I think what is missing is that Echo needs to tell her story in the first person. There was something detached about the third person voice throughout the book.

[Allison Moroz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is unnerving. I think that is because I see so much truth in it for our future. I think everyone should read this if they really want to understand the danger of AI. It’s just plain demonic…

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book free from Amazon prime reads. I found the language to be stilted and pretentious in some places: for example, "Unease swarmed every blank crevice of her mind." But the story was solid and engaging, so I give it five stars.

[Diane Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book moved too fast in certain areas and didn't explain how the main charcter came to certain conclusions. The author didnt really flesh out the other characters besides the main character, Echo. Interesting premise and definitely relevant to today's world with the advancement of AI.

[Jessie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a really interesting premise, but it got consuming quite quickly and felt like it was trying to accomplish too much. I couldn’t keep track of what was happening, and tonally there was a disengaged shift towards the conclusion.