Asylum

by Chris Cosmain

Carefree, commitment-shy travel vlogger Thomas Bernard has just arrived in Venice with his girlfriend Emma. Their plan is to record the sights and sample the delights of the ancient city, yet an encounter with an old friend catapults him on a different journey entirely.

Thomas is drawn into a world he could never have imagined, one in which everybody lives in a simulation. Due to his actions, that world is beginning to collapse, placing the rest of humanity in grave danger and pitting Thomas against forces bent on eliminating him.

Then Thomas wakes in a mental health ward.

The doctors tell him his experiences were not real and that he must remain in hospital. Has his admission been orchestrated by his enemies? Whose side is Emma on? Who should he believe? Who can he trust?

In a desperate search for answers, the boundaries between lived experience, memory and what others consider to be real become increasingly difficult to tease apart. And the more Thomas learns, the more his extraordinary journey will propel him towards two stark alternatives. Thomas must choose, and he will lose either his sanity, or the love of his life, in a reality that doesn’t exist.

Asylum is a haunting exploration of the nature of reality and its fragile boundary with mental illness.

409 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 18, 2026

About the author

My work provides a keen insight into the psychology of its characters, relies upon real science as well as thoroughly researched extrapolation of current technological trends – all while not compromising on being action-packed.

I write adult psychological hard science fiction.
In broad terms, psychological fiction is often strongly character-driven, propelled by a depiction of the characters’ inner world, mental state and even mental health. Characters are frequently flawed, or have inner conflicts which can drive a story, impacting upon the plot.

Psychological science fiction offers an infinite palette of unique and often surreal settings which challenge protagonists in interesting ways. It not only posits powerful “what if?” questions around technological, social or political trends, it allows characters to be placed in quite unusual settings, such as the surreal situations which can arise from time travel. This genre explores how those bizarre situations might impact on the psyche of the characters and ultimately explores the question of what it means to be human.

Hard science fiction is characterised by its devotion to scientific accuracy, logic and cause and effect. While many hard science fiction stories avail themselves of the odd “scientific MacGuffin” to enable certain technologies (like time travel), they strive for attention to technical detail and integrity around the laws of physics.

I trained as a scientist before becoming a medical doctor. I've had a lifelong love affair with science and have always been an avid reader of science fiction. As a scientist, I have always been drawn to the accuracy of hard science fiction and its considered, realistic extrapolation of current trends. As a doctor working in mental health, I am drawn to diversity, complex characters, and flawed protagonists. Above all, I am curious about exploring the impact of extraordinary circumstances on the mental state of ordinary people.

I live with my family in sunny Australia.