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REPLICON: SURVIVAL IS A BUG, NOT A FEATURE
WRITERS OF THE FUTURE HONORABLE MENTION WINNER (2018 Q2)
IN THIS NEW WORLD, LIFE IS CODE. AND SURVIVAL IS A BUG, NOT A FEATURE.
Meet a mysterious, enigmatic AI and a trauma-plagued chaos researcher and watch the world spin out of control in this murderous and action-packed science fiction thriller with neo-noir elements about survival, betrayal and artificial consciousness.
It's the year 2027 and technological and scientific advances have ushered in a breathtaking era of humanity. Biology has become the new software. Parts Bots. Parts Biohacking. Parts Missing.
On a turbulent flight en route from Tokyo to San Francisco, Dr. Etoile Noire, a bitter chaos researcher with a traumatic past, is thrust through a temporary space-time wrinkle into a mysterious adventure in a futuristic city.
There, residents subscribe to cellular algorithms and immortality comes as an app. In the search for his dying brother, a pioneering biotech entrepreneur, he bonds with an unlikely the enigmatic android Stella.
But behind its utopian facade, the city harbors hidden dangers and his arrival triggers a sequence of unstoppable events that plunge him into a suspense-filled struggle for sheer survival, trapped between wonder and collapse. To make matters worse, a mysterious disease spreads quickly and he uncovers a secret code in his genome that forces him to question his own origin.
His only chance to escape is his brother - but he has vanished. Instead, unknown enemies are closing in. Time is running out and survival is a bug, not a feature.
This novelette is perfect for readers of the Murderbot Diaries, Autonomous and cyberpunk thrillers. A mind-stretching thrill-ride into the future.
As the plane glides through black skies illuminated by the ghostly shells of stars, the universe’s mouth is just about to reach for my heart and devour everything I love.
“Imagine building the electrochemistry of our own consciousness, our own memories.” Her voice grows more lively, her gestures more animated. Her speech flows, infused with warmth and passion.
The powerful truth of her words makes me shiver. Makes me imagine us humans as algorithms, merely executing our molecular blueprint, slaves to electrochemical signals. Polarity, entropy, the interactions between molecules; isn’t all biology ultimately governed by physics? Is our fate pre-programmed the second we’re born?
“But the men and women of means were racing to buy more time. Time was the new money. Health its currency.”
“The longevity-subscription? It’s been on the market for a while—it’s a little revolution in a box."
IN THIS NEW WORLD, LIFE IS CODE. AND SURVIVAL IS A BUG, NOT A FEATURE.
Meet a mysterious, enigmatic AI and a trauma-plagued chaos researcher and watch the world spin out of control in this murderous and action-packed science fiction thriller with neo-noir elements about survival, betrayal and artificial consciousness.
It's the year 2027 and technological and scientific advances have ushered in a breathtaking era of humanity. Biology has become the new software. Parts Bots. Parts Biohacking. Parts Missing.
On a turbulent flight en route from Tokyo to San Francisco, Dr. Etoile Noire, a bitter chaos researcher with a traumatic past, is thrust through a temporary space-time wrinkle into a mysterious adventure in a futuristic city.
There, residents subscribe to cellular algorithms and immortality comes as an app. In the search for his dying brother, a pioneering biotech entrepreneur, he bonds with an unlikely the enigmatic android Stella.
But behind its utopian facade, the city harbors hidden dangers and his arrival triggers a sequence of unstoppable events that plunge him into a suspense-filled struggle for sheer survival, trapped between wonder and collapse. To make matters worse, a mysterious disease spreads quickly and he uncovers a secret code in his genome that forces him to question his own origin.
His only chance to escape is his brother - but he has vanished. Instead, unknown enemies are closing in. Time is running out and survival is a bug, not a feature.
This novelette is perfect for readers of the Murderbot Diaries, Autonomous and cyberpunk thrillers. A mind-stretching thrill-ride into the future.
As the plane glides through black skies illuminated by the ghostly shells of stars, the universe’s mouth is just about to reach for my heart and devour everything I love.
“Imagine building the electrochemistry of our own consciousness, our own memories.” Her voice grows more lively, her gestures more animated. Her speech flows, infused with warmth and passion.
The powerful truth of her words makes me shiver. Makes me imagine us humans as algorithms, merely executing our molecular blueprint, slaves to electrochemical signals. Polarity, entropy, the interactions between molecules; isn’t all biology ultimately governed by physics? Is our fate pre-programmed the second we’re born?
“But the men and women of means were racing to buy more time. Time was the new money. Health its currency.”
“The longevity-subscription? It’s been on the market for a while—it’s a little revolution in a box."
34 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 15, 2017
8 people are currently reading
13 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 20, 2024
A vibrant and short high tech tale about an alternate earth bursting with fresh and innovative ideas.
Thought provoking and well written.
Thought provoking and well written.
June 12, 2018
A short but very compelling read. For anyone interested in science fiction who hasn't read anything that features biotech, I highly recommend this as a starting point. While this story is short, it still manages to tell an amazing story. Hopefully the author continues writing science fiction because I am already looking forward to more!
Overall I highly recommend this story. It is not a big commitment of time or money ($2 on Amazon) so there is no reason not to read this!
Overall I highly recommend this story. It is not a big commitment of time or money ($2 on Amazon) so there is no reason not to read this!
February 19, 2019
Interesting and fun concept. Writing is a little off but still good. Some aspects felt...familiar. Curious if this is book one and where will it go from here?
The cover is gorgeous! Love it! Draws you right in! As is its purpose.
The cover is gorgeous! Love it! Draws you right in! As is its purpose.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews