THE WORLD BURNS. SOME WATCH. OTHERS ACT.
In 2045, Miro Jackson, an elite Australian firefighter, discovers the charred remains of a family in a firestorm. Why had they stayed? The wealthy farmer had access to the latest tech—augmented reality and a personal AI. His ex-cop instincts are triggered.
On the other side of the world, FBI Special Agent Cat Herrera, a digital forensics expert, hacks a drug lord's AI—his Agentic "Other"—and cracks open a major trafficking ring. Now she must evaluate Agentic's power-hungry Other technology for everyday use across the agency. When the FBI's AI flags a pattern of suspicious deaths, Cat is asked to join the investigation and bring along Rose, her brand-new Other, to help track down a serial killer.
Miro and Cat's paths collide, uncovering a conspiracy stretching from Silicon Valley, the US presidency, the CIA and a shadowy group of climate activists. The hunt takes them from the Australian outback, Oklahoma's Tornado Alley, the fire-scorched hills of California and deep into the Amazon rainforest.
Is artificial intelligence destined to mirror ourselves—or become something far more dangerous? And in every sense of the word, how much power will it wield?
For readers who enjoy Blake Crouch, Martha Wells, or the works of Kim Stanley Robinson.
