Challenge Corner discussion

It’s 2050, a decade after a heatwave that killed four hundred million across the Persian Gulf, including journalist Marcus Tully’s wife. Now he must uncover the truth: was the disaster natural? Or is the weather now a weapon of genocide?

A whistleblower pulls Tully into a murder investigation at the centre of an election battle for a global dictator, with a mandate to prevent a climate apocalypse. A former US President campaigns against the first AI politician for the position, but someone is trying to sway the outcome.

Tully must convince the world to face the truth and make hard choices about the future of the species. But will humanity ultimately choose salvation over freedom, whatever the cost?

An enthralling murder mystery with a vividly realised future world, forcing readers to grapple with hard hitting questions about the climate crisis, our relationship with Artificial Intelligence and the price we'd be willing to pay, as a species, to be saved. Perfect for fans of Blake Crouch, Harlan Coben, Neal Stephenson, Philip K. Dick, Kim Stanley Robinson and RR Haywood.

hoping to start 8/8

Keeping this active! we'll get here!

I know, just thinking the same exact thing! Hahahaha

I started but, for some reason, I couldn't get this one to send to my kindle. Reading it on my computer was not fun. . .

So i ordered the hard cover - it just arrived! YAY! I'll pick it back up later tonight!

Trisha wrote: "I started but, for some reason, I couldn't get this one to send to my kindle. Reading it on my computer was not fun. . .

So i ordered the hard cover - it just arrived! YAY! I'll pick it back up la..."
Oooo, that's a bummer. Glad you were able to get a hard copy though. Starting now! It's longer than I expected!

I made it through like 7% last night. I like the flow of the writing so far. It's quiye readable to me. Also, enjoying the tech concepts and the murder mystery vibes. Excited to get further in!

I've started and am getting a little confused on who is who (lots of names)
so I'm going to make a small list to help me lol

Marcus Tully (view spoiler)[ our MC. he runs a newspaper/news source - lost his wife (Zee/Zainab) to a massive heat wave (hide spoiler)]

Livia Chandra (view spoiler)[ MC #2 - Tully's researcher (hide spoiler)]

Juan Bolivar (view spoiler)[ works at news spot, friend, business partner, lawyer (hide spoiler)]

Randall Morrow(view spoiler)[ tech guru (hide spoiler)]

Lottie Shock (view spoiler)[ sub-editor (hide spoiler)]

William Cavanaugh (view spoiler)[ previous White house admin, political hatchet man - he called to try to stop article (hide spoiler)]

Martha Chandra(view spoiler)[ Livia's sister, wrote AI behind (hide spoiler)]

Amara Abara (view spoiler)[ UN secretary-General, announced candidates (hide spoiler)]

Lawrence G. Lockwood (view spoiler)[ put forward by Japan, 2 term US president (hide spoiler)]

Governor Solomon (view spoiler)[ AI, world leader candidate, written by Martha, head of floating states (hide spoiler)]

Kehoe (view spoiler)[ previous mayor of Houston, Cavanagh worked for him in White House, Kehoe was Lockwood's chief of staff

Keeling (view spoiler)[ CEO of the floating states (hide spoiler)]
Jordan Bamphwick (view spoiler)[ American right-wing populist commentator famed for his monologues (hide spoiler)]

NR - neuro-reality. supposed to be most protected virtual reality (hide spoiler)]

10 chapters

okay, I think I have everyone straight now lol

(view spoiler)[
wow, nominating AI to rule over the world. that's wild

I like Tully but I think he might be a bit too . . .black and white. I agree, there are many things he does need to print but. . .there is definitely a balance. I don't think he's stepped over yet but I worry he's a bit too close with the loss of his wife to be objective

I like Livia - curious to see if her friendship with Solomon will come in to play later

I liked Martha so far too

and the building burning so quick - THAT was disappointing! lol don't they have better technology? How are we still making such flammable buildings?

oh and Tully picked up another stray. I wonder how he will fit in. I don't have his name yet so I didn't add him to the list (hide spoiler)]

20 chapters

wow (view spoiler)[
I really didn't expect them to murder Martha
so it had to be someone there that night, right? if they put old fashioned barbiturates - maybe in Martha's favorite alcohol?

at least Livia will get the passwords and, hopefully, they will be able to access the security footage

love that the new guy is so grateful. interested to see how he adds to the team.

and wow, Lockwood going after them with all they have. curious to see how that turns out. I mean, they already lost the tower and their houses, they have no money. Is it just integrity they have left to lose? (hide spoiler)]

30 chapters

(view spoiler)[ holy moly!! Now Bolivar is missing?!?! I wonder if his plane really did go down or if he's somehow been taken.

that wouldn't be Solomon, right? eeek. I don't know why I don't trust him but I'm feeling like he could have a hand in some of this. . .or that he has some ideas on how we can "save ourselves"

I'm liking October more. Livia seems to really be going off the rails - I really hope the new bodyguard (i love him!) and a mission/project will keep her clean and engaged (hide spoiler)]

40 chapters

(view spoiler)[ I'm sad that Livia doesn't feel like she can talk to Tully.
I like October but I hate that she betrayed their privacy and trust by dipping back in there and looking at times she said she wouldn't

I love the idea of this perfume

but you know who would have access to disrupt something like this - Solomon

I really don't want it to be him. I guess we'll see if someone was able to hack into the system and manipulate the perfume that wasn't Solomon (hide spoiler)]

50 chapters

(view spoiler)[
wow, maybe it's not Solomon but a whole conspiracy around Martha. could this all go back to America and Lockwood?

I'm so sad Flora was all tied into a conspiracy theory story. When she said "do you own research" my heart sank. like, Oooooh nooooo.

and YES! I'm kind of glad Lottie got mad at Tully. I was starting to wonder about the crap storm he'd left back at home and the fact they aren't putting out any new stories or information while they get smeared left and right. Yikes.

curious to see what Livia comes up with while they go a different direction, since Livia is doing back up research to what they are doing (hide spoiler)]

60 chapters

(view spoiler)[ *sigh* I worried it was Solomon. that he thought he knew better than the people and wanted to save us from ourselves.

but to manipulate Tully like that? and kill Martha? shocking. Did Martha think Solomon was getting out of control? did she see this coming?

and how will Livia handle this? (hide spoiler)]

and done!

wow!
(view spoiler)[ so it was a fake out of a fake out!
Solomon didn't do all of it - it was really the other solomon - the djinn

but who's the say the 2nd Solomon will think that humanity is in a spot to finally take control back? who's to say the 2nd one won't agree with Solomon and keep the power with the 2 of them?

and wow, October ended up with Solomon and Tully ended up on the island/mountain spot hidden from them.

I wonder if this will be a series. . . (hide spoiler)]

I did put this on hold for a little bit, but am back at it. I am 21% in now, I think around Ch 14, or 15.

There's something about it that I'm finding a little depressing, NGL. AI actually freaks me out a bit, so perhaps it's like the glimpse into a potential near future that I am shying away from... LOL

this was a very heavy read! there's a lot of grief! and there were so many characters! it was a bit daunting, I thought, at the start

and I agree, the AI freaks me out.