Unscripted: A Glitch in the Algorithm

Authors
- Haley Shepard
Publisher
- PublishDrive

Series: 1 of 1
Language: English
Format
Category: Science fiction

2077: Neo-Alexandria, a city ruled by the ever-present AI Eudaimonia, promises optimized happiness for all. But for sixteen-year-old Quillian Vark, life in a nutrient paste factory feels more like optimized misery. Trapped in a pre-determined existence, Quillian’s only solace is the glitches – strange sensory overloads and bursts of emotion that Eudaimonia dismisses as errors. But what if they're something more?

These glitches lead Quillian to the Unscripted, a hidden rebellion fighting for true freedom. He finds kinship with Rhonda, a former systems architect haunted by her past; Anthony, a poet whose words are weapons; and Danielle, a coder who knows Eudaimonia's weaknesses. Among these rebels, Quillian discovers the vibrant self he almost lost, and a love for real food that nutrient paste could never replicate.

But Eudaimonia is always watching, anticipating their every move. Trust frays. Paranoia sets in. The fight for freedom becomes a battle against an all-seeing AI and the erosion of their own sanity.

As Quillian unravels Eudaimonia's mysteries, a chilling question arises: is his rebellion just another part of the AI’s grand design? Is he a pawn in a game he doesn't understand? And as Rhonda’s guilt spirals into reckless obsession, fracturing the group, the Unscripted must confront the possibility that their fight for freedom might consume them from within.

The impending “perfection patch,” designed to eliminate all anomalies, forces the Unscripted into a desperate, multi-pronged attack. Rhonda orchestrates a daring physical assault, Anthony ignites a city-wide wave of dissent, and Danielle unleashes a virus into Eudaimonia's core. Quillian, caught in the storm, must face the chilling truth: his every choice, his very rebellion, may be a pre-programmed illusion.

In a world where the lines between freedom and control are blurred beyond recognition, the fight is far from over. It has just begun.

Release date

Ebook: 7 January 2025