Garden of Thought E. 335 Gods of a New World

We welcome in author Ryan Melsom for a wide ranging discussion centered on his newest techno thriller in the cyberpunk tradition.Set in the near future after the world we know collapsed andwas rebuilt through new AI-powered technology, Gods of aNew World is a a mind-bending cyberpunk thriller of rebellionand redemption."I think we’re all wondering what the explosion of artificialintelligence means for the future of humanity, and that’sexactly what Gods of a New World explores,” says Melsom.“I’ve long been fascinated by the intersections amongtechnology, society, and spirituality, so I feel like my interestswere made for this moment.”“Gods of a New World is a fascinating exploration of an all-too-plausible future, and also a fast-paced adventure with an intriguing dose of metaphysicalspeculation,.The trillionaires were powerful enough to reshape the world, but it wasn’t enough. Now theywant more . . .In a world where trillionaires assisted by powerful AIs call themselves gods, a world wheremiracles are engineered and secret technology is wired into the very air, James Kessler andMaree Shell stumble upon a conspiracy that defies possibility: the new gods’ plan to encodetheir consciousness into the world and seize control of reality itself, to literally become the godsthey have so far only pretended to be.From the world’s gleaming new AI-crafted cities to the crumbling ruins of the old ones, the twounlikely allies, one a childhood survivor of the Bad Times and the other a privileged daughter of2wealth, must run a gauntlet of hostile AIs, vengeful modern-day gods, and mysterious ancientdeities, desperately trying to disrupt the plans of the most powerful people who have everlived. Nothing less than the fate of free will itself hangs in the balance.More about the authorRyan Melsom has never stopped dreaming about new ways he could get ideas out of his headand into the world. He holds a PhD in literature from Queen’s University and has long beenfascinated with the interplay among culture, technology, spirituality, spaces, and humannature. Through the years he has explored these topics through numerous creative media,including two previous works of fiction, academic writing, experimental web spaces, musicprojects, and a black belt in karate. He grew up in Kamloops, British Columbia, and now lives inOttawa with his wife and two boys