AHNN

AHNN (Futuristic SF/Satire)

By T.E. Mark

Independent Publishing Platform

ISBN #978-1539552949

Price $11.99 (paperback)

Price $3.99 (Kindle)

232 Pages

Rating 5-Stars

“At Times It Is Hilarious”

In the early 21st century, in an effort to increase human productivity, science granted mankind wearable AI headsets. By 2o16, these early versions were cast aside and replaced with more reliable, Nano-sized, implantable devices tuned to human thought. Infants received their implants at birth. Total human connectivity was achieved in March of 2201. Governments, militaries and schools were abolished, and the world was handed over to a network of intelligent computers called AHNN. Now in the 31st century, or 9th, depending on who you talk to, AHNN has pretty much had it with running the world and has decided to give it back. This is AHNN’s story.

In 2014 mankind was on the brink of higher technology. With the advancement of computer technology, we soon created and inserted the Augmented Human Neural Network into our brains, so that all data and information was at a mere thought. AHNN was rocketed into space as satellites, forever available, and for a thousand years AHNN was mankind’s god. You see, AHNN decided that man was not able to control his own destinies since he always wanted to go to war and kill each other. So the easy thing was for AHNN to control mankind. He had them procreate until they became one race. No money was needed, as everything was supplied that was needed. The police became guides – or helpers, since crime was eliminated. Man did not have to think for himself, AHNN did that for him, and since man wanted a god, AHNN became their god, too. But now, in the 31^st Century, AHNN felt that mankind was too quiet. AHNN wanted to shake things up a bit, so slowly AHNN began disconnecting certain individuals to make them think on their own.

We follow five such individuals in Seattle: Bert, Lisa, Joy, Vin, and Kirk. They start searching for answers. No longer connected to other minds, they have to learn to speak again. Meanwhile Captain Rudy Glick takes over command of the Seattle TSAP (police), and his two detectives, Lt. Ellis Travers and Lt. Amy Rip, are assigned to investigate the strange behavior of some of the people and find out what is going on. And all across the world AHNN continues to disconnect others, slowly.

Written as a satire, the author has fun with this futuristic science fiction yarn about a highly advanced society suddenly turned on their heels, and must learn all over again. Plus, discover how the world ended up the way it did in the first place, and that’s not an easy task since everything beyond one thousand years is prehistory with no records available through AHNN. Their god is surely up there in the sky laughing at the problems his creation is now facing, and they want to blow him up – at least blow up AHNN’s guarded Earth-based facilities. Here it is the 31^st Century and the disconnected are reliving the 1960s, trying to act like hippies and rebels, and don’t know how to go about it. At times it is hilarious. You can tell the author is having fun, and the reader can’t help but laugh at their antics. Highly recommended.

Tom Johnson

Author of WORLDS OF TOMORROW

Animal Future

Animal Future

In a near-future Southern California full of mentally-enhanced animals, three unlikely companions— a Vietnamese-American policewoman, a well-dressed chimpanzee, and a fast-talking spy— find they have no choice but to combine their talents in order to stay alive. While being hunted by fanged assassins, corrupt officers, and some chillingly methodical robot snakes, the trio investigates what turns out to be a terrorist plot masterminded by unknown foreign interests.

This exciting, irresistibly quirky novel of action, comedy, and ideas features a remarkable cast of supporting characters, including a motel desk clerk with a prehensile tail, a poker-playing bison, an Aztec riflewoman, the irrepressible ferrets Larry and Leroy, and a large number of pandas in Bermuda shorts.

Since the mysterious Elevation began, San Diego has become the main port of entry for a flood of newly-intelligent animal species hoping for a better life in the United States. Interacting with these Provisional Citizens is just part of the job for Tactical Assault Officer Autumn Winn, of the White Knights police/security agency. Her more pressing problems usually involve dealing with her obnoxious supervisor and struggling to convince her Americanized family that their Vietnamese cultural heritage is worth preserving.

Autumn's life takes a bizarre turn, however, when she and her partner enter a tailor shop in search of an elusive animal rights activist. Instead, they meet a team of black-clad intruders armed with machine guns. After a furious gunfight, the intruders kidnap the wife of Mr. Brian, the immigrant chimpanzee owner of the tailor shop, arousing his determination to do whatever it takes to rescue her— even if it means taking off his cufflinks.

However, Autumn has a harder time getting along with handsome secret agent Mack Davis, a customer at the tailor shop who realizes the kidnappers have accidentally scooped up something he can't live without. To get it back, he is suddenly forced to rely on his new-found friends and his quick wit. At the same time, he must draw on his underworld contacts to learn the truth about the peculiar jade figurine he was smuggling in from Singapore for his old girlfriend, so that he can have a candlelight dinner with her without being ambushed by foxes with machetes.

Together Autumn, Brian, and Mack hide out in the San Diego Zoo; get into a Western-style gunfight in Old Town; visit the secret lair of a deranged intelligence broker whose fur could use a little brushing; and join a daring raid on the former UCSD Geisel Library building at the University of California, San Diego. Along the way they learn from each other new perspectives on life, culture, true love, tolerance, respect, and the importance of keeping your 9mm automatic pistol well oiled.

Depending on your species, you'll laugh, growl, purr, and/or think deep thoughts when you read this captivating adventure thriller for readers from YA to adult.

Animal Future (Futuristic YA/Adult SF)

By Robert & Darrin McGraw

Mondrian Books

ASIN #BOOPZL4OWS

300 Pages

Price $4.99

Rating 5-Stars

“Tongue-In-Cheek Thrills Every Page!”

When Officer Autumn Winn and her partner, Sergeant Carter enters a local chimpanzee-owned tailor shop after stopping for donuts near by, things go suddenly awry. While they’re checking IDs, baboons drop through the skylight and a gun battle ensues. The young wife of the tailor is abducted, and Sergeant Carter killed. Autumn doesn’t trust the customer, Mack Davis, but wants to help Brian, the chimpanzee tailor find his wife. Mack thinks it was a White Knight PoliSec operation in the first place, and since Officer Winn is a White Knight, well maybe they were trying to get rid of her and Carter. Winn sends a signal that she and her companions are crossing to another building, and then a missile destroys the building they were heading for, so now they are on the run.

This was a fun and unique adventure with all the packaging of a thriller aimed at YA and adult readers, but with a bit of tongue-in-cheek to keep the story from being too serious. It loosely shows our prejudice against those different from ourselves. Since animals suddenly became intelligent, the world has experienced a new flood of immigration – by sentient animals. In fact, the boss of the underworld is a genius cat in need of his fur brushed. The story flows easily, and the action is fierce. Readers of SF, mystery, or thrillers, will enjoy this yarn, and no matter what your age, it will leave you with a smile. Highly recommended.

Tom Johnson

Detective Mystery Stories