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Written by Dan Ronco
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Sunday, 13 May 2007 |
PeaceMaker, a start-at-a-dead-run science fiction thriller, is set in the near future, where software revolutionaries are pushing artificial intelligence to the brink of terrorism.
The prologue plunges software architect Ray Brown into a life-or-death contest with PeaceMaker, a deadly artificial intelligence that has infected most of the world’s computing devices. Ray's determination to eliminate PeaceMaker leads him into a dangerous conflict with the Domain – a clandestine organization dedicated to a new world order.
Humiliated by the federal government in an anti-trust trial that has torn apart her software company, CEO Dianne Morgan is obsessed with a plan to unleash PeaceMaker and shut down computer systems across the world. She is determined to crush the global economy unless the nations of the world agree to share power with the Domain.
Although Dianne and Ray have never resolved a long simmering passion, she must hunt him down before he terminates PeaceMaker. As the Domain hunts Ray, Dianne learns of a mysterious third force that has discovered PeaceMaker and plans to attack the Domain. Dianne, Ray and this third force struggle for control, but PeaceMaker has its own plans.
PeaceMaker is based upon my experience in senior management positions with Microsoft and other high-tech companies, where I gained insights into the amazing variety of people who build advanced technologies. Although PeaceMaker is fiction, the characters have the ring of truth and the technology reflects research well underway in corporate and university laboratories.
Unlike many speculative thrillers, PeaceMaker is populated with unforgettable characters. Although Ray Brown is a brilliant software architect and a decent guy, he's also a drunk and a misfit. Dianne Morgan could be the sister of Ayn Rand's hero Howard Roark of the Fountainhead, except she's even more violent and determined.
And Ray's the one person remaining in her way.
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*** Location, Location, Location ***
Just as in real estate, location is a critical decision for a novel. I selected locales that resonated with the attitude and intensity of the novel. VPS corporate headquarters are on the breathtaking Oregon coast, as is Ray's secluded home. Dianne's mansion is located in northern California, among the giant Redwoods, while Paul has an apartment in Sausalito, overlooking the sparkling bay. Ray rehabs within the quiet beauty of the Chesapeake. When the disaster unfolds, much of the drama takes place across New Jersey and nearby Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
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Read the prologue and first chapter of this high-powered tale of revenge and suspense. The prologue is brief, but includes a duel between man and machine that will surprise you. The first chapter begins as a tense courtroom drama and then roars to a conclusion unlike anything you've seen on Law and Order. Each week, I'll post an additional chapter. The serial novel is free, but if you prefer a trade paperback, Peacemaker is available at Amazon and many other bookstores.
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Last Updated ( Friday, 29 June 2007 )
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