The Omega Project

In Alten’s exuberant SF thriller, humans must relearn that elemental lesson: never build super artificial intelligence computers and put them in charge of anything. Robert “Ike” Eisenbraun has invented GOLEM, a thinking machine designed to oversee the Omega Project, a mission to the moon to mine helium-3, an element needed to solve the world’s energy problems. GOLEM decides that the moon mission is a no-go and moves the project to Europa, a moon of Jupiter with abundant helium-3. Ike is put into suspended animation for the long journey to Europa, but he wakes up on a vastly transformed Earth, where he’s attacked by giant ants. Luckily, a nine-foot tall terrestrial squid comes to his rescue. Now the real action begins, as Alten (Meg) goes all-out portraying a terrifying yet fascinating future where Ike must battle to stay alive and save the world. Readers, along with Ike, will have lots of fun attempting to answer another age-old question: is it real or is it all a dream? Agent: Danny Baror, Baror International. (Aug.)