In the mid-21st century, a new technology has revolutionized human cognition with transformative effects on society. A ruthless media mogul, Gordon Orlock, sees this technology as an opportunity for him to control the world’s political and economic elites so that he can address global problems – wars, environmental degradation, and the dangers of unrestricted genetic engineering – as he sees fit. A small group bound by ties of friendship and family, led by a quadriplegic genius, finds itself pitted against Orlock and the formidable resources he commands in a fight to preserve mankind’s free will. This struggle is carried out with cunning and violence against the backdrop of a looming, potentially cataclysmic war. Along the way, the participants in this conflict deal with questions of morality and human agency in a world both familiar and alien amid the changes wrought by artificial intelligence, robotics, and the brain-cyber interface. Humanity’s future hangs in the balance.