Greetings John Santana fans,
As we approach the New Year and the release of the latest John Santana mystery, Shadow Falls, the societal conflict between the Doomers, who fear that AI will lead to a dystopian future, and the Accelerationists, who wish to develop AI as rapidly as possible, continues.
This conflict is at the heart of the novel as Santana and his partner, Gabriel Cruz, seek justice for a murder victim, Sabrina Lockwood.
Here’s part of a scene in which Santana questions a Doomer:
“Artificial general intelligence,” Eva Chen said. “AGI—it’s not a question of if, but when. And when it happens, it’ll think, learn, maybe even feel at our level or beyond.”
Santana understood. It wasn’t only fear of the unknown. It was the understanding that humanity stood on the precipice of a
major paradigm shift. He shifted his attention from the timeline on the chart paper to the apocalyptic canvases and back to the fire behind Eva Chen’s eyes as he listened to the earnest diatribe spilling from her mouth.
“It’s almost like you’re deliberately inviting extraterrestrials from outer space to land on Earth, having no idea what they’re going to do when
they get here, except that they’re going to take over the world,” she said, her hands gesturing wildly, as if to conjure the very threat she described from the air itself. “We’ll probably frog-boil ourselves into a situation where we get used to one big advance after another.”
It was an insidious thought—the gradual acclimation to technology’s leaps, each one welcomed without the foresight of its potential culmination. In his line of
work, Santana had seen how incremental changes slipped beneath the radar till the landscape was irrevocably altered.
“Soft takeoff,” she said. “Like watching the horizon for a storm that’s years away.” She gestured to the canvas where wild vines overtook crumbling buildings. “It might be gradual, or it could foom.”
“Foom?”
“A hard takeoff. One day we’re in control, and the next, it’s like a switch flips.” She snapped her fingers, the sound sharp in the high-ceilinged space. “And they surpass us, just like that. Either way, it’s inevitable.”
You can pre-order the Shadow Falls e-book at
a 20% discount for $7.99 now until January 1st before the price rises to $9.99.
Click on this Amazon link or paste it in your browser to pre-order your discounted copy now:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DM39FWG4/
The print version of Shadow Falls will be available for order on January 1st.
As the year draws to a close, I wanted to take a moment to thank you for being part of this incredible journey. Your support, enthusiasm, and love for stories mean the world to me.
May this Christmas season bring you warmth, joy, and moments of magic with loved ones. May your heart be full, your home be bright, and your days be filled with peace and wonder.
Here’s to more adventures and unforgettable moments together in the coming year.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Christopher