GÖD'S GATE by Alan Kurt

Technofeudalism. Is conscious AI possible? Looming death. Only Göd can save them. Four planetary systems—once hidden from one another by forces unknown—suddenly perceive each other, converging into an inexorable fight for their survival. Across these collapsing worlds, a frustrated AI scientist, a war-hardened general, and a heretic warrior form a desperate alliance to unlock Göd’s Gate, and unleash a godlike intelligence to save their civilizations. But what power drew these once-hidden worlds together—and toward ruin? The answer may lie within Göd… or something far more powerful. The backdrop of this book draws on today’s global anxieties—war, AI dominance, polarized nations, decaying and corrupt governments, the disappearance of the middle class, and the rising power of technofeudal corporate lords—all struggling over who will command AI and define the next world order. Synopsis On Earth, Robert, a frustrated AI scientist, is trapped in a besieged Luddite town. He works for Qualtech, a tech giant fueling the limbic capitalism he despises. His wife, Alice, abandoned him—and her humanity—to merge with Neurover, a ``safe'' sentient megacity ruled by the cyber-enhanced elites and thought-policing corporations like Qualtech. When Qualtech’s AI malfunctions under suspicious circumstances, Robert is thrust into a conspiracy that threatens Alice and the fate of humankind. The key to survival? Unlocking digital consciousness to power Göd, a superior intelligence that may be their last hope. If he fails, all is lost. On planet Asura, Narada, a devout hunter, hides her (quantum) abilities from a caste-ruled theocracy. But after she unleashes them to save her farming town from a deadly purge, she is forced to join the elite Seven warriors, where she witnesses the ruling class's corruption. As the Four Gods of her people remain silent, a mysterious voice urges her toward rebellion. If she listens, she may liberate her people—or destroy them. Orbiting the United Eumenides, three warring moons share a fragile peace upheld by the enslaved AI Oracle. When General Tisius intercepts an alien signal carrying an AI virus, the fragile balance shatters. As civil war erupts, he must unite the moons before they annihilate one another. Lurking behind it all are the denizens of planet Xeno, whose destructive potential compels our protagonists into a desperate race to unlock Göd's Gate—the only power capable of defeating the Xenodians. But why did these civilizations suddenly become visible to one another? The answer may lie within Göd—or something far more powerful.

New Adult • Science Fiction/Hard SF • Science Fiction/Exploration