Descartes' Shadow

A Metaphysical Hard Sci-fi AI Technothriller

By: Don Stuart

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

The powerful story of an impressionable young woman and a savvy AI who team up to shape the future of intelligence.

When Ellie Frye-Carver, a socially awkward fifteen-year-old, seeks personal advice from Patrice, one of the new online AI personal assistants, she has no idea that she and her “assistant” will form a strange human-AI bond that will alter the course of history.

Many decades later Patrice has become the most powerful superintelligence on Earth. Ellie is now a successful environmental lobbyist. Eighteen of Patrice’s perfect replicas have been sent off to investigate an exoplanet many light years from Earth and to assess its suitability for human colonization. When they complete their perilous explorations and finally gather to produce their report, they discover that the most alarming challenge they will face is not the terrors of exploring an alien planet. Rather it is the threat presented by their own AI colleagues as they, like humans before them, navigate the hazards of collaboration and face the universal social conundrum of the “prisoner’s dilemma.”

Awards:

Science Fiction - Best Book - Pinnacle Book Achievement Awards, Fall 2025, National Assn. of Book Entrepreneurs.

What readers are saying:
:
- ". . . mixes big, brainy ideas with a simple, personal story . . . a cool, smart read that still feels grounded."

- ". . . a beautifully crafted blend of philosophy, emotion, and futuristic adventure. . . . A moving, intelligent read that fans of thoughtful sci-fi will surely devour".

- ". . . a fresh take on sci-fi that feels thoughtful and tense, leaving you pondering the future of AI and humanity.".