Garden of Thought E. 335 Gods of a New World

We welcome in author Ryan Melsom for a wide ranging discussion centered on his newest techno thriller in the cyberpunk tradition.

Set in the near future after the world we know collapsed and
was rebuilt through new AI-powered technology, Gods of a
New World is a a mind-bending cyberpunk thriller of rebellion
and redemption.
"I think we’re all wondering what the explosion of artificial
intelligence means for the future of humanity, and that’s
exactly what Gods of a New World explores,” says Melsom.
“I’ve long been fascinated by the intersections among
technology, society, and spirituality, so I feel like my interests
were made for this moment.”
“Gods of a New World is a fascinating exploration of an all-
too-plausible future, and also a fast-paced adventure with an intriguing dose of metaphysical
speculation,.

The trillionaires were powerful enough to reshape the world, but it wasn’t enough. Now they
want more . . .
In a world where trillionaires assisted by powerful AIs call themselves gods, a world where
miracles are engineered and secret technology is wired into the very air, James Kessler and
Maree Shell stumble upon a conspiracy that defies possibility: the new gods’ plan to encode
their consciousness into the world and seize control of reality itself, to literally become the gods
they have so far only pretended to be.
From the world’s gleaming new AI-crafted cities to the crumbling ruins of the old ones, the two
unlikely allies, one a childhood survivor of the Bad Times and the other a privileged daughter of
2
wealth, must run a gauntlet of hostile AIs, vengeful modern-day gods, and mysterious ancient
deities, desperately trying to disrupt the plans of the most powerful people who have ever
lived. Nothing less than the fate of free will itself hangs in the balance.
More about the author
Ryan Melsom has never stopped dreaming about new ways he could get ideas out of his head
and into the world. He holds a PhD in literature from Queen’s University and has long been
fascinated with the interplay among culture, technology, spirituality, spaces, and human
nature. Through the years he has explored these topics through numerous creative media,
including two previous works of fiction, academic writing, experimental web spaces, music
projects, and a black belt in karate. He grew up in Kamloops, British Columbia, and now lives in
Ottawa with his wife and two boys