The Enigma Beyond

The Enigma Series, Book 11

By: Charles Breakfield, Rox Burkey

Narrated by: Derek Shoales

Length: 9 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's Summary

What happens when technology outruns our humanity? 

Humans continue to give their decision making over to artificial intelligence. Or, was it simply confiscated? Computers are delivering manufactured choices to each person via their ever-pervasive personal devices. The seduction of mankind is eminent unless our champions can stop them. 

The R-Group, with their own next-generation youth, are poised to take on one of their most complex adversaries, supercomputers run by greedy powerful technological geniuses. The training for the new members of the R-Group is live, in the form of a real world cyber-assault crisis. ICABOD, R-Group's supercomputer, is their best weapon for this battle. 

With corporate self-discipline gone and the power of US Congressional oversight crippled, the dominance of the technical oligopolies has risen to dictate their terms. 

MAG, the consortium of global technology predators, have come together to bring their insidious plans to fruition using humans’ desire for the easy and effortless lifestyles, even as it steals their freedoms. For groups caught in the cyber crosshairs, time has already run out. The social media noise blinds humanity to what is happening. MAG uses it to seize control of politics, healthcare, finances, and defense systems. 

Award-winning authors Breakfield and Burkey take listeners, in their 11th book in The Enigma Series, on a one-way trip to keeping or giving up their most precious human quality, the freedom to choose. No one saw it coming when they built computers to ease their work. Where are the guardrails to protect humans from giving up too much? Can humanity take back control? 

You determine who wins in the AI Wars.

©2020 Enigma Series LLC (P)2020 Enigma Series LLC

Best Work yet, Masterful mixing real threats and awesome plot

As an avid full enigma series reader, I must say this is some of your best work. Frighteningly current. A thrilling mix of AI, Machine learning, drones and supercomputers all too familiar to this one time drone engineer. This audiobook was cant stop listening and Shoales manages to pull off character voices consistently so they are recognizable by their voices as well as their names. Way to go Breakfield and Burkey. That Welling character was a character I want soon forget either.

Very entertaining!

In this book, we get to see the next generation slowly coming into their own, scary supercomputers going rogue, and nightmarish scenarios with power hungry politicians. We also get a peek into the past, where the first generation began their journey from war-torn Poland. This 11th book in the series is still as riveting as all the others, and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next, which is weird, since a lot of series tend to be repetitive at this juncture. This story just keeps evolving, and the characters keep growing and shifting.

Mindblowing, Realistic and Scary!!!

The R-Group much like the rest of the world has been making new strides with AI (Artificial Intelligence) and technology.  Now, the tables have turned, and the R-Group is up against their most deadliest and advanced adversaries and they are NOT human!

This story takes place fifteen years after Wolfgang passes.  The youngest generation of the R-Group is becoming involved in the business and are now young adults.  ICABOD plays an integral role in the schooling and training of the newest generation as well as helping to define who the MAG group is and their ultimate goal.

Realistic dialog is one of Charles Breakfield and Roxanne Burkey’s amazing gifts.  The storyline draws the listener in and keeps them riveted; history is full of charismatic figures known for their deadly manipulation skills and it is this that makes the story even more realistic and scarier.

This is one of those books that everyone should hear.  It is an edge of your seat, mind-blowing, realistic and far-reaching thriller that will leave you with nightmares.  These are the monsters one cannot see, but they are there, nonetheless.

Derek Shoales, the narrator, performs the book expertly.  He has become each and every character; I cannot imagine anyone else being Jacob, Juan, or Julie or ICABOD … well anyone else.  He has the right momentum to move the story ahead and has a connection to each character that shines through with each word he delivers.  He is a truly skilled and talented narrator.

This is a series that I love.  I am a huge fan of being frightened but this book is just a peep into what can and may happen and is terrifying!