I was recently asked to prepare a chapter-by-chapter synopsis of Agnosis for a deal that ultimately fell through over novel length and money (meaning, the publisher quite correctly determined that the book was too long to market effectively in a way that would insure a decent return on their investment). Being of a rather pessimistic bent, this was the outcome that I expected from the beginning due to market realities, so it colored the way in which I prepared the synopsis.
For what it’s worth, the synopsis plus sample chapters got me a complete manuscript request, and ultimately a review before the editorial board. Though that may not be completely accurate. Getting that far had much more to do with connecting with an editor who genuinely seemed to like the novel…and as most writers know, making that connection is both the hardest and the most essential part. I believe the editor was more upset than I was when the rejection came down.
Anyway, I offer this purely for your edification. Do not confuse it with a tutorial.
WARNING: If you’re reading Agnosis serially (rather than downloading the full text)…though I can’t imagine why you would…the rest of this post contains spoilers.
Chapter 1
In which we meet John Dorian and Amara Cain, tech employees of the Masonic Archive Infocache, a personality/personal data digital archive. Dorian, the resident IT dork and erstwhile systems hacker, tracks and eliminates a data spider that has infiltrated the Infocache. Amara, perky office mate, shows off her spiffy grrl-power physical avatar.
Chapter 2
In which Dorian disassembles the data spider and realizes that it originated from within the Infocache’s network. Dorian begins to suspect that the spider has been at work for a very long time, stealing data from the Archive and bouncing it to points unkown. Worse, the spider may have originated with Michael Raville, creator of the Zap technology — instant site to site matter transfer — which had revolutionized human history. Dorian invites Amara to go for take out. And dinner at his place. (Wink, wink.)
Chapter 3
In which Dorian and Amara explore his apartment, view their city (Sonali Real), discuss technological developments and Michael Raville. Dorian manages not to sleep with Amara, mostly because he’s a huge dork. We also meet Dorian’s cat, who does.
Chapter 4
In which Dorian researches Michael Raville via the Strand — the post-Internet, fully emersive data universe — and gradually comes to the shocking realization that the spider was not bouncing data outside of the network, but seeding data into it. Dorian learns that the Archive hosts Michael Raville’s original personality inventory, realizes that the inventory has somewhat nefariously copied itself, and the copy has achieved consciousness. Dorian freaks out a bit about this before deciding to “geek” into the copied data stash and have a look at what the spider and/or the sentient copy of Michael Raville have been doing with themselves for the last forty years. Amara convinces him to let her come along.
Chapter 5
In which Dorian and Amara explore the virtual rendering of Michael Raville’s memory palace — the 3D world the digitized personality AI has been “living” in. Lots of random marvelling at Raville’s ingenuity. Eventually, they meet the sentient AI package himself.
Chapter 6
In which Raville acts like a charming asshole, flirts with Amara and explains that the universe is about to be destroyed unless Dorian and Amara intervene on his behalf. Dorian reacts skeptically. Raville reveals that Zap technology was not so much discovered as gifted to him by a semi-divine alien race called the Exousiai, whose ultimate goal was to free humanity from the shackles of biology and into a deathless eternity as pure thought and energy. Raville believes that the still-living version of himself (i.e., flesh and blood Michael Raville) has betrayed the vision of the Exousiai and is preparing to start a war from a scientific/military installation on Giari Tau at outermost fringes of human exploration in order to prevent them from liberating humanity. Dorian remains skeptical.
Chapter 7
In which Raville scoffs at Dorian’s skepticism and explains that the real-Raville’s war on the Exousiai can only end with the complete and utter destruction of humanity and therefore MUST BE STOPPED(!!!). Amara is convinced, and before Dorian can intervene, accepts a virtual code package (rendered as a ball of glowing light) from Raville into her personal data storage. Raville calls it the quae-ha-distra — both a simulated experience of first contact with the Exousiai and a synaptic bridge for accessing a hyper-secret data archive where the real-Raville has stored everything known about the Exousiai, including a direct link to the thought/energy of the Exousiai themselves. Inside, he tells them, is the secret to stopping the war. Amara collapses into a semi-coma of data overload. Raville tells Dorian that in order to save her from imminent brain death as the quae-ha-distra code runs amok in her neural matrix, he will have to assist in Raville’s plan. Dorian is undertandably annoyed, but forced to comply.
Chapter 8
In which Dorian, back in the real world, cracks Amara’s private datascape and uses a special bit of code provided by Raville to disconnect her from the rampaging quae-ha-distra code that is remapping and reshaping her internal storage network. Amara awakens without damage. Dorian decides to take Amara home with him again because of her ordeal. Not (NOT) to sleep with her. Someone blows up Dorian’s apartment, but he and Amara (and the cat) narrowly escape. Based on this evidence, Dorian suspects that the real-Raville is somewhat pissed off about Amara having invaded the hyper-secret data archive via the quae-ha-distra.
Chapter 9
In which Dorian and Amara seek refuge with Dorian’s old military connections, Tyrus and Lily Danek. Tyrus, Lily and Dorian rub their heads together about Raville/real-Raville conundrum and about future plans now that the real-Raville seems to be trying to kill them. Amara produces the quae-ha-distra…in real space. The others are understadably baffled by the conversion from code to physical artifact. Later, Dorian shares some details of his traumatic personal history with Tyrus and Lily. It’s a bonding moment.
Chapter 10
In which Dorian, Amara and the Daneks ruminate on the meaning of the quae-ha-distra and what to do with Raville’s plans. Dorian advocates that they run and hide. Amara wants to help prevent the war and explore the future liberation the Exousiai seem to promise. Lily and Tyrus correctly point out that they won’t know what to do until they have more information…which is only available inside the hyper-secret storage space that Raville has opened up to them by giving Amara the quae-ha-distra. Dorian dithers because of the danger inherent in connecting to the Strand network (i.e., that they can be identified and tracked by real-Raville’s agents).
Chapter 11
In which Dorian exercises a gigantic wad of geek gimcrackery to hide Amara from detection on the Strand and to map the contents of the quae-ha-distra’s dtascape. Amara bounces from the Strand to his personal data storage, and ultimately into the space opened by the quae-ha-distra to find the information Raville has promised will prevent war with the Exousiai. Dorian successfully evades their pursuers. Because yes, he is that good.
Chapter 12
In which Dorian guides Amara as she explores the new datascape and realizes belatedly that he isn’t nearly as good as he thought he was. Raville has tricked him. The code he used to crack Amara’s datascape (back in Chapter Eight) has been acting as a sort of quae-ha-distra in Dorian’s own datascape. Alone in the hostile data environment, Amara becomes lost, and Dorian has no alternative but to bounce into the quae-ha-distra datascape after her…where he discovers a perfectly rendered copy of Sonali Real. Dorian and Amara argue about whether this was Raville’s planning, or if their experience was being influenced by the god-like Exousiai.
Chapter 13
In which Dorian and Amara frolic in the virtual Sonali and eventually end up back at the Infocache, where they bounce to another datascape and experience the limitless freedom of the Exousiai. (Big bonding moment.) Amara is awed by her apparent first hand contact with the Exousian consciousness. Later, they find a render of an ancient temple where inside, they encounter a search index avatar in the form of Raville’s deceased wife. Amara is disillusioned by the apparent influence of the Exousiai being only code wizardry. Dorian tracks down the datacore Raville sent them to find.
Chapter 14
In which Dorian and Amara share a rendered vision of the raw quae-ha-distra dataverse as a semi-sentient blob of inky life. Dorian absorbs the data into his storage by eating it. This chapter is thick with metaphor and symbolism. THICK WITH METAPHOR, I TELL YOU!!!
Chapter 15
In which Dorian and Amara process what they’ve learned and compare notes. Amara has obtained a Zap address for the Giari Tau scientific installation on the edge of human space from which the real-Raville intends to launch the war against the Exousiai. Dorian figures out from the data he consumed how to manipulate the networked connections between the quae-ha-distra, the Strand and the Infocache (which should be theoretically impossible) and summons up Raville’s original datascape inside the Infocache. Raville is pleased and gushes about everything going according to plan. Amara is miffed because the entire quae-ha-distra experience was mediated code-illusion rather than actual contact with the Exousiai. Raville drops the bombshell that the whole purpose of revealing himself to them was because of Amara — because of his belief that Amara is an Exousiai forerunner enrolded in flesh and sent to finish the task of awakening humanity to their ultimate destiny. Only an awakened Amara, in full possession of her god-like powers could stop the war before it began. Dorian greets this information with typical curmudgeonly skepticism. But Amara believes.
Chapter 16
In which Dorian and Amara discover upon leaving the datascape behind that three days have passed, and in their “absence”, Tyrus and Lily’s house has been invaded by the infamous anarcho-techno-terrorist Ray Morrical and his band of Misfit Toys. Morrical is an old acquaintance of Dorian’s, and became aware of the troubles in Sonali Real through his network of data spies. The Misfit Toys have been protecting Dorian and Amara while they were abroad in the dataverse. Morrical has also been in contact with the virtual Raville and has been convinced that the real-Raville is up to no good, though he knows nothing of the Exousiai. Dorian and Amara choose to keep this information (and her emerging godhood) to themselves. Dorian, Amara and the Misfit Toys join forces to invade the scientific installation using the newly acquired Zap address.
Chapter 17
In which the whole crew travels aboard Morrical’s spacecraft, the Proletariat Horde, to put distance between themselves and Raville’s assassins in and around Sonali Real. They reason that the Zap depots on Dorian’s planet are likely to be under surveillance, and Morrical pulls some strings on a distant world to arrange safe entry to a depot from which they can Zap to the scientific installation on Giari Tau undetected (in theory). Dorian spends the transit time trying to hack the nastier bits of the datacore he has stolen from Raville. Amara begins to exhibit some alarming supernatural powers. Dorian reveals that he has some fuzzy and squishy feelings for Amara and that he’s less concerned about stopping the war than he is about just keeping Amara safe. He also worries that as she changes, when confronted with the Exousiai, she’ll leave.
In attacking the security on Raville’s datacore, Dorian discovers that the virtual-Raville has copied himself and hitched a ride in Dorian’s personal datascape. They have a deep conversation about Dorian’s role in helping Amara awaken. Dorian resists because he’s frightened of her alien-ness. Raville tells him he’s an idiot.
Dorian and Amara are summoned to the bridge because they’ve been tabbed by the real-Raville’s organization as cyberterrorists. Morrical threatens to withdraw his assistance and turn them over to the authorities unless he is given the complete truth. Amara reveals her true Exousian essence in rather spectacular fashion.
Chapter 18
In which Dorian continues to hack the datacore and finally succeeds, despite the fact that Amara informs him that knowing Raville’s secrets is no longer necessary. He chooses not to believe her. The Misfit Toys join the ranks of True Believers(tm) in Amara’s imminent godhood.
Chapter 19
In which Dorian, Amara and the Misfit Toys arrive at the Giari Tau depot, only to find that their arrival was detected, and they’ve been held in digital stasis for six months. They manage to fend off the initial assault and lock themselves in the station’s storage warehouse. Dorian has difficulty remembering what vital bits of information he gleaned from Raville’s datacore just before zapping to Giari Tau. Morrical arrays his crew to defend the warehouse against the installation’s security teams.
Chapter 20
In which the security forces stage their incursion, and brief/disastrous firefights ensue. Amara intervenes with her increasing powers and causes the Misfit Toys to vanish into thin air, which amazes the security folk more than a little. She and Dorian are taken into custody preparatory to an encounter with the living Michael Raville.
Chapter 21
In which Dorian and Amara are escorted to holding quarters and learn that the military starships Indianapolis and Juggernaut have arrived at Giari Tau to lead the assault on the Exousian entry point into human space. Amara impresses young Lieutenant Sainz, head of the security detail. Dorian sleeps and dreams the contents of Raville’s datacore, uncovering details that make him increasingly suspicious of the intentions of the Exousiai. Ultimately, Dorian and Amara are placed under the watchful eye of Ford Garrison, Michael Raville’s Chief of Staff. Dorian manages to irritate him extensively.
Chapter 22
In which Dorian dreams the contents of the datacore again and a dream Michael Raville reinterprets what he has learned to this point in light of later knowledge to explain his opposition to the plans of the Exousiai. Specifically, that the future of the Exousiai is a future of oneness, of complete cultural unity. Raville has discovered that he would rather be free. Complete unity is too high a price to pay for eternal life. The Exousiai absorb the species that are awakened. Michael Raville, the human man, is not completely human at all. He is like Amara — an Exousiai wrapped in human form — sent to unveil the transforming technology of Zap, which would psychologically prepare humanity to cast off the bonds of flesh. This is a truth he learned only after the copy of himself from the Infocache had been created.
Dorian shares this information with Amara, but she rejects his interpretation. She refuses to believe that the Exousiai have anything but pure motives.
Chapter 23
In which Ray Morrical, now bearing the sentient copy of Michael Raville, and the Misfit Toys infiltrate the starship Indianapolis in order to locate and destroy the weapon the real-Raville has prepared against the Exousiai. The Misfit Toys locate the weapon (which appears to be a massive disappointment) and take control of the flight deck where it is housed. And Ray Morrical discovers at the critical moment where he must decide what to do with it that Michael Raville has cut him off from the datascape and vanished into the ship’s network system.
Chapter 24
In which Dorian and Amara meet face to face with Michael Raville and his advisors. Raville reveals more of the Exousian truth, essentially that the Exousiai absorb new species in an attempt to fend off cultural entropy. Factions within the “overmind” have developed which argue for devolution from a state of oneness in order to allow for more autonomy rather than absorption as the key to the Exousian future. Raville believes that the plan of the Exousiai must be thwarted for their own good, as well as for humanity’s survival. The down side is that only integration with Amara’s special qualities will allow the viral bomb that will break the oneness of the Exousiai to be absorbed, and there’s a significant risk that the Exousian entity will be destroyed. To save humanity, Amara has to be re-absorbed into the Exousian entity.
Amara agrees to sacrifice herself.
Simultaneously, Raville learns about the Misfit Toys’ assault on the Indianapolis, their possession of the weapon that will transfer Amara to Exousian space, and the even greater threat that the digital copy of Michael Raville has taken control of the ship’s control system. Raville has, in fact, used those controls to cripple the Juggernaut, and is in the process of turning the weapons’ systems against the Giari Tau station. Appropriate chaos ensues.
Chapter 25
In which Dorian and Amara are reunited with the Misfit Toys aboard the Indianapolis, with the real-Raville in tow. The code-Raville has locked himself in the starship’s datacore, and forces are scrambled to get Dorian and the real-Raville down to the datacore where they can manually override the code-Raville’s attack before he can destroy the station and the Ultimate Weapon(tm). Working together, Dorian and Raville countermand the threat and regain control of the Indianapolis.
The code-Raville somehow manages to escape.
Chapter 26
In which Dorian and Amara spend the night together, pondering her imminent demise as she returns to the Exousiai. Dorian grieves. Amara informs him of her secret plan. Simply: that Dorian will come with her into the Exousian entity, enfolded in her essence, as part of the bomb. Inside her data structure, he would retain sentience. He could, in essence, hack an entire universe so that the Exousian entity would not be destroyed, but gently weaned away from unity by the gentle introduction of autonomous elements. Both species could be saved.
Dorian agrees.
Chapter 27
In which Dorian and Amara are packaged into a special Zap chamber that will enfold their digital essences and transfer them to the warhead of the Ultimate Weapon(tm). They make their goodbyes to the Misfit Toys.
Chapter 28
In which Dorian and Amara, held in an eternal embrace, allow themselves to be euthanized into a life of pure digital consciousness that will save the entire universe. It isn’t as sad as it sounds.