Description

About the  book

The year 2321. Advanced super-machines built with artificial intelligence (AI) are on the rise across the world. From “Stone Age” to “Modern Times”, humans have evolved from being hunters and gatherers to the most intelligent species on the planet. For the first time in the history of the planet, humans are not the only smartest and most intelligent species anymore. Super powerful and smart robots are not only competing with humans in every walk of life but are increasingly replacing humans in most professions because of their efficiency, accuracy, and capabilities. If changing times changed the story of humans in the past, it is changing the very meaning and purpose of life for humans now. Having lost ancient seekers and their wisdom, having left behind all the traditions and culture on the way towards advanced and convenient living, have humans shot themselves in the foot? Losing touch with the true nature of life and having no torch bearers to guide them, humans find themselves in a dark place with no knowledge or desire to seek the light. A gift of God that life once was now a devastating curse for humans and as a result for other living species on earth as well. Humans are oblivious of their roots and depressed and disoriented about their future. Rioting, looting, and oppression begin to envelop the world. Of course, people are still living. They eat, work, sleep, and reproduce like they always do but something is missing in their hearts. There are no sparkles in their eyes, their faces bereft of smiles. The joy of living, the pain of losing, and the fear of death are missing. If the world is a stage, we are no longer the actors as the whole drama is removed from life. Just when the world is hit by a perfect storm and all seemed lost, a beacon of hope emerges from a small town in India. Hanmon is a special type of robot who lives in this small town with Saamarthya Ram, the young male protagonist, and Siya young neighbor, the female protagonist in the story. While cities and towns around the world are machine-infested and lifeless, there is this beautiful town amidst the valleys of the Western Ghats of southern India, still bursting with life, with rich local culture, long-standing traditions, and heartwarming hospitality. A few decades earlier, a chief robotic scientist at a large public sector company in India manages to sign a secret deal with the government to launch a covert mission, “Last Hope” to be carried out by a special type of SOM robot. The story is about how Hanmon helps preserve and restore the true meaning and purpose of life while the world is going through an existential crisis being dominated by advanced and powerful machines. What is the final goal of the mission? How does Hanmon accomplish the mission, facing many challenges including taking on large corporations, powerful people, and a united army of robots across the world? The story describes how because of some brilliant and courageous people with their ideas, sacrifices, dedication, and passion, humans bounce back from a dispassionate, hopeless, and machine dominated world and create a new world based on core principles of life, to bring back the virtues, values and deeper meaning to life to live in peace and harmony along with the animate and inanimate things on the planet. Set in the future 2317, blending the cutting-edge modern technology with fundamental life principles, having prayers, compassion, and nonviolence as the central theme to accomplish the mission, the story is an interesting journey into the future. Story deals with the art of balancing life between the alluring comforts of modern technology and the very essence, tenets, and values of life that make humans, human beings. It is a universal story emphasizing holding substance over matter, treasuring our culture & heritage, and being wary of digressing from meaningful and purposeful life to a superficial and shallow life.

About the author

I am a software architect by profession having an interest in technology, astronomy, Indian classical music, and Indian history ancient or otherwise. Love to read, play table tennis, and walk/trek in my free time. Of course, I like to write as well. I understand things when they are simple and unambiguous, therefore I like to simplify things as I can. If you still haven’t experienced a dimension of the universe higher than your senses can perceive, know that you have the most important lessons still to be learned.