Book Jacket

 

rank 3177
word count 14166
date submitted 23.07.2010
date updated 02.08.2010
genres: Science Fiction
classification: universal
incomplete

Verity

Mark Bowman

"Space-time doesn't interact with Verity Space other than through the quantum realisation of collapsing possibilities. Still, there's leakage from the subconscious like last night’s dreams."

 

In Verity, democracy has been eclipsed. Corporations have carved up the human colonies amongst themselves and now reign supreme. MynCorp dominates Earth by exploiting her most valuable resource – the human subconscious. Wiring together the minds of the poor provides limitless computing power, serving MynCorp’s multi-global agendas.

Humans are adapting to new paradigms – the prized face resurrection and reprogramming, the disenfranchised are enslaved and free thinkers become anti-corporate fugitives. Heroes are created from the ambivalent by the paranoid and punitive nature of the corporation.

The balance of power is threatened when an ancient presence emerges from a universe touched by the computing network. Now alien races, rebel consciences, idealist spirits and enslaved souls must find a co-operative path and convince MynCorp to save human existence. Along the way attraction, rebellion, violence, love and greed bond and repel the main characters.

Verity is the first part of a trilogy. The second and third novels lead the characters through the heart of the battle for survival and present the evolution of mankind into a post-corporate culture.

 
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tags

fiction, future, love, quantum, science fiction, scifi, sci-fi, space, speculative

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50 comments

 

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waylander wrote 667 days ago

Some decent hard scifi here mated to some good writing. So far it trumps some of the stuff I've paid to read in the past year. Will comment further when I'v read more and ahd time to ponder. Backed

yasmin esack wrote 669 days ago

Stellar writing and downright un-put-down-able

backed

Bocri wrote 670 days ago

23 July 2010

The pitch to Verity makes use of our inherent aversion to control by 'them' and harnesses our undefined apprehension of powerful, faceless corporations. The ensuing prose capably, economically and succinctly, moves us along directly, into the action of the plot. (I did find that I misunderstood Hamilton's condition in the opening assuming that he was physically 'hurt') The technical element, descriptions and jargon, is exceptionally smooth and sophisticated, together with creative and imaginative scenarios, making the scientific aspect credible and acceptable. A worthy runner in the Sci--fi stakes. BACKED. Robert Davidson. The Tuzla Run

Despinas1 wrote 671 days ago

Dear Mark, This is a high stake sci fi thriller that will have everyone on the edge of their seats. Your synopsis is so dynamic, original and almost genius in description. Normally I don't indulge in sci fi thrillers, but your choice of words and the excellent descriptions of your characters make this a novel which will serve you very well on this site. Rebellion, violence, love greed bond all repelling the main characters.
Absolutely brilliant. Backed with complete confidence, wishing you much success
Sincerely
Helen
The Last Dream

nxf wrote 499 days ago

Kept me entertained from start to finish. Very enjoyable and can't wait for the next.

klfullerton wrote 642 days ago

I pretty much like Sci-Fi--especially if it's well-written. Backed. Karen 'Percy' and 'Conspiracy'

paperbat wrote 644 days ago

Just drop you a message to say, enjoyed the first 2 chapters. So I will back it on that. Jerry - paperbats adventures for children

bluegatekeeper wrote 644 days ago

A superb example of the hard science fiction genre. Well researched, believable characters and well paced plot.
Backed.

Dorothea wrote 655 days ago

I love how descriptive your narrative is especially in the earlier paragraphs when you talk about the Hamilton Suite. I like the synopsis and think you more than fulfill this with your writing.

Tracy Buchanan
The Candyfloss Room

tisseurdecontes wrote 659 days ago

Fascinating start to an interesting story. The images that this conjures up in my mind is of a stark future. I see the film version being done in limited lighting, dark tones and low contrast. There is just a touch of MATRIX here, but just a touch. You are clearly writing for an intellectual audience.

Backed.

Steven Lloyd
THE AUDACITY OF HOPE AND CHANGE

Andrew Burans wrote 659 days ago

I do like what I have read. You have crafted a most interesting and ingenious storyline and your character development of Mex and Hamilton is well done. Your imaginative writing makes your work a pleasure to read. Backed.

Andrew Burans
The Reluctant Warrior: The Beginning

klouholmes wrote 659 days ago

Hi Mark, I could follow the technical aspects of this somewhat while some of it went by me. But the programming issues here, Hamilton’s daughter’s psyche being rearranged during her sleep and condoned her father is a catching plot. Julienne seems to have it much better even if she has to return to pilot’s school, the control of people feels so intense here. It seems well constructed. Shelved – Katherine (The Swan Bonnet)

Eveleen wrote 660 days ago

Verity
Good dialogue
Backed
Eveleen
(Turning a new leaf)

Sly80 wrote 660 days ago

The new concepts and technologies are eased in without fanfare or explanations. Lena's brain used as a processor as a punishment, Max switching mental positions with her briefly so her father can speak to her. Beyond, man interfacing with machine, 'a disconcerting hybrid of touch and sight'. The descriptions here, of the different levels of information, are superb. Julienne ... a node is missing ... Lena? The MynCorp building is not as functional as some, 'The furniture offered no assistance'. Perhaps Julienne is struggling against false impressions, 'Why do you think they are PVS cases?'

A tour de force starts chapter 2, the brain functioning entirely as one processor amongst many, along with some fairly demanding concepts re physics. Is the attraction of some building towards Max significant? Is he anything to do with the abduction? So, it all started with his girlfriend. Back to the man / machine interface that is the pilot (shades of The Ship Who Sang) who has 'forgotten' about his passengers...

The writing is beautifully crafted, Mark: 'dark with polished age', 'airbrushing of imperfections had been managed at the genetic level', 'beating back the stellar wind with sub-atomic ferocity'. This is serious, solid, hard core Sci-Fi where the reader needs to relax with the book - drinks and snacks to hand - and several undisturbed hours ahead to lose reality in. I'd definitely buy this ... backed.

Possible nits: 'was satting [sitting] opposite'. 'What was the patient[']s name?' 'like puppies emerging', this is the second reference to puppies. I'd like to see a little more individuality in the way the different characters speak.

LornaB wrote 662 days ago

AMAZING!!!!...... BEST BOOK EVER!!

Barry Wenlock wrote 662 days ago

Sorry I can't be constructive. I'm in N.India and internet is hopeless. Just to say well done and a most enjoyable read.
Backed with pleasure, Barry

Wilma1 wrote 663 days ago

A very well written Sci-fi I only read two chapters but found the pace of your story a little stop start at times but just my opinion. I particularly liked Josephine’s character. Mex was a well rounded guy you could put your trust in. I hope they do meet again you have to have a bit of a love interest.

Wilma1

Knowing Liam Riley – I hope you have a moment to take a look

Wilma1 wrote 663 days ago

A very well written Sci-fi I only read two chapters but found the pace of your story a little stop start at times but just my opinion. I particularly liked Josephine’s character. Mex was a well rounded guy you could put your trust in. I hope they do meet again you have to have a bit of a love interest.

Wilma1

Knowing Liam Riley – I hope you have a moment to take a look

Wilma1 wrote 663 days ago

A very well written Sci-fi I only read two chapters but found the pace of your story a little stop start at times but just my opinion. I particularly liked Josephine’s character. Mex was a well rounded guy you could put your trust in. I hope they do meet again you have to have a bit of a love interest.

Wilma1

Knowing Liam Riley – I hope you have a moment to take a look

Wilma1 wrote 663 days ago

very well written Sci-fi I only read two chapters but found the pace of your story a little stop start at times but just my opinion. I particularly liked Josephine’s character. Mex was a well rounded guy you could put your trust in. I hope they do meet again you have to have a bit of a love interest.

Wilma1

Knowing Liam Riley – I hope you have a moment to take a look

Wilma1 wrote 663 days ago

very well written Sci-fi I only read two chapters but found the pace of your story a little stop start at times but just my opinion. I particularly liked Josephine’s character. Mex was a well rounded guy you could put your trust in. I hope they do meet again you have to have a bit of a love interest.

Wilma1

Knowing Liam Riley – I hope you have a moment to take a look

Raymond Crane wrote 664 days ago

Your book is very interesting and I will back it - perhaps you could have a look at my books - goodluck !

Raymond Crane wrote 664 days ago

Your book is very interesting and I will back it - perhaps you could have a look at my books - goodluck !

Benjamin Dancer wrote 666 days ago

What a terrific premise. I really enjoyed the first 3 chapters. I backed your book, and left you a message. Good luck!

Benjamin Dancer

waylander wrote 667 days ago

Some decent hard scifi here mated to some good writing. So far it trumps some of the stuff I've paid to read in the past year. Will comment further when I'v read more and ahd time to ponder. Backed

Famlavan wrote 667 days ago

I’m not into Sci-fi however this really hooked me!
This has a feel of a well thought out adventure. You have a very strong opening; I very much liked the idea of introducing the corporation through Hamilton and Mex.
It’s got the touch of the Matrix, however what makes this special is the tapping of the unconscious. Extremely well written. – Good luck!

Su Dan wrote 667 days ago

great idea, brilliantly written. you keep us interesting with usefull narrative and effective dialogue...on watchlist...read SEASONS...

Azam Gill wrote 668 days ago

Verity.

The fall-out of modern technology and unbridled capitalism on the lives of ordinary citizens are classic themes. In addition, Time, man’s ancient spiritual and scientific quest was bound to seduce a writer’s plume.

Unpretentious narration, ping-pong dialogues, rich characters and a controlled storyline distinguish this work.

Backed.

Azam Gill
“Blasphemy!”

livid wrote 668 days ago

Hi. I am exactly five days old on this site and it took me four and a half of those to support all those that had supported me when I first came on here. I would have felt ungrateful not to. Now though I have been beginning to work the system out and I went on to build a small WL of thirteen books that I have thought worthy of being printed. The problem is that I am taking so long to read and comment that you will be on the WL for days. So, I am sending this now as a backing and will get to you with my comments as soon as I can.

I think your work was too good to be given a bland comment but I also thought it important to back it just now so that it could be registered. Not that my TSR is high but every little counts, eh? Comments to come. Bye for now.

Andrew Foley Jones wrote 668 days ago

sci fi with intelligent dialogue - an usual combo
reminds me of Dick of do androids dream of electrci sheep fame
well played telscpope man

mvw888 wrote 668 days ago

After reading your pitch, I was surprised to find the writing very accessible, with the start of a good story. The dialogue, while laced with technical stuff, isn't too overwhelming for the science-challenged among us (me!). Really well done, an intriguing start. I think you should rewrite your short pitch to attract more readers. I'm afraid many would be put off by it. Great beginning, though.

---Mary
The Qualities of Wood

Joanna Carter wrote 669 days ago

Compelling, tense and so well written. On my shelf.
Joanna Carter
Fossil Farm

andrew skaife wrote 669 days ago

A great short pitch is followed by great writing. This is what science fiction should read like. Excellent

Backed

scorselo wrote 669 days ago

good story and you handle it well.

Backed
Scorselo

yasmin esack wrote 669 days ago

Stellar writing and downright un-put-down-able

backed

Ferdi wrote 669 days ago

Backed

Ferdi
A Bed of Thorns

Jayne Lind wrote 669 days ago

I'm not a reader of science fiction, so I don't know if this concept is original. It certainly is to me. And very, very well written. Best of luck with this - you are a talented writer. Jayne

JD Revene wrote 669 days ago

Mark,

Great long pitch. Opening scene is strong and cuts away at a well chosen point.

Then the second scene starts referring to a character as 'he', by rights this should be Mex from the previous scene, but I don't think it is: it might be worth in some way labeling the MC of this scene.


Otherwise there's little to comment on in the first chapter.

This is good solid sci-fi and I'm happy to give it a spin on my shelf.

J.S.Watts wrote 669 days ago

Heavy duty sci-fi and obviously very complex. I wonder whether you might re-write the synopsis using simpler, more direct language to hook the reader more quickly and give them an easier way into the multi-llayered plot and future world? Just a thought.

J.S.Watts
A DARKER MOON

Bocri wrote 670 days ago

23 July 2010

The pitch to Verity makes use of our inherent aversion to control by 'them' and harnesses our undefined apprehension of powerful, faceless corporations. The ensuing prose capably, economically and succinctly, moves us along directly, into the action of the plot. (I did find that I misunderstood Hamilton's condition in the opening assuming that he was physically 'hurt') The technical element, descriptions and jargon, is exceptionally smooth and sophisticated, together with creative and imaginative scenarios, making the scientific aspect credible and acceptable. A worthy runner in the Sci--fi stakes. BACKED. Robert Davidson. The Tuzla Run

celticwriter wrote 670 days ago

Hi Mark. Delightful genre, you capture the story very nicely. Very visual. Backed.

sincerely,
jim
jack & charmian london

Rosemary Peel wrote 670 days ago

Fantasies are legion on this site and have to stand out from the crowd to succeed. Your writing skills stand you in good stead, as does your imagination. Not my kind of book but backed for its potential.

name falied moderation wrote 670 days ago

Dear Mark
Great book cover, a passion of mine, and your pitch both short and long grabbed me and would not let me go. A suggestion for the long pitch and that is to put in paras. This may be the first read your potential publisher, and you will get one, will have of your book and it may give the impression of being a bit long when it is not. Only a suggestion and one I do hope you dont take offense to. I say this because it is such a good well crafted book and it deserves it.BACKED BY ME FOR SURE
I do hope you will review my book, comment and most of all BACK it. but either way the BEST of luck with yours
Denise
The Letter

soutexmex wrote 670 days ago

Mark: I read all three chapters. BACKED you.

JC
The Obergemau Key

Burgio wrote 670 days ago

VERITY
This is a timely story: a world where a corporation has taken over men’s minds and thinking. I like the way you didn’t fall into a trap of beginning this with a lot of background; you dropped a reader right into the action. It’s obvious you’ve spent a lot of time thinking about how this future world would operate because a big plus of this is the detail you’re able to instill into descriptions and dialogue. Makes it a good read. I’m adding it to my shelf. If you have a moment, would you look at mine (Grain of Salt)? I’m in 8th place but only holding on by my teeth. Burgio

CarolinaAl wrote 670 days ago

Your characters are fascinating. Your descriptions are vivid. For example, your description of the Hamilton suite. You enrich your narrative with apt similies such as 'like a grey jellyfish washed up on a beach' and clever metaphors like 'it reminded Mex of train journeys at night.' Your dialogue reads real and is relevant. Your world building is thorough. Your pacing held my interest. This is masterful, captivating science fiction. Backed.

lizjrnm wrote 670 days ago

Superb writing so far! Break up the pitch to allow for breathing in between but otherwise you've got a real winner here. Intelligent and compelling.

Liz
The Cheech Room

SusieGulick wrote 670 days ago

Dear Mark, I love that you are writing a triology & that you have shown us the progression of it for the world to be a better place - glad that it's science fiction & can't happen, but world global power might according Revelations. :) So far, so good - good plot. :) Your pitch is excellent, so set the hook for me to read your book. :) When you use short paragraphs & lots of dialogue, it makes me want to keep reading to find out what's going to happen next. I'm backing your book. :) Could you please take a moment to back my TWO memoir books? Thanks. :) Love, Susie :)

This is information from authonomy (so beware of any other untrue information you may receive that is spam & not quotes of authonomy):
"When you back a book, it only improves the ranking of that book, not yours. However, the author whose book you are backing may decide to back your book also, in which case yes, your ranking would be improved"
"Every time you place a book on your bookshelf, your recommendation pushes the book up the rankings. And while that book sits on your bookshelf, your reputation as a talent spotter increases depending on how well that book performs."
backed :)
Love, Susie :)

K A Smith wrote 670 days ago

Werll written, a different take on an old trope, but it all seems to hang together. I didn't find any of the "future science" implausible, so you must have put a lot of work into making it work. If it was me, personally, I would give less technical detail and just leave it assumed, (after all, we don't continually tell each other how mobile phones work and they were the stuff of sci-fi not long ago) as I know when I come across details that don't convince me, they drop me right out of the story into the cold voids of negative criticism. This didn't happen here. Thank you.

lynn clayton wrote 670 days ago

'...the crumbling ruins of Hamilton's posture' is brilliant but life having 'kicked the stuffing out of him' seems to me a mixing of metaphors and requires something more suited to 'crumbling'.
Your narrative and dialogue are excellent and even though the technical stuff was mystifying it was pleasant to be mystified by such good writing, particularly since your premise is so plausible.
The pitch is equally good and only needs to be split into paragraphs for easier reading.
Backed. Lynn

AlleJo wrote 670 days ago

I think the introduction is impressive but off-putting as a novel outline.
There are no characters and storyline. The final sentence needs to be cut.

The book starts engagingly, and I'll read on.

PATRICK BARRETT wrote 670 days ago

I think the over-use of computer terminology spoiled the start for me. The excitement and intrigue were there but I was only vaguely aware of why. I realise that this is only me and younger readers will know exactly what is going on so it is probably not of great consequence but this is what the authonomy site is for. Obviously very professionally written but is it worth having someone else in the room who needs an explanation of events to keep people like me reading ? Patrick Barrett (Cuthbert-how mean is my valley)

Jim Darcy wrote 671 days ago

Read chapter 1.Excellent and involving start and drawing attention to a highly-charged issue. Dialogue works well and description centres the story, allowing the reader to become fully engaged with the tale. Like the irony of the title. You are building this into an exciting story.
Jim Darcy
The Firelord's Crown

Despinas1 wrote 671 days ago

Dear Mark, This is a high stake sci fi thriller that will have everyone on the edge of their seats. Your synopsis is so dynamic, original and almost genius in description. Normally I don't indulge in sci fi thrillers, but your choice of words and the excellent descriptions of your characters make this a novel which will serve you very well on this site. Rebellion, violence, love greed bond all repelling the main characters.
Absolutely brilliant. Backed with complete confidence, wishing you much success
Sincerely
Helen
The Last Dream

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