The Die: A Novel

by Jude Berman

Overview

2024 International Book Awards Winner in Fiction: Visionary
2024 International Book Awards Winner in Fiction: Cross-Genre
2024 American Fiction Awards Winner in General Fiction

Darah, a tech writer living in the democratic nation of California, is dismayed to see the game she’s helping develop for a Silicon Valley tech company has been tampered with. When her hacker friend Jedd investigates, he uncovers a conspiracy that could change the nation—and the world.

With a circle of close friends, Jedd digs deeper and deeper into the darknet and exposes the unthinkable: an app is being developed that uses quantum computing and neuroscience to alter people’s brains, totally unbeknownst to them. As the friends realize the devastating impact of this technology, they’re presented with a dilemma: stay quiet and stay safe, or risk their lives to stand up to the international authoritarian force behind this plot?

Combining activist, techno-thriller, and metaphysical fiction elements and scaffolded on three realities—the ancient wisdom of the Mahabharata, our current sociopolitical reality, and the near future—The Die is a fast-paced story about friendship, courage, and democracy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781684632305
Publisher:	SparkPress
Publication date:	04/02/2024
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Jude Berman grew up amid floor-to-ceiling shelves of books in many languages, with refugee parents who instilled in her a deep appreciation for cultural diversity and social justice. She has a BA in art from Smith College and an EdD in cross-cultural communication from UMass Amherst. After a career in academic research, she built a freelance writing and editing business and ran two small indie presses. She lives in Berkeley, California, where, in her free time, she volunteers for civic causes, paints with acrylic watercolors, gardens, and meditates. She blogs at https://judeberman.substack.com.

Editorial Reviews

2024 Readers' Favorite Book Awards Gold Medal Winner in Fiction – Visionary

“An imaginative tale alive with captivating ideas.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“This book is a page-turner, and the suspense kept me on the edge of my seat. . . . masterfully written . . .”
—Readers’ Favorite, 5 stars

“The Die is activist fiction. It envisions the power of connection and deeply respectful engagement that can be ours if we navigate differences in a way that makes possible a path toward an enlightened future. Fun!”
—Joan Blades, cofounder of MoveOn.org

“Lively, intricate, filled with surprises and plot twists—an engaging read throughout.”
—Tim Page, writer and Pulitzer Prize–winning critic

“Jude Berman’s intelligent reimagining of the Mahabharata set in the chilling near future is a riveting blend of techno-thriller, sociopolitical commentary, and metaphysical fiction. A thought-provoking exploration of the concept of family, the ethical quandaries of advanced technology, and the fragility of democratic values, The Die is a fast-paced read that lingers in the mind long after the final page is turned.”
—Veena Rao, author of The Purple Lotus

“Jude Berman’s debut novel delivers a chillingly realistic near-future portrayal of technology wunderkinds manipulating our political consciousness in a fractured America. Blink your eyes and we could all be living in this cautionary tale.”
—Mike Trigg, author of Bit Flip and Burner

“Multilayered and inventive, this near-future cautionary tale poses deep questions about the nature of family, integrity, and activism in the digital age that make you want to keep rereading the news. I couldn’t put it down.”
—Sheri T. Joseph, author of Edge of the Known World

“Jude’s imagination is both epic and personal in this thriller about technology, the fate of the world, and what we as individuals can do about it.”
—Jen Braaksma, author of Evangeline’s Heaven and Amaranth

“The Die is a fast-paced, fascinating exploration of the dangers of apathy and how to tap into the hero in all of us.”
—Meredith Walters, author of This Animal Body

“It pulled me in immediately—and kept defying my expectations and pulling me in further.”
—Sarah Towle, author of Crossing the Line: Finding America in the Borderlands

“The Die takes us into uncharted waters, creating a dystopian vision of our world rife with the dangers of authoritarianism and groupthink in what feels like the not-so-distant future.”
—Evette Davis, author of 48 States and the Dark Horse Trilogy

“Jude Berman expertly juxtaposes a dystopian world of dictatorship and deceit with a millennia-old story. In this cautionary tale about what can happen when democracy is taken for granted, she contrasts themes of fear, oppression, and passivity with those of hope, community, and action. I strongly recommend this fascinating read.”
—Susan Weissbach Friedman, author of Klara's Truth

From the Publisher