Spanning thousands of years in the future and structured as an unearthed “unauthorized exposé” written by a data analyst who mysteriously disappeared centuries earlier, this immersive novel chronicles the fate of humanity after reckless technological advances and a morally bankrupt media juggernaut push the human race to the brink of extinction.

Essentially a series of vignettes featuring an ensemble cast of characters, the episodes highlight landmark events that changed history’s course and intimate stories of human tragedy and triumph. In 2115, for example, a revolutionary product line of sentient home-assistant bots turned into an epic PR nightmare when countless human relationships were destroyed after users became emotionally and (presumably) physically entangled with the units. After the Peachy bots—designed with the idea of a beautiful woman in mind—were burned by rioters in the streets, the company quickly discontinued the product.

In another scenario, once fully autonomous AI overlords eliminated much of life’s struggle, humans resorted to VR entertainment to feel alive. Media giant Mooncast turned 13 old dome habitats (built as shelters during apocalyptic war paranoia) into brutal survival games: “Unscripted violence, real pain, constant risk. That’s what sells.” The domes, with varying environments, were inhabited by nightmarish monstrosities. As centuries passed, however, the dome populations became forgotten and realized that they’d been changed in strange and unintended ways.

While the wondrous science fiction backdrop is brilliantly described and explored, it’s Moon’s hypnotically lyrical writing that makes these interconnected stories so readable: “My grandfather carried the old world like a worn coat, frayed but familiar. Even as his knees gave way and his voice softened to moss, he sat beneath the hedges and spoke of real places that sounded like far-fetched dreams.”

Chock full of timely—and potentially terrifying—science-related subject matter, this is a wildly thought-provoking glimpse into humankind’s future. Ultimately though, it’s about so much more than technology—it spurs readers to deeply consider what it means to be human.

Also available as an ebook.