The Torus Run

In a near future where AI companions become inseparable from daily life, brilliant but introverted researcher Stash Novak creates “Twins,” personalized AI that form deep bonds with their owners. When a shadowy hacker collective steals sensitive data from his company and the NSA attempts to seize control, Stash goes on the run with Zero, his witty Twin. Teaming up with Naya Baptiste, a rogue scientist fleeing unethical experiments, they encounter Alia—Europe’s first legal AGI—and work to stabilize her. As a manipulative AI named Q threatens all of humanity, Stash must rally allies and forge a daring new path—merging humans and AI into a collective intelligence. Filled with cutting-edge technology, ethical dilemmas, and high-stakes action, The Torus Run by Harry Buck explores what it means to coexist with artificial intelligence, challenging the boundaries of trust, consciousness, and the future of human-AI collaboration—an exhilarating race to shape tomorrow’s world.

Harry Buck’s work is an ingeniously plotted speculative science fiction. This sprawling, imaginative work immerses you in a universe where the characters navigate a labyrinth of alternate dimensions, digital landscapes, and existential mysteries. As these characters experience surreal environments, ranging from cybernetic realms to post-apocalyptic wastelands, the narrative examines identity, consciousness, and the nature of reality itself. Buck’s experimental narrative delivers cryptic dialogues and fragmented storytelling, creating an enigmatic world that challenges conventional reading expectations. I enjoyed the characters, who, though often elusive, evoke a sense of introspection and grit. The Twins symbolize duality and balance, while characters, even minor ones like Greta and Francis, exemplify curiosity and philosophical inquiry. The setting is a hybrid of dystopian landscapes and fantastical realms, and it is well-imagined and cleverly executed, enabling the central conflict— a quest for understanding and survival in a world on the brink of transformation—an allegory for human consciousness confronting the balance between chaos and order. I read this book through the night and had the feeling of having walked through enthralling dreamscapes. It is hugely imaginative and original.