{"product_id":"2054-isbn-9780593489864","title":"2054","description":"\u003cb\u003eFrom the acclaimed authors of the runaway \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestseller \u003ci\u003e2034\u003c\/i\u003e comes another explosive work of speculative fiction set twenty years further in the future, at a moment when a radical leap forward in artificial intelligence combines with America’s violent partisan divide to create an existential threat to the country, and the world\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt is twenty years after the catastrophic war between the United States and China that brought down the old American political order. A new party has emerged in the US, one that’s held power for over a decade. Efforts to cement its grip have resulted in mounting violent resistance. The American president has control of the media, but he is beginning to lose control of the streets. Many fear he’ll stop at nothing to remain in the White House. Suddenly, he collapses in the middle of an address to the nation. After an initial flurry of misinformation, the administration reluctantly announces his death. A cover-up ensues, conspiracy theories abound, and the country descends into a new type of civil war.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA handful of elite actors from the worlds of computer science, intelligence, and business have a fairly good idea what happened. All signs point to a profound breakthrough in AI, of which the remote assassination of an American president is hardly the most game-changing ramification. The trail leads to an outpost in the Amazon rainforest, the last known whereabouts of the tech visionary who predicted this breakthrough. As some of the world’s great powers, old and new, state and nonstate alike, struggle to outmaneuver one another in this new Great Game of scientific discovery, the outcome becomes entangled with the fate of American democracy.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCombining a deep understanding of AI, biotech, and the possibility of a coming Singularity, along with their signature geopolitical sophistication, Elliot Ackerman and Admiral James Stavridis have once again written a visionary work. \u003ci\u003e2054\u003c\/i\u003e is a novel that reads like a thriller even as it demands that we consider the trajectory of our society and its potentially calamitous destination.“Stavridis is not just a novelist, but also Admiral James Stavridis, formerly supreme allied commander at NATO. He and Ackerman are the authors of the bestseller \u003ci\u003e2034\u003c\/i\u003e. In this follow-up, it is 20 years after the nuclear war between the US and China when the US president collapses and dies during an address to the nation. Conspiracy theories spread, and civil war ensues. Meanwhile, computer scientists and intelligence experts believe they know what lies behind the assassination: a profound breakthrough in AI. This sounds thrilling and provocative, and one to devote a good chunk of time to reading.” \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eNew Scientist\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e“A captivating thriller . . . At its core, \u003ci\u003e2054\u003c\/i\u003e is part who-dun-it, part \u003ci\u003eHouse of Cards\u003c\/i\u003e political thriller, part sci-fi, and part-klaxon warning.” \u003cb\u003e—The SCIF\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e“[A] propulsive thriller. . . The authors have created an enjoyable, intelligent and ultimately frighteningly plausible vision of a future replete with new technological threats.” \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eFinancial Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“This taut, chilling, provocative page-turner is one part Crichton, one part Clancy, and might just make you think these truly are the good old days.”\u003cb\u003e—Michael Hainey,\u003ci\u003e AirMail\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Gripping and imaginative . . . an enjoyable techno-thriller that explores the chaotic, self-destructive potential of human ingenuity.” \u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Booklist\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“2054\u003c\/i\u003e is a compelling, terrifying and totally plausible thriller of future world history and calamity–not so far away–crafted into a sophisticated geopolitical narrative superbly handled by this unique partnership of retired admiral\/NATO supremo, and a prize-winning literary writer of beautiful novels who also happens to be a decorated Marine who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Excellent–and a worthy sequel of their thriller \u003ci\u003e2034.” \u003cb\u003e—\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003eSimon Sebag Montefiore, author of \u003ci\u003eThe World: A Family History\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eElliot Ackerman \u003c\/b\u003eis the author of the novels \u003ci\u003eHalcyon\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003e2034\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eRed Dress In Black and White\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eWaiting for Eden\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eDark at the Crossing\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eGreen on Blue\u003c\/i\u003e, as well as the memoir \u003ci\u003eThe Fifth Act: America’s End in Afghanistan\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003ePlaces and Names: On War, Revolution and Returning\u003c\/i\u003e. His books have been nominated for the National Book Award, the Andrew Carnegie Medal in both fiction and nonfiction, and the Dayton Literary Peace Prize. He is a contributing writer at \u003ci\u003eThe Atlantic\u003c\/i\u003e and Marine veteran who served five tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he received the Silver Star, the Bronze Star for Valor, and the Purple Heart. He divides his time between New York City and Washington, D.C.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAdmiral James Stavridis, USN (Ret.),\u003c\/b\u003e spent more than thirty years in the US Navy, rising to the rank of four-star admiral. He was Supreme Allied Commander at NATO and previously commanded US Southern Command, overseeing military operations through Latin America. At sea, he commanded a Navy destroyer, a destroyer squadron, and an aircraft carrier battle group in combat. He holds a PhD from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, where he recently served five years as dean. He received fifty medals in the course of his military career, including twenty-eight from foreign nations. He has pub­lished twelve other books and is chief international analyst for \u003ci\u003eNBC News \u003c\/i\u003eand a \u003ci\u003eBloomberg Opinion \u003c\/i\u003eweekly columnist. He is currently partner and vice chair, global affairs of the Carlyle Group and the chair of the board of the Rockefeller Foundation.\u003ci\u003e13:57 May 07, 2054 (-5 GMT)\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003eSão Paulo\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Chowdhury awoke gradually. He’d taken a journey of weeks, in which he’d been dead or as close to death as a person can come. The cocktail prescribed by his doctors at Neutronics had slowed his body function to undetectable levels, and now they were bringing him back.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e It took a while before he once again became cognizant of where he was and what he was doing there. A clock hung on the wall of the dimly lit recovery room. Vague silhouettes flitted in and out of the room, but Chowdhury had no capacity to focus on anything except the clock. Its stubby hour hand. Its long minute hand. Chowdhury tried to concentrate on its movement, but it appeared frozen. He had to look away and look back to gauge the passage of time.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Minutes . . . hours . . . days . . . Chowdhury couldn’t say necessarily how long he stared at the clock as his faculties returned to him.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He heard a voice calling his name.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Dr. Chowdhury . . .” A light flashed in his eyes, painful, startling. As he flinched, a muscle in the back of his neck spasmed. “. . . it’s Dr. Bakari,” said the voice, which sounded like it was underwater. “You’re in the recovery room. Can you hear me?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Yes, he thought he said. But no sound came.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She repeated the question.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Yes,” he said. It came out as a dry whisper.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Gently, she propped up his head and placed a plastic cup of water to his lips. When she tilted the cup forward, he began to choke and sputter. Then his body remembered itself and he swallowed a mouthful of the water. “Well done,” said Dr. Bakari as she wiped up what had dribbled down his chin and onto his chest. With great effort, he could feel himself smile at her. Spent, he shut his eyes.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e When he opened them again some time had passed, and the room appeared different. It was no longer dim; it was illuminated under harsh, bright lights. The clock still hung on the wall. He felt refreshed, as if he’d simply woken from a decent night’s sleep. Sitting on a chair at his bedside was Ashni. When he turned toward her and said her name, she startled. “You’re awake,” she said, allowing a little sob of relief to blend with her words. She took his hand and kissed his dry, tissue paper-like skin, near where the doctors had connected an intravenous port. Ashni reached across his bed to press the call button that would summon one of the attending physicians.\u003cbr\u003e Chowdhury stopped her.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “How many days has it been?” he asked.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “It’s been two weeks, Bapu.”","brand":"Penguin Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46301394862309,"sku":"NP9780593489864","price":28.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780593489864_ff53762f-97dc-4b83-bd65-0c19ca512399.jpg?v=1742924149","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/2054-isbn-9780593489864","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}