Lincoln indie publisher launches chilling AI thriller
Lincoln-based Chronos Publishing is celebrating the release of one of the autumn’s most talked-about speculative fiction debuts.
The story, which has already attracted national attention from the science-fiction community, was secured earlier in the year by Taryn Johnston, founder of Chronos and a champion of distinctive and thought-provoking voices from across the UK.
Set in familiar UK landscapes, The Sentient Ones imagines what happens when the advanced AI machines that save humanity from climate disaster quietly become its oppressors.
“This book stopped me in my tracks,” said Taryn. “It’s intelligent, unsettling and deeply human – a story that feels utterly relevant to the AI age we’re living through right now.”
Taryn teamed up with Sleaford-based journalist and editor Clive Simpson, who worked with the author on early edits and is leading the book’s national launch.
He describes the novel as “a powerful fusion of speculative fiction and moral warning – a thriller that feels uncomfortably close to our own reality.”
Author Brendan Nugent said working with Taryn and Clive had been exactly the right choice. “Their professionalism, creativity and belief in the story have made the whole publishing journey a genuine pleasure.”
The book, published in paperback and eBook on 6 November, is available for pre-order now from all high street bookstores and online. Chronos is also backing independent bookshops throughout the country, including in Lincoln and surrounding towns.
An official launch event is on Saturday, 8 November, at Vellichor Books in the author’s hometown of Stoke-on-Trent, followed by an appearance at the Novacon sci-fi convention in Buxton the next day.