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by Thomas Lopinski (Author)
Zero Sum Conclusion delivers a chilling vision of America's future, rooted in the political fractures and digital dependencies of today.
Set in 2068, after a brief but catastrophic Second Civil War, the nation has been rebuilt-not through reconciliation, but through social scoring, forced civility, and algorithmic control. The government, now in partnership with tech conglomerate MAGMA, enforces peace through Demeanor Scores, a system that monitors behavior, language, and even tone, rewarding compliance and punishing dissent. In a stark reflection of our increasingly polarized and surveilled society, every citizen must choose at age eighteen: take a million-dollar payout and live with limited protections (Front-Loader), or work three decades in a state-approved job for delayed security (Back-Ender).
Edgar Gorman, a longtime FBI agent and Back-Ender, represents those who have conformed, complied, and trusted the system. But when his wife-a Front-Loader-is denied care and dies under the guise of cost efficiency, Edgar's loyalty begins to unravel. What follows is a descent into state-mandated therapy, flagged records, and a shrinking Demeanor Score that threatens to exile him. As Edgar uncovers evidence of memory manipulation and psychological profiling, he becomes a threat not because of his actions, but because of his grief-now considered subversive.
Thomas Lopinski's novel is less science fiction than a prophetic examination of where unchecked technological governance and political polarization may lead us. With sharp parallels to today's debates over AI surveillance, healthcare inequality, digital censorship, and the weaponization of patriotism, Zero Sum Conclusion is a dire warning wrapped in a character-driven thriller. It asks: what happens when "keeping the peace" becomes indistinguishable from state control-and when emotional authenticity becomes a punishable act?
Zero Sum Conclusion is a compelling, dystopian mystery for readers of The Circle, The Black Mirror, 1984, The Giver, or Fahrenheit 451.
