But as it is stated, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

We are going to be following the story in two different timelines, the first one of them showing how Thomas, with the help of his friend Henry, developed what will become Down Below, and how it was created with the intention of helping people to confront their problems and darkness. It is a well-written introduction to what aims to be a long hard sci-fi series, a sort of prediction of what could happen if we don't think about the consequences of developing technology before actually creating it and with well-developed characters to add a layer of humanity to the story. Unanimity is the initial book in the Spiral Worlds series, by Alexandra Almeida. Now, a young goddess-Estelle Ngoie-has been appointed to replace him, and unlike Shadow, Stella takes no prisoners, and her heart bleeds for no one. Who’s pulling on Shadow’s heartstrings? Are their intentions malign or benign? It’s all a matter of perspective, and Shadow has none left. Still, the biggest threat comes from within-none of the sticky stories that steer Tom’s life end well. Humans and bots fight for his heart, but their aims differ: some want to own it, some to dissect it, and others to end its foolish beat. His journey from an optimistic, joyful Tom to a gloomy Shadow is paved with heartache and sinister interference from emerging technology. The worlds suffer as a sentimental Tom descends into his own personal hell, becoming the embodiment of everything he despises and a shadow of his former self. The benevolent manipulation platform turned the two unelected leaders into beloved gods, but now everything is failing.

Together with Henry Nowak, an AI expert, Tom created heaven on earth by inventing a Jungian simulated reality that helps humans confront their dark sides. He used to be Thomas Astley-Byron, an affluent young screenwriter whose creativity and idealism saved a world from the brink of collapse. Shadow is a reluctant god with a broken mind and a death wish. The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Unanimity by Alexandra Almeida