Happy Sunday, friend! I have been wanting to read more books about Artificial Intelligence and post-apocalyptic-type scenarios and for that reason, I was happy to learn about Nicholas Lawrence Carter and his novel, Reclamation: Path to Singularity. You may remember Nic from his indie recommendations post a few months back. Let’s welcome Nic and learn about the book.

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Get to know the author: Nicholas Lawrence Carter

Welcome, Nic! Tell my readers and me a bit about yourself!

Thank you! I’m happy to be here! Tell you about myself? I always find talking about myself a bit odd, but here it goes. I was born in Florida; loved the beach, hated the heat. That conundrum never solved itself. I’ve always been drawn to creative endeavours. I ran a podcast for a few years that was picked up for local TV, I worked for an independent wrestling company as a creative consultant, I’ve written for various companies and sites, and I’ve been writing novels for some years now. Writing has always been part of my life; it’s the thing I love most. Now, I stream on Twitch, write, and work as a freelance editor.

What inspired you to write this book?

The initial concept for this book came to me while submitting a story idea for consideration as a freelance project to write for a magazine. Even though the magazine passed, I couldn’t get the idea out of my head and had to see it through. I’ve been told Reclamation shares similarities with I, Robot (which I haven’t read or watched), but I took a fair bit of inspiration from Philip K. Dick–specifically from Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep and Second Variety.

How long did it take you to write this book, from the first idea to the last edit?

The timeline is a bit lengthy since I was finishing another project when this idea first came to me. Once Reclamation was my entire focus, it took about 4 months to work through the idea phase, outline, write, and edit.

What makes your story unique?

I think that the story takes a dystopian setting and infuses a sort of philosophical approach to the concept of humanity (what are feelings, what are emotions, are they intrinsic to organic creatures) with the fear of the unknown makes for an interesting read. 

I read about the Uncanny Valley effect a year or so ago, this concept that knowing a robot isn’t human but not really being able to tell can invoke fear or uneasiness, and that concept really intrigued me. I kept the Uncanny Valley effect in mind while developing and writing the book.

Who would enjoy reading your book? 

Fans of character driven stories, stories that take a sort of meditative approach to development. Reclamation isn’t an action-packed adventure. It’s a story that I hope will leave you thinking; maybe altering how you see others. I know Ayn Rand is a rather divisive figure, and I’m not attempting to say my work is at all like her’s or upholds her ideals, but she writes in this really thematically driven way where action and, to an extent, drama take a backseat to the themes and characters. I strived for something akin to that with Reclamation.

As for similar books, I’ve been told I, Robot. Minus all the action, I’d say Spares by Michael Marshall Smith and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? and Second Variety by Philip K. Dick are good comparisons. 

Thematically, I wanted to explore the nature of humanity–what does that mean? A more recent book that explored this well is Constance by Matthew Fitzsimmons.

What’s something you hope readers would take away from it?

Enjoyment, mostly! I aimed to create a story that was thought-provoking and left a mystery or two to mull over. Above all, if a reader takes anything away from my work, whether their take away was my intention or not, I consider that a win. 

Do you have a favourite quote or scene in the book that you find yourself going back to?

She fixated on the sky—amber rays slithered in the darkness and smothered the grey clouds. 

I really liked that sentence when I wrote it–several beta readers pointed to it as a favorite; that felt good 🙂 

What is something you have learned on your author journey so far?

That I will never finish growing and developing as a person and writer.

What’s the best piece of advice you have received related to writing?

An author friend of mine, Z Jeffries, recently told me–via a critique of an older book of mine–that blending the unique with the familiar is a key aspect of storytelling. It seems so obvious, right? I don’t know why I hadn’t thought about it before, but I hadn’t. When he said that, I heard the light bulb burst in my mind. 

If you could give a shout out to someone(s) who has helped in your writer journey, please feel free to mention them below!

My answer to this question will forever be my mother. She passed away before I finished my first novel, but she always encouraged my creativity–no matter the outlet I chose. She was fiercely supportive. She instilled a great sense of determination in me that drives me to want to become better each day.

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Book Excerpt from
Reclamation: Path to Singularity

Satine sat upon the examination table. The Prime Scientist flicked back and forth on his datapad, every now and then looking up to place small, circular pads on Satine’s body. She understood the function of the pads; they monitored her physical processes to ensure everything worked as intended.

She studied the Doctor. A curious human, unlike others. She didn’t fully understand people, and she understood even less about him. Her core had defined common mannerisms and actions, but even with those, the Doctor went about them differently.

Most people had a tick or a specific repeated action when nervous; interestingly, she’d observed that same action when their minds were preoccupied or in deep thought.

The Doctor, however, did not have that. He sat still, rigid. When his attention fixed on the datapad, his eyes did not twitch; his fingers did not tap, and his toes did not wiggle. He didn’t touch his hair intermittently. His brow did not fold or bounce while concentrating. His fingers did not graze his neck or rest upon his chin. Doctor Orchard, it seemed, was himself an anomaly. A strikingly unique human—with no discernable reason to be.

Further analysis needed.

After a long silence, the Doctor finally sighed, then looked at Satine. “Lay back.”

She did as instructed. The Doctor placed a final pad on her chest, though much larger. He engaged the touchscreen, and a moment later, Satine’s sensors told her it sent a current through her body.

“I am analyzing your core,” the Doctor said, the first time he had explained the process. “I’m sure you have data that informed you of meltdowns?”

“Yes,” Satine replied.

“It is imperative that a meltdown does not happen on the surface. If it did, you would be lost forever.”

“And I am important?” Satine asked.

Dr. Orchard looked up from the datapad. He made eye contact, another first for the session. “The mission is important.”

Satine considered the response. It didn’t compute—not fully. “Yes, that is true,” Satine said. “But I am the only one that can perform the mission.”

“Correct.”

“I do not understand.”

The Doctor looked away as his fingers tapped his datapad again. “What do you not understand?”

“If the mission is important, and I am the only capable, then my existence is important by extension.”

“That is correct,” he said.

“Why was I designed so differently?” Satine asked.

Dr. Orchard’s finger slipped, running off the edge of the datapad. The unexpected action shifted his hold, and he nearly dropped the device. His eyes found Satine again, his pupils dilated.

“Why did you ask that?”

“I understand my function,” Satine said. “But my design is human-like. I understand the intention was to make my existence easier to accept by the population. However, would it not have been easier if I were an exact replication?”

“Easier, yes,” Dr. Orchard replied. “But you must stand out.”

“Why?”

The Doctor thought for a moment, but the hesitation didn’t compute. His heart rate had elevated, nervousness.

“Because you’re not human,” he said.

“Citizens are uncomfortable around me.”

“Differences are confusing.”

“But my core tells me that differences are celebrated.”

He hesitated again. “They are, but it takes time.”

“I understand.”

The tension in the Doctor’s chest released, and he nodded. His gaze returned to the datapad.

“However,” Satine said, drawing his attention again. “I am not new.”

His brow raised. Another surprising inquiry. “What do you mean?” he asked.

“Avalon is not new. The mission is imperative. It is logical that the mission has been carried out before. Otherwise, how would I have data about the surface?”

The Doctor turned away, moving toward his desk. His body temperature had risen.

“The mission is not new, but you are.”

“How was it performed before?”

“By non-sentient machines, but they were faulty. Each expedition, many didn’t return.”

“Why do I not have data about their existence?”

He sat, his back still to her. “They were faulty. Most of the data was inconclusive. The bits you do have come from them.” He studied the readings on the monitor for a long moment. Finally, he turned back to her and left his chair. “The assessment is complete. Everything is in order.” He removed the pads. She studied his movements. His fingers were colder than before.

“Why do the citizens treat me differently if I am also a citizen?”

“As I said, acceptance takes time.”

“The notion seems unfair.”

“Nonsense,” he said as he shook his head. “You’re not human. The same emotion is not applied to you as it is to other citizens.”

“But I am a citizen.”

He sighed. “Yes, you are.”

“But I am different.”

“Yes, you are.”

Satine sat up; Dr. Orchard looked away. “Elena is waiting outside.”

***

The android left. No other questions, no other observations. Devon watched her reflection on the second monitor, the one he’d turned off when he sat down. She didn’t hesitate or look back. The Liaison didn’t offer any parting words. He preferred that.

Why do people treat me differently? The question rang in his mind. Satine was less than human, but Devon didn’t feel comfortable saying it. He wondered if It understood the implication. The android certainly understood more than It let on. The first expedition had yet to commence, and already Satine asked questions that spoke of an advanced mental state. Devon’s mind solidified—Satine displayed irregularities.

His theory had been ignored. He needed to analyze data from the core while Satine was operational, but he’d be ostracized for such a breach. What could he do? He looked down at his datapad; assessment complete. It was too late; the mission would progress. He couldn’t help but feel that he’d made a mistake.

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Interested?

Find Reclamation on Goodreads and IndieStoryGeek. You can buy it on Amazon. Be on the look out for my review in the future!

Thank you for hanging out with us today. Connect with Nic on his website and Twitter. He can also be found on Twitch (streaming every Thursday!) and TikTok.

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Cover image: Photo on Unsplash