Author Zach Beard has announced the release of his chilling debut novel, The Spaceship. Beard was inspired to write by his lifelong fascination with interstellar travel, artificial intelligence, and the evolution of technology over time. He hopes that his work will challenge readers to consider future possibilities and the impact that technological advancement can have on daily life.
In The Spaceship, protagonist David is just a normal person living an ordinary life, at least until he encounters Helen, an advanced sentient spaceship with unfathomable technological abilities. As Helen seeks to understand more about the human race, she selects David to serve as her guide and unofficial instructor and human companion. David quickly becomes fascinated by the limitless power available to him through Helen. He soon begins changing the world in unimaginable ways, perhaps giving Helen the most important—and disturbing—lesson about what it can mean to be human when we stray into the dark.
Fans of sentient spaceships, artificial intelligence, and existential threats will appreciate the complexity of The Spaceship. Beard turns the human-A.I. trope on its head by painting David as a corrupting force who capitalizes on Helen’s technologies curiosity for his own benefit. He also explores themes of responsible authority, natural chaos, and what might happen if a non-human was given the responsibility of solving humanity’s worst problems.
Instead of merely alluding to Helen’s capabilities, Beard conducted in-depth research to understand the current trends in artificial intelligence as well as the global issues facing humans as a species. Between military weapons and sophisticated tracking programs, Beard believes that the A.I. field has advanced far beyond what the average person might suspect. In a time period characterized by technological growth, books like The Spaceship are particularly timely.