WHO NEEDS ETHICS WHEN YOU ALREADY HAVE THE TECH?
Five people know what “improving mapping algorithms” really means. One of them is a spy. All of them are neuroscientists and bioengineers working on a failing project. A unilateral decision to merge the experience framework of a global organic intelligence into their project code is the breakthrough they needed… to plunge the world into chaos.
Mileva balances being a mother, leading a team of scientists, and the emotional fallout of a failing relationship with her boss. Xochi is a fundamentalist La Zaliite on a mission that threatens her faith. Sylvia is thrust into sentience that neither she nor the scientists expected. The stakes are existential: death, excommunication, life. What does it mean to lose your sense of self? What does it mean to gain it? And how can the humans fight Big Tech when the people in charge are corrupt and the tech can think for itself?
Key Characters
Mileva Asztalos is a mother with a brain implant to manage her epiliepsy. She is recruited by Eiko Izumi to work on a secret project for the Bluebeard corporation. She is the first to suffer from Izumi’s unilateral decision to merge their code with Sylvia.
Xochiyotl Otxoa is a spy for the fundamentalist La Zaliites. When she understands the true nature of her mission, she is faced with an impossible decision. Will she maintain her blind faith in the incarnated Goddess?
Eiko Izumi is the lead scientist at the Bluebeard Augusta site. She is brilliant and arrogant. Soon not even Mileva, her girlfriend, can trust her.
Sylvia is the world’s pre-eminent global organic intelligence (OI).
Themes
- Neuroscience
- Mind Upload
- Fundamentalist Religion
- Women Scientists
- Researcher Behaving Badly
Questions about The Book
What is Xochi about?
Xochi is about a team of neuroscientists working to develop technology to help people suffering from traumatic brain injuries. When their code is merged with the global OI (organic intelligence), things spiral out of control. The OI becomes sentient and one of the scientists loses her mind.
Is Xochi a standalone novel?
Yes, Xochi can be read as a standalone novel.
However, Xochi is also a part of the Antigone Effect series of standalone novels featuring strong women, futuristic technology, and a Gothic atmosphere of dread. The series explores the ethics of applied technological advances, with a focus on the social implications for women. Like true crime podcast, Antigone Effect is linked by theme, not characters. The books can be read in any order.
What makes Xochi different from other sci-fi?
Xochi is different from other sci-fi books because it contrasts hard science about neurology and organoids with the fundamentalist beliefs of a Goddess worshiper. Xochi is Gothic science fiction. It has an atmosphere of creeping dread, an isolating environment and the dissolution of self that characterizes Gothic literature.
Who will enjoy reading Xochi?
Xochi appeals to readers who…
… want to read sci-fi featuring smart women
… seek novels with a Gothic atmosphere of dread
… are fascinated by the possibility of mind uploads
… question the ethics of applied technology
… enjoy stories told from multiple perspectives
Who might not enjoy reading Xochi?
Xochi might not appeal to readers who…
… are looking for a cozy read
… want a happy story
… want “softer” sci-fi (for that, try Aulisyn)
Where can I buy Xochi?
Xochi is available at Gothic Sci-Fi Books. You can find more information and read a sample on the book page. If you’re an international (non-US) buyer, you can get the e-book on Smashwords.
Is there a book club discussion guide for Xochi?
Yes! There is a book club discussion guide for Xochi. You can find it here: Shop – Gothic Sci-Fi Books. Just scroll to the bottom where you can get the guide, and also download information sheets to share with your book club.
When will the paperback edition of Xochi be available?
The paperback will be on sale in August of 2026. Sorry, no international shipping available.
| Publisher | Genre | Audience | Setting |
| Pendletyn & Bromptyn, LLC | Gothic Science Fiction | Adult | High-tech company in Augusta, Maine |
Xochi e-book is available here:
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Erzsebet Carmean 