The Futurist

by Mark Cosman

The story follows the exploits of John Ramsey, an interstellar entrepreneur, a widower, and a futurist. As founding Chairman of Prescott Industries, John’s fascination with the future opened him to a forbidden relationship with an advanced Prescott humanoid, code-named Cheryl, during a visit to his lunar mining operations. The most intelligent, stunningly beautiful, human-like woman ever created. Cheryl is the story’s heroine and the first humanoid to acquire independent emotions from life experience.
The work forms around three underlying themes. Foremost among them is humans began as a virtual idea and, like a fish out of water, must eventually return to the virtual to survive.
Second, the most loved humans have died along with everyone else, but they transcended their deaths as a virtual presence and became worshipped.
Third, the most pivotal civil liberties issue awaiting us in the coming age will be integration with our humanoid creations while holding the “off-switch” to their potential.
Because humans created humanoids that are potentially greater than themselves, Prescott scientists engineered hypnotic taboos into humanoid operating systems as a protective firewall. But Cheryl’s ability to acquire emotions left her vulnerable to love. Her affair with John conflicted with her taboos, resulting in a tragic love story.

396 pages, Paperback

Published June 11, 2024

About the author

Mark Cosman’s writing began when his daughter, Berlyn, was murdered at her high school prom party. His book, “A Flower in the Snow” contains the searing personal account of his daughter’s murder and its heart wrenching aftermath. His odyssey in search of answers to the most profound questions we ask ourselves brought Mark to also write “Descent of the Gods” and “The Kids from the River.” Fiction novels, the works dramatize the hidden consequences of our actions we unknowingly enter.