Rusted Synapse: Apocalypse Engine

Rusted Synapse #2

by Elwood Stevens

The fate of humanity on the line, she might be the last person you want to call.

A lot changed for Vivi Rodriguez in the years since she stole the world’s most dangerous artificial sentience, not the least of which was her name. Olivia Cordoba. A real downgrade, just like the rest of her life.

Olivia wished she never bartered for the flash clone that stole her happy future. An omission on the NSA’s part. Her consciousness wasn’t getting moved to the clone, only copied. And what did this copy of Vivi do with its newfound humanity?

Drunk herself into an early grave. Ungrateful b***h.

Jealous of the comparatively restful peace her clone managed to find, Olivia finds herself shackled to the NSA’s counter-AI task force as middle management. A much bloodier job than the title would suggest.

Meanwhile the credo of a new religion echoes on the world’s “A great communion is coming. The wicked shall perish. The meek will inherit the earth.”

When a plot to end humankind is uncovered, the world’s fate may end up in Olivia’s hands. But after everything it’s done to her, why would she choose to save it?

Apocalypse Engine, Rusted Synapse Book Two, concludes Vivi/Olivia’s story in a twisting tale of shifting alliances when subjective reality collides inconveniently with concrete truth.

331 pages, Hardcover

Published January 15, 2025

About the author

Elwood Stevens is a software engineer by day and would-be author by night. He also somehow fits in being a dad to two small princesses somewhere in between all the coding and book making.

Since being exiled from the city of his birth by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Elwood was world traveled until a little thing called the COVID pandemic locked down his passport for the better part of two years.

During that time, he harnessed his newfound free time and open social calendar to craft stories that marry existential explorations of what it means to be human to his love of plot twists and kinetic action scenes.

Reviews

[Inked Orca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn’t just a cyberpunk redemption story. Olivia doesn’t want redemption. She wants revenge—on her clone, on the world, on the whole mess of humanity. Too bad humanity keeps dragging her back in. Olivia has to decide if this world is even worth saving. She is jaded and bitter, grappling with her stolen life. She used to be Vivi Rodriguez with a better life and a better future, until she made a deal that stole it all. Now she has to deal with a new mission that opened her eyes to more than she bargained for.



Apocalypse Engine is a gripping and thought-provoking sci-fi thriller that fuses cyberpunk intrigue with philosophical depth. This is the second book in the series. From the opening scene, the novel hooks you with its sharp, sardonic tone and layered protagonist. This book is dark, gritty, and loaded with action. Blade Runner meets Terminator, the world is messy, the tech is terrifying, and the tension keeps you hooked from the first chapter.



Olivia Cordoba (formerly Vivi Rodriguez) is not your typical heroine—she’s bitter, broken, and deeply flawed, yet her struggle with identity and purpose makes her undeniably relatable. She’s not a hero. She’s not even sure she wants to be human anymore. But her fight to figure out who she is and what she stands for makes her unforgettable. As middle management for the NSA’s counter-AI task force, her job is a bloodbath with a fancy title. The backstory of her stolen consciousness and her resentment toward the clone that wasted her “happy future” is both heartbreaking and deeply compelling, setting the emotional stakes high.



The narrative is rich with tension as Olivia navigates the violent and morally ambiguous world of the NSA’s counter-AI task force. The action is fast-paced, but it’s the book’s exploration of larger questions—what it means to be human, the cost of progress, and the morality of AI—that truly shine. The looming threat of a new religion preaching “a great communion” adds an eerie, apocalyptic undertone that keeps you guessing about who—or what—is pulling the strings.

The worldbuilding is immersive and chillingly plausible, blending advanced technology with the fragility of human society. Elwood Stevens masterfully creates a dystopian future where humanity’s survival feels both inevitable and futile, adding to Olivia’s internal conflict as she questions whether the world is worth saving.



Apocalypse Engine is an intense, razor-sharp exploration of identity, revenge, and the fragile balance between humanity and its creations. Fans of cyberpunk, dark humor, and morally complex characters will find themselves enthralled. It’s a story that lingers, challenging you to reflect on the cost of progress and the true meaning of redemption.