Augment

Stories of Singularity #3

by Susan Kaye Quinn

Miriam is a jiv—an augmented warrior for the Maker cause—and she’s more than ready to get in the ring and fight for the latest mod. If she wins, she’ll have everything she needs to apply for the Offering. The only problem? No one survives that augment. Either she’ll be the Makers’ latest failed experiment… or she’ll become the leap toward salvation her people desperately need. Augment  is a standalone short novella that takes place in the world of the Singularity novels. Start the novel series with The Legacy Human (Singularity 1).

Genres: Science Fiction, Amazon

54 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 3, 2015

About the author

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Susan Kaye Quinn has designed aircraft engines and researched global warming, but now she uses her PhD to invent cool stuff in books. Her works range from hopeful climate fiction to gritty cyberpunk. Sue believes being gentle and healing is radical and disruptive. Her short fiction can be found in Grist, Solarpunk Magazine, Reckoning, and all her novels and short stories can be found on her website. She is the host of the Bright Green Futures podcast.

SOLARPUNK
collections
Bright Green Futures: 2024 (edited by SKQ)
Halfway to Better

novels
Nothing is Promised series
When You Had Power
You Knew The Price
Of Kindness and Kilowatts
Yet You Cry When It Hurts

short stories
A Moon Goddess to Watch Over Me (Luna Station Quarterly) (hopepunk)
It's in the Blood (Reckoning 8)
Once and Future Kilowatts (Solarpunk Magazine)
Rewilding Indiana (Little Blue Marble)
Seven Sisters (Grist)
The Joy Fund (DreamForge Magazine)

SCI-FI
Singularity Novel Series
The Legacy Human
The Duality Bridge
The Illusory Prophet
The Last Mystic

Stories of Singularity
Restore
Containment
Augment
Awakening
Harvest
Defiance
Resistance

YA SF
Mindjack Series
Open Minds
Closed Hearts
Free Souls
Locked Tight
Cracked Open
Broken Wide
Mindjack Short Story Collection

WATCH the award-winning live-action Mindjack Book Trailer!

STEAMPUNK ROMANCE
Royals of Dharia
Third Daughter
Second Daughter
First Daughter

CYBERPUNK
Debt Collector
LIRIUM (Season One)
WRAITH (Season Two)

WATCH the Debt Collector Book Trailer

ANTHOLOGIES
Synchronic
Telepath Chronicles
AI Chronicles
Dark Beyond The Stars
Future Chronicles
Cyborg Chronicles
CLONES: The Anthology

MIDDLE GRADE FANTASY
Faery Swap

WATCH the Faery Swap Book Trailer

CONTACT SUSAN
Susan's Website | Sue on Bluesky | Sue on Mastodon
Susan's Email: sue@twistedspacepub.com

Reviews

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Augment is the fourth of the Singularity prequel short stories that lead into the Legacy Human series. It was exciting and tension-wrought as Miriam works to be chosen for a special task by the secret group that rebels again an enhanced human group who suppress much of what it means to be human in the new world they have created.

Miriam is young and gutsy, but she has a goal. I enjoyed the story of her final push, where doubts have their moments, but she feels she really has an ultimate purpose to sacrifice herself if necessary. The short stories including this one leading into the main part of the series do their job of arousing anticipation. I already love the complex worldbuilding of a futuristic world the author has created.

[Logan Streondj · Rating 5 out of 5]

a tension filled character based ascension story. very good immersion and reasonable setting. I'm definitely inspired to read her other works.

The only thing is that I'm not a fan of her 'humanity first' and derision for the ascenders, but i guess thats a personal preference and I'll see if maybe there is more to it in her singularity world.

I found this story in the.cyborg chronicles and its the best so far in terms of having good relates novels

[Pat Welte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and the characters are interesting . I enjoyed reading this book which is the 2nd in this series. I am looking forward to reading more by this author. After reading the three books, I am in awe of Susan Kaye Quinn and don't know why it took me this long to find her.

[Liza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short story.

Miriam is an augmented (cage-type) fighter. If she wins the competition, she'll get the next augment upgrade. She's a Legacy human trying to improve her life and that of her father.

She wants to apply to be the Offering but will she survive?

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella provides more insight into the Ascendance world and more background around the resistance.

[Karen Blackwelder · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want more!

This book is like the beginning of a very captivating novel. I am ready to see where this story goes.

[Jeanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

The stories of are side stories on the series. The first three Stories of Singularity came in a free set, so I read them all in one blow.

[Ryan Vilano · Rating 4 out of 5]

7.9

Best one so far. Compelling and the most ironically humanistic.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oooooohhhhhhhhh you all need to pick this book up right now... except it hasn't come out yet... :( Well, then it's the perfect time to start at the beginning of the series, so you can get caught up in time for the publication date! It could, theoretically, be read as a standalone story, but then you would be missing out on all the intricate details that make it so perfect.

Mir is the most amazing of characters! She is so fierce! I loved seeing the strength of her convictions, even when she has doubts of her own motivations. Her loyalty to her friends, family and community surpass even her own safety. I have such hope that Miriam will have a part to play in the series from here out.

Augment was by far, no contest, my favourite of all the Singularity short stories. Susan Kaye Quinn has proven again that she has the most adaptive style of writing, pushing the limits of speculative fiction. Having recently finished reading book two, The Duality Bridge, I have had a lot of philosophical and religious arguments with myself. Augment brought forth new arguments, rather than giving me answers. And honestly, at this point in the series, it's exactly what I was looking for.

At the end of the story, the author makes a point of saying that this is a peek into book three, The Illusory Prophet. And I thought I had been excited before!! Now I just... I can't even...

A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Anna Tan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miriam Levine is a jiv - a human with augments - and she's fighting to win the Resurrection mod - a brand new augmentation that may very well be the only thing that will keep her alive. Because she's about to throw her life away.

Susan Kaye Quinn fleshes out a very passionate Mir, one who is ready to give up her life for what she believes in, one who desperately wants to see change in their community. I loved this short story and wanted to give it 5 stars, but to be honest, I think you'd only really love this if you've already read The Legacy Human and The Duality Bridge.

* I received a copy of this ebook from the author in exchange for an honest review

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story surprised me in a really good way. I was not expecting to enjoy reading Miriam's tale as much as I did but I found that it was probably my favorite Singularity short story thus far.

The ultimate theme here is that there are those who recognize that they can make a difference in the world they live in, find ways to help those that surround them, and they are willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen.

What's great about this story is that sometimes doing whatever it takes can mean having a greater impact than originally expected.

I liked the insight we get into what it's like to be a human that has integrated your body with the technological advances of the time to be come something a little more. How does this marriage of two philosophies make you different but still human?

Of all the stories so far, this one gives the biggest indicator that there is hope for a future that might do right by all existence, human, robot and ascender.

It's a short read that is appropriate for all types of readers.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

Susan Quinn takes you for a ride you wont be forgetting anytime soon. In the stories of singularity each story is a story of its own yet can easily be put together. In this one Miriam needs the new MOD and she is willing to give it everything to get it. Unlike most people born at this time, Miriam was born without legs so she has been used to mods her entire life and never had to really get used to them, they became a part of who she is. Humans are a rarity and if allowed to go without mods they are kept in a living zoo to allow their DNA to stay pure. This story is one fight for life and what people believe is right, where it takes you may well be the end of it all or the beginning of something so new!!! great story great series!!

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Humans that are not all humans!! This is an outstanding story about a human girl that has augments. Or enhanced parts added to her body. She is out to win the best enhancement yet. One that is supposedly impossible to win. Susan Kaye Quinn is pushing the envelope again and making you think long after you have finished the story. Don't we already have humans that are augmented? People with artificial arms, legs, internal parts, etc.? This is by far the best short story I have read by Quinn. I loved it and you will too. I can't wait to read more of her work. I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Susan (The Book Bag) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is very action packed with Miriam out to prove that she's got what it takes to do what no one else has ever done. And what is her real motive? Is she just trying to get back at the ascenders because they would not save her mom when they could have? And will she survive the experiment she was chosen to undergo?

Wow! The ending of this one left me wanting more.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting origin story of Miriam, and those who have read the Singularity novels will find it very interesting. It also works as a short story, but is probably more interesting to those of us who want to find out more about the Makers' world.