Echopraxia

Peter Watts' "Echopraxia" hurls readers into a hyper-evolved 22nd century, a world fragmented by biological and technological singularities. Here, genetically engineered vampires are humanity's intellectual apex, religious fervor fuels scientific breakthroughs, and soldiers possess 'zombie switches' for combat. At the center is Daniel Bruks, a relic of an obsolete past, a field biologist haunted by a past terrorist incident. His quiet refuge in the Oregon desert is shattered when he's involuntarily swept onto the *Crown of Thorns*, a starship hurtling towards the solar system's core. Alongside a volatile crew—a grief-stricken soldier, a vengeful pilot, a vampiric entity, and a band of rapturous monks—Bruks is propelled towards a monumental encounter with the enigmatic 'Angels of the Asteroids.' This perilous journey forces him to grapple with the implications of an evolutionary breakpoint that could redefine consciousness, intelligence, and the very essence of humanity, delivering a visceral and intellectually challenging vision of the future.