<p>Sophia has always known something is wrong with the world. The constant hum of the city the predictable patterns of the commuters the unblinking glassy stare of the crowd-it all feels like a flawless automated lie.</p><p>When she discovers that the people around her are not truly alive but preserved templates used by unseen Architects to fuel a vast terrifying simulation her paranoia becomes reality. Driven by the disappearance of a friend Sophia descends into the mechanical Projection Core beneath the city. Now she must choose between maintaining the beautiful protective lie and plunging the world into the Quiet-a metaphysical oblivion the Architects are desperately fighting to contain.</p>