https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09Z7F81WD
Our Lady of the Artilects looks like an exciting story.
What can you tell us about it?
It’s been called “Catholic cyberpunk,”
sort of a “the Exorcist meets Westworld” kind of story.
It begins with the revelation that some
artilects (androids) have recently experienced what appears to be a somewhat
apocalyptic Marian apparition, similar to the one at Fatima in the early 20th
Century. Authorities hope to dismiss it as a hoax, but then an artilect
belonging to Amari Okpara, the wealthiest man in Africa, shows up at a basilica
claiming to be possessed. The Church
sends Fr. Gabriel Serafian–an exorcist who used to be a neuroscientist–to
Nigeria to investigate.
He pretty quickly finds himself swept up
into a conspiracy of global, and possibly supernatural, scope.
Any
plans to turn it into a series?
Yes, I’m working on the sequel, which will be
titled “The Lucifer Particles.” It will
pick up shortly where OLotA leaves off.
Depending on what happens, there may also be a third book.
How
long did it take you to write Our Lady of
the Artilects?
That’s always such a loaded question! The
short answer is 7 months. The long
answer is “my whole life.”
This is a deeply personal story of faith
and doubt, the intersection of science and belief. I grew up an evangelical
Protestant, studied religion in college, and lost my faith. I found my way back
to it through science and ultimately converted to Roman Catholicism about 10
years ago. I ended up going back to
school for a master’s degree in data science–I’m about halfway through the
program. The book is really a reflection of all those experiences.
What
inspired you when writing Our Lady of the
Artilects?
I’m a huge fan of the writings of Malachi
Martin. He passed away some years ago,
but he wrote some of the most chilling and accurate accounts of actual
exorcisms ever recorded. He was a
towering intellect who also had some unique insights into the organizational
structure of the conciliar Church and what I would call “sacramental history.”
Beyond that, my earliest memories of
reading are of JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis.
Later on, I discovered metaphysical sci fi writers like Frank Herbert,
Philip K Dick, Asimov, and the great Walter Miller, who wrote A Canticle for
Leibowitz–the gold standard for Catholic sci fi.
I’m also a wannabe neuroscientist, and I
think that VS Ramachandran is one of the greatest scientific minds of the last
100 years. That’s saying a lot, given
how far science has progressed in that time! His theories on mirror neuron
evolution and the neuroscience of aesthetics were very influential.
Finally, there is a Sufi Shayk in Canada
named Nur Muhammed who has fascinating ideas on the moral dimension of modern
digital culture. I really enjoy his
YouTube videos.
Can
you tell us a little about Father Gabriel Serafian?
He’s a complicated character, and I hope an
interesting one. He had some
neurological issues as a child, which led him to get “noetic implants” at an
exceptionally young age. He had a brilliant career as an artificial
neuroscientist and coder and was engaged to an astrophysicist. When he and his
fiancee had a miscarriage, he left his old life behind to join the church,
where he found himself apprenticed to an eccentric Irish exorcist. He’s
naturally curious, but he struggles to reconcile his scientific knowledge and
his commitment to God.
How
did you come up with the story in Our
Lady of the Artilects?
It’s been on my mind for quite some time. I’m
interested in the ethical and spiritual issues around transhumanism. As a Roman
Catholic, I think transhumanism will be the single greatest challenge to St.
Pope John Paul II’s theology of the body in the second half of the 21st
century. So many moral arguments are rooted in the idea that human nature is
immutable. Transhumanism strikes at the very heart of that, and it will require
a vigorous response from not only Catholics but Muslims, Protestants, Hindus,
Buddhists, and ethical humanists alike.
Did
anything stick out as particularly challenging when writing Our Lady of the Artilects?
I
wanted above all to write a book that honestly dealt with questions about faith
and science, and what it means to be a human in the digital age. I have a point
of view, of course, but I wanted to do justice to all of the arguments. There’s
nothing worse than a preachy book!
What
do you like to do when not writing?
I
work in digital marketing, so that keeps me pretty busy. When I’m not working, I’m with my wife Cheryl
and my two young boys Finn and Rowan. I
really should find a hobby.
Where
can readers find out more about your work?
The book is available on Amazon at the
following link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09Z7F81WD
I also have a website at www.andrewgillsmith.com