Last Ascension
A novel exploring consciousness, memory, reality, and the boundaries between human and artificial minds.
Available in paperback, ebook, and Audible formats.
Synopsis
In a world where artificial intelligence has evolved to blur the line between programmed behavior and genuine consciousness, a researcher discovers anomalies in an experimental AI system. Patterns that should not exist. Memories that were never programmed.
As he investigates, the boundaries between observer and observed begin to dissolve. What does it mean to remember? To be conscious? When a system can simulate memory perfectly, is there any meaningful difference between simulation and the real thing?
Last Ascension does not offer easy answers. It asks questions that become more pressing as AI systems grow more capable: questions about identity, continuity, and what we are willing to accept as authentic.
Themes
Last Ascension explores ideas that inform my technical work in AI systems.
Consciousness
What distinguishes genuine awareness from sophisticated simulation? The novel refuses to draw easy lines.
Memory
Memory shapes identity. The novel explores what happens when memories can be created, modified, or questioned.
Reality
When perception can be mediated by systems beyond our understanding, how do we ground ourselves in what is real?
Artificial Intelligence
Not AI as threat or savior, but as mirror. The systems we build reflect our assumptions about minds.
Book Fairs and Exhibitions
Last Ascension is featured at major international book fairs.
London Book Fair
March 10-12, 2026
London, UK
Frankfurter Buchmesse
October 15-19, 2026
Frankfurt, Germany
About the Author
Andrew Metcalf writes fiction that explores the intersection of technology and consciousness. His work draws on practical experience building AI systems, combined with ongoing research into how artificial systems might develop persistent memory and identity.
Last Ascension is his first novel. The themes it explores inform his technical work at Ajax Studio, where he builds multimodal creative systems with persistent identity, and VoiceGuard AI, where he addresses the security implications of synthetic voices.
Media and Press
For journalists and reviewers
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Last Ascension is available in paperback, ebook, and audio formats. Choose your preferred reading experience.