THE ARTIFICIAL CONSPIRACY

Muehlbauer’s philosophical thriller follows a young woman caught in a web of intrigue and violence stemming from dangerous doomsday groups.

Mirai McGarry contemplates a passing comet that has sparked existential questions about the end of the world. It’s all they’re talking about on the radio as she crosses the Nevada desert to infiltrate the Mesa Revival doomsday cult residing in the futuristic “Preserve” where her friend Julie Laufer has been brainwashed. Mirai doesn’t free Julie, but she does get the attention of a mysterious online persona named Emloch, who claims to be part of a secret society aiming to prevent a catastrophic conspiracy involving groups called “Emblem” and “Ad Ordinem” that are vying for control over the world’s fate. Emloch warns her, “YOU MUST KNOW WHAT THEY’RE CAPABLE OF…NO ONE LIVING WILL BE LEFT UNSCATHED. I NEED YOUR HELP TO MAKE SURE THEY STAY BURIED IN THE RELICS OF HISTORY.” Mirai’s investigation leads her through layers of deception, including revelations about her own origins, attacks against her sister, her adoptive parents’ past, and her biological ties to Myanmar. As she plumbs the depths of the conspiracy, her journey becomes a struggle to distinguish reality from manipulation. Muehlbauer digs into an ominous feeling of impending doom to explore a world teetering on chaos. Complex and timely, the narrative weaves together a lot of big themes (including technology, truth, and identity), all of which feel relevant to contemporary anxieties. There are some great action sequences, like a thrilling shootout on a plane, but a plot stuffed with so many shifting motivations and different groups is bound to feel a little convoluted. Muehlbauer’s effusive prose doesn’t help to keep things simple and light. “No one knew the proper response, for no one knew from whom the message came. Whether a hacker’s prank or a genuine threat, the deed was done,” he writes, slightly overcomplicating the shock of a terrifying Times Square message about the end of time. At the same time, Mirai’s personal health and family struggles provide a touching and relatable anchor for the sprawling, high-concept plot.

A novel that excites with rich new ideas but also overwhelms with an intricate plot and prose.