The Coin Giver

M.M. Buckner

Mar 2012 · Hachette UK

About this ebook

In the 23rd century, the Earth's surface is devastated by global warming, and corporations exploit billions of poverty-stricken employees whose lifetime contracts they own? Richter Jedes, the rich powerful CEO of ZahlenBank, wants to live forever - so he makes two copies of himself. One is an evolved Artificial Intelligence imprinted with his personality. The other is a perfect clone named Dominic, whom he raises as his son. When Richter suddenly dies, his son Dominic is left to deal with a terrible crisis which threatens ZahlenBank. And though Dominic loathes the egotistical A.I. masquerading as his father, they need each other's help to save the bank. Which of them is the true copy, and which is fake? Do they have free will, or are their destinies programmed in their source code? And, most important of all, does individual identity still have any meaning?

About the author

Buckner graduated with English Honors from Memphis State University, studied writing at Harvard University, then earned her Masters degree in Creative Writing at Boston University. She has traveled through Europe, New Zealand, Japan and North America, lived in California, Alaska, Maine and Massachusetts, and now resides in Nashville, Tennessee. As marketing vice president for a nationwide financial firm, her commercial writing earned numerous professional awards, including two Diamond Addies. She is currently a freelance writer, environmental activist, and whitewater kayaker. Other publishing credits include short stories, creative nonfiction, magazine features, and content for many Web sites. She authored a major research report for the World Wildlife Fund.