The Prophecy of the Heron

"An impassioned cautionary tale espousing the potential dangers of artificial intelligence in an increasingly dependent world." – The Independent Book Review

Welcome to District 33, a crime-infested slum in which only the strongest and most savvy can hope to survive.

Kim never set out to be a rebel; all she ever wanted was to settle down with Shan, but the AIs caught them in a flagrant act of unsanctioned intimacy, and now she has been exiled to the dangerous and decrepit outer districts.

Unbowed and defiant, she struggles to survive, even as the dark masters of the AIs scheme to draw her back under their control. She disappears into the shadows and thinks she has escaped—until an unexpected encounter in the parallel world of virtual reality draws her back into the fire.

And sets the stage for an epic confrontation that threatens a new world order.
 

Drawing on images of decaying civilizations, Stanfill creates a dark and forbidding world in which nothing is ever as it seems and the only way to survive is to claim the shadows as your own.

Praise for

"A wonderfully complex and thoroughly immersive book perfect for readers who grew up on dystopian YA. Tight plotting, a rich tapestry of character-centric threads, and nonstop action make this a must-read. Highly recommended." –The Prairies Book Review

"An impassioned cautionary tale espousing the potential dangers of artificial intelligence in an increasingly dependent world. With even pacing and a plot that keeps you guessing, this book ends up both as an enjoyable page turner and a resource that could teach us all a thing or two about artificial intelligence." – The Independent Book Review