The Die

Darah, a tech writer living in the democratic nation of California, is dismayed to see the game she’s helping develop for a Silicon Valley tech company has been tampered with. When her hacker friend Jedd investigates, he uncovers a conspiracy that could change the nation, and the world.

With a circle of close friends, Jedd digs deeper and deeper into the darknet and exposes the unthinkable: an app is being developed that uses quantum computing and neuroscience to alter people’s brains, totally unbeknownst to them. As the friends realize the devastating impact of this technology, they’re presented with a dilemma: stay quiet and stay safe, or risk their lives to stand up to the international authoritarian force behind this plot?

Combining activist, techno-thriller, and metaphysical fiction elements and scaffolded on three realities—the ancient wisdom of the Mahabharata, our current sociopolitical reality, and the near future—The Die is a fast-paced story about friendship, courage, and democracy.

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Praise for The Die

“The Die is activist fiction. It envisions the power of connection and deeply respectful engagement that can be ours if we navigate differences in a way that makes possible a path toward an enlightened future. Fun!”

Joan Blades
Co-founder of MoveOn.org

“Jude Berman’s intelligent reimagining of the Mahabharata set in the chilling near future is a riveting blend of techno-thriller, sociopolitical commentary, and metaphysical fiction. A thought-provoking exploration of the concept of family, the ethical quandaries of advanced technology, and the fragility of democratic values, The Die is a fast-paced read that lingers in the mind long after the final page is turned.”

Veena Rao
Author of The Purple Lotus

“The Die is a fast-paced, fascinating exploration of the dangers of apathy and how to tap into the hero in all of us.”

Meredith Walters
Author of This Animal Body

“The Die takes us into unchartered waters, creating a dystopian vision of our world rife with the dangers of authoritarianism and groupthink in what feels like the not-so-distant future.”

Evette Davis
Author of 48 States and the Dark Horse Trilogy

“Lively, intricate, filled with surprises and plot twists—an engaging read throughout.”

Tim Page
Writer and Pulitzer Prize winning critic

“Jude Berman’s debut novel delivers a chillingly realistic near-future portrayal of technology wunderkinds manipulating our political consciousness in a fractured America. Blink your eyes and we could all be living in this cautionary tale.”

Mike Trigg
Author of Bit Flip and Burner

“Jude’s imagination is both epic and personal in this thriller about technology, the fate of the world, and what we as individuals can do about it.”

Jen Braaksma
Author of Evangeline’s Heaven and Amaranth

“Multilayered and inventive, this near-future cautionary tale poses deep questions about the nature of family, integrity, and activism in the digital age that make you want to keep rereading the news. I couldn’t put it down.”

Sheri T. Joseph
Author of Edge of the Known World

“It pulled me in immediately—and kept defying my expectations and pulling me in further.”

Sarah Towle
Author of Crossing the Line: Finding America in the Borderlands