Get it on
Absence of Mind
“A disturbing glimpse into the future… with unexpected compassion and suspense.”
– George Wright Padgett, author of Spindown and Cruel Devices
Psychiatric nurse Phoebe Bernhardt loves her youngest brother with all her heart. When he becomes one of the first victims of a bizarre epidemic of paranoia and aggression, Phoebe will stop at nothing to save him. She’ll even work with the strange, antisocial woman who literally crashed into her life.
The stranger, a software engineer named Mila, blames the plague on technology… but she’s hiding something. Is Mila a possible path to a cure – or is she the cause of it all? Or will she just prove to be indifferent to the fates of thousands of people, including Phoebe’s brother?
Searching for the answers will force Phoebe to face her fundamentalist religious family and her own assumptions about who she is – and drive her to the brink of death.
Absence of Mind is a technothriller and the second book by near-future science-fiction author H.C.H. Ritz. If you’ve enjoyed books like Daemon and FreedomTM by Daniel Suarez or Robopocalypse by Daniel H. Wilson, you’ll love this exciting, fast-paced, and compelling story. Start the adventure today!
Praise for Absence of Mind
“This held my attention and I had to hunch over my Kindle as it was charging because I didn’t want to tear my eyes away!”
Anastacia Russell
“The problems and villains are so little different from ones we can already find that the plausibility of the (crazy) problems facing the protagonist are entertaining by themselves as a comment on where we are already. The stronger-together message is a feel-good pick-me-up in the dark world portrayed by the author, and a fun way to end the story. I’ll read more from this author.”
Rick Drake
“Absence of Mind explores the dark side of a technology that will be upon on us in the coming decades.I’m a big Michael Crichton fan, and one thing I enjoy about his books is the way technology concepts are woven into a character story. H.C.H. Ritz masterfully does the same thing here. The characters are compelling, and the not-too-far-fetched future that Ritz has constructed kept me turning the pages.
Long after I finished the book, I was still taking notice of people with their faces buried in a cell phone screen disengaged with the real world around them. Well done, H.C.H. Ritz, well done.”
G. Curtis
“This was an extremely fun read about near future technology gone awry.”
Iggy
“Bought the book for a trip I was taking but, accidentally finished it in a day.”
Amazon Customer
“A compelling insight into the prospects of In Vivo electronics. I love the detailed yet simplified descriptions of the technology. An exciting investigation… A reminder of how we give up privacy on a daily basis to invasive technology. At the same time, it does not vilify technology and points out its benefits. A compelling read.”
A Reader
“How much time do we all spend on the internet? What if the internet were in your head? When your world is defined by a social media bubble, would you even be aware if something went wrong? Ritz explores that question to its extreme potential. The characters are well developed and engaging as they struggle with the implications when the technology they rely on turns dark.”
Wayne Basta
“I found it to be a real page turner and I highly recommend it”
Hein-Pieter van Braam
“This was one of those books that are hard to put down. The characters are likeable and genuine, the pacing is just right and the vision of the future is innovative and believable. Science fiction fans should be happy as well as people interested in where social media may be headed.”
Chris Cambron
“Absence of Mind is a fun, fast paced read. Phoebe and Mila are wonderful, interesting characters and I’d follow them into a sequel (were one to exist, hint hint)”