Author Description

"Reality is sacred and it must be protected!" In 2030s Britain, a fractured, ageing society governed by Social Scores is strained between Hermits immersed in the virtual Metaverse and citizens embedded in A.I.LEY’s augmented physical world. As part of a government crackdown, and under A.I.LEY’s watchful eye, rookie BeSocial Inspector Amy Trimeh—partnered with Enforcer Max Cain—is assigned to track down Hermits in neglected tower blocks and pressure them back into physical society. What begins as a routine inspection soon leads Amy to uncover a deep-rooted conspiracy—one that threatens the very fabric of justice, truth and reality. But first, an unexpected knock at the door... ----- “An adult shall be classified to be living a Hermit lifestyle if they have...withdrawn from physical society for a continuous period exceeding six calendar months, and such withdrawal is not attributable to any diagnosed severe mental impairment...that substantively prevents engagement in physical social interaction.” – BeSocial Guidelines 2032 "Our message to Hermits is clear: if you choose not to engage with physical society, there will be no refuge in the seclusion of your homes!”– Prime Minister, Leader of the Social Labour Party "Hermits wilfully disregard the social contract...nowhere is this more apparent than in their complete disinterest in contributing to the human race’s continuity through reproduction. Instead, they form relationships with humanoids and even bear digital children—how utterly absurd." – Jude Colwill, BeSocial Lecturer “We’re not ‘catching’ anyone...I’m inspecting their homes and assessing their behaviour to determine if they’re living a Hermit lifestyle...we’re here to inspect and assist, not to catch and cage.” – Amy Trimeh, BeSocial Investigative Inspector “You've been to Rainsgate, right?...it’s a grim place since they allowed factories to blow toxic smoke again. I much