Aliens, monsters, lunatics, and unlikely heroes abound in
Seedlings
, revealing the human condition in its raw glory. Aided by their own self-destructive nature, humans become an endangered species.
In the near future a trio of events shape a perfect storm, altering life on Earth forever. A corrupt agreement with the Mexican bureaucracy gives North America mining rights to an extinct volcano in Tlaxcala, which they claim to use as a radioactive waste storage site. Instead, the greatest technological achievement in the history of man,
Esperanza
, is built inside. Esperanza is a starship designed to carry
seedlings
of the richest 1% to the closest exoplanet.
A small, covert military alien population known as,
The Collective
, are stationed on Earth. For many years they've been waiting patiently for humans to annihilate themselves so that they can use Earth as a staging ground to conquer other (more important) planets. The Collective considers humans as parasitic--cattle to be driven into the slaughterhouse. Earth will make a suitable place for soldiers to take R&R.
A brilliant, unhinged, computer software engineer facilitates the domino effect when he invents a drinkable nanochip, linking users to the Internet with a blink of an eye. The chip is engineered so that, with time, users can't disconnect, resulting in unimaginable horrors. After the damage is done, a few amazing survivors are left to fight against the alien presence.
, is beautifully written, begging the question: Can we overcome our self-indulgent ways to become truly human again?