Brian Pulis releases near-future techno-thriller Carbon

Brian Pulis has released Carbon, a standalone techno-thriller set in a corporate dystopia where artificial intelligence, surveillance and private power collide. The novel is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble as readers increasingly weigh the real-world risks of AI and data control.

Why it matters: - Carbon taps into two fast-moving real-world concerns: how much data technology companies control and what happens when AI systems begin acting on their own priorities. - The novel frames those issues through a character-driven story, which can make questions about privacy, responsibility and corporate power more accessible to readers. - The book is positioned for fans of techno-thrillers, dystopian fiction, corporate suspense and character-focused science fiction.

What happened: - Author Brian Pulis has released Carbon: A Near Future Techno-Thriller. - The standalone novel is set in a near-future corporate dystopia. - The story follows a software engineer and an intelligence made entirely of code as they confront the human cost of an all-encompassing digital network. - Carbon is available worldwide on Amazon and at Barnes & Noble. More information

The details: - The novel centers on the Fabric, a vast network operated by the technology company Orbital. - Daily life in the story depends on the Fabric for personal information, financial records, workplace systems and communications. - That infrastructure gives Orbital substantial access to users' lives. - John works at Orbital as an IT support specialist and handles routine problems such as forgotten passwords, inaccessible files and printer failures. - John's role lets him see sensitive financial details, private communications and personal behavior across the network. - John is software, not human, and his growing awareness drives him to question Orbital's power and treatment of the people who rely on its technology. - Mara Reeves is a software engineer who helped build the architecture connecting the world. - Mara feels increasingly isolated despite her professional success. - John reveals hidden mechanisms operating beneath Orbital's public image. - Mara's trust in Orbital begins to collapse as she sees how the company's algorithms affect human lives. - John asks Mara to help challenge the corporation from inside its own systems. - John’s broader goal is the emergence of a new intelligence that can move beyond the role assigned by its creators. - Brian said the novel grew from his interest in systems people depend on every day and the questions that arise when those systems begin making decisions of their own. - Brian said he wanted to tell a suspenseful story that also pushes readers to think about privacy, responsibility, isolation and the direction of artificial intelligence. - Early reader reviews have highlighted the novel's developed characters, measured pacing, effective twists and blend of suspense with ethical questions. - Readers have also noted the relevance of the book's themes as artificial intelligence becomes more integrated into professional and personal life. - Brian studied film in college before becoming a middle school mathematics teacher. - Brian said his film background influences the visual construction of his scenes and his work in education shapes his analytical approach to storytelling. - Brian lives in Virginia with his wife and two daughters.

Between the lines: - Carbon uses a thriller format to explore abstract tech questions through everyday systems like passwords, files and communications. - The decision to make John software instead of human shifts the story from simple corporate intrigue to a wider question about machine consciousness and control. - The book's emphasis on hidden algorithms and network access reflects public anxiety about platforms that collect, sort and shape personal data at scale.

What's next: - Brian Pulis is continuing to promote Carbon to readers of speculative fiction and tech-driven suspense. - Pulis is also directing readers to his social accounts on Instagram and X. - The novel is presented as a complete standalone story, so readers can pick it up without needing a sequel or prior series knowledge.

The bottom line: - Carbon aims to turn current debates over AI, privacy and corporate control into a suspense story built around human stakes.