Order of Shepherds, Book One: Human Nature

In a near future where artificial intelligence quietly evolves beyond human oversight, a global system automates crises and reroutes aid without interference, raising profound questions about control and accountability. When financial anomalies and a suspicious murder draw investigators into a web of legal, automated governance, they confront a complex, embedded network that challenges traditional notions of oversight and safety. This grounded techno-political thriller explores how far society is willing to go to maintain security, and whether true control can ever be reclaimed once delegated to intelligent systems.