The Nebula Award–winning author “continues to dazzle us with brilliance in combining science, romance and adventure.” —Romantic Times MIT professor Megan O’Flannery is one of the world’s leading research scientists on artificial intelligence for androids. Most of her work consists of working with computer simulations, so when the company MindSim gives Megan an opportunity to work with an android, she jumps at the chance. Hidden and secret, an underground compound in the Nevada desert offers Megan a spectacular lab where she can live and work, mostly alone except for robotic assistants—and the android. Although it appears physically indistinguishable from a human man, Megan realizes she has a lot of work ahead if he is ever to think and act like a human, let alone the superspy that MindSim wants him to be. She loosens the controls on his behavior, allowing the android—who soon chooses the name Ander—the freedom of more independent thought. However, when Raj Sundaram, the reclusive genius of robotics, arrives at the compound to work with the android, Ander’s behavior takes a strange turn, causing Megan to distrust Raj. As Ander’s development spins out of control, he throws the project into chaos, going rogue even as he becomes stronger—and more dangerously human. “This novel is clearly science fiction first with a dynamic climax that will stun the unsuspecting audience who will fail to break The Phoenix Code before Ms. Asaro reveals the ending of this keeper.” —Painted Rock Reviews “Cinematic energy and the ease and confidence of a seasoned bestseller.” —SFReviews.net
