STORY: The narcissistic president of a country wakes up and finds himself locked up in a makeshift prison cell. Isolated and confused, he reflects on the bizarre event that led to his kidnapping during a press conference.
Using highly advanced digital manipulation and surveillance techniques, he was on the verge of instating a totalitarian regime, wielding supreme power to himself. Now he starts to discover that nothing in his life is as it seems.
What they said
This book is impossible to put down. I was glued to it until the end. Wickedly exciting and profoundly intelligent. There is so much wisdom and knowledge between the lines. This is a must read for anyone in the path of awakening.
Mesmerizing, impossible to stop reading!
Vividly written; the character(s) comes alive and the scenes lured me in.
Crawl into the mindset of the minions surrounding rulers and experience the ‘prison of the mind’ from the inside out. So far the best Thriller indeed! Very well done.I loved this novel, a true page turner with an uplifting ending. Very well structured and it stimulates much thought about digitalization. Bravo!
Wow, that exceeded all my expectations. Great suspense. A real page turner with a surprising ending, very appreciated!
A strong story that keeps you hooked!
This short novel is fun to read, while at the same time excellently showing the ever increasing power of “Big Tech” surveillance. It shows how vulnerable we have become due to our dependence on the internet. This novel will make more people aware about the issues of privacy, censorship and surveillance. A superb mix of entertainment and creating awareness!
Motivation
The Digital Transformation has helped us to advance. It also enabled just a few organizations (just a few individuals) to control all people and to enforce any desired ´reality´. This is nothing sort of digital dictatorship. History taught us the perils of dictatorship: abuse of power, mass surveillance and censorship.
As the digital world seems to become superior to the physical realm, we are on the verge of entering the posthuman era. Now more than ever, it is time to claim your digital sovereignty.
The novel Nothing As It Seems draws a dangerous scenario of the current potential of the technology that we use everyday. Its colorful narrative inspires to make conscious decisions in using digital services.
About the author
My name is Bertil Schaart, activist entrepreneur and author.
Years ago, I had created an external life that was perfectly accepted and lauded by my environment. However, my life and work, like that of everyone else, was all theater play. I was an actor with a script on the stage of my own life. I decided to take radical measures. It was very painful saying goodbye to a very comfortable life that my ego desperately tried to cling onto. I died a little on the inside, but it also brought new life with a new mindset.
I learned that true impact comes from decisions taken from a transcending multidimensional perspective. Such pluriform approach to reality is at odds with the global monoculture that is currently covertly forced upon us.
Due to the rapid digitalization, we are at a critical junction now. A wrong turn could send humanity back into serfdom, a right turn will help us to explore new and forgotten realms. Digital sovereignty is a necessary first step for the latter.
I hold a Master of Science degree of Delft University of Technology and an MBA degree from INSEAD.