BOOK ONE of The Synmen Chronicles A universe ends. A human odyssey begins. Everyone's lives had been perfect, full of wonder and kindness. Every day since the very first day, happiness had dominated sadness, trust had conquered fear. But it hadn't been enough. Seeking more, nearly everyone had gone. Only a few remained. Tomorrow, they'd be gone too. Except Jimee, a young woman who senses everything-the number of birds flying in a flock, the number of dogs barking in a pack, how many raindrops are hitting her skin. She also senses emotions, and that's what bothers her. Something is interfering, making people happy, preventing them from feeling angry, afraid, or sad. She wants to know why. Stevens is a loving father, a great leader, and an unrelenting zealot. He has convinced humanity to join him on the Great Advance, an epic adventure of discovery and enlightenment. But Jimee wasn't going anywhere. Not until she understood the struggle between happy and sad. Then Stevens convinced her she'd learn the answer in the Great Advance. Stevens was right, but Jimee learned one more thing-the Great Advance was a huge mistake. Humanity would soon learn it too. ABOUT THE TRILOGY Doomed by hubris to an existence of fear and hate; hunted by murderous robots of their own making, humanity is on the verge of extermination. The Synmen Chronicles, An Alternate History of Humanity , chronicles the evolution of the human spirit and how it has shaped the universe into what it is today. The history is told through the eyes of five friends who have nothing left except each other, and a shared commitment to save humanity.