Description
In a Vienna where perfect order reigns, one princess begins to notice the cracks. Twenty-four-year-old Lysandra von Habsburg-Lorraine has lived her entire life preparing for one destiny: to inherit the throne of a Europe rebuilt from the ashes of democratic collapse. In this new world, an omniscient Algorithm maintains peace by predicting and preventing upheavals before they begin. Neural implants connect every citizen to its benevolent guidance. War is extinct. Suffering is minimized. The noble bloodlines, restored to power after democracy's failure, rule with the Algorithm's perfect wisdom. But on the eve of her ascension, Lysandra receives an anonymous note that makes no sense: "Your grandmother's name was not Thurn." As she prepares for her coronation under the guidance of her beloved mentor Brother Aurelio, small impossibilities begin to surface. Portraits that seem different in morning light. Servants who weep for siblings that don't exist. Pages torn from royal diaries. Documents that show one thing today and another tomorrow. The Algorithm doesn't just predict the future-it shapes it. But as Lysandra investigates deeper into her family's history, she must ask: if the Algorithm can edit records, memories, even genetics itself, then what is real? Who can be trusted? And in a world where stability matters more than truth, how much is she willing to risk to discover who she really is? A haunting exploration of identity, control, and the price of perfect peace, The Algorithm's Song asks whether it's better to live a beautiful lie or die for an ugly truth.
Chapter One
