A Working Utopia?

In a near-future England, fractured into three nations and ravaged by climate floods, Naomi, a fiercely determined activist, and Beth, her courageous partner, fight for a better world. Their love deepens as they take on Kai, the ruthless leader of the tech-elite Narcissists, whose experiments on children and government-controlling technology threaten to reshape humanity itself.

 As part of the activist group Resist and Regain, Beth and Naomi battle to subvert Kai’s ambitions and create a more equal and transparent world. But as the stakes rise, Beth must face a harrowing choice: should she try to dismantle Kai’s regime at the cost of her family’s safety—and their future?

Housmans is delighted to launch Stephen Oram’s sci-fi thriller We Are Not Anonymous with a probing conversation exploring some of its major themes between Oram and Eva Pascoe, co-chair of CyberSalon.

We will never agree what utopia looks like; a utopia for some is a dystopia for others. Should we simply forget our attempts to define what utopia looks like? Should we, instead, agree on how we organise ourselves and make our decisions; our continuous process of becoming?

With the rise of the tech oligarchs and their algorithms dividing us, how do we resist? Their rapid development of technology is unlikely to slow down, but can we use it for communal benefit?

We Are Not Anonymous is an accessible sci-fi thriller rooted in today’s concerns about AI, billionaire tech barons, climate change, politics and government, personal rights, data ownership and police militarization. But it’s also an inspiring story about the power of activism, community and the resourcefulness of humanity.

“Stephen Oram combines gripping storytelling with scientific literacy and original SF. Instead of rearranging tropes he comes up with new ideas.” Geoff Ryman, multi-award-winning author of HIM.

“Now that we’ve lived into the future that cyberpunk projected, we urgently need to fight our way out. This book imagines and encourages that fight.” Ken MacLeod, multi-award winning author.

“A frighteningly credible near-future dystopia that is as convincing as it is disturbing, We Are Not Anonymous unfolds with cinematic scale and urgency.” Ewan Morrison, award winning author and essayist.

“An intellectually arresting, thought-provoking work of creative futurism that drives our current politics and technology to their magical — and logical — extremes.” Ana Sun, author.

“Stephen Oram combines gripping storytelling with scientific literacy and original SF. Instead of rearranging tropes he comes up with new ideas.” Geoff Ryman, multi-award-winning author of HIM.

“A gripping near future yarn, We Are Not Anonymous is an inspiring story for those who believe that courage can outmatch control.” Eva Pascoe, co-founder of digital futures think tank, Cybersalon.

STEPHEN ORAM writes social science fiction set in the near-future, exploring the intersection of messy humans and imperfect technology. Previously, he has two published novels, three collections of sci-fi shorts and is published in many anthologies, including the award-winning Best of British Science Fiction 2022 (Newcon Press). He also works with scientists and technologists to explore possible outcomes of their research with the public through short stories and has co-edited four anthologies along these lines. Previously, he was the head of policy for post-16 skills strategic development and innovation at the Department for Education.  Stephen is based in the heart of central London and, alongside his experience of living inside and outside of the establishment, he attributes much of the urban grittiness and the optimism about humanity in his writing to the noise, the bustle, and the diverse community of where he lives.

EVA PASCOE is co-chairperson of CyberSalon and has pioneered ecommerce in the UK. She was a co-founder of Cyberia, the first global cybercafé chain and Easynet Internet Service Provider. She has recently co-authored digital retail policy papers on “Re-Imagining the High Street” and a new policy for West End of London in her “Surf and Turf” contribution to a recent publication commissioned by Centre for London and New West End Company. She regularly speaks at key retail industry events run by the Retail Institute and runs a weekly digital innovations blog “The Retail Bytes” at steering the sector through technological challenges. Eva has been at the forefront of the commercialisation of the Internet since the 1990s, contributing significantly to retail practice, public policy, training and education ever since.

As always, tickets are priced on a sliding scale. If you are unable to pay for a ticket please do not hesitate to contact us at shop@housmans.com, and a free ticket will be made available.

If you choose ‘book + event entry’ or ‘special bundle’, your copies of the book will be available to collect on the evening. If you would like to collect it earlier, or arrange for delivery, please contact us (postage is £2.95). Telephone 020 7837 4473 or email shop@housmans.com.

Doors Open at 6:45pm, Event Starts 7:00