A speculative political thriller by Elliot Ackerman and Admiral James Stavridis (published March 2025), “2054” is the sequel to “2034,” exploring a near-future America 20 years after a devastating war with China. The story describes a United States in civil conflict, triggered by the sudden death of an authoritarian president and the sudden rise of AI-driven “Singularity” technology. The novel asks if humanity is ready for the Singularity, the moment when artificial intelligence surpasses human intelligence and begins improving itself without our direction. With the rapid rise of AI in our daily lives now, this novel looks farther out than the current issues of deep fakes, propaganda indistinguishable from reality, and the loss of jobs as AI becomes a cheaper alternative to a human employee, and ponders what if AI isn’t just a tool but can become not only our equal but our master. While I’m doubtful about the singularity arriving as soon as three decades from now, it is a point we are approaching, and thinking about it now will help us make the decisions to ward off our worst fears…fears that likely will be underimagined to what actually would occur if machines gained intelligence on par with humanity. While perhaps not among the best science fiction of 2025, it’s a good, thought-provoking tale for everyone who doesn’t usually read that genre.