The Family Experiment
The Goodreads Choice Award 2024 runner up, The Family Experiment is a dark and twisted speculative thriller set in the same universe as John Marrs's bestselling novel The One and The Marriage Act, about the ultimate "tamagotchi"—a virtual baby.
Some families are virtually perfect…
The world's population is soaring, creating overcrowded cities and an economic crisis. And in the UK, the breaking point has arrived. A growing number of people can no longer afford to start families, let alone raise them.
But for those desperate to experience parenthood, there is an alternative. For a monthly subscription fee, clients can create a virtual child from scratch who they can access via the metaverse and a VR headset. To launch this new initiative, the company behind Virtual Children has created a reality TV show called The Substitute. It will follow ten couples as they raise a virtual child from birth to the age of eighteen but in a condensed nine-month time period. The prize: the right to keep their virtual child, or risk it all for the chance of a real baby…
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John Marrs
John Marrs is the British author whose books grip readers by the throat and never let go. Known for his psychological thrillers and speculative fiction, he explores the unpredictable intersection of technology, ethics, and the human psyche. His narratives are populated by flawed characters navigating the dangerous waters of modern life, with the technology meant to serve us often becoming our greatest adversary.
Before finding his voice as a novelist, Marrs spent over two decades as a freelance journalist, writing for prominent publications like The Guardian, Empire, and HuffPost. This experience in storytelling—where every word counts and every detail matters—shaped his tight, suspenseful prose that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. His debut novel, When You Disappeared (originally The Wronged Sons), laid the foundation for his later work, setting the stage for the twist-filled narratives that have become his signature.
Dark Future
Dark Future consists of three books. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
