The Hum of the Inefficient
Arthur Penwright’s life runs on a simple principle: maximum efficiency, zero joy. A brilliant but deeply cynical data analyst for the monolithic OmniCorp, he has optimized every facet of his existence, from his nutrient-paste breakfast to his algorithmically-plotted commute. His latest project is the key to his ambition of eliminating costly human error: analyzing the city’s power grid for the impending “Grid 2.0” update. But when he discovers inexplicable, ghost-like anomalies in the data—flickers of energy that look less like errors and more like… sighs—he is drawn into a reality-breaking mystery. The glitches he sought to eliminate are not bugs; they are the soul of a living city, and his company is about to murder it.
