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Episode Summary
We explore two speculative fiction novels that challenge our understanding of consciousness, communication and the human condition.
First, we speak with Cary Groner about The Way, a post-pandemic road novel that blends adventure, Buddhist philosophy, and a hopeful vision of the future after our current civilization has been largely swept away.
“It’s not all doom and gloom. Unlike most post-apocalyptic novels, I wanted to show a world where life adapts, and maybe even gets better.” — Cary Groner
Then, we welcome Silvia Park to discuss Luminous, a hauntingly prescient novel about AI, identity, and the blurred line between human and machine.
We build robots to love us—but does that love mean anything if we programmed it? — Silvia Park
Both stories wrestle with profound questions: What does it mean to live ethically in a fractured world? And can technology truly replace—or surpass—our humanity?
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Key Words: Speculative fiction, post-apocalyptic, robots, human-animal communication, consciousness, AI, Buddhist ethics, Cary Groner, Silvia Park, sci fi, The Way novel,
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Synopsis of THE WAY
Set in mid-century 2048 after a devastating pandemic, The Way follows Will, a caretaker of a Buddhist monastery, on a critical mission across a transformed America. With animal companions Peau the Raven and Cassie the Cat, Will navigates a world where the human population has dramatically decreased and nature is reclaiming its space.
Cary Groner Interview: Topics Covered
- The novel’s setting in a post-pandemic America where 80% of the population has vanished
- Why Groner sees the book as post-apocalyptic but not dystopian
- Protagonist’s Buddhist philosophy and ethical dilemmas in a lawless world
- The role of interspecies communication as a sign of healing between humans and nature
- The resurgence of wildlife and the return of extinct species
- The novel as both a warning and a hopeful vision for the future
Synopsis of LUMINOUS
Set in a reunified Korea, Luminous follows a family with a unique dynamic: two human siblings and their robot brother Yo-Yo. The novel explores complex relationships between humans and robots, examining questions of love, memory, and what constitutes consciousness.
Silvia Park Interview: Key Topics
- How AI and robotics shape a reunified Korea post-war
- The role of robots in family structures—caretakers, siblings, even romantic partners
- The central mystery of Yo-Yo, a robot who defies expectations and may possess a soul
- The ethical dilemmas of AI companionship and whether love can be programmed
- Morgan’s struggle with creating a robotic boyfriend who loves her—but is he real?
- Jun’s identity as a transgender war veteran and his struggle with his cybernetic body
- How society’s treatment of robots reflects historical patterns of oppression and dehumanization
- The dark undercurrent of ritualized violence against AI and its parallels to human history
- The philosophical question: If AI surpasses us in intelligence and empathy, what happens next?