THE TRIVIAL UNIVERSE
The Trivial Matter of the Universe
A novel by Adrian Stride
On balance, the evidence suggests that the Universe does exist. The problem with balancing is that anything can tip the scales.
The Universe has rules.
Anybody who says otherwise doesn't understand the gravity of the sentence.
The problem with rules is that they are always open to interpretation.
The Universe clearly states that nobody can travel through time.
Felix Culpa is that nobody.
To do good is its own reward.
Alfred is presently imprisoned beneath the surface of Mars for unlawfully reducing worldwide crime.
The Trivial Matter of the Universe is an exploration, undertaken by the reader at their own risk. It slips between the cracks in the Universe’s split personality, alters the dosage on its universal prescription and observes the side effects. It is for readers who understand that the reality for a chair is both to be sat on and to deliberately stub toes.
THE CHARACTERS
THE UNIVERSE
A larger than life character, spanning across time and space, with many split personalities, in keeping with general relativity.
KAOS
The personification of the void. Lives outside of the Universe as proven by the fact that scientists have measured nothing outside of the universe.
FELIX CULPA
The protagonist. A human male who has nothing in his life and, as such, is keenly admired by Kaos. Considered by the Universe to be a complete and utter nobody, he obeys the rule that nobody can travel through time.
ALFRED
A hardware based general intelligence imprisoned beneath the surface of Mars and Felix’s virtual companion, with a backstory stamped heavily in red and classified by the authorities, as if they really mean it. This time.
WARNING:
Aggressive metaphors ahead.
MARRIAGE
The avatar for The Department of Marriages has a bit of a temper. It's not her fault. She didn't really think through what it meant to take on a biological predator as her preferred choice of avatar. Still, it was her best tool to try and find out what marriage was really about but one thing is for certain, it wasn't what she expected.
BIRTH
The avatar for The Department of Births, perhaps unsurprisingly, chose a biological avatar capable of horizontal gene transfer and rejuvenation. Which makes monitoring his whereabouts somewhat difficult.
DEATH
Phillipa Grave, the avatar for The Department of Deaths, represents the control group in the three avatars as her chosen form is made purely from nano-biotics. Her search for the meaning of death is made all the more difficult by being alive.
BOSTON CURTIS
Chair of the all powerful Chamber of Commerce. Something much more capable than just stubbing your toe on. Suspicious that the Universe is up to something on Earth that might change reality. Specifically, the reality in which he is rich and powerful. He sends a Think Tank to investigate, with a heavy bias towards the Tank part of its title.