Hey, Chris here
I write science fiction that leans into big questions rather than big battles. I also pen essays about what happens when human nature collides with systems designed to control it. The paid labor portion of my life consists of searching for patterns and problem solving as a software engineer and swarm intelligence researcher.
Recursive Ink is where my intrusive thoughts and speculative fiction exist online. Here you'll find sci-fi short stories, provocative essays, book reviews, and insights on my work you won't find elsewhere—including serialized chapters of my Gothic sci-fi novella Pinstripe Revival.
All my content is free, but if you'd like to support my work and help me keep the lights on (and the cats fed), there's a paid tier if you’re feeling generous. You can also check out some of my books here :)
Here’s a quick breakdown of what you’ll be reading as well as some info on Substack as a platform towards the end:
Short Fiction
My short stories are what I enjoy writing the most. Think corporate dystopia meets body horror, AI consciousness wrestling with obsolescence, and characters trapped in systems that reflect our own algorithmic prison.
Pinstripe Revival
A Gothic sci-fi serial following a boundary technician as he enters the Catamore Reserve, a place where the last unmodified human dynasty lives in isolation from the modern world.. Released bi-weekly (or monthly—I'm still deciding, depending on how deep the madness goes), this novella explores themes and tropes I was excited to bring to my science fiction.
Essays
Technology isn't neutral—it's a reflection of power structures, biases, and the fundamental question of what it means to be human in an increasingly inhuman world. My essays bridge the gap between Silicon Valley's utopian promises and the dystopian reality we're building, one algorithm at a time.
Book Reviews
Reading is how I stay sane in an insane world, and writing about what I read is how I process the flood of ideas constantly reshaping my understanding. These reviews are mostly for me—a way to capture how a book changed my thinking—but I thought you might find them useful (and fun) too.
Writing Updates
Behind-the-scenes glimpses into my novel Local Gods (releasing this Fall), progress on new projects, book promos, giveaways, and the occasional personal insight into the writing life. This is where I pull back the curtain on both the craft and the business of being an indie author with a full-time job in the 21st century.
Low Commitment?
Your time is valuable and your inbox is probably already drowning. I get it. If you want something more casual, feel free to just follow along—you can get a sense of my voice through the notes I share here without committing to the full experience. Sometimes the best relationships start with just watching from a distance.
New to Substack?
Substack at its core is just an email newsletter platform that doesn't suck. You put in your email, hit subscribe, and then pick free or paid. Pretty straightforward. For my publication specifically, you can join a community of readers, writers, and netizens who share your interests in speculative fiction, technology, and philosophy.
Regardless, you can like, comment, and share posts like you would on any other social media site. Sharing actually helps other people find my work, which means I can spend more time writing weird stories and less time figuring out how this algorithm works.
And honestly? If enough of you share my stuff, maybe I'll finally achieve my modest goal of becoming an underground literary sensation with just enough influence to get good restaurant reservations but not so much that I have to worry about paparazzi following me to Trader Joe’s.
Win-win, really.
Stay Updated, Spam-Free
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Supporting my work
I’m the author of Finitude and Beyond, Husk, and Empire in Entropy. My debut novel, Local Gods, is set to release this November; a story of faith, capital, and the allure of power. Feel free to browse my books or if you’v already read some of my work consider leaving a review on Goodreads or Amazon. 🖤
"...Adams spins tales that are both cosmic in scale and intimate in feeling."
-Literary Titan
Why subscribe?
It’s free and you’ve made it this far. 🤷♂️
Thank you for joining this journey! Your support allows me to continue creating and sharing stories, ideas, and reflections on the future.
