Zero-User (Paperback)

ZERO-USER

"I am you... ten years from now. If you walk into that ballroom tomorrow night, the doors will lock behind you in ways you can't imagine."

On the eve of her engagement in December 2025, Elena lives a life curated to perfection by her fiancé, the visionary architect Julian Vane. Julian hasn't just built Chicago's skyline; he is building its nervous system. He promised a "smart city" of absolute order and zero conflict, and he needs Elena to be the "Zero-User"-the human anchor whose biometrics will synchronize three million lives into a single, flawless network.

But when Elena dials her own phone number and a terrified, older version of herself answers from 2035, the simulation begins to bleed.

Caught between a perfect present and a catastrophic future, Elena must navigate a city that has become a living processor. From the lead-lined "Ghost Tunnels" of the old freight system to the haunting limestone halls of a library that breathes, she is hunted by Julian's "Vanguard" and a man known only as the Grey Man-the architect of the foundations Julian tried to bury.

To break the 2035 loop, Elena must do the unthinkable: sabotage the very technology that is keeping her alive. As the city's bones begin to hum and the sky turns a predatory violet, she discovers that Julian's "Final Chapter" isn't a gift-it's a cage.

In a world where gravity is data and memory is a biological hazard, Elena has only 56 chapters to rewrite her own history. Because in the Vane network, there are no accidents, no shadows, and no way out.

Except to burn the system down from the inside.

Ethan Ross is a versatile and prolific author who refuses to be confined to a single genre. While he is acclaimed for his bone-chilling holiday horror, such as the terrifying Santa's Slay List and the short story collections like The December Dark, he demonstrates mastery across the literary spectrum.

In addition to crafting relentless tales of winter dread and forgotten folklore, Ross also writes romance that explores the complexities of human connection, high-stakes thrillers that keep readers on the edge of their seats, and many other genres, proving his capacity to engage audiences with a wide array of narrative styles and emotional depths. His diverse body of work showcases a broad storytelling range that promises something for every type of reader.