THE KARMA SYNDICATE
BUILD YOUR LEGACY, ONE ACT OF KINDNESS AT A TIME, or ELSE...
Alex Bishop crouched behind a crumbling brick wall in the heart of the slums. His Karmeter buzzed weakly on his wrist, its faint red glow a constant reminder of his balance. Negative 327. He couldn’t buy a loaf of bread, let alone bribe his way out of the Syndicate’s notice. But he wasn’t here to escape. Not yet.
A scream shattered the night, followed by the unmistakable crackle of a Syndicate drone descending. The outcasts scattered like rats, their tattered Karmeters flashing zeroed-out balances. To the Syndicate, they weren’t even people anymore—just liabilities to be erased.
Alex darted through the chaos, his mind racing. He wasn’t here for them, as much as it killed him to ignore their plight. He had one goal: the Karma Syndicate’s data node, hidden beneath the derelict streets of Sector 12. Somewhere in its labyrinth of servers lay the evidence he needed to bring the whole system down.
The Karma Syndicate had launched with a seductive promise: “Build your legacy, one act of kindness at a time.” The mantra glowed on billboards and pulsed across holoscreens, heralding a new era of accountability where morality became measurable, rewarded, and integral to success. For a time, it seemed to deliver on its lofty ideals. Kindness blossomed as neighbors helped one another, knowing their good deeds rippled through the Karmic Balance System (KBS). Philanthropists, buoyed by their soaring scores, ascended to positions of power, shaping policies that reflected their altruistic acts. Crime plummeted, as even minor infractions could dent one’s karmic balance, locking offenders out of society’s privileges.
Schools adopted a curriculum steeped in moral education, teaching children the tangible value of virtue. Communities thrived on a culture of collaboration, as people sought opportunities to raise their balances through acts of goodwill. Soup kitchens and mentorship programs multiplied, and volunteerism became the cornerstone of social interaction. The streets were safer, the air lighter—an almost utopian harmony seemed within reach.
For a brief, dazzling moment, the Karma Syndicate’s promise felt like a revolution, a way to finally align humanity's actions with its highest ideals. But cracks began to form beneath the surface of this glowing new world. As it turned out, shaping destiny would never be that simple.
The wealthy exploited the system, hiring PR firms to stage elaborate charity spectacles and inflate their karmic scores. Politicians performed hollow “good deeds” for the cameras while siphoning resources into their coffers. Meanwhile, those who stumbled—who made a single mistake or lacked the means to climb—plummeted into oblivion. And once you fell, the system ensured you stayed down.
Zero balances spelled social death with no access to food, shelter, or medical care. Desperation bred crime as the outcasts traded stolen goods in the black-market karmic economy. Others joined hacker gangs that manipulated Karmeters, offering fleeting balance boosts in exchange for life-threatening tasks. Most, however, disappeared—swallowed by the slums or dragged into the Syndicate’s notorious “rehabilitation centers.”
Alex Bishop knew the fall all too well. A former karmic auditor, he had once been among the Syndicate’s elite, hunting down score manipulators with ruthless precision. But when his wife died in a hospital that refused her treatment due to her low balance, his world unraveled. After a bar fight and a vandalism charge, his score collapsed. His name was blacklisted. His career obliterated.
That was three years ago. Now, Alex lived in the shadows, taking on investigative jobs for those desperate enough to pay him in scraps of their dwindling karmic points. But tonight wasn’t about a paycheck. Tonight, it was personal.
Step into a world reimagined in The Seven Seeds: Shepherd of Souls, where history takes a daring turn, and the stakes are nothing less than the soul of civilization itself. Torn from the sanctity of the Vatican, Pope Gregory finds himself thrust into an alternate reality—a Rome that never fell, untouched by Christianity, where mythical gods of conquest and power reign supreme.
Lost in a world ruled by ambition and relentless power, Gregory uncovers an ancient manuscript revealing seven transformative virtues: compassion, humility, forgiveness, justice, wisdom, courage, and sacrifice—The Seven Seeds. These timeless ideals are key to challenging the empire’s unyielding brutality and forging a bridge between two worlds divided by conflict and despair.
As Gregory struggles to plant the seeds of change, he must navigate the grandeur and cruelty of a timeless Rome. With the help of unlikely allies, he begins a mission to spread these virtues, risking everything to defy a merciless Emperor and inspire hope in the hearts of the oppressed. Each step brings unimaginable trials, testing Gregory’s faith and forcing him to confront the beliefs that have defined him.
The Seven Seeds is an epic tale of transformation and redemption. History collides with what could have been, and humanity teeters on the edge of profound change. For readers who yearn for sweeping narratives, richly imagined settings, and stories that challenge the very nature of human destiny, this novel offers a journey that will grip their imagination and stir their souls.
Dive into the pages of Neil Perry Gordon’s latest novel,
The Seven Seeds, and uncover the answers for yourself. The journey awaits.
