Destination Void: Prequel to the Pandora Sequence

Destination Void: Prequel to the Pandora Sequence by Frank Herbert is a science fiction novel published by Wordfire Press on October 16, 2012. This edition spans 270 pages and is presented in English. The narrative follows the starship Earthling, which is carrying thousands of hibernating colonists to a new world at Tau Ceti. When the ship’s three Organic Mental Cores, which are disembodied human brains controlling the vessel, malfunction, the crew faces a dire situation as they become stranded beyond the solar system.

In their struggle for survival, an emergency skeleton crew must attempt to create an artificial consciousness within the Earthling’s primary computer. This artificial intelligence could either guide them safely to their destination or pose a catastrophic threat to humanity. The book delves into themes of artificial intelligence and the complexities of human consciousness, setting the stage for the subsequent titles in the Pandora Sequence, which include The Jesus Incident, The Lazarus Effect, and The Ascension Factor.