In the wake of the Grim Revolts, humanity has turned back the clock, regressing technology, science and culture to prevent another rise of the Machines.

This story follows Jacob, nicknamed "the man of Garish Ribs" for the vivid iconography of his devotion inscribed on his flesh, who lives in the Mangroves of Alexandria.

The world is still gasping in the aftermath of the Grim Revolts—that cataclysmic insurrection where humanity purged its most formidable progeny: the Machines. Now, under the austere vigilance of the New United Nations, governments enforce technological regression to prevent another AI resurgence, leaving societies bound by strict laws, faith orthodoxies, and surveillance.

Amid this backdrop, Jacob—bookish, sensual, and faithful to old Egyptian gods—crosses paths with Kinondo, a Brazilian football star who mysteriously vanished during the 2110 World Cup. Kinondo has been framed in a scandal involving drugs, forbidden acts, and blasphemy, making him a hunted fugitive.

Their meeting by the swamp sets off an intimate and dangerous journey, where Jacob offers sanctuary to Kinondo and navigates the crocodile-infested canals of the swamp, divine omens, and legacies from recent history, while Kinondo wrestles with betrayal, shame, and the loss of his public life.
The book explores queer desire under repression, the fragility of human life, and the tension between faith, technology, and nature. It is a lush tale where romance takes flight against a dystopian canvas of ecological transformation, authoritarian faith, and lingering trauma from humanity's war with AI.

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