Hope On Earth
Set in the aftermath of the novel ‘Heaven on Earth,’ ‘Hope on Earth’ unfolds 30 years later, approximately a century from now. It follows the profound impact of Heaven’s decision in the first part to embrace the Anti-Aging Law.
In this world, where aging is no longer a concern, and human lifespans are boundless, we witness the transformative journey of Amal and Omar, Heaven’s children. As society grapples with these extraordinary changes, humanity turns to cutting-edge technology and artificial intelligence to record both their virtuous deeds and transgressions. A virtual realm of heaven and hell emerges, where individuals are judged based on a system of rewards and punishments for their actions. The future has never been more uncertain or thrilling.
For translation rights, contact me directly on fadizaghmout@yahoo.com
Excerpt published in The Best of The Markaz Review
Fadi Zaghmout’s latest novel in Arabic, Hope On Earth, is set in Jordan, in a dystopian world where people no longer die because they can be upgraded to better and more functional forms. Thanks to AI, a person’s essence or “soul” can be transferred from one body to another to preserve it, and so a person’s essence lives forever.
In 2023, some argue that “AI has hacked the operating system of human civilization.” In Zaghmout’s story, the question is, what remains of the original and are you human or machine? In this new world struggling to create legislation, a fanatical religious group has come up with their own principles of punishment and reward based on “ancient religious” doctrines. They target the young, convincing them to surrender their fate to them.
أمل على الأرض
Published: 2023
Publisher: Dar Al Ahleyya
تدور أحداث أمل على الأرض بعد ٣٠ عام من نهاية رواية جنة على الأرض، أي بعد حوالي مئة عام من اليوم، ونتابع في أحداثها أثر القرار الذي اتخذته جنة في نهاية الجزء الأول حين صوتت لصالح قانون منع الشيخوخة.
كيف سيؤثر ذلك على حياة أبنائها، أمل وعُمر؟ وكيف سيتعامل المجتمع مع عالم لم تعد فيه الشيخوخة متاحة، وأصبح فيه طول عُمر الإنسان لا محدود؟ متى سيُحاكم الإنسان على أعماله؟ وكيف سيلجأ، بالاستعانة بالذكاء الاصطناعي والتطور التقني لتسجيل حسنات البشر وسيئاتهم، وخلق نسخة افتراضية عن الجنة والنار لمحاسبتهم على ما اقترفوه من أعمال تحت مبدأ الثواب والعقاب؟
استشراف تبعات التكنولوجيا وجنون الذكاء الإصطناعي
مقال عن رواية أمل على الأرض بقلم نشوى أحمد، نشر في عدد يونيو من مجلة أخبار الأدب.
Selected Reviews from Goodreads
“So, if you want to understand this novel, story… you need at least to read the mother novel which is Heaven on earth to get to know the base of Amal genes, way of thinking and understand Amal’s choices… Amal shows us how to insist and defend what you want and plant the resilience without any fear of society. On the contrary he made all respects him as he is. In this beautiful book, Fadi managed again to deliver the message of: even before hundred of years and/or after hundred years Human being has to be respected as a human regardless of his believes, thoughts, etc. as long as no harm is caused to anyone else. Fadi as usual took me to another place and time where I really live with the character, interfere with them and sometimes wanted to pull them out of the book to kiss or kill depending on the situation 😂. Looking forward more novels and hope all Fadi’s books will be translated so people all over the world could understand and deal with each other respectfully.”
Majida Halaseh
“Fadi’s creativity is on another level. Ranking us to new heights and futuristic world where he weaves the rest of Janna’s story. He was able to introduce new characters that become approachable and you are urged to finish the book to see how far can his creativity takes us.
Fadi is not just a fictional storyteller, he is able to discuss cultural and traditional issues that we face in our dailies lives. You have to stop some times and really evaluate them esp the double standards ones.
A must read!!”
Ash Fahmy
I was anxiously waiting for the release of Hope on Earth and it was worth the wait. Thank you, Fadi Zaghmout, for the beautiful and sophisticated narration. The novel is shocking at times, yet elegant and thought-provoking. It tackles gender identity, tolerance, and freedom of choice – mixing it all with science and medical advancements that explore the possibilities of future life. The story brings everything together in a beautiful way, raising questions about whether eternity for humans is a choice (or not). With AI being the hype in today’s world, Fadi’s novel is timely and spot-on – highly recommended, and I can’t wait for a possible sequel. Be ready to get hooked!”
Ayman Farekh
Fadi Zaghmout 