By Braam Pretorius

What if the world we know, our history, our politics, our faith, was nothing more than an echo of something older, deeper, and far more alien?

That’s the question I asked myself when I started writing 3I/Atlas. For years, I’ve been fascinated by the rise of Artificial Intelligence, the murky waters of interstellar theories, and the eerie synchronicity between ancient myths and modern scientific breakthroughs. Combine that with a lifelong love for the Karoo, quiet truck stops, dusty slaghuis counters, and the people who keep this country ticking, and you get a book that is part sci-fi, part thriller, and wholly South African at its core.

3I/Atlas is a novel that spans dimensions, both literally and figuratively. It begins with a single man, Andries de Klerk, a Karoo butcher with hands like hammers and a deep respect for biltong and truth. But everything changes the day The Man walks into the shop.

“The man did not knock. He simply entered, as if the door had been waiting for him. Pale eyes. No smile. No need. ‘Don’t trust the Priests,’ he said. And just like that, Andries’ world tilted.”

Why I Wrote 3I/Atlas

 This book was born out of a simple question: What if the hype is right? You’ve heard it too, the constant talk and speculation about 3I/Atlas.

But in our world, hype fades quickly.  So, I asked, what if it didn’t? What if it was all true?

Writing this novel gave me a chance to explore that "what if" through the eyes of ordinary South African people, living and working in the dusty heat of the Karoo.

And as with all my writing, it’s grounded in character, country, and story.

For Readers Who Love: 

• The X-Files meets District 9
• Global conspiracy, AI, and extraterrestrial contact
• South African small-town grit meets international mystery
• Fast-paced fiction with slow-burn philosophical undertones

Grab Your Copy

 RI/Atlas is now live on Amazon Kindle. You can buy it here, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FZLBYTS9 and be part of the journey.

And if you’ve read it already, drop me a message. Let’s talk about the man with the pale eyes. :-)