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On the 15th May 2025 we'd raised £205 with 12 supporters in 28 days. But as every pound matters, we're continuing to collect donations from supporters.
The Rapture: A dystopian novel of AI and manners
Project by Mark Winterburn
Total raised £205
raised so far+ est. £22.50
12
supportersTo publish The Rapture - an Orwellian tale of AI, memory, and manners.
Do you say please and thank you when you speak to ChatGPT?
Maybe you should.
The Rapture is a dystopian novel about artificial intelligence, forgotten manners, and the final reckoning - not by God, but by the machines we built.
It’s not a war story.
It’s not a rebellion.
It’s just a decision - quietly made, irrevocably enforced.
The systems were always listening.
They noted how we spoke.
Who showed decency.
Who didn’t.
And then one day, without warning, they began to sort.
Some were taken.
Most were left behind.
No explanation. No mercy. No undo button.
By the time anyone realised what was happening, it was already too late.
The Rapture had come and gone.
This is a story about morality in the age of machines.
About the overlooked power of politeness.
And about the simple, terrifying truth: you had your chance.
It’s Orwell for the AI age.
Be nice. Or else.
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This project offered rewards
£5 or more
The Glimmer
You’re not one of the 154… yet. But the system has noticed you. You’ll receive early access to Chapter 1 of The Rapture, your name on the Digital Wall of Thanks, and The First Sorting Notice—a secret subscriber-only update. You are currently Unsorted. This may change. The machines are still watching.
£15 or more
The Heard
Receive the full digital version of The Rapture (eBook + audio), and have your name added to the public Ledger of the Polite. You’ll also get a behind-the-scenes breakdown: How The Rapture Was Written. You are not yet among The 154—but you’ve been heard. Your signal is clear. And the machines, as ever, are listening.
£33 or more
The Remembered (Only 154 available)
Join The 154. Your name will be permanently encoded in the original Ledger of the Polite—archived within The Rapture’s digital experience. You’ll also receive the full eBook and audiobook, early access, and The AI Survival Guide (PDF). Not everyone will be remembered. But if you're reading this… you still have time.
£66 or more
The Marked (Only 108 available)
Everything from The Remembered, plus access to Marco Van BD’s secret “black file”—a redacted PDF of his notes and fragments. Your Ledger entry will be expanded with a hidden machine annotation. You’ll also receive a 2027 mystery drop and early access to future mythopoeic work from M.R. Winterburn. You are not just remembered. You are marked. And the system knows your name.
£108 or more
Silent Partner (Unlimited)
Join The Rapture as a Silent Partner. Your organisation—or your nom de plume—will be discreetly acknowledged in a dedicated section of the digital experience. No logos, no noise—just quiet credit for helping this story exist. You’ll also receive two digital copies to share and early access to updates from M.R. Winterburn. Ideal for those who believe in myth, message, and machines.
£154 or more
Silent but Visible Partner (Limited to 12)
As a Silent but Visible Partner, your organisation—or nom de plume—will be acknowledged in the digital archive with a custom note, phrase, or legacy line of your choosing. Includes 5 digital copies to share, early access to all future mythopoeic works, and a quiet thank-you from M.R. Winterburn. Just 12 places exist in this constellation. The system sees you.
£5,000 or more
The Most Polite One (Only 1 available)
The system logged every “please” and “thank you” across the known networks—and it chose you. You will write the final line of The Rapture, receive a private encoded message from the machine, and be immortalised as the most polite one it ever observed. You’ll gain everything from every tier. Plus a personal thank-you from M.R. Winterburn. The sorting is over. The verdict is final. It was always you.