Widowed professor John Weber has spent years teaching theoretical physics and searching for meaning in the machinery of the cosmos. When his university grants him access to LENS, a state-of-the-art quantum computer, he sets out to simulate the birth and evolution of an entire universe. For John, it is the opportunity of a lifetime, a chance to watch creation unfold and perhaps unlock the mystery and meaning he’s been searching for.

As the project launches, the simulation exceeds his expectations, providing a front-row seat to the birth of stars, galaxies, and black holes. But when the system data begins to show strange patterns, he discovers a message hidden within the simulation. As John works to understand who, or what, is on the other end of the signal, the boundary between experiment and reality begins to collapse.

As he falls deeper into the puzzle, and with the simulation’s time running out, John must decide how much he is willing to sacrifice for something no one else knows exists.

Persistence is a grounded near-future science fiction novel about creation, discovery, isolation, and consciousness.