"I have just finished reading Piranesi for the third time and will buy the book (I received the ebook to review) to have in my library! Yes, that is how much I loved it. Why? Because it is magical and otherworldly. It makes you think about life and it's cycle. The author has written what could have been a rather frightful book into one that is beautifully lyrical, poignant and believable. It reminds us what has come before us in history and gives us an opportunity to experience the good, the bad and the ugly in a way that calls upon our senses. Art reminds us of what was and so it is in this book... I am so glad that I stepped out of my box and read this book. In these most anxious times, my blood pressure was lowered not only once but three times before writing this. Will I read the book again? Everytime I feel fraught with everything, I will escape to The House and it's serenity." - Diane T. (Slingerlands, NY)

"Piranesi is a surreal marvel of a story ... Clarke's novel is full of fabulous imagery and startling revelations and her poetic language and compelling plot make the reader's journey through the story mesmerizing." - Rebecca H. (Bolton, CT)

"This is a novel I will be recommending to my book club, it gave me several hours of true enjoyment and provided escape from my worries as I wondered if Piranesi would ever escape from his world." - Catherine O. (Altavista, VA)

You'd be forgiven if, while reading We Have Been Harmonized, you momentarily mistook it for a modernized reboot of George Orwell's 1984. If it weren't for the intermittent interviews with Chinese executives, since-deleted essays from disappeared academics and quotes from locked up journalists jarring you back to reality, you might be lost in a ludicrous dystopian yarn, bordering on preposterous.

We Have Been Harmonized is the scariest thing I have ever read, far scarier than science fiction. What differentiates this book from nonfiction about past totalitarian regimes is that this is happening -- and globalizing -- right now. After setting this book down, you realize that we are one totalitarian turn away from becoming trapped by our own technological advances. If the Chinese Communist Party gets its way, the systems of repression and control covered in this book will be exported (at a profit, of course) to societies around the world. In fact, many of the technologies discussed already exist in your community. The Chinese Communist Party's goal is not just national harmonization, but hegemonic. Today China; tomorrow the world.

The first app, Study (Xi) Strong Country, uses gamification for propaganda consumption. It had over 100 million users as of 2019. The app is filled with Communist writings and the essays of current leader-for-life, Xi Jinping. It logs how long people read these essays and canons, rewarding them with points. Users can also take comprehension quizzes to earn even more points. Of course, everything done on the app is logged by the state. People know this, so they participate and compete with one another to intake more propaganda and party-based rhetoric. Many of us have faked reading content for a boring class or workshop. However, this is a convenience no Party member can afford. They need to pass quizzes to show their loyalty. They need to have the app open for so long each day to demonstrate they are reading the materials. Eventually, using the app becomes habit and gamification keeps people competing more than they would otherwise.