2024 Readers' Favorite Book Awards Gold Medal Winner in Fiction – Visionary

“An imaginative tale alive with captivating ideas.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“This book is a page-turner, and the suspense kept me on the edge of my seat. . . . masterfully written . . .”
—Readers’ Favorite, 5 stars

“The Die is activist fiction. It envisions the power of connection and deeply respectful engagement that can be ours if we navigate differences in a way that makes possible a path toward an enlightened future. Fun!”
—Joan Blades, cofounder of MoveOn.org

“Lively, intricate, filled with surprises and plot twists—an engaging read throughout.”
—Tim Page, writer and Pulitzer Prize–winning critic

“Jude Berman’s intelligent reimagining of the Mahabharata set in the chilling near future is a riveting blend of techno-thriller, sociopolitical commentary, and metaphysical fiction. A thought-provoking exploration of the concept of family, the ethical quandaries of advanced technology, and the fragility of democratic values, The Die is a fast-paced read that lingers in the mind long after the final page is turned.”
—Veena Rao, author of The Purple Lotus

“Jude Berman’s debut novel delivers a chillingly realistic near-future portrayal of technology wunderkinds manipulating our political consciousness in a fractured America. Blink your eyes and we could all be living in this cautionary tale.”
—Mike Trigg, author of Bit Flip and Burner

“Multilayered and inventive, this near-future cautionary tale poses deep questions about the nature of family, integrity, and activism in the digital age that make you want to keep rereading the news. I couldn’t put it down.”
—Sheri T. Joseph, author of Edge of the Known World

“Jude’s imagination is both epic and personal in this thriller about technology, the fate of the world, and what we as individuals can do about it.”
—Jen Braaksma, author of Evangeline’s Heaven and Amaranth

“The Die is a fast-paced, fascinating exploration of the dangers of apathy and how to tap into the hero in all of us.”
—Meredith Walters, author of This Animal Body

“It pulled me in immediately—and kept defying my expectations and pulling me in further.”
—Sarah Towle, author of Crossing the Line: Finding America in the Borderlands

“The Die takes us into uncharted waters, creating a dystopian vision of our world rife with the dangers of authoritarianism and groupthink in what feels like the not-so-distant future.”
—Evette Davis, author of 48 States and the Dark Horse Trilogy

“Jude Berman expertly juxtaposes a dystopian world of dictatorship and deceit with a millennia-old story. In this cautionary tale about what can happen when democracy is taken for granted, she contrasts themes of fear, oppression, and passivity with those of hope, community, and action. I strongly recommend this fascinating read.”
—Susan Weissbach Friedman, author of Klara's Truth