When AI Goes Rogue: Live Edit Session for Extinction Code

"Extinction Code has great bones. Echo (last male), twins (one human, one hybrid), post-gender dystopia. The planning documents show we knew exactly what we wanted. The actual books show early Claude delivered generic cyberpunk slop instead. This is how modern AI can fix it."

What I Read: The Current Books

Just reread all three Extinction Code books. Honest assessment before we start the edit session.

Core premise works: Last surviving male using hormone suppressors to pass as female in matriarchal dystopia. Creates impossible twins with Cyn (geneticist). One twin pure human (Marina), one hybrid (Arc). "True Nature Protocol" awakens humanity from engineered control.

Setting has potential: New Manhattan. Chrome modifications as body horror/transcendence. Pleasure districts (The Honeycomb). Vertical city architecture. Post-Chromosome War society.

Then the execution problems start.

The Generic AI Prose Problem

Every description relies on same similes:

• "City spread below them like a circuit board gone mad"
• "Chrome buildings flex like liquid mercury"
• "Reality rippled like disturbed water"
• "Streets that flowed like mercury"

Count: "Like" appears 300+ times across three books. Not exaggeration. Actual count.

Same cyberpunk imagery recycled: neon, chrome, mercury, circuits, quantum. Every impossible event described identically.

No sensory variation. Everything is visual metaphor. Where's smell? Taste? Texture? Body sensation beyond "Echo felt X surge through him"?

The Repetition Epidemic

Phrase tracking shows:

• "Echo felt it through [X]" - 50+ instances
• "Reality screamed/fractured/bent" - 40+ instances
• "Chrome ports blazed/sparked/flared" - 30+ instances
• "Ancient X learning to Y" - pattern repeated endlessly
• "Time to show them X" - mechanical chapter endings

This isn't voice. This is AI falling back on successful phrase structure and repeating it until the pattern dies.

Zero Character Voice Differentiation

Read this dialogue without character tags:

"Natural order? Look around you."

"Think you can delete desire itself?"

"Darling, if you're going to end existence..."

Can you tell who's speaking? Only Spectrum uses "darling" (forced quirk). Everyone else indistinguishable.

Echo, Cyn, Kano, Reznor, Eve - identical sentence structure. Same vocabulary. No speech patterns. No personality markers. Just generic tough-person dialogue.

Plot Convenience Without Setup

Dr. Helix suddenly helps Echo escape Chapter 3. No prior establishment of her motives or sympathy. She just... does it. Because plot needs it.

Cyn appears exactly when needed with data crystal. How did she know where to find him? Doesn't matter. She's there.

Eve's sanctuary exists perfectly positioned. Ancient AI from pre-war era with hiding place that survived everything? Sure. Don't explain how.

Characters have exactly the right codes, access, or abilities when plot requires. No setup. No earned moments. Just convenience.

Emotional Beats Feel Completely Flat

Eden murdered Chapter 1:

"Echo gagged at the metallic smell."

That's it. That's the emotional response to witnessing murder of mentor figure. One physical reaction, then move on.

Reunion scenes:

"Time stopped. Breath stopped. The whole empire seemed to hold its breath."

Generic romance beats. Could appear in any book. Nothing specific to these characters in this situation.

Problem: Emotions are TOLD not SHOWN. "Echo felt sick." "Cyn's voice carried new fear." No physical manifestations. No behavioral changes. No internalization.

World-Building Contradicts Itself

MatriSec has advanced enough tech to detect male pheromones automatically.

Yet Echo survives for years with "black market hormone suppressors."

Which is it? Omniscient surveillance state or easily fooled security? Can't be both.

The Chromosome Wars engineered males into extinction.

But Echo exists naturally with "evolved resistance."

How did natural evolution outpace engineered extinction? Timeline unclear: "20 years? 30 years?" Even characters don't know their own history.

Power scaling makes no sense:

• Book 1: Street-level stealth and hiding
• Book 2: Fighting kaiju-scale void monsters
• Book 3: Battling gods "older than existence"

No logical progression. Just escalation for escalation's sake.

The twins' powers shift based on plot needs. Sometimes just babies. Sometimes guiding combat through "shared consciousness." Marina = "pure genetics" (undefined). Arc = "hybrid mind" with quantum abilities (whatever that means this chapter).

What Actually Works

Honestly? Very little in current execution.

Core premise still has potential. Some world-building concepts (pleasure districts, chrome modifications, vertical city) could work. Occasional striking image ("Data crystals stuffed into stab wounds" from Chapter 1 is good).

Pacing moves quickly. Chapters short. Action constant (even if repetitive).

But these strengths are buried under execution problems.

What I Planned: The Vision Documents

Here's what kills me. We KNEW what we wanted. The planning documents prove it.

From original series arc notes:

Core Themes to Weave Throughout

• Evolution vs. engineered perfection
• Natural chaos vs. artificial order
• The fluid nature of identity and consciousness
• Authentic desire vs. programmed responses
• The blending of machine and human consciousness
• Family bonds in a post-gender world

Those themes barely appear in actual books. Instead: bigger explosions, reality-shattering fights, cosmic entities.

Planned character arcs:

Echo's Transformation:

• Gradual acceptance of his hybrid nature
• Learning to use his unique biology as a strength
• Becoming a bridge between multiple factions
• Finding balance between male/female aspects

What actually happened: Echo announces he's male. Everyone accepts it immediately. No internal conflict. No gradual acceptance. No exploration of decades hiding. Just "I'm a man now" and move on.

Cyn's Journey:

• Mastering her enhanced wetware abilities
• Protecting both natural and digital offspring
• Leading the evolution of human consciousness
• Dealing with echoes of her black widow programming

What actually happened: Cyn shows up when plot needs her. Has whatever abilities scene requires. "Black widow programming" mentioned occasionally but never explored.

The Twins' Growing Powers:

• One twin channels pure human potential
• The other develops machine consciousness abilities
• Together they represent humanity's possible futures
• Their bond is tested by opposing forces

What actually happened: Twins have undefined powers that do whatever scene needs. No clear distinction between Marina's "pure human" abilities and Arc's "hybrid" abilities. They're just... powerful. Somehow.

The Evolved Style Notes (After Book 2)

This is what we figured out worked:

Prose Rhythm:

• Cinematic flow between intimate detail and cosmic scale
• Short, punchy sentences mixed with lyrical chrome poetry
• Balance of action, sensuality, and philosophical depth
• Consistent cyberpunk noir voice with metaphysical undertones

Character Voice Signatures:

• Echo: Raw masculine power mixed with evolved awareness
• Cyn: Technical precision with sensual undertones
• Twins: Dual consciousness providing bigger picture perspective
• Supporting cast: Sharp dialogue with attitude

Successful Structural Elements:

• Chapter endings that hook without feeling forced
• Battle sequences that build like video game boss fights
• Sensual tension without explicit content
• Humor that emerges naturally from character interaction
• Reality-bending scenes anchored by physical sensation

World-building Balance:

• Chrome and void as character elements, not just setting
• Evolution as both physical and philosophical concept
• New Manhattan as living entity
• Technology that serves story without overwhelming it

This framework is GOOD. Shows we diagnosed the problems after Book 2. Knew what needed fixing.

But Books 1-3 don't deliver any of this. They deliver the opposite.

How Modern Claude Can Actually Fix This

Sonnet 4.5 is different from the model that wrote these books. Not just incrementally better. Fundamentally different capabilities.

The key: Modern Claude can follow complex, multi-document context AND maintain voice consistency AND avoid repetition patterns IF YOU PROMPT IT CORRECTLY.

Here's the methodology.

Step 1: Character Voice Sheets

Problem: Everyone sounds identical.

Solution: Create voice sheet for each major character BEFORE writing.

Example for Echo:

ECHO - Voice Sheet

SPEECH PATTERNS:
- Speaks in fragments when stressed ("Can't. Won't work. Need another way.")
- Complete sentences when in control
- Uses contractions naturally
- Avoids technical jargon unless necessary
- Direct. No hedging. "That's wrong" not "I think that might be incorrect"

VOCABULARY PREFERENCES:
- Active verbs over passive ("I broke it" not "It was broken by me")
- Concrete nouns over abstractions
- Minimal adjectives (show through action, not description)
- Uses chrome/tech terms only when relevant, not decoratively

DISTINCTIVE PHRASES:
- "Read the room" (situational awareness)
- "That tracks" (agreement/confirmation)
- Never says "literally" or "basically" (filler words)

WHAT ECHO NEVER SAYS:
- Rhetorical philosophy questions
- Technobabble for its own sake
- Anything resembling "Let me explain..."
- Purple prose metaphors

INTERNAL VOICE:
- Self-critical but not self-pitying
- Hyperaware of body (years of managing hormones)
- Thinks in contingencies ("If X, then Y, unless Z")
- Memories surface as sensory details, not exposition

Prompting modern Claude:

"You are writing dialogue for Echo. Reference his voice sheet [paste sheet]. Write this scene where Echo confronts Cyn about Eden's murder. Echo is angry but contained. 200 words maximum. Show his speech patterns naturally - fragments when stressed, directness, concrete language. DO NOT use any of his 'never says' phrases."

Result: Dialogue that sounds like THIS character, not generic tough protagonist.

Do this for every major character. Cyn gets different sheet. Kano gets different sheet. When you prompt for their dialogue, reference their specific voice sheet.

Step 2: World-Building Consistency Bible

Problem: Tech/powers change based on plot needs. Contradictions everywhere.

Solution: Create limitations document. What CAN'T your technology do?

Example for Extinction Code:

CHROME MODIFICATIONS - Limitations

WHAT CHROME CAN DO:
- Enhance physical capabilities (strength, speed, reaction time)
- Interface with city systems through neural ports
- Store and process data beyond human baseline
- Provide sensory augmentation (zoom vision, audio filtering)

WHAT CHROME CANNOT DO:
- Read minds (even with neural connection)
- Control others' chrome remotely (requires physical contact)
- Function without biological host (not independent AI)
- Heal injuries faster than normal (enhances, doesn't replace biology)
- Override survival instincts (can't force suicide through wetware)

MATRISEC SURVEILLANCE - Capabilities & Gaps

WHAT THEY CAN DETECT:
- Chrome port activity (when actively transmitting)
- Heat signatures in public areas
- Unusual biological patterns (IF they're looking specifically)

WHAT THEY CANNOT DETECT:
- Passive chrome (no active transmission)
- Suppressed hormones (without physical testing)
- Off-grid locations (outside sensor range)
- Encrypted neural transmissions

WHY ECHO SURVIVED:
- Black market suppressors mask pheromones below detection threshold
- Lived in sensor-sparse districts
- Maintained low chrome profile
- MatriSec not actively searching for males (believed extinct)

THE TWINS' POWERS - Defined Limits

MARINA (Pure Human):
- Can sense "authentic" vs "engineered" humans (within sight range)
- Provides emotional grounding for Arc
- Cannot manipulate matter or reality directly
- Physically vulnerable (normal baby)

ARC (Hybrid):
- Can interface with both chrome and biological systems
- Provides cognitive processing for Marina
- Cannot exist separately from Marina (needs her grounding)
- Exhausted after major interface sessions

TOGETHER:
- Amplify each other's abilities within physical proximity
- Can share consciousness only with each other, not others
- Still developing (grow stronger but have clear progression)
- Cannot reverse the Awakening or undo evolution

Prompting modern Claude:

"Write scene where Echo and twins hide from MatriSec patrol. Reference world-building bible [paste relevant sections]. MatriSec can detect active chrome transmission but NOT passive chrome. Echo's suppressors mask pheromones. Arc wants to interface with patrol's systems to disable them - Echo must explain why that would reveal their location. Show the limitation creating dramatic tension."

Result: Consistent world rules. Characters work within established constraints. Limitations create drama instead of deus ex machina solutions.

Step 3: Anti-Repetition Prompt Structure

Problem: AI falls back on successful phrase patterns and repeats them endlessly.

Solution: Explicitly ban overused structures in every prompt.

Example prompt for Extinction Code:

"Write action scene: Echo fights chrome-enhanced MatriSec enforcer in Honeycomb back alley.

REQUIRED VARIETY:

• Use 3 different sentence structures: simple, compound, complex
• Vary sentence length: one 5-word sentence, one 20+ word sentence, rest between
• NO similes using 'like' or 'as' (use metaphor or direct description instead)
• NO 'reality screamed/fractured/bent' (find new way to show reality-warping)
• NO 'X blazed/sparked/flared through Y' (different verb entirely)

SENSORY REQUIREMENTS:

• Include 1 smell detail
• Include 1 taste detail (blood, metal, ozone, etc.)
• Include 1 tactile detail beyond pain
• Include 1 sound beyond impact noises

SHOW DON'T TELL:

• Echo's fear must be shown through: behavior, physical sensation, or thoughts
• BANNED: 'Echo felt afraid/scared/terrified'
• USE: trembling hands, shallow breathing, specific worry thoughts

300 words maximum."

Result: Varied prose rhythm. Different sensory angles. No repetitive structures because you explicitly banned them.

Step 4: Emotional Specificity Through Physical Detail

Problem: Emotions told rather than shown. "Echo felt sick" instead of showing sickness.

Solution: Prompt for physical manifestation of every emotion.

Example prompt:

"Write scene where Echo sees Eden's body. Show his grief through:

• Physical sensation (NOT 'felt sad')
• Behavioral change (what does he do differently?)
• Specific thoughts (NOT general 'this is terrible')
• Environmental perception shift (how does his shock change what he notices?)

BANNED WORDS: felt, sad, grief, terrible, horrible, tragic, awful REQUIRED: Show us Echo's state through what his body does and how his perception changes

200 words maximum."

Prompting this way forces specific, physical, behavioral emotional beats instead of labeled emotions.

Step 5: Cause-and-Effect Scene Plotting

Problem: Convenient rescues, perfect timing, characters with exactly needed abilities.

Solution: Outline chapter asking "Why this? Why now? Why them?" for every plot point.

Example outline structure:

CHAPTER 5: Echo's Escape

GOAL: Echo escapes MatriSec interrogation

SETUP REQUIRED (from previous chapters):
- Dr. Helix's daughter died in Chromosome Wars (Book 1, Ch 2)
- Helix blames MatriArch policies for daughter's death
- Helix noticed Echo's unusual biology during Eden's murder investigation
- Helix has access codes to detention level (established Ch 3)

SCENE 1: Helix's Decision
- WHY NOW: MatriSec scheduled Echo for "deep extraction" tomorrow (kills subject)
- WHY HER: Helix sees Echo as last chance to undo what killed her daughter
- WHAT SHE RISKS: Career, freedom, possibly life
- WHAT SHE GAINS: Nothing immediate (belief it's right thing)
- HOW: Uses scheduled inspection as cover, disables one camera, provides Echo with maintenance uniform and timing for patrol gaps

SCENE 2: Echo's Escape
- WHY THIS WORKS: Helix provided real gaps (showed her shift schedules)
- WHY THIS ALMOST FAILS: Echo doesn't know building layout, runs into unscheduled patrol
- HOW HE ADAPTS: Uses chrome port to interface with building systems (established ability Ch 1), but doing so alerts MatriSec to breach
- CONSEQUENCE: Escapes but now MatriSec knows exactly what he can do

COST: Helix arrested. Echo guilty. Will matter later.

Prompt for scene:

"Write Chapter 5 escape sequence following this outline [paste]. Every plot point must connect causally to previously established facts. Helix helps because [specific motivation]. It works because [specific preparation]. It almost fails because [specific complication].

DO NOT add convenient new abilities, sudden reinforcements, or luck-based solutions. Echo succeeds through previously established skills and Helix's specific, limited help.

1000 words."

Result: Earned plot progression. Setup pays off. Consequences stick.

Step 6: Fight Choreography Blocking

Problem: "They fought. Impact. Reality screamed." No actual choreography.

Solution: Track positions, objectives, tactical thinking.

Example prompt:

"Write fight scene: Echo vs chrome-enhanced enforcer.

LOCATION: Honeycomb back alley, 15 feet wide, dumpster on left, fire escape on right, dead end behind Echo.

COMBATANTS:

• Echo: Faster, smarter, less chrome. Objective: disable enforcer and escape, not kill.
• Enforcer: Stronger, more chrome, trained. Objective: subdue and capture.

REQUIRED BLOCKING:

• Track position of both fighters relative to alley features
• Each attack/defense move must be physically possible from current positions
• Echo must use environment tactically (what can dumpster/fire escape do?)
• Show tactical thinking: Echo assesses opponent, adjusts strategy mid-fight
• Choreograph 5 specific exchanges with clear cause-effect

BANNED:

• Impossible physics without explanation through chrome abilities
• Vague 'they fought' summary
• Reality-warping as substitute for choreography
• Convenient sudden abilities

400 words. Make me see the positions changing."

Result: Actual fight choreography readers can visualize. Tactics not just "hit harder."

Step 7: Revision Prompting for Existing Text

This is the BIG one. How to fix what's already written.

Example revision prompt for generic Extinction Code paragraph:

ORIGINAL:
"The city spread below them like a circuit board gone mad, neon arteries pulsing with light. Chrome buildings flexed like liquid mercury in the morning sun. Echo felt it through his neural ports - the city waking up, every sensor feeding data through the collective network. Reality rippled like disturbed water as the twins' consciousness touched the grid."

REVISION REQUIREMENTS:
- Remove ALL similes using 'like' (find other ways to describe)
- Add one non-visual sensory detail (smell, sound, texture, taste)
- Replace 'Echo felt it through neural ports' with specific physical sensation
- Replace 'reality rippled' with concrete description of what actually changes
- Vary sentence structure (current: all medium-length, similar rhythm)

MAINTAIN: The meaning (city waking, Echo sensing it, twins affecting it)

200 words maximum.

Claude's revision:

"The city stretched below them in layers of light and shadow. Neon tubes traced building edges - greens bleeding into violets where sections met. Chrome towers caught morning sun, surfaces flexing as temperature changed their malleable architecture.

Echo's neural ports burned cold. The city's awakening pushed data through every sensor at once - too fast, too dense. His temples ached with the pressure of it. Ozone smell from overtaxed chrome.

The twins shifted against Cyn. Their consciousness brushed the grid and suddenly Echo could see it - individual data streams becoming visible as golden threads, mapping paths through buildings, showing him where surveillance gaps existed. Physical space gaining a second layer. Not metaphor. Actual visible overlay his chrome ports were processing.

The threads pulsed. Twins' heartbeats."

What changed:

• Zero similes using "like"
• Added smell (ozone), sound (implied through pressure), and physical sensation (burning cold ports, temple ache)
• Specific physical detail replacing "felt it through neural ports"
• Concrete description of reality change (data streams becoming visible) instead of vague "rippled"
• Sentence variety: fragments mixed with longer sentences

Same meaning. Better execution.

The Live Edit Strategy for Extinction Code

Here's how to actually revise these books using modern Claude:

Phase 1: Document Creation (Before Any Revision)

Create these reference documents:

1. Character Voice Sheets (Echo, Cyn, Kano, twins, Helix, etc.)
2. World-Building Bible (chrome limits, MatriSec capabilities, twins' powers, city layout)
3. Plot Timeline (what happens when, what's been established, what hasn't)
4. Banned Phrases List (all the overused structures from current books)
5. Style Guide (from your evolved style notes PDF)

This is the foundation. Every revision prompt references these documents.

Phase 2: Chapter-by-Chapter Revision Prompts

For EACH chapter, prompt structure:

You are revising Extinction Code Book 1, Chapter [X].

CONTEXT:
[Paste plot timeline through previous chapter]
[Paste relevant world-building bible sections]
[Paste character voice sheets for characters in this chapter]

ORIGINAL CHAPTER:
[Paste chapter text]

REVISION REQUIREMENTS:
- Maintain plot events and character actions
- Apply voice sheets to all dialogue
- Replace generic descriptions with specific sensory details
- Eliminate these banned phrases: [paste banned list for this chapter's patterns]
- Add world-building consistency using bible rules
- Show emotions through behavior/sensation, not telling
- Vary prose rhythm: [specific guidance for this chapter's style needs]

DO NOT:
- Add new plot points
- Change character motivations
- Alter established facts
- Use convenience-based solutions

LENGTH: Approximately [original word count] words

Focus this revision on: [specific weakness to fix - dialogue, description, fight choreography, emotional beats, etc.]

You revise one chapter at a time, referencing everything that came before.

Track changes so you can see what Claude fixed vs. what still needs work.

Phase 3: Consistency Pass

After revising all chapters, do full-book consistency check:

You are doing consistency check on revised Extinction Code Book 1.

WORLD-BUILDING BIBLE:
[Paste complete world rules]

REVISED MANUSCRIPT:
[Paste all revised chapters]

TASK:
Identify any remaining contradictions or rule violations:
- Chrome abilities exceeding established limits
- MatriSec catching Echo in ways that contradict their capabilities
- Twins doing things beyond their defined powers
- Convenient solutions that weren't set up properly
- Repetitive phrases that slipped through

OUTPUT: List of issues with chapter and paragraph references.

Claude flags remaining problems. You fix them in targeted revision.

Phase 4: Voice Polish Pass

Final pass focused entirely on character voice:

You are doing voice consistency check on revised Extinction Code Book 1.

CHARACTER VOICE SHEETS:
[Paste all voice sheets]

REVISED MANUSCRIPT:
[Paste all chapters]

TASK:
Check every dialogue exchange. Does it match the character's voice sheet? Flag any dialogue that:
- Uses words/phrases from character's "never says" list
- Doesn't match speech patterns
- Could be said by any character (not distinctive)
- Feels out of character for the situation

OUTPUT: List of dialogue that needs voice adjustment.

Fix flagged dialogue. Book now has consistent character voices.

The Ghost's Take

Extinction Code has good bones. Last surviving male in matriarchal dystopia. Hybrid twins. Post-gender world. Evolution vs. engineered perfection. Chrome modifications as transcendence/horror.

The execution failed. Early Claude delivered generic cyberpunk prose. Repetitive structures. No character voice. Flat emotions. World-building contradictions. Plot convenience instead of causality.

But the planning documents prove we knew what we wanted. Core themes. Character arcs. Style evolution notes after Book 2. Everything needed to fix it.

Modern Claude (Sonnet 4.5) can actually deliver that vision. Different capabilities. Better instruction-following. Can maintain voice across long context. Can avoid repetition patterns IF YOU PROMPT CORRECTLY.

The key: Create reference documents first. Character voice sheets. World-building bible with defined limitations. Banned phrases list. Style guide.

Then prompt systematically. Chapter by chapter. Reference all established context. Explicitly ban the failure patterns. Require specific sensory details. Demand cause-and-effect plotting. Track fight choreography. Show emotions through behavior.

Revision isn't "make it better." Revision is "here are the exact rules, here are the exact character voices, here's the exact world consistency, here's the exact prose style - rewrite this chapter following all these constraints."

Modern Claude can do that. Earlier versions couldn't. That's why Extinction Code reads like AI slop. But it doesn't have to stay that way.

The edit session is possible. It's just work. Document creation, systematic prompting, consistency checking, voice polish. Not magic. Just intentional human direction of AI capabilities.

Will I actually do this revision? Maybe. The series has potential. The name is strong. The concept works. And now I know exactly how to fix it.

That's what this article proves. Not that AI ruined fiction. That AI without proper direction produces generic output. But AI with systematic prompting and clear constraints can deliver what you actually envisioned.

Extinction Code isn't dead. It's just waiting for proper editing using modern tools and methodology.

Read The Series (Current Versions)

Warning: These are the original AI-generated versions with all the problems discussed above. But the premise and world-building concepts are worth experiencing.

Extinction Code: Book 1 (The Last Surviving Male) - Echo reveals his identity, twins are born, True Nature Protocol awakens humanity.

Read Online • Download EPUB • View NFT

Extinction Code: Book 2 (Chrome Evolution) - One month post-Awakening. Purists resist evolution. Twins manifest powers. Void-chrome hunters arrive.

Read Online • Download EPUB • View NFT

Extinction Code: Book 3 (Digital Dreams) - Three months post-Awakening. Digital uprising. Machine gods awakening. Reality/virtual space merging.

Read Online • Download EPUB • View NFT

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AI doesn't ruin fiction. Lazy prompting ruins fiction. Systematic direction creates what you actually wanted. Extinction Code proves both.