A 3,200-year saga of genetic memory and hidden knowledge
Twelve books spanning Bronze Age Egypt to the AI era, following two competing networks locked in an existential conflict over humanity's survival. What if genetic memory is real? What if civilizational collapse is preventable—or inevitable?
The Aethelred Cipher
Book 1 | Medieval Germany, 1347 CE | When a dying monk thrusts an iron key into scribe Thomas of Eltville's hands, he becomes the target of a millennia-old conspiracy.
Can civilizational collapse be prevented through knowledge distribution—or is it inevitable, requiring genetic engineering of optimal survivors?
Defensive Network
Founded 1177 BCE by Egyptian scribe Nefertari. Philosophy: "Collapse is PREVENTABLE through pattern recognition." Strategy: Distribute knowledge freely, teach methodology to everyone.
Offensive Network
Founded 1177 BCE by Amenhotep. Philosophy: "Collapse is INEVITABLE—engineer who survives." Strategy: Centralized control, selective breeding programs, genetic optimization.
Neither side is evil. Both genuinely believe they're saving humanity. The 3,200-year moral ambiguity is the point.
Explore the complete sagaStart with Book 1 (medieval Europe) or Book 2 (modern day), then explore the complete 3,200-year timeline. View all 12 books →
Medieval Germany, 1347-1350 CE
When a dying monk thrusts an iron key into scribe Thomas's hands, he inherits more than an artifact—he becomes the target of a millennia-old conspiracy. The Black Death rages, and the Order has been engineering bloodlines for over 900 years.
Modern Era, 2019-2025 CE
When geneticist Sarah Chen discovers an engineered bioweapon hidden inside GenVault Corporation, she has forty-three seconds to escape the building. What follows is a race against a three-thousand-year-old conspiracy, a classified pandemic, and the impossible math of silence.
Roman Judea, 26-70 CE
Mary Magdalene has been called demon-possessed since childhood. When carpenter Jesus recognizes genetic memory rather than demons, everything changes. His "miracles" come from accessing 1,200 years of defensive knowledge. Generation 42 carriers.
The Aethelred Cipher: 4.8 out of 5 stars from 56 ratings on Amazon. Read all reviews →
★★★★★“This novel is ambitious, intelligent, and completely immersive. The blend of medieval history, secret orders, genetic memory, and plague-era suspense makes it feel both epic and intimate at the same time.”
— Michaela Barbee
★★★★★“Pellegrini weaves architecture, coded secrets, and high-stakes danger into a story that feels both intelligent and cinematic. A strong start to The Architecture of Survival series.”
— Amy Walls
★★★★★“This book was both gripping and thought-provoking. What stood out most was the deeper message—that true resilience comes from sharing knowledge, not controlling it.”
— Freedom
Randy Pellegrini writes The Architecture of Survival, a 12-book epic spanning 3,200 years from Bronze Age Egypt to the AI era. The series explores genetic memory as hard science, civilizational collapse patterns, and the moral complexity of two competing philosophies: knowledge preservation versus genetic control.
Book 1, The Aethelred Cipher, is available now on Amazon. Book 2, The Genesis Protocol, is complete and coming soon. The saga weaves real historical events with speculative elements grounded in epigenetics, network theory, and systems thinking. Each book stands alone while revealing how defensive methodology has been embedded into human civilization through every era's dominant technology.
When not writing, Randy travels near and far to better imagine history up close and personal. He continuously wonders why we continue to replay broken patterns of human systems. That wonder was the seed that has grown into this series.
Essays on the real history, science, and ideas behind the series. View all posts →
The medieval world took its secrets seriously. And the technology was hiding in the margins.
Bronze Age. Rome. The Black Death. The same structure, every time. This isn't a coincidence.
Mice taught to fear cherry blossoms passed that fear to their grandchildren. The science is real.
For speaking engagements, interviews, book club discussions, and rights inquiries.