I have decided to split this book in two parts. I spent the past few weeks thinking solely about Book 1. Previously it was an incomplete half. Now, I have worked on it, added details, re-arranged chapters to make it fit the structure of a regular book.
Save the Cat by Blake Snyder is my cheat sheet. I am also watching several Brandon Sanderson videos on Youtube, they are good.
Book 1 now stands on its own. Here are some other changes.
I did a reading of my book and simplified the script. I have consolidated characters and pruned away minor storylines. Another change I am considering is to name the shadowy-secret-cabal in my book, Illuminati. Previously I named them Puppeteers but that adds an extra minor detail which can be pruned to simplify the story.
Now our story has a prologue where an evil Babylonian priest beheads a newborn child! I was inspired by this scene in Apocalypto. The older idea of a younger kid being kidnapped has been removed. The Julian-Samantha sibling storyline was confusing for some people.
Because of this cool opening chapter, I have been able to introduce Satoshi gradually. We now start out in a cafe inside the SF International Airport. The camera lingers on few people, making the reader wonder the real identity of Satoshi. The Barista screams out the name “Satoshi Nakamoto”! Only then do we see the real Satoshi. By reveling "who” of this story on page 1, we can focus on the more important questions of “why” and “how” in rest of the book. The chapter “Alchemist’s Machine” has now been placed later in the book after Satoshi settles in his new home and work.
I might name the book Satoshi: Love, Code, Revolution. I liked it a lot.
Outline for Book 2 hasn’t really changed, so I am not adding it here. You can find it here in outline 1.0.
Here is the outline 2.0 of my Book 1.
Satoshi: Love, Code, Revolution
Prologue - Birth of Banking: In the heart of ancient Babylon, the eerie Festival of Moloch reached its chilling climax as amidst deafening silence, the priest's merciless blade fell and beheaded an infant in sacrifice. A haunting melody of innocence lost and a grim price paid for prosperity.
New Beginnings: The year is 2008 the place a cafe inside SF International Airport. Satoshi embarks on a new chapter of his life in San Francisco for a job at Quantum Computers as a Software Engineer. The taxi ride from the airport offers Satoshi a snapshot of his new surroundings - the stark realities of escalating homelessness, rising living costs, and the pulsating energy of city life. He moves in with Julian (a fearless journalist) and his teenage daughter Eva.
Heartless Banker: Next morning, a banker comes to evict Nicholas’ family from their home. The family pleads for mercy at the bank, but Bergstein dismisses them coldly, displaying a clear disregard for their suffering. Julian comes in at the last minute to help Nicholas pay his installment and buy some time. This encounter sets the stage for Satoshi's growing disdain towards the banker and the current financial system.
Enter the Quantum World:As Satoshi begins his tenure at Quantum Computers, he is immediately swept up in the whirlwind of its groundbreaking developments. Dr. Samantha, the captivating lead scientist, announces the start of building the world's first Quantum Super-computer during a grand spectacle attended by San Francisco's elites, including a prominent banker named Bergstein. Satoshi is fascinated by his new company. Satoshi forms a friendship with Alex, a quirky quantum scientist who opens new perspectives in his field. Satoshi is tasked with figuring out a way to figure out a way for scientists of different branches to share large files. Their current system which has centralized server keeps crashing. Satoshi falls for his co-worker Jane Parkinson-Ying, a petite, socially conscious young hapa woman. She tells him how Capitalism enslaves us.
Fostering Bonds: After coming home Satoshi pays Julian 3 months of advance rent in order to help him, since Julian helped Alex. Satoshi, Eva, and Julian grow closer, sharing moments of camaraderie cooking meals together in a cramped kitchen, laughing over mishaps; all three huddled together on the couch, watching movies, sharing popcorn. Satoshi and Eva eye each other. They go to MOMA where there is an exhibition on history of money. Julian is making a tv documentary which will expose how the world’s financial system turns us into slaves of bankers. Eva tells Satoshi how she downloads music and movies with Bittorrent. This gives Satoshi an idea to build something similar to share files.
The Alchemist's Machine: Satoshi and Julian unwittingly discover a sophisticated counterfeit operation. A $100 bill, blank on one side, forces Satoshi to question the very concept of money. Their inadvertent discovery doesn't go unnoticed, propelling them into a high-stakes chase reminiscent of an Indiana Jones escapade. Julian is a thrill-seeker, riding the wave of adrenaline and impulsively throwing himself into the situation. Satoshi, on the other hand, is analytical and reserved, torn between the adrenaline and his apprehension. The frantic pursuit zigzags through the city, culminating in a daring drone-aided escape from the peak of the Transamerica Pyramid.
Occupy Wall St: During an anti-bank protest, Satoshi accompanies Jane, witnessing the police, funded by the banks, brutally repress the protestors. The protestors march peacefully, carrying signs pleading for justice. Suddenly, police in full riot gear storm the crowd, batons swinging, and tear gas filling the air. Satoshi and Jane find themselves caught in the chaos. They see a teenage protestor being brutally beaten by an officer. Jane, trying to record the scene, is struck and falls. Satoshi jumps in to shield her, getting hit in the process. Bergstein appears on the news, dismissing the protestors and their concerns, showing a clear indifference to social issues. He was the one who ordered cops to assault protestors.
The Empty Bank Vault: Amidst the chaos of the 2008 financial crisis, a run on a local San Francisco bank engulfs Satoshi and Julian in a volatile drama. When they arrive, they're startled to find Nicholas, their neighbor, orchestrating a desperate bank heist. Holding a bank employee hostage, Nicholas frantically demands the necessary funds for his daughter's surgery. Shockingly, when the bank's vault creaks open, it is revealed to be almost empty, stark evidence of the bank's insolvency during the crisis. As police sirens wail in the distance, Satoshi and Julian spring into action. With quick thinking and technical savvy, they manage to temporarily disable the bank's surveillance system and create a diversion, triggering the fire alarm system. The resulting chaos provides Nicholas with a brief window to escape. After ensuring Nicholas' safe departure, they manage to blend into the panicking crowd just as the police burst into the building. The entire ordeal leaves Satoshi with a deeper understanding of the financial system's corruption and a profound sympathy for the victims of its failures. Julian's impassioned talks about the need for systemic change begin to resonate more deeply with Satoshi.
Fractional Banking: Julian sheds light on the dubious practice of “Fractional Reserve Banking.” Banks create money out of thin air! The realization of the system's inherent corruption fuels Satoshi's determination for transformation. Bergstein announces layoffs at the bank, causing outrage amongst employees while he revels in his extravagant bonuses, exacerbating Satoshi's hatred for the man and the corrupt system he represents. During this, Bergstein exhibits signs of stress, hinting at the pressure he's under to maintain his family's legacy.
Unseen Biases: In this chapter, Satoshi navigates his complex feelings for his Jane. After plucking up the courage to ask her out, he is rejected. His heartbreak deepens when he later overhears her mocking his height to her female co-workers. He pretends it doesn't affect him, but we see him later in the bathroom, fighting back tears, his self-esteem shattered.
Satoshi decides to focus on his work. He spends late nights working on his de-centralized file sharing system.Digital Gold: Julian and Satoshi often have discussions about the corruption in the financial system, gradually leading to the idea of a digital, decentralized currency. Julian floats the idea of creating digital gold to Satoshi. Something which once started cannot be controlled by any middleman, can function independently, without his direct oversight. Like a company which doesn’t have a CEO. Satoshi is initially skeptical about the idea but the idea takes hold of him. He starts reading about it, discussing it with Alex, trying to figure out how to make it work.
Lily Kidnapped: Tragedy strikes Nicholas (the neighbor), his young daughter goes missing. The night before, Satoshi had seen a tall, blonde man pass by who resembles Bergstein.
Journalistic Dangers: Eva notices a weird spider’s web at Nicholas’ house. She shows Julian a picture. That sends Julian off on a mission. He has seen the same web before. Julian uncovers Bergstein's illicit activities, revealing him as the head of a cult involved with the missing children. The cult's involvement with the city's elite becomes clearer. Julian's relentless efforts to expose financial corruption increasingly endangers his life. Julian finds himself constantly tailed, his home and office bugged. He narrowly escapes a staged accident, only escalating his determination to uncover the truth.
Dr Samantha: Late conversations with Dr. Samantha, provide Satoshi with fresh perspectives, leading him to question societal norms and explore humanity's darker side. She is impressed with Satoshi’s work-ethics.
Quantum Experiments: At work Alex shows Satoshi the 'Double Slit' quantum experiment which shows how consciousness gives birth to reality. He tries to explain his theories of their being other worlds, other hidden dimensions. Satoshi starts building a decentralized file share system at work.
Julian’s Spiral: Julian hasn’t been the same since Nicholas’ daughter went missing. He begins to lose sleep, consumed by paranoia, showing signs of stress and fear. He begins drinking more, his health visibly deteriorating. He has emotional outbursts, alternating with periods of deep desolation, portraying a slow decline into despair. One night, Julian, while drunk, pours out his heart to Satoshi, revealing his suspicions about a giant conspiracy within the city and how the banker is at its heart. Julian shares his mission with Satoshi - to expose the corrupt system and kill the 'Bank,' setting the wheels in motion for Satoshi's eventual revelation. His next episode will expose them all. Julian emphasizes the importance of Satoshi continuing the work on digital currency.
The Mentor: Jane approaches the Bergstein for mentorship. He invites her over to his place, where Jane notices symbols and artifacts that connect him to the cult. She starts pitching her idea of “zodiac for pets”. Bergstein starts touching her body. He forces himself on her.
Julian’s Death: Julian is up at night on his computer he searching for information related to the cult on Bubble search engine. Suddenly it goes erratic. A video starts playing on its own. A virus deletes Julian’s hard drive. Next day Julian's sudden death plunges Satoshi and Eva into a whirlwind of uncertainty and fear. He is found dead at his desk with 2 gunshots to his head. Julian's death is swiftly labeled as suicide by the controlled authorities and media. Prior to his death, Julian had received threats from Bergstein, further deepening the mystery surrounding his death. Julian's sudden death leaves a void in Satoshi and Eva's life, but it also kindles a spark. Satoshi is now determined more than ever to carry on Julian's mission, driven by a mixture of grief, anger, and love for Eva.
The Fight for Truth: Following Julian's death, Jane overhears Bergstein nonchalantly discussing Julian's death, sparking her own doubts about him. Jane accidentally spill the information and lets Satoshi know about this. Satoshi and Eva come together in their resolve to seek justice.
The Denial of Justice: Satoshi and Eva approach the police with the information they have, but they face outright dismissal due to Bergstein's influence. The justice system fails them, revealing the extent of Bergstein's corruption.
Fake News: They turn to journalism, hoping to expose the truth through the press. However, they find the journalists are also under Bergstein's sway, refusing to publish their story. Desperate for their voices to be heard, they take to social media Bubble.
Brief Triumph: They leverage the power of social media to share their story. Initially, they find success as their story starts to gain traction. They witness an outpouring of public support and collective outrage. It feels like a small victory, but little do they know, it's the calm before the storm.
Bergstein Goes to War: Just when they seem to be gaining momentum, Bergstein starts his offense. The CEO of Bubble social media company bans their account for "misinformation". It's revealed that Bergstein was the VC who funded and owns the company. The betrayal fuels their determination. He uses the media to discredit Julian, painting him as a drug-addict, a lunatic conspiracy theorist, and even a sexual predator. Jane has started dating the banker. He has invested in her startup. Jane, comes forward with a televised accusation against Julian, claiming he sexually assaulted her. She convincingly sobs as she narrates her harrowing tale, swaying public opinion. Public support begins to waver as doubts are cast on Julian's character. An "expert" from the forensic department explains to the public how a person could potentially shoot themselves twice in the brain, furthering the narrative of Julian's mental breakdown and suicide.
Turning Tides: The smear campaign works, and public opinion shifts drastically. People who were once outraged are now hesitant to support Julian's cause. His image is tainted, and the narrative of his suicide is accepted. Satoshi and Eva find themselves increasingly isolated, as they lose the backing of the public. Threats to their physical safety arise from unknown assailants. Satoshi's job at Quantum Computers is jeopardized. Among the disbelievers, couple of unlikely people offer support – Alex, who has always been into conspiracy theories and Dr Samantha come forward, expressing their belief in Julian's innocence to Satoshi, keeping a glimmer of hope alive.
The Breaking Point: Satoshi and Eva find themselves completely financially paralyzed as Bergstein exercises his ultimate power: the ability to freeze their bank accounts and credit cards without a clear explanation. Bergstein, seizing his advantage, proposes a deal. He will unblock their accounts if they drop the case against him. Cornered and left with no options, Satoshi and Eva decide to retreat, accepting that they cannot fight Bergstein within the system he controls. It also accentuates the stark power disparity and the severe implications of unchecked power in the hands of institutions like banks.
I Will Kill The Bank: It's now evident how Bergstien has used his financial control to manipulate the situation, bribing cops, journalists, politicians, and even Jane, proving Julian's theory right: The system is corrupted to its core, and the Bank needs to be 'killed'. Eva is going through old pictures of her and Julian. One of them is when she was a little kid and was crying loudly in front of a bank because she heard Julian say banks are evil. In frustration Eva heads out and tries to set the bank on fire. At the last moment Satoshi reaches there. Satoshi stops Eva, pulling her away as she lights the matchstick. He calms her down and talks about Julian's mission. Not to destroy physically, but to 'kill the bank' in a way they can never recover. The realization finally dawns upon him - the system cannot be fought from within; it needs to be bypassed. He vows to avenge Julian’s death by fulfilling his vision - he will bring down the Bank and establish a new system where corruption cannot take root so easily. He will build Bitcoin.