A Closed and Common Orbit tells the story of two characters, Pepper and Lovelance. Pepper, formerly Jane 23, is a genetically modified human child living in a dumpster planet where she works sorting through spare parts of technology. After escaping captivity, Pepper finds a wrecked ship where an artificial intelligence called Owl starts taking care of her, teaching her how to repair and operate the ship so they can leave the planet. Over time, Pepper becomes an expert technician and mechanic. Lovelace is the artificial intelligence of the Wayfarer ship whose conscience Pepper downloaded into a fully functional body, which Lovelace uses to pass as human. The novel focuses on the challenges that technology poses as artificial intelligence becomes a more frequent part of present-day society.
