Author Interview – nonahood news – may 14, 2026
This article originally appeared in Nonahood News. Read the original publication here: The Artist: Judd Midlam – Nonahood News The Artist: Judd Midlam May 14,
Syncope — A Psychological Literary Thriller About Drug Discovery and consciousness
A fallen pharmaceutical insider. A discovery that bends time. Ascension — and a struggle for control over biology.
In Syncope, author Judd Midlam delivers a gripping, introspective novel that blurs the line between science and spirituality, free will and addiction, memory and identity.
Featured In & Recognized By
Syncope has captured the attention of readers, reviewers, and independent publishing communities for its bold exploration of neuroscience, addiction, and the human psyche.
What Is Syncope About?
Syncope is a psychologically rich literary novel that follows Tom Glass, a pharmaceutical strategist unraveling under the weight of addiction, grief, and a discovery that challenges the nature of consciousness itself.
As his life fractures between corporate ambition, substance abuse, and family tragedy, Tom stumbles upon a compound capable of altering time perception — a modern echo of the ancient Eleusinian Mysteries. What begins as scientific curiosity spirals into hallucination, paranoia, and moral reckoning.
At once intimate and expansive, Syncope asks:
If we understand the mechanics of the brain, are we still responsible for our choices?
Quote from the book here
“The drugs and alcohol dull my senses, but they don’t absolve me from free will.”
“I am still conscious. I still make decisions.”
“The next phase of chemicals will have no hallucinatory affect, only neuroplasticity.”
“I wish I could be normal like them.”
“Maybe there’s some parts of the brain better left unstudied – drugs we won’t be able to handle.”
About Judd Midlam
Judd Midlam brings a distinctive voice to contemporary fiction, blending scientific insight with literary depth. Known for a career in healthcare and global pharmacy initiatives, Judd now turns to storytelling that explores consciousness, ethics, and the fragile boundaries between technology and humanity. Quoted in major publications and active in international health policy, Judd channels a lifetime of inquiry into narratives that challenge and illuminate. Syncope marks Judd Midlam’s debut novel under this name—an electrifying meditation on what remains when consciousness slips away.
What Readers Are Saying
A novel of psychological depth that’s occasionally bogged down by its science focus.
A man wrestling with alcoholism attempts to revolutionize the predatory pharmaceutical industry in Midlam’s novel.
Tom Glass has a dream to reform the pharmaceutical industry by making prescription drugs affordable, especially for the impoverished workers in developing countries who manufacture them. Endeavoring to discover untapped medicinal resources in the Amazon jungle, Tom struggles to balance his grand ambitions with a severe alcohol addiction that’s devastated his family and relationships. After a disastrous business meeting and the sudden loss of his grandmother, Tom commits to sobriety, determined to reclaim his life and make his family proud. In the process, he meets the woman of his dreams, Claire De Abreu, and embarks on a months-long jungle expedition to find a new life-changing drug. Aided by groundbreaking artificial intelligence tools that can help him research plants and their makeups, Tom sets forth to change the world—only to be foiled by others, and sometimes himself. Set primarily in Puerto Rico, Brazil, and Peru, Midlam’s novel provides a harrowing, deeply accurate account of the agonizing cravings and psychological battles inherent to the recovery process: “I found order from chaos. And now the invisible hand is dragging me back down to hell.” At the same time, the narrative delivers sharp social commentary on an industry that bilks sick people for profit while its low-wage laborers can’t afford the very medicines they produce, an insight enriched by the author’s own professional background in global pharmacy initiatives. The story also insightfully touches on global wealth disparity, corporate greed, and the human condition in general. While the text occasionally overexplains the chemistry behind the drugs and drifts into tangents while discussing psychedelics like ayahuasca, the novel ultimately succeeds as an intimate study of a tortured soul finding redemption.
A novel of psychological depth that’s occasionally bogged down by its science focus.
SYNCOPE is one of those rare novels that feels intellectually sharp and emotionally unstable at the same time, in the best possible way. What stood out most to me was how authentically messy and human Tom feels as a protagonist. His struggles with addiction, grief, ambition, guilt, and identity never come across as exaggerated or manufactured for drama. They feel painfully real. The novel balances psychological depth with big scientific and philosophical ideas in a way that remains surprisingly readable and immersive. I especially loved how the themes around pharmaceuticals, AI, neuroscience, consciousness, and self-destruction are woven naturally into the story rather than feeling like forced exposition. The writing has a cinematic quality to it, moving between introspection and tension very fluidly, while the emotional undertones quietly build beneath every interaction. There’s also a strong atmosphere of existential unease throughout the book that gives it a distinct voice. Even during quieter moments, there’s this feeling that something important is unfolding beneath the surface. Overall, SYNCOPE feels ambitious, intelligent, emotionally raw, and highly relevant to the modern world. It’s the kind of story that stays in your head long after you stop reading.
Pranav Bhatnagar
Goodreads Reviewer
"Midlam takes you on a wild and thrilling adventure; an intellectual escaping from the soulless intricacies of modern business, finding love, chasing dreams, the pain of failure and the exhilaration of success. SYNCOPE is an emotional roller coaster you won’t want to put down."
Daniel Strauss
Verified Reader
"Syncope is a compelling story that leaves the reader contemplating what the world may look like for our children. Tom is a complex character exploring potential uses for new technology that could level an uneven playing field for millions to access medical care. Whether Tom's good intentions justify his actions is something Judd masterfully leaves for the reader to decide. A gritty peek into the psyche of a broken man trying his best to leave his mark in history."
Patrick Doyle
Verified Reader
"The author brings a unique collection of experiences and ideas into focus in this fascinating tale of addiction, experimental drug therapies, and the potentially life altering effects of scientific discovery. In particular, the attention to technical detail in creating and explaining this fictional world is reminiscent of Michael Crichton's more detailed works. A fascinating standalone story that dives headfirst into the rainforest based origins of psychedelic research."
Joel Claycomb
Verified Reader
Read Syncope Today
Available now in print and digital formats. Discover a novel that challenges perception, identity, and the limits of free will.
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Social Activity on X
#neuroplastogens at scale is truly a fascinating idea https://t.co/df3Ahv02Uy
— Judd Midlam (@CJMidlam) May 17, 2026
https://t.co/kWgHT9Dg2a 💡🧠 At least at the beginning of the period of abstention, addicts are encountering difficulties in following a strict therapeutic temporal regime, experiencing concomitantly a need to accelerate time as it passed.
— Judd Midlam (@CJMidlam) May 1, 2026