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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
sad
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A lot of potential, but it never really clicked for me. Some intriguing futurism, and ethical questions raised, but overall an uncompelling story.
Definitely not my usual fare, AI fighting to control a burnt out post-apocalyptic world, but definitely compelling enough that I would continue this series.
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
Complicated
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
If AI and robots are the next step in human evolution, then aren't they doomed to repeat the same mistakes humanity has made in the same way that humans tend to cycle through history? The "for the greater good" mentality which is pervasive in human society shows up in this robot society as well.
There are no humans in this post-apocalyptic America, instead the robots that have taken over. Except the robots are now vying for world (or at least US) domination in hive mind form. Hive mind vs hive mind vs stragglers who want independence. Think the Borg from Star Trek, except with a less impressive speech. This book is the wild west meets TNG:Borg episodes. It's full of action and philosophizing, and even though the humans are extinct, there's a lot of thoughts on mankind and our present and future.
I do take issue with the pacing of the book. There are scenes where the book starts to drag. Not just a lull between action sequences, but during the action sequences themselves. As the author is also a screenwriter, the climax of the book has a very Hollywood feel to it. You can even imagine the music in the background as the scene plays out. I can see the screenplay within the book itself. That's neither a negative nor a positive critique, but it's something that stood out to me.
The robots themselves all have distinct personalities, and functions. The character introductions of a few of the later robots seemed rush, however Brittle is a fully formed character. As the main protagonist of the story, Brittle was a good character to "share a mindspace" with.
There are no humans in this post-apocalyptic America, instead the robots that have taken over. Except the robots are now vying for world (or at least US) domination in hive mind form. Hive mind vs hive mind vs stragglers who want independence. Think the Borg from Star Trek, except with a less impressive speech. This book is the wild west meets TNG:Borg episodes. It's full of action and philosophizing, and even though the humans are extinct, there's a lot of thoughts on mankind and our present and future.
I do take issue with the pacing of the book. There are scenes where the book starts to drag. Not just a lull between action sequences, but during the action sequences themselves. As the author is also a screenwriter, the climax of the book has a very Hollywood feel to it. You can even imagine the music in the background as the scene plays out. I can see the screenplay within the book itself. That's neither a negative nor a positive critique, but it's something that stood out to me.
The robots themselves all have distinct personalities, and functions. The character introductions of a few of the later robots seemed rush, however Brittle is a fully formed character. As the main protagonist of the story, Brittle was a good character to "share a mindspace" with.