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moomin333's review against another edition
4.0
Emily Eternal was a really unique book with a writing style and humor that reminded me a little bit of The Martian. I found the concept really interesting – “Emily” is an Artificial Consciousness designed to interface with humans using a tiny chip worn on their neck. Once she’s connected with them, she appears visible and touch-able like any other human, but she’s inside their mind as a true empath. She was designed to help process trauma through talk therapy sessions. She does so by reviewing the memories clients and is able to see the disconnect between what really happened (like watching a video of the true event) and what they only remember. Honestly, a book focused even just on this practice would have been truly interesting, but then they took it a huge step further and involved an even crazier plot twist within the first few pages: the sun is dying and there are only a few weeks left before solar flares disable all electronics on the planet, diseases spread, mass extinction begins, etc.
I loved that this book had the romance element and I very much enjoyed all of the characters and little, unpredictable twists. I didn’t enjoy the end as it was a little too far-fetched, but I’d gladly read more by this author!
I loved that this book had the romance element and I very much enjoyed all of the characters and little, unpredictable twists. I didn’t enjoy the end as it was a little too far-fetched, but I’d gladly read more by this author!
booksandlemonsquash's review against another edition
4.0
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I thoroughly enjoyed Emily Eternal - it wasn’t quite what I expected having read a short excerpt from the start, but much more in line with the blurb. (I know, I know, obvious!!) I really liked the way the Artificial Consciousness melded with futuristic “real” life in this, and how the science worked. Most of it seemed plausible, given we don’t know how far in the future it’s set. My biggest science issue was actually how they created Emily, and I totally get why that’s not included - you’d need an entire book just on the theory of an AC! Hehe.
I really liked Emily, and how she seemed both human and not, and the concept of not being able to control when she the “present” was fab, you could sense that it was frustrating for her. And how she interacted without everyone was fantastically done. There’s a great scene where she knows she’s being petty but still storms put properly to prove a point, and I love it.
I didn’t love the romance element, though once it had played out I liked their interactions. It was surprisingly well played, given the circumstances.
I was also a little frustrated not really knowing more of the motivations behind Argosy - we see a very small amount and then it’s quickly rushed away. That’s probably my main niggle, as it meant I didn’t really get the depth I wanted.
That said, the plot is fast paced and well written, and I loved the bio-elements (my favourite bits are right at the end, and so I don’t want to spoil, but I love the ending so hard).
I also loved Jason and Mayra, especially Mayra - she rocked! Even though we only see their perspectives through Emily’s eyes, they are much needed in keeping it human and grounded.
Definitely worth a read if you like science fiction!
I thoroughly enjoyed Emily Eternal - it wasn’t quite what I expected having read a short excerpt from the start, but much more in line with the blurb. (I know, I know, obvious!!) I really liked the way the Artificial Consciousness melded with futuristic “real” life in this, and how the science worked. Most of it seemed plausible, given we don’t know how far in the future it’s set. My biggest science issue was actually how they created Emily, and I totally get why that’s not included - you’d need an entire book just on the theory of an AC! Hehe.
I really liked Emily, and how she seemed both human and not, and the concept of not being able to control when she the “present” was fab, you could sense that it was frustrating for her. And how she interacted without everyone was fantastically done. There’s a great scene where she knows she’s being petty but still storms put properly to prove a point, and I love it.
I didn’t love the romance element, though once it had played out I liked their interactions. It was surprisingly well played, given the circumstances.
I was also a little frustrated not really knowing more of the motivations behind Argosy - we see a very small amount and then it’s quickly rushed away. That’s probably my main niggle, as it meant I didn’t really get the depth I wanted.
That said, the plot is fast paced and well written, and I loved the bio-elements (my favourite bits are right at the end, and so I don’t want to spoil, but I love the ending so hard).
I also loved Jason and Mayra, especially Mayra - she rocked! Even though we only see their perspectives through Emily’s eyes, they are much needed in keeping it human and grounded.
Definitely worth a read if you like science fiction!
klr0's review
adventurous
dark
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
2.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Cancer, Gun violence, Terminal illness, and Violence
55_sallymander's review against another edition
5.0
Emily Eternal by M.G. Wheaton is a fast paced novel. Sit down, fasten your seatbelts-it's going to be a wild ride!
Emily is a super computer personality. She is able to communicate with people of her team (at a college) who wear an interface chip, fastened to the back of their neck. If you have the chip, she shows up as a person. Her creator Nathan Wyman has made Emily to be an artificial consciousness, (AC), to interface with human minds.
They have a college program that is called iLab, that is where they work. Emily is a talking therapist. There are hundreds of volunteers who are in the program, that Emily works with.
Unfortunately, there is a super, life ending event, that everyone is aware of and the President of the USA comes to them to see if Emily can download everyone's DNA and save it to a server and people will jettison that into space, so that sometime far into the future, the DNA can be unlocked so the people of the world can be saved at a molecular level.
At first, Emily refuses. She has a morality chip and would rather gather DNA through permissions. But, there isn't enough time to get permission and Emily can just go into their minds and pluck the DNA strands and save them. She eventually agrees to do what the President asks, but insists that She be the one who sends the servers into space.
The lab is destroyed by evil henchmen. They are private security types who are bent on killing everyone and destroying everything. Emily hadn't made it to the lab that day, so she lived on.
I thought this was a pretty good book, deals a lot with the doomed planet and what we as people can do to survive. The book had some twists and turns, but the end of the book seemed a little rushed. It should have taken longer, that the book did.
All in all, it is a good book. I will read it again. I will think about the ending, as well.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book from Goodreads/Grand Central Publishing. I was not obligated to leave a review.
Emily is a super computer personality. She is able to communicate with people of her team (at a college) who wear an interface chip, fastened to the back of their neck. If you have the chip, she shows up as a person. Her creator Nathan Wyman has made Emily to be an artificial consciousness, (AC), to interface with human minds.
They have a college program that is called iLab, that is where they work. Emily is a talking therapist. There are hundreds of volunteers who are in the program, that Emily works with.
Unfortunately, there is a super, life ending event, that everyone is aware of and the President of the USA comes to them to see if Emily can download everyone's DNA and save it to a server and people will jettison that into space, so that sometime far into the future, the DNA can be unlocked so the people of the world can be saved at a molecular level.
At first, Emily refuses. She has a morality chip and would rather gather DNA through permissions. But, there isn't enough time to get permission and Emily can just go into their minds and pluck the DNA strands and save them. She eventually agrees to do what the President asks, but insists that She be the one who sends the servers into space.
The lab is destroyed by evil henchmen. They are private security types who are bent on killing everyone and destroying everything. Emily hadn't made it to the lab that day, so she lived on.
I thought this was a pretty good book, deals a lot with the doomed planet and what we as people can do to survive. The book had some twists and turns, but the end of the book seemed a little rushed. It should have taken longer, that the book did.
All in all, it is a good book. I will read it again. I will think about the ending, as well.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book from Goodreads/Grand Central Publishing. I was not obligated to leave a review.
katewutz's review
3.0
An interesting thought experiment, but felt a little incomplete. We barely delved into “artificial consciousness” before Plot With A Capital P came barging in. Would absolutely read a prequel about Emily’s development, though!
gemmaduds's review against another edition
3.0
Emily is a high tech Artificial Consciousness Program, developed to connect with people’s minds as a form of therapy.
But when the sun begins to die millions of years earlier than predicted, Emily realises that her capabilities could be the key to ensuring the survival of humanity.
Emily Eternal is an imaginative and enjoyable sci-fi with some great characters and an interesting plot. I loved the ideas that Wheaton conjures up, although I did get a little lost along the way at times.
This book would be perfect as a movie as it has been created using a lot of visual description, and I have a feeling that it might have been written with the big screen in mind.
Pick this book up if you’re looking for an apocalyptic sci-fi with a female protagonist and a twist of romance. Would also be great for YA readers looking to branch out.
But when the sun begins to die millions of years earlier than predicted, Emily realises that her capabilities could be the key to ensuring the survival of humanity.
Emily Eternal is an imaginative and enjoyable sci-fi with some great characters and an interesting plot. I loved the ideas that Wheaton conjures up, although I did get a little lost along the way at times.
This book would be perfect as a movie as it has been created using a lot of visual description, and I have a feeling that it might have been written with the big screen in mind.
Pick this book up if you’re looking for an apocalyptic sci-fi with a female protagonist and a twist of romance. Would also be great for YA readers looking to branch out.
jessica_mcdermitt's review against another edition
2.0
I didn’t care for the new age take on what it means to be human. Or for the romance with a...computer? Disembodied consciousness? It was weird.
thewrightsage's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
mxopal's review against another edition
3.0
I was expecting sci-fi, and for the first two-thirds that's pretty much what you get. It's an interesting collection of ideas, and has potential to be really good sci-fi, but towards the end it devolves into downright fantasy. That's not necessarily bad, but I think you'd need a pretty high suspension of disbelief to enjoy the entire thing. It's not a bad book, but I couldn't help but roll my eyes at quite of bit of it towards the end.