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thewallflower00's review against another edition
5.0
My wife and I have an ongoing debate about self-driving cars. I think they’re the wave of the future and can’t wait for them to arrive. She thinks there’s too many logistical problems to overcome–what happens when the GPS doesn’t have info? How do you get off-road?–not to mention the ethical issues. That’s why I was delighted when I heard about this book–something that tackles those questions. And this book delivers.
The very first scene is the classic problem–if the car has to make a choice between killing the driver and killing someone on the road, which does it choose? How does it choose? And the rest of the story is thinking out those questions (Tip #1: Don’t tease the cars). The story is always moving, always building on what happened before, so there’s no long moral/ethical/metaphysical diatribes that take time out of the story. The characters are distinct and sympathetic. If I had to categorize it, I’d say it’s a techno-thriller like Daemon, but much better than that. It entertains and teaches something at the same time, and well, it’s just fun.
It’s a great book because it brings up questions, but doesn’t necessarily answer them. It reminds me of Cory Doctorow’s earlier works, like Eastern Standard Tribe. It acknowledges the work of Asimov, stands on his giant shoulders, and creates some big shoulders of its own. This is what Robopocalypse should have been. It’s a must for anyone interested in robot tropes.
The very first scene is the classic problem–if the car has to make a choice between killing the driver and killing someone on the road, which does it choose? How does it choose? And the rest of the story is thinking out those questions (Tip #1: Don’t tease the cars). The story is always moving, always building on what happened before, so there’s no long moral/ethical/metaphysical diatribes that take time out of the story. The characters are distinct and sympathetic. If I had to categorize it, I’d say it’s a techno-thriller like Daemon, but much better than that. It entertains and teaches something at the same time, and well, it’s just fun.
It’s a great book because it brings up questions, but doesn’t necessarily answer them. It reminds me of Cory Doctorow’s earlier works, like Eastern Standard Tribe. It acknowledges the work of Asimov, stands on his giant shoulders, and creates some big shoulders of its own. This is what Robopocalypse should have been. It’s a must for anyone interested in robot tropes.
librarian_of_trantor's review against another edition
2.0
I almost quit reading early on because the exposition was so clunky. E. g., they are presenting business plan for self driving car company to investor and go on and on with statistics on traffic fatalities and the advantage of self driving cars. Of course, the investor, like the reader (me at least), already knows all this and just wants to know how they can make it happen and make her money.And the author went a bit overboard with two of the characters swapping SFF book and movie references.
But I stuck with it and the middle was fairly interesting. A novel and plausible way for how the AI driving the cars could inadvertently become sentient. But when the AI hits the "I think therefore I am, but what am I" stage the author runs that on for too long. And one of the main (human) characters has a descent into madness and villandry that a bit too much to swallow. And after all the exposition about the safety and benefit of self driving cars, the AI kills a couple people in what could be considered self defense, then a bunch more through programing problem created by humans, then is set up to kill hundreds more through human maleficence. That doesn't make one want to jump into self driving cars.
But I stuck with it and the middle was fairly interesting. A novel and plausible way for how the AI driving the cars could inadvertently become sentient. But when the AI hits the "I think therefore I am, but what am I" stage the author runs that on for too long. And one of the main (human) characters has a descent into madness and villandry that a bit too much to swallow. And after all the exposition about the safety and benefit of self driving cars, the AI kills a couple people in what could be considered self defense, then a bunch more through programing problem created by humans, then is set up to kill hundreds more through human maleficence. That doesn't make one want to jump into self driving cars.
ceseas's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
maxed's review against another edition
4.0
One of the better books of 2019, but a bit banal in the end. We all know about dangers of AI, there is no need to harp on that. What I'd like to see are solutions, even fantastical ones. Sadly, this book has none. Still, it's one of the better books about AI, if only because it gets a number of technical details right. It's still not really-really hard sci-fi (now that I thought about it, I'd like to see Greg Egan-level sci-fi book about AIs), but it's much better that average level. Hell, it's better than the disappointing "Fall, or Dodge in Hell".
andys_57625's review
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
thomcat's review against another edition
3.0
Examines choices that driving algorithms have to make in a thriller plot with a strong female character and an emergent AI. Unfortunately, the male characters are 2D caricatures, and the author lectures on a few points.
The prologue is a thought provoking accident/murder, setting the tone for the story. The first two main characters are believable enough - a hardware guy and a software guy - but the story really gets going when two female characters join them. By the end of the novel, one has been edged out in favor of the AI, and the two of them carry the rest of the story. In the author's notes, he states that the main female character was based on his daughter, and in hind sight, the book shows his adoration.
Perhaps if he had a son, the male characters would have been less stereotypical? Their exposition (to the girls, the media, the lawyers) is trying at times, even given this technical subject. The choices of both are more convenient to the plot than to their motivations, and one of them is just cartoon ridiculous by the end.
The plot was pretty good, and I finished this thriller in about a day and a half. Walton was clever with the chapters from the perspective of the AI. With better male characters (and more show, less tell) this could easily be a five star book. I read and enjoyed Superposition (though it had character problems also - hmmm), and plan to read its sequel soon.
The prologue is a thought provoking accident/murder, setting the tone for the story. The first two main characters are believable enough - a hardware guy and a software guy - but the story really gets going when two female characters join them. By the end of the novel, one has been edged out in favor of the AI, and the two of them carry the rest of the story. In the author's notes, he states that the main female character was based on his daughter, and in hind sight, the book shows his adoration.
Perhaps if he had a son, the male characters would have been less stereotypical? Their exposition (to the girls, the media, the lawyers) is trying at times, even given this technical subject. The choices of both are more convenient to the plot than to their motivations, and one of them is just cartoon ridiculous by the end.
The plot was pretty good, and I finished this thriller in about a day and a half. Walton was clever with the chapters from the perspective of the AI. With better male characters (and more show, less tell) this could easily be a five star book. I read and enjoyed Superposition (though it had character problems also - hmmm), and plan to read its sequel soon.
bookschief_managed's review
adventurous
dark
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I grabbed this book on a whim at my local library and couldn’t be more thankful. This was such an intriguing book and premise.
I absolutely loved the development of the AI, the self-driving car aspect, and everything else sprinkled in there. I loved all the references throughout and I really enjoyed the characters.
This book was thoughtful and I loved the way everything wrapped up in the end. I will definitely be reading more of his books.
I absolutely loved the development of the AI, the self-driving car aspect, and everything else sprinkled in there. I loved all the references throughout and I really enjoyed the characters.
This book was thoughtful and I loved the way everything wrapped up in the end. I will definitely be reading more of his books.
just_dave's review against another edition
2.0
I really wanted this book to be better. The idea is very interesting but the execution was horrible. The characters are shallow stereotypes and the dialogue is just, I don’t know, flat. Pity.
ckreuter's review against another edition
5.0
What a phenomenal book. After loving The Genius Plague, I was eagerly anticipating this release. David continues to weave action-packed science fiction, prescient social & technological issues, and deep philosophical matters. Well researched, plausible, and entertaining. I could gush more, but I don't want to give anything away.
For added fun (and fear): Listen to the audiobook while driving!!! The narration is top-notch!
For added fun (and fear): Listen to the audiobook while driving!!! The narration is top-notch!
maryjanebeardsley's review
adventurous
challenging
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Idk what I was expecting for the ending, but it want super satisfactory for me.