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A review by aunt13soc1al
iD by Madeline Ashby
5.0
This series started with vN which followed Amy, a robot made for the pleasure of humans. In Amy's case, her owner treated her as a person and kept her innocent like a child as long as he could. We are presented with the idyllic setting of a human caring for a vN as if it were a human child and teaching it while it aged but didn't grow, but Amy was an unusual case. Most vN were created to do work for us, to be there for us in any and every way imaginable, and with a built-in failsafe preventing them from ever harming us. And when I say 'every way imaginable' that is the truth. Most of the vN have been used by humans for their sexual pleasure and do not know that not everyone wants to have sex with them. In a way, even the 'adult' vN are like children.
iD picks up where vN leaves off with Amy and Javier on the oasis Amy has created as a sanctuary for vN. But soon the seclusion they have fought so hard for is destroyed and Javier is on his own searching for Amy. Javier, unlike Amy, was not raised as a child loved by parents. His father abandons him soon after Javier is iterated (how the vN reproduce) and Javier finds himself in jail. From there he makes his way through life, iterating his sons, and struggling to provide for himself. He learns that humans want him in sexual ways, and he uses that to his advantage.
After reading other reviews, I thought perhaps I was missing something while reading this book. However, I think it's that I am not as sensitive as others to certain topics. The sex scenes depicted were not overly detailed or offensive and they served the purpose that the author intended by including them.
The author reveals much about the darker side of the human's plans for the vN and while some will see these instances of sex and depravity that made Javier who he is as gratuitous, they are not. They provide an insight into the lives of the vN and makes you question not only your own reactions to the scenes, but also to question, can robots be human? Do they feel like we do or is it only because we have programmed them to? Are we taking advantage of them or is it our right since we created them?
The book takes many aspects of robot and human coexistence into question and while it seems to conclude rather quickly, it draws out so many thought provoking ides, that you hardly notice it's over till you're left wanting to know more.
I highly recommend this for anyone who likes 'what if' science fiction books. This isn't hardcore science fiction, but it will certainly make you wonder long after you finish it.
iD picks up where vN leaves off with Amy and Javier on the oasis Amy has created as a sanctuary for vN. But soon the seclusion they have fought so hard for is destroyed and Javier is on his own searching for Amy. Javier, unlike Amy, was not raised as a child loved by parents. His father abandons him soon after Javier is iterated (how the vN reproduce) and Javier finds himself in jail. From there he makes his way through life, iterating his sons, and struggling to provide for himself. He learns that humans want him in sexual ways, and he uses that to his advantage.
After reading other reviews, I thought perhaps I was missing something while reading this book. However, I think it's that I am not as sensitive as others to certain topics. The sex scenes depicted were not overly detailed or offensive and they served the purpose that the author intended by including them.
The author reveals much about the darker side of the human's plans for the vN and while some will see these instances of sex and depravity that made Javier who he is as gratuitous, they are not. They provide an insight into the lives of the vN and makes you question not only your own reactions to the scenes, but also to question, can robots be human? Do they feel like we do or is it only because we have programmed them to? Are we taking advantage of them or is it our right since we created them?
The book takes many aspects of robot and human coexistence into question and while it seems to conclude rather quickly, it draws out so many thought provoking ides, that you hardly notice it's over till you're left wanting to know more.
I highly recommend this for anyone who likes 'what if' science fiction books. This isn't hardcore science fiction, but it will certainly make you wonder long after you finish it.