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trangmar's review
challenging
dark
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
user_3131695191912's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
discreetlyred's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
4.5
kennystreule's review
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
bentrevett's review
2.0
only just 2 stars because there's some good ideas in here about what humans will get up to when they're all immortal and invincible, but the actual book itself is terrible - grammar and prose feel like they were written by a 15 year old.
strelitzia's review
challenging
dark
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Incest, Torture, and Violence
shardertarik's review
5.0
Despite everything I read, the concept of artificial intelligence makes me hopeful. The ability of an A.I. to solve every problem we are tackling and to develop itself into a being capable of solving every problem we will ever tackle is alluring. How much strife could be avoided by not only meeting peoples' every need but also their every want? Here we reach something of a paradox, demonstrated spectacularly by this novel. We work towards a day where we solve every problem and never have to work again. We work for this because solving problems is our barometer for progress. Prime Intellect (the A.I. of this novel) solves every problem known to humankind and gives us everything. So what do humans do when there are no more problems to solve? What do we do without purpose? These are the kinds of questions this book grapples with and it does so in a thought-provoking way.
The novel itself has 3 (important) characters, Lawrence, Caroline, and Prime Intellect. We learn the stories of all three characters and their situations before and after the massive Change. It is short, saying only what it needs to for its point to come across. Williams does this by showing us a vision of humanity and what our cultures become post-Change, or post-Prime Intellect. By doing so, he forces us to ask what it means to be human in our time. This novel provides a dark counterpoint to the optimistic futurologists who created Star Trek. Roddenberry envisioned a world without need and without a need for want. The culture in Star Trek is one of self-enrichment. When taking care of oneself is unnecessary, people will better themselves by learning new things and exploring. In Williams' world, people will become bored with life to the point where only brushes with death will excite them. Like always though, neither will be completely right nor wrong.
A novel like this is not a comforting kind of read, especially because some of the scenes can be downright disgusting. A novel like this is recommended for those who wish to explore human purpose and wants to engage rather than relax. This novel is deserving of all the stars because it isn't safe and it isn't sanitary. Some might call it raw. I call it excellent.
The novel itself has 3 (important) characters, Lawrence, Caroline, and Prime Intellect. We learn the stories of all three characters and their situations before and after the massive Change. It is short, saying only what it needs to for its point to come across. Williams does this by showing us a vision of humanity and what our cultures become post-Change, or post-Prime Intellect. By doing so, he forces us to ask what it means to be human in our time. This novel provides a dark counterpoint to the optimistic futurologists who created Star Trek. Roddenberry envisioned a world without need and without a need for want. The culture in Star Trek is one of self-enrichment. When taking care of oneself is unnecessary, people will better themselves by learning new things and exploring. In Williams' world, people will become bored with life to the point where only brushes with death will excite them. Like always though, neither will be completely right nor wrong.
A novel like this is not a comforting kind of read, especially because some of the scenes can be downright disgusting. A novel like this is recommended for those who wish to explore human purpose and wants to engage rather than relax. This novel is deserving of all the stars because it isn't safe and it isn't sanitary. Some might call it raw. I call it excellent.
doverstav's review
2.0
While I liked the concept - How would humans cope with an apparent utopia-turned-dystopia? - I didn't really like the execution here. It makes sense that people would gravitate towards the more extreme sensations to find meaning in a meaningless existence, but reading about it as it was written here was not a fun experience for me.