caryndi's review
dark
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
This was an interesting novella. In a space community run by AI, humans live comfortably but do not have political power. There is an additional level of stratification between non-citizens and citizens. The split between AI and humans is not complete--rarely, a human is allowed to become a haruspex, essentially a vessel for an AI as it matures. Haruspex candidacy is rare and highly competitive, seen as an honor.
While the books starts with the premise that AI can oversee an ideal living situation for humans, it turns out AI are no more at a consensus than a group of humans are, and their arguments have the ability to affect others. As all-powerful and all-seeing in Shenzhen, they can manipulate the lives of the humans who live there to meet their own needs. Orfea, one of the narrators, becomes a pawn in a political struggle that involves Seung Ngo,, and other ruling AI in Shenzhen. She also finds herself forced to work with her ex-lover Krissana, who once deserted her and got her thrown out of the elite galactic strike team she was a part of.
I enjoyed the concept and story, trying to follow along with Orfea's investigation and learning more about her and Krissana, but didn't feel compelled to keep thinking about it once it was over. I would have liked to see more complexity between her and Seung Ngo and felt the relationship between her and Krissana could have been explored further as well.
If you're reading, be aware there are multiple explicit sex scenes that involve D/s dynamics.
Recommend? Maybe if you're more into AI stories than I am?
While the books starts with the premise that AI can oversee an ideal living situation for humans, it turns out AI are no more at a consensus than a group of humans are, and their arguments have the ability to affect others. As all-powerful and all-seeing in Shenzhen, they can manipulate the lives of the humans who live there to meet their own needs. Orfea, one of the narrators, becomes a pawn in a political struggle that involves Seung Ngo,
Spoiler
the AI who once lived in her brain and took care of herI enjoyed the concept and story, trying to follow along with Orfea's investigation and learning more about her and Krissana, but didn't feel compelled to keep thinking about it once it was over. I would have liked to see more complexity between her and Seung Ngo
Spoiler
(are we to assume she was just lying to Krissana about wanting Orfea dead?If you're reading, be aware there are multiple explicit sex scenes that involve D/s dynamics.
Recommend? Maybe if you're more into AI stories than I am?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Sexual content, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Death, Gore, Murder, Sexual assault, and Medical trauma
Minor: Transphobia and Homophobia
I tagged this as moderate sexual assault becauseSpoiler
some places consider 'having sex under false pretenses' as assault and there is one scene in which a character seduces another to get her alone so she can get information from her.
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