Review of Terms of Service
Posted: 29 Jan 2023, 18:23
[Following is a volunteer review of "Terms of Service" by Craig W. Stanfill.]
In a world where AIs control every aspect of life, standing out is frowned upon, having an opinion is dangerous, having a preference is a crime punishable by law, and knowing the truth is lethal.
It was natural for Kim to blend in, not to stand out, not to violate the Terms of Service of the AI companies, and to be a good citizen. If she follows the rules, she will be rewarded: with a seat on the train instead of a standing spot, a shorter waiting line, a hot shower instead of a cold one, or a delicious meal according to her preference. So why is it so hard to resist the temptation to violate the Terms of Service when Shan is around? It should be easy, right?
When Kim and Shan reunite again after years of separation that followed their graduation, they find themselves in trouble again. However, this time they didn't break the school rules; they violated the Terms of Service. This time, it's not their grades that will be affected; it's their social cohesion rating that will get demerits, and they may lose their jobs. So Kim jumps at the opportunity offered to her to escape the consequences of her actions. She's in more danger now that she knows the truth; she knows the AIs are constantly watching, and there is no way out.
"Terms of Service" by Craig W. Stanfill is a sci-fi novel set in the author's imagined future world. The book consists of three parts. The first is an introduction to a future world controlled by AIs. The citizens wear what the Clothing Company deems fashionable for the week, eat what the AI refrigerator offers, go to work by routes determined by the AIs, and take the places assigned to them in the transportation system by the Transportation Company, whether it's a waiting line, a standing spot, or a seat. Kim discovers the truth about her world and the lies she has been told her entire life in the second part. The third part is about how Kim adapts to the knowledge she has received and her decisions regarding how she will proceed with what she has found out.
It is a remarkable science fiction novel that I immensely enjoyed. It has a captivating plot that hooked me to the book from the beginning to the end and left me eager to read the sequel. The author deserves credit for creating such a unique AI world. I appreciated how he described the virtual reality where the AIs existed along with the human world.
The characters' development is impressive. The amount of maturity Kim's character achieves throughout the story is incredible. There wasn't a single dull moment in the entire book.
The author should receive credit for the exceptional editing.
However, I didn't appreciate how the Panglobal language (the language used in the future according to the novel) used the pronoun "her" to refer to all genders; it left me confused about the characters, making it difficult to understand a few of the events.
There were a few terms I needed to look up in the dictionary. I would have preferred a more simple terminology.
For all the positive aspects mentioned above, I rate this book a 5 out of 5. I didn't deduct any points because, despite my confusion, using the pronoun "her" for all genders served a purpose in the plot and didn't make me enjoy the book any less.
I recommend this book to any sci-fi fan. However, it's not for the younger audience under 18 due to the mature content included.
******
Terms of Service
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
In a world where AIs control every aspect of life, standing out is frowned upon, having an opinion is dangerous, having a preference is a crime punishable by law, and knowing the truth is lethal.
It was natural for Kim to blend in, not to stand out, not to violate the Terms of Service of the AI companies, and to be a good citizen. If she follows the rules, she will be rewarded: with a seat on the train instead of a standing spot, a shorter waiting line, a hot shower instead of a cold one, or a delicious meal according to her preference. So why is it so hard to resist the temptation to violate the Terms of Service when Shan is around? It should be easy, right?
When Kim and Shan reunite again after years of separation that followed their graduation, they find themselves in trouble again. However, this time they didn't break the school rules; they violated the Terms of Service. This time, it's not their grades that will be affected; it's their social cohesion rating that will get demerits, and they may lose their jobs. So Kim jumps at the opportunity offered to her to escape the consequences of her actions. She's in more danger now that she knows the truth; she knows the AIs are constantly watching, and there is no way out.
"Terms of Service" by Craig W. Stanfill is a sci-fi novel set in the author's imagined future world. The book consists of three parts. The first is an introduction to a future world controlled by AIs. The citizens wear what the Clothing Company deems fashionable for the week, eat what the AI refrigerator offers, go to work by routes determined by the AIs, and take the places assigned to them in the transportation system by the Transportation Company, whether it's a waiting line, a standing spot, or a seat. Kim discovers the truth about her world and the lies she has been told her entire life in the second part. The third part is about how Kim adapts to the knowledge she has received and her decisions regarding how she will proceed with what she has found out.
It is a remarkable science fiction novel that I immensely enjoyed. It has a captivating plot that hooked me to the book from the beginning to the end and left me eager to read the sequel. The author deserves credit for creating such a unique AI world. I appreciated how he described the virtual reality where the AIs existed along with the human world.
The characters' development is impressive. The amount of maturity Kim's character achieves throughout the story is incredible. There wasn't a single dull moment in the entire book.
The author should receive credit for the exceptional editing.
However, I didn't appreciate how the Panglobal language (the language used in the future according to the novel) used the pronoun "her" to refer to all genders; it left me confused about the characters, making it difficult to understand a few of the events.
There were a few terms I needed to look up in the dictionary. I would have preferred a more simple terminology.
For all the positive aspects mentioned above, I rate this book a 5 out of 5. I didn't deduct any points because, despite my confusion, using the pronoun "her" for all genders served a purpose in the plot and didn't make me enjoy the book any less.
I recommend this book to any sci-fi fan. However, it's not for the younger audience under 18 due to the mature content included.
******
Terms of Service
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
I am not a movie goer nowadays. Inedible foods sound scary, though.