Review of Terms of Service
Posted: 10 Mar 2023, 05:25
[Following is a volunteer review of "Terms of Service" by Craig W. Stanfill.]
Terms of Service, by Craig W. Stanfill, is a dystopian book describing a reality where AI rules the world; 250 years from now, humanity has not only created AI but was bested by them. Humans now live in an oppressive society with a totalitarian regime, where AI dictates everything from what people are mandated to wear, to whom they're allowed to consider sexual relations with. Science fiction and fantasy fans will have a field day with this book.
The book begins with Kim, an AI trainer for a company, in the transit support divisions. She has to train automatons, devices that are incapable of thinking for themselves. When Kim gets herself into a less-than-flattering situation, her role morphs and she finds herself amongst the forces of society. Consequently, her privacy has become compromised. While in the beginning, she was a submissive and shy character, Kim grows into a defiant individual trying to rebel against the oppressive system. Because of her compliance, or rather her lack thereof, the AI tries to rein her in by threatening her into submission.
There were several things I would label as positive aspects; the most striking one being how the author builds anticipation by showcasing who controls things behind the scenes in this alter-reality. Her point of view captivated me, as kept discovering things that weren't right. The title was most thought-provoking, as it hinted at "terms of service", a legal document between a client and a service provider, which nobody reads in today's age. This is an allusion to people singing away a few rights typically. In Stanfill's novel, people "sign" their human rights. Another positive aspect was the number of small touches that gave this reality life; the author came up with other names for the days of the week, from Oneday to Sevenday. Moreover, the technical part of this novel revolving around AI is on point; the author has a Ph.D. in artificial intelligence.
There was nothing I disliked in this book, it was downright unputdownable. I could not find any typos or grammatical mistakes, which leads me to believe it was professionally edited.
The author's style was simple and easy to understand, and his world-making abilities have blown me away. I enjoyed this book immensely; for this reason, I rate Terms of Service by Craig W. Standfill 5 out of 5 stars.
I would recommend this book to readers over the age of 18 years old; some of the themes approached are mature. This is the perfect novel for fans of fantasy and science fiction. Don't miss out!
******
Terms of Service
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Terms of Service, by Craig W. Stanfill, is a dystopian book describing a reality where AI rules the world; 250 years from now, humanity has not only created AI but was bested by them. Humans now live in an oppressive society with a totalitarian regime, where AI dictates everything from what people are mandated to wear, to whom they're allowed to consider sexual relations with. Science fiction and fantasy fans will have a field day with this book.
The book begins with Kim, an AI trainer for a company, in the transit support divisions. She has to train automatons, devices that are incapable of thinking for themselves. When Kim gets herself into a less-than-flattering situation, her role morphs and she finds herself amongst the forces of society. Consequently, her privacy has become compromised. While in the beginning, she was a submissive and shy character, Kim grows into a defiant individual trying to rebel against the oppressive system. Because of her compliance, or rather her lack thereof, the AI tries to rein her in by threatening her into submission.
There were several things I would label as positive aspects; the most striking one being how the author builds anticipation by showcasing who controls things behind the scenes in this alter-reality. Her point of view captivated me, as kept discovering things that weren't right. The title was most thought-provoking, as it hinted at "terms of service", a legal document between a client and a service provider, which nobody reads in today's age. This is an allusion to people singing away a few rights typically. In Stanfill's novel, people "sign" their human rights. Another positive aspect was the number of small touches that gave this reality life; the author came up with other names for the days of the week, from Oneday to Sevenday. Moreover, the technical part of this novel revolving around AI is on point; the author has a Ph.D. in artificial intelligence.
There was nothing I disliked in this book, it was downright unputdownable. I could not find any typos or grammatical mistakes, which leads me to believe it was professionally edited.
The author's style was simple and easy to understand, and his world-making abilities have blown me away. I enjoyed this book immensely; for this reason, I rate Terms of Service by Craig W. Standfill 5 out of 5 stars.
I would recommend this book to readers over the age of 18 years old; some of the themes approached are mature. This is the perfect novel for fans of fantasy and science fiction. Don't miss out!
******
Terms of Service
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes