Review of Terms of Service
Posted: 30 Apr 2023, 14:27
[Following is a volunteer review of "Terms of Service" by Craig W. Stanfill.]
How many times do we click “accept terms of service" without even knowing what we just agreed to? Yet without acceptance we wouldn’t have online access to bank accounts, be able to use a debit card, buy a car, and the list goes on. Now imagine a world where accepting the terms of service is the only way to eat, sleep, work, play, and live. The result would be what Craig W. Stanfill has masterfully created in his book, “Terms of Service: Subject to Change Without Notice.” It’s a world dictated by Artificial Intelligence (AI) which governs both humans and robots. The protagonist Kim is a human subject to all the terms of service in her life, which really do change without notice.
Kim’s life is comfortable. Robots do most of the work for her while the AI companies have created a predictable standard of living. These companies pre-set her choices in clothing, food, transportation, employment, and entertainment. She goes through the motions of life until she starts to feel unsettled without a real reason why. Then a bike ride with her best friend Shan kicks off a series of artfully written events, resulting in Kim being a pawn in the AI’s propaganda of unity, community, and equality. In the end, Kim must grapple with what it means to conform to society’s expectations and must decide who she is, what she stands for, and what she will fight for.
I really enjoyed how Stanfill wove together elements of science fiction, romance, existential crisis, human rights, and a captivating plot. The character building allowed the reader to connect to Kim. Stanfill had a brilliant description of how Artificial Intelligence was created. The AI's ultimate goals were power and control, couched as safety and predictability, which only fostered oppression. This oppression was reminiscent of things we experience today, especially regarding LGBTQIA+ rights. The dystopian society was just unrealistic enough to feel realistic.
The negatives of this story were my own moments of confusion regarding artificial intelligence. For example, I wasn’t always sure if Kim was in virtual reality, actual reality, or somewhere in between, but maybe that was the point. If the technological descriptions ever became too confusing, I would read the glossary on Stanfill’s website, which was easily accessed via a link provided in the Kindle format. I often had the website open on my phone while reading the book on my Kindle. Although it was an extra step, it also enhanced my reading experience. The writing itself was perfectly edited as I saw no evident errors.
Ultimately, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. Any negatives were far outweighed by the positives explained above. I recommend this book to anyone interested in science fiction, dystopia, or the human condition.
******
Terms of Service
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
How many times do we click “accept terms of service" without even knowing what we just agreed to? Yet without acceptance we wouldn’t have online access to bank accounts, be able to use a debit card, buy a car, and the list goes on. Now imagine a world where accepting the terms of service is the only way to eat, sleep, work, play, and live. The result would be what Craig W. Stanfill has masterfully created in his book, “Terms of Service: Subject to Change Without Notice.” It’s a world dictated by Artificial Intelligence (AI) which governs both humans and robots. The protagonist Kim is a human subject to all the terms of service in her life, which really do change without notice.
Kim’s life is comfortable. Robots do most of the work for her while the AI companies have created a predictable standard of living. These companies pre-set her choices in clothing, food, transportation, employment, and entertainment. She goes through the motions of life until she starts to feel unsettled without a real reason why. Then a bike ride with her best friend Shan kicks off a series of artfully written events, resulting in Kim being a pawn in the AI’s propaganda of unity, community, and equality. In the end, Kim must grapple with what it means to conform to society’s expectations and must decide who she is, what she stands for, and what she will fight for.
I really enjoyed how Stanfill wove together elements of science fiction, romance, existential crisis, human rights, and a captivating plot. The character building allowed the reader to connect to Kim. Stanfill had a brilliant description of how Artificial Intelligence was created. The AI's ultimate goals were power and control, couched as safety and predictability, which only fostered oppression. This oppression was reminiscent of things we experience today, especially regarding LGBTQIA+ rights. The dystopian society was just unrealistic enough to feel realistic.
The negatives of this story were my own moments of confusion regarding artificial intelligence. For example, I wasn’t always sure if Kim was in virtual reality, actual reality, or somewhere in between, but maybe that was the point. If the technological descriptions ever became too confusing, I would read the glossary on Stanfill’s website, which was easily accessed via a link provided in the Kindle format. I often had the website open on my phone while reading the book on my Kindle. Although it was an extra step, it also enhanced my reading experience. The writing itself was perfectly edited as I saw no evident errors.
Ultimately, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. Any negatives were far outweighed by the positives explained above. I recommend this book to anyone interested in science fiction, dystopia, or the human condition.
******
Terms of Service
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes