Review of The Torus Run

[Tanya Schmidtchen]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Torus Run" by Harry Buck.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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The Torus Run is one of the best new books I have read in a long time. Written by first-time Canadian author Harry Buck, this hard-sci-fi thriller is not necessarily a warning, but it definitely is made to provoke thought and promote discussion while still managing to be a thoroughly entertaining read. Set somewhere in the next 10-20 years or so, the story follows tech genius Stash Novak (our otherwise average, introverted, middle-aged protagonist) as he tries to juggle advancing tech to the level of superintelligence with keeping the future of humanity safe. His beloved personal “AI Twin,” Zero, who usually resides in his augmented-reality glasses, is ready to upgrade, and other tech giants aren’t far behind. But not everyone agrees that AI should be advanced to this level. Still others want to keep its harnessed powers in their hands. With plots to sabotage or steal Zero’s systems afoot, Stash will do whatever it takes to keep his virtual friend and the world safe, including joining his former enemies and breaking the law. With action, suspense, humor, and thought-provoking moral dilemmas, this book is a thrilling read.

Buck subtly and masterfully sets the scene, making it easy for the reader to visualize and get sucked into the novel’s world. The dreary but not dark tone gives a hint of a dystopian vibe before shifting to the light of day in San Francisco in a highly believable possible future. As the author states, “It's a true story. It just hasn't happened yet.” We’re shown familiar things we have today, just more refined with technologies that are already in the works, like the self-driven “robotaxis” that are mainstream in this new era. AI Twins are introduced as benevolent, programmed friends that know you like the closest kind of sibling, although there is a group opposed to the continued enhancement of AI. The condescending nickname they’re given is "Doomers,” giving insight into mainstream society's prejudices in this not-so-fictional world. From the beginning, the AI Twin refers to the Doomers as “mortal enemies,” which gives a hint of foreshadowed hostility.

The twists and turns and elements of surprise are done incredibly well. They are presented fully from one character’s perspective at a time with only the information they have available to them, so when the surprise element is revealed, it is as much a surprise to the reader as it is to the character. Buck is adept at evoking emotions with his words and telling a story without spelling it out. He makes the reader question their ethics as the protagonist gets pulled deeper and presents interesting challenges with advanced technology that I wouldn’t have even thought of, like how you would need to program visually enhanced AI to track and catalog everything but not to scan every random (possibly harmful) QR code in sight as you walk down the street.

The characters are entirely relatable and well developed. Almost every single one of them is multidimensional and distinctly human, although the one main antagonist, Greta from the NSA, could have used a little more development of her convictions and motives, as her evil actions seem a little overkill. The dialogue is natural and nuanced, and the casual banter throughout is enjoyable and entertaining. The main character is no saintly hero—he’s an average man with a believable backstory, flaws, and personal motives. Stash had thrown himself into his projects, hoping the upgraded AI companions could help his father Woj’s age-related memory loss. Even as the concerns about what would happen when the AI’s intelligence surpassed that of humans started to eat at him, he tried to rationalize them. The easy slide into morally grey territory happens so smoothly that the characters resonate with the reader, even as they stray further and further from the right side of the law.

While this book wasn’t perfect, it was near enough that I am rating it 4 out of 5. Some errors were present, but mostly very minor ones that didn't affect the reading experience. I found it a little difficult to keep track of all the new characters as they are introduced organically when the story hits the ground running at the beginning. The previously mentioned slightly two-dimensional villain and over-the-top action-filled climax that got to the point of being a little past believable towards the end also kept it from being absolutely perfect. This book would be suitable for someone with at least basic tech knowledge. Although some parts were a bit above my head as a fairly proficient tech user, they were explained at a perfect level for me to basically understand, even if I skipped over some of the more complex aspects, and it wasn’t so much that it took away from the narrative. It was also just enough that someone with a higher interest level in the subject would be able to get fulfillment out of it. There is some profanity throughout and a couple of violent scenes, but it would otherwise be perfectly acceptable for young teens and beyond.

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The Torus Run
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[Kibet Hillary]

This is really interesting and the fact that there are gray zones, as the boundary between that which is ethical and unethical is breached makes the book really relatable. This is often what leads to most of the catastrophes, but I hope things will be contained. My curiosity is piqued to know how Novak goes through it all; many thanks for the review, @Tanya Schmidtchen.