Official Review: Faith by Timothy Bult

[Timothy Rucinski]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Faith" by Timothy Bult.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Timothy Bult’s Faith: A Science Fiction Love Story might be a romance disguised as a science fiction novel, a science fiction novel masquerading as an economic treatise, or even a philosophical postulation on the vagaries of sex. But it makes no difference. One of the strangest books I have ever read, Bult's book is a marvel.

The story takes place both in the present and in the not too distant future. Cyber technology has reached a pinnacle with advances in AI (artificial intelligence), and the United States and China have become embroiled in a clandestine cyberwar. Poverty has been eliminated, the population living comfortably off government-sponsored stipends, and world wars have come to an end. Virtual reality has become endemic in all of Earth’s societies. Much of civilization spends the days in crèches, wired to alternative realities that provide pleasure and sustenance. Within this framework, Kenner and Faith fall in love.

The story that plays out in Faith is relatively thin. There is a bit of a mystery as Chinese and American agencies try to determine how the relationship between Kenner and Faith is somehow linked to AI activity across the globe. We get a taste of the cloak and dagger goings-on of the CIA and its Asian counterpart. And we learn how the technology behind Siri and IBM’s Watson can eventually evolve into something much more powerful and lethal. But it’s not the drama of the tale that moves the story from beginning to end. Instead, this story is revealed through rich characters, both human and artificial, and their philosophies, foibles, peccadillos, hopes, wishes, and dreams. It’s a lot to digest at times, but well worth the effort.

Faith is a young woman who is as brilliant as she is beautiful. Several years her senior, Kenner struggles to find the perfect mate before encountering Faith at, of all places, Whole Foods. They fit perfectly together, intellectually as well as sexually, each longing for true love. Their intense carnal desires are rooted in the world of BDSM. Although these two are the book's main characters, many others are equally as intriguing. Deepak is a brilliant young programmer working for the CIA, the guardedly gay son of Indian parents, who discovers anomalies in the world of AI. Sifeng is a martial arts master from China employed by the government as an enforcer and assassin, tasked to discover the secrets behind Faith and Kenner's relationship. Brian Walker is a CIS bureau chief focused on the world of AI with a love of fine food. Both he and his Chinese counterpart, Li Jun, face the possibility that private AI activity is taking place behind the public AI screen. Adam and Eileen are two such private AI personalities, created beneath the radar, that have assumed control over technology beyond human watchdogs' scope.

Bult brilliantly bounces back and forth between third- and first-person narratives. First-person accounts appear in the form of personal diaries by both humans and AIs. There are also extensive dialogues between major characters on topics including love, sex, economics, religion, and the morality of creating artificial intelligence. The book's AI aspect is brilliant, and we wonder about the control that artificial beings may already have on the world's population. It reminded me of humanity's puppetry by the Greek gods on Mount Olympus with AI entities as new deities manipulating everyday lives. Much speculation arises about the “tech behind the tech." Deepak, who comes close to the truth about the intrusion of AI in human affairs, wonders, "What if others existed? What if they were there already, growing in the background, disguising themselves?” It’s a multifaceted concept, and frankly, quite frightening.

There wasn't much that I disliked about the book. Perhaps some of the monologues and dialogues ran on a bit too long, slowing down the story. Although I am no prude, the painful descriptions of the BDSM processes were a bit off-putting. Otherwise, the writing style is brilliant. The book is professionally edited, as I found only a few typos. However, the novel is filled with graphic sexual content and strong profanity.

I recommend Faith for lovers of science fiction and anyone interested in the burgeoning field of artificial intelligence, particularly the potential development of sentient beings through technology. I wouldn’t exactly recommend the book for anyone looking for a pure love story, as suggested in the title because this book is far beyond a commonplace romance. Anyone offended by graphic sex or profanity might not be comfortable reading this book.

Overall I give Faith: A Science Fiction Love Story a rating of 4 out of 4 stars, primarily because it is so richly complex that it kept me challenged with its ideas and provided a believable vision of what might come with the evolution of Watson and its peers. I finished the book and thought aloud, “Yes. This could really happen.”

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Faith
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[RHD]

The future is quite unpredictable. It's true we need to have a conversation around where AI is taking us. Thanks for such a detailed review

[Timothy Rucinski]

The future is quite unpredictable. It's true we need to have a conversation around where AI is taking us. Thanks for such a detailed review

Thanks so very much!

[NetMassimo]

This seems an interesting novel that depicts a possible future with great technological developments but with humans remaining basically the same, with all the consequences. Thank you for your great review!

[Timothy Rucinski]

This seems an interesting novel that depicts a possible future with great technological developments but with humans remaining basically the same, with all the consequences. Thank you for your great review!

You are quite welcome. And yes, human nature does tend to stay the same despite the technological advances.

[Fabulous mind]

When I saw the title initially, I thought it was religion-based, but your review proved otherwise. I can't help but wonder who the character, Faith, is that made the government task Sifeng to discover the secrets behind her relationship with Kenner.

[Timothy Rucinski]

When I saw the title initially, I thought it was religion-based, but your review proved otherwise. I can't help but wonder who the character, Faith, is that made the government task Sifeng to discover the secrets behind her relationship with Kenner.

It's an interesting premise and you don't really find out what's going on until the end, but it's well worth the journey.

[FalcTus]

This book is about the AI stuff. I really love those latest technologies, wanna add it to my bookshelves.

[Pearl Akpan]

whoa. i’m intrigued by the mix of sci-fi and AI/tech. It’s funny cos the title “Faith” doesn’t exactly give off any ideas other than religion. What a book!
Thank you for a well written review!

[Timothy Rucinski]

whoa. i’m intrigued by the mix of sci-fi and AI/tech. It’s funny cos the title “Faith” doesn’t exactly give off any ideas other than religion. What a book!
Thank you for a well written review!

Hey, well thank you very much. That's very kind of you to say so. Stay safe and be well.