Review of Terms of Service
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Review of Terms of Service
[Following is a volunteer review of "Terms of Service" by Craig W. Stanfill.]
Once in a while, you come across a book that reminds you of why you started reading and why you enjoy it so much. It has been quite a while since I last pulled an all-nighter reading a book without a looming deadline or important test as my motivation. I was thus pleasantly surprised when I didn’t realize how much time had passed because I was lost in a fictional world similar to ours but not quite. I owe this honour to the novel Terms of Service: Subject to Change Without Notice by Craig W. Stanfill.
Terms of Service follows the story of young Kim, a trainer at the Artificial Intelligence Company. She lives in a world dominated by corporations that have monopolized everything and imposed terms of service for using their products. These terms are enforced by AIs that appear to be everywhere, watching and monitoring citizens. This is demonstrated by Kim’s refrigerator refusing a request by Kim to have eggs and sausage for breakfast, claiming that "The Food Company recommends you begin the day with food high in protein and low in fat." Kim is a model citizen who diligently abides by the rules and occasionally helps the AIs identify offenders as part of her job at the AI Company. When her best friend, Shan (a troublemaker), comes back to the city, will she remain a model citizen or will she stray? Will her view of the world she lives in change or will it remain the same? Grab your copy of the book to find out.
The best aspect of this book is that it is thought-provoking. I finished it hours later with a slew of questions and a new perspective on technology. Craig Stanfill inspires one to think about the future of mankind, especially with the current trends in technology and the rise of AIs. Throughout the book, he warns about the dangers of AI if it falls into the wrong hands. I cannot help but wonder if there will be a moment in time when our world will be much like Kim’s. The author also did a great job of world-building with vivid descriptions. The book was entertaining, though it starts off a bit slowly; once you get to the fifth chapter, things start to pick up. This was, however, necessary to show the reader the world Kim lives in. One comes to appreciate that fact later on in the story.
What I did not like about the book was that it ended on a cliffhanger. The good news is that the author hints at a second book that will continue the story. I intend to read the second book to satisfy my curiosity. The author sometimes used foreign words; it would have been better if a glossary was included in the novel for ease of understanding.
I rate this book five out of five stars. The novel was captivating, and though there were some negative aspects, I feel they do not warrant any star deduction. I found no errors in the course of my reading, which further justifies my five-star rating. I would recommend this book to lovers of science fiction. It would, however, not be suitable for minors due to the complexity of the subject matter featured as well as its sexual content.
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Terms of Service
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Once in a while, you come across a book that reminds you of why you started reading and why you enjoy it so much. It has been quite a while since I last pulled an all-nighter reading a book without a looming deadline or important test as my motivation. I was thus pleasantly surprised when I didn’t realize how much time had passed because I was lost in a fictional world similar to ours but not quite. I owe this honour to the novel Terms of Service: Subject to Change Without Notice by Craig W. Stanfill.
Terms of Service follows the story of young Kim, a trainer at the Artificial Intelligence Company. She lives in a world dominated by corporations that have monopolized everything and imposed terms of service for using their products. These terms are enforced by AIs that appear to be everywhere, watching and monitoring citizens. This is demonstrated by Kim’s refrigerator refusing a request by Kim to have eggs and sausage for breakfast, claiming that "The Food Company recommends you begin the day with food high in protein and low in fat." Kim is a model citizen who diligently abides by the rules and occasionally helps the AIs identify offenders as part of her job at the AI Company. When her best friend, Shan (a troublemaker), comes back to the city, will she remain a model citizen or will she stray? Will her view of the world she lives in change or will it remain the same? Grab your copy of the book to find out.
The best aspect of this book is that it is thought-provoking. I finished it hours later with a slew of questions and a new perspective on technology. Craig Stanfill inspires one to think about the future of mankind, especially with the current trends in technology and the rise of AIs. Throughout the book, he warns about the dangers of AI if it falls into the wrong hands. I cannot help but wonder if there will be a moment in time when our world will be much like Kim’s. The author also did a great job of world-building with vivid descriptions. The book was entertaining, though it starts off a bit slowly; once you get to the fifth chapter, things start to pick up. This was, however, necessary to show the reader the world Kim lives in. One comes to appreciate that fact later on in the story.
What I did not like about the book was that it ended on a cliffhanger. The good news is that the author hints at a second book that will continue the story. I intend to read the second book to satisfy my curiosity. The author sometimes used foreign words; it would have been better if a glossary was included in the novel for ease of understanding.
I rate this book five out of five stars. The novel was captivating, and though there were some negative aspects, I feel they do not warrant any star deduction. I found no errors in the course of my reading, which further justifies my five-star rating. I would recommend this book to lovers of science fiction. It would, however, not be suitable for minors due to the complexity of the subject matter featured as well as its sexual content.
******
Terms of Service
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
“Isn’t it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?” — L. M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
Latest Review: In Plain Sight by Susan Mallett
