Review of Terms of Service
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Hannah Hampton
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Review of Terms of Service
[Following is a volunteer review of "Terms of Service" by Craig W. Stanfill.]
Terms of Service is a dystopian tale exploring what happens to civilization when individuality is outlawed. Craig W. Stanfill follows the life of Kim, a loyal employee of the AI Company. After the novelty of her much-coveted position has worn off, Kim falls into a cycle of working, socializing, drinking, and sleeping. In between these activities, she ponders what her place is in society. Stanfill crafts an intricate world of strictly regulated standards. Kim and her peers are not entitled or allowed individual expression in even the most meager sense of the word. Fashion choices, religious beliefs, sexual preference, and even gender identity are dictated by the Hierarchy. Failure to comply with the Terms of Service results in a damaged social cohesion rating, a measurement that impacts everything from residence to shower temperature.
As an AI Company worker, Kim knows firsthand the resources and techniques the AI Company uses to observe the daily lives of citizens. Citing infractions and training AI to follow in her footsteps consume her working hours–until a fateful encounter with an old friend shatters every illusion she had about her life’s stability. Thrust into a system more complex than Kim could have ever imagined, she must come to terms with her destiny as a cog in an all-powerful machine–or risk unimaginable consequences.
For me, the most engaging parts of this book were when the scenery was described. Each environment is written in lavish detail, and I could clearly picture each setting. This made the story seem much more alive and real and made it so difficult to put down. Additionally, each character was so vivid, which is an impressive feat when the context of the story dictates they all conform to the same societal mold. The relationships they formed were complicated and intriguing, and I felt their triumphs and defeats along with them. The only elements of the story that I had trouble with were the scenes involving complicated AI procedures–I found them difficult to follow and comprehend at times. However, this did not detract me from understanding the plot and enjoying the story, it only distracted me from the narrative at times.
For the excellent worldbuilding, prose, and characters, I rate Terms of Service a perfect 5 out of 5 stars. I would recommend this story to anyone who loves a science fiction story unafraid to criticize modern society. This 1984-esque story will be sure to delight fans of dystopia, as well as provoke questions relevant to modern life.
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Terms of Service
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Terms of Service is a dystopian tale exploring what happens to civilization when individuality is outlawed. Craig W. Stanfill follows the life of Kim, a loyal employee of the AI Company. After the novelty of her much-coveted position has worn off, Kim falls into a cycle of working, socializing, drinking, and sleeping. In between these activities, she ponders what her place is in society. Stanfill crafts an intricate world of strictly regulated standards. Kim and her peers are not entitled or allowed individual expression in even the most meager sense of the word. Fashion choices, religious beliefs, sexual preference, and even gender identity are dictated by the Hierarchy. Failure to comply with the Terms of Service results in a damaged social cohesion rating, a measurement that impacts everything from residence to shower temperature.
As an AI Company worker, Kim knows firsthand the resources and techniques the AI Company uses to observe the daily lives of citizens. Citing infractions and training AI to follow in her footsteps consume her working hours–until a fateful encounter with an old friend shatters every illusion she had about her life’s stability. Thrust into a system more complex than Kim could have ever imagined, she must come to terms with her destiny as a cog in an all-powerful machine–or risk unimaginable consequences.
For me, the most engaging parts of this book were when the scenery was described. Each environment is written in lavish detail, and I could clearly picture each setting. This made the story seem much more alive and real and made it so difficult to put down. Additionally, each character was so vivid, which is an impressive feat when the context of the story dictates they all conform to the same societal mold. The relationships they formed were complicated and intriguing, and I felt their triumphs and defeats along with them. The only elements of the story that I had trouble with were the scenes involving complicated AI procedures–I found them difficult to follow and comprehend at times. However, this did not detract me from understanding the plot and enjoying the story, it only distracted me from the narrative at times.
For the excellent worldbuilding, prose, and characters, I rate Terms of Service a perfect 5 out of 5 stars. I would recommend this story to anyone who loves a science fiction story unafraid to criticize modern society. This 1984-esque story will be sure to delight fans of dystopia, as well as provoke questions relevant to modern life.
******
Terms of Service
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Latest Review: Forbidden Knowledge by Terence H.Young
