Review of Terms of Service

[Amina Grobbelaar]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Terms of Service" by Craig W. Stanfill.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Welcome to Kim’s world, where AI manages everything. The transit company decides how you will commute, the food company decides what your refrigerator will hold, the clothing company decides what you will wear, and so on. If you transgress, you are penalized with slower commuting or less glamorous living conditions, cold showers, and tofu for breakfast. So, we meet Kim, a mid-level employee at the AI Company that enforces the Terms of Service. She teaches the robots to catch the people who do not honor the Terms of service. She is lonely, and although she initially enjoyed her work, she is stagnating and becoming bored with the work she does, dreaming of working with higher-ranking AIs. She overindulges in vodka quite often, trying to suppress memories and feelings she cannot quite understand, and then things turn for the worst when her best friend Shan returns. Kim and Shan have a history of making bad choices, usually getting them into trouble. Therefore, it's no surprise that a bicycle trip with Shan creates many problems for Kim. She also starts questioning some of that which dictated her life until now, which could have serious repercussions and consequences for Kim.

This Sci-fi novel starts with clearly outlining the Terms of Service, and the reader must read carefully, for it clearly states; Subject to Change Without Notice. In this new world, everybody is being managed by the AI Company. Children are handed over to a mentor at the age of 4 as per the birthing contract, for no one is allowed any individualism. The whole of society speaks of we, not I. There is only one gender specification, so everyone is referred to only as she or her. Even the fashion when we meet Kim is pale blue, pale yellow, pale green, and pale beige. This was an exciting novel, and I truly enjoyed it, for it makes you think. Isn’t AI running our lives already? Just think about it, your phone is already picking up and showing you relevant information when you do google searches or on Facebook, bringing up the advertisements of things you might have searched or read about? And you must ask if you will be able to conform to not having your individuality, being on guard as to what you say or even think, being told what to eat how to travel and if you do not conform end up being punished for wanting to do something your way? Could the world be a better place if this were the norm?

The book was exceptionally edited, and I do not have any negative comments about it.

I truly enjoyed the book, and Kim’s character is well-developed and clearly shows all the facets of this world from both her and the AI’s viewpoints. For this reason, I am giving Terms of Service by Craig W. Stanfill a perfect rating of 5 out of 5 stars.

I recommend the book to those who like sci-fi, specifically AI technology. However, I will recommend this book to an older audience, for even though there is no profanity, there is quite a lot of reference to drug use, alcohol abuse, and some intimacy scenes, which could be offensive to some.

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Terms of Service
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[Sara Nóbrega Bartolomeu]

Interesting review !