Review of Terms of Service
-
davidejioforr
- Posts: 31
- Joined: 08 Nov 2022, 01:14
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 22
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-davidejioforr.html
- Latest Review: The Unlikely Cowboy by James E. Doucette
Review of Terms of Service
[Following is a volunteer review of "Terms of Service" by Craig W. Stanfill.]
Terms of Service by Craig W. Stanfill is a dystopian science fiction novel that tells the story of Kim, a gifted AI trainer, and her life in a world more than a hundred years in the future. The future is governed completely by "The Company" – an organization that has a monopoly on all products and services – and artificial intelligence. It’s a future devoid of individuality: race, gender, and any sense of self. So much so that pronouns that convey independence – I, me, and myself – are banned. Similar to Newspeak, a fictional language in George Orwell’s book 1984, the people of the future speak in Panglobal; it’s a way of talking that suppresses the expression of unwanted concepts. Kim lives a relatively unremarkable life: she dates, hangs out with friends in virtual spaces, and goes to work training premature AIs. Every aspect of her life is controlled and calculated by the AIs and the upper echelon of humans. However, after an incident leads her into big trouble, she is hired by the AI Company on strict terms to assist in the development of an advanced species of AI. Kim creates an artificial intelligence called Kimberly and is tasked with being its tutor. On the other hand, through Kimberly, Kim’s eyes begin to open and she begins to view her tainted world and its ideologies in a new light.
There are many things I enjoyed about this book. First of all, I’d like to commend the world-building skills of the author. A large part of the book is focused on opening up Kim’s world to the reader. Her day-to-day life is described extensively. Other aspects of her life, like entertainment, socializing, justice, and much more, were largely expanded upon from Kim’s point of view. Although this slowed down the book’s pace, it’s fully appreciated as it made me feel immersed and more knowledgeable about the world Kim lives in. Furthermore, I appreciate the author’s attention to detail in driving home the book’s main theme – loss of individuality. The banned use of personal pronouns, the use of gender neutral names, the monochrome attire, and inventive slurs like “selfist”: these small details helped to paint the world in the bleak and soulless fashion that the author intended. In terms of characters, the cast was enjoyable. The characters were diverse and all had their own opinions on the way things operate – some agreed, some accepted it, and some disagreed. Kim has a number of friends but is mostly by herself for most of the story. In terms of character development, this is probably the book’s greatest feature. Kim is initially someone who is as unremarkable as anyone can be. She follows the rules to the letter, looks up to the organization, and is all around an average citizen. And I loved that it’s the system – her AI, Kimberly – that exposes Kim to the injustices of the world and the joy of individualism. Ironically, it’s an AI that brings out the human in a person. She grows from this indifferent and impersonal character to someone who thinks for herself and doesn’t abide by the rules.
Furthermore, the AIs themselves felt realistic and not like the omnipotent beings that other books and media paint them to be. Crain W. Stanfill is very well-read in AI technology and its logistics, which shine in this book. He makes them feel more human. They do know right from wrong and aren’t just super smart machines. On the negative side, I have only a few minor things to note down. I’d have enjoyed the book more if it had touched on the events that led to the current state of the world. It’s hinted at a few times - war being a major clue - but never more than that.
Overall, I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. It’s a highly creative and brilliantly written piece of literature. The main character, Kim, left a very good impression on me. The book was exceptionally well edited and contained no grammatical errors. The story was complex to an extent but had a relatively straightforward plot with some big reveals along the way. Although some historical context would have elevated the book, perhaps it was the author’s decision to keep it concealed.
I recommend this book to a mature audience, especially adults, who may be looking for a dystopian book like 1984 or Fahrenheit 451 that challenges the mind and paints a picture of a potential future. I also recommend the book to fans of science fiction and stories set in the future.
******
Terms of Service
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Terms of Service by Craig W. Stanfill is a dystopian science fiction novel that tells the story of Kim, a gifted AI trainer, and her life in a world more than a hundred years in the future. The future is governed completely by "The Company" – an organization that has a monopoly on all products and services – and artificial intelligence. It’s a future devoid of individuality: race, gender, and any sense of self. So much so that pronouns that convey independence – I, me, and myself – are banned. Similar to Newspeak, a fictional language in George Orwell’s book 1984, the people of the future speak in Panglobal; it’s a way of talking that suppresses the expression of unwanted concepts. Kim lives a relatively unremarkable life: she dates, hangs out with friends in virtual spaces, and goes to work training premature AIs. Every aspect of her life is controlled and calculated by the AIs and the upper echelon of humans. However, after an incident leads her into big trouble, she is hired by the AI Company on strict terms to assist in the development of an advanced species of AI. Kim creates an artificial intelligence called Kimberly and is tasked with being its tutor. On the other hand, through Kimberly, Kim’s eyes begin to open and she begins to view her tainted world and its ideologies in a new light.
There are many things I enjoyed about this book. First of all, I’d like to commend the world-building skills of the author. A large part of the book is focused on opening up Kim’s world to the reader. Her day-to-day life is described extensively. Other aspects of her life, like entertainment, socializing, justice, and much more, were largely expanded upon from Kim’s point of view. Although this slowed down the book’s pace, it’s fully appreciated as it made me feel immersed and more knowledgeable about the world Kim lives in. Furthermore, I appreciate the author’s attention to detail in driving home the book’s main theme – loss of individuality. The banned use of personal pronouns, the use of gender neutral names, the monochrome attire, and inventive slurs like “selfist”: these small details helped to paint the world in the bleak and soulless fashion that the author intended. In terms of characters, the cast was enjoyable. The characters were diverse and all had their own opinions on the way things operate – some agreed, some accepted it, and some disagreed. Kim has a number of friends but is mostly by herself for most of the story. In terms of character development, this is probably the book’s greatest feature. Kim is initially someone who is as unremarkable as anyone can be. She follows the rules to the letter, looks up to the organization, and is all around an average citizen. And I loved that it’s the system – her AI, Kimberly – that exposes Kim to the injustices of the world and the joy of individualism. Ironically, it’s an AI that brings out the human in a person. She grows from this indifferent and impersonal character to someone who thinks for herself and doesn’t abide by the rules.
Furthermore, the AIs themselves felt realistic and not like the omnipotent beings that other books and media paint them to be. Crain W. Stanfill is very well-read in AI technology and its logistics, which shine in this book. He makes them feel more human. They do know right from wrong and aren’t just super smart machines. On the negative side, I have only a few minor things to note down. I’d have enjoyed the book more if it had touched on the events that led to the current state of the world. It’s hinted at a few times - war being a major clue - but never more than that.
Overall, I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. It’s a highly creative and brilliantly written piece of literature. The main character, Kim, left a very good impression on me. The book was exceptionally well edited and contained no grammatical errors. The story was complex to an extent but had a relatively straightforward plot with some big reveals along the way. Although some historical context would have elevated the book, perhaps it was the author’s decision to keep it concealed.
I recommend this book to a mature audience, especially adults, who may be looking for a dystopian book like 1984 or Fahrenheit 451 that challenges the mind and paints a picture of a potential future. I also recommend the book to fans of science fiction and stories set in the future.
******
Terms of Service
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Latest Review: The Unlikely Cowboy by James E. Doucette
