Review of Terms of Service
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Temitope Ajao
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Review of Terms of Service
[Following is a volunteer review of "Terms of Service" by Craig W. Stanfill.]
Set in a world run by Artificial Intelligence and robots, Terms of Service: Subject to change without notice is a tale of one lady's search for meaning in an age where individual choice has been eradicated. The protagonist, Kim, starts as an employer of an AI company, where she is responsible for programming low-level AI for simple tasks. Kim's life is careful and routine, her daily activities are dictated and influenced by the AI; free will has been eradicated, individuality crippled and choices, ranging from what one eats to who one sleeps with are controlled by the AI via the terms of service. Amid this totalitarian regime, Kim finds herself lacking meaning in her life, and despite the effectiveness of the AI, she seeks out adventure and novelty.
Kim's routine is upended after a promotion at work presents her with the opportunity to work with high-order AI and homunculi. She is tasked with supervising a sentient AI, Kimberley, who requires ethical guidance for day-to-day operations. Kim's relationship with Kimberly and the complexity of her new job exposes her to hidden truths about her world and herself, old memories begin to emerge and Kim discovers that her life was a hall of mirrors, a web of lies, an illusion spun by the corporations. Kim must then make a choice: to remain a slave or rebel
Very few books, express the philosophical complexity and psychological intensity of the Sci-Fi genre like Craig W. Stanfill does in Terms of Service; I was able to experience the full range of Kim's emotions and experiences throughout. The character development was well paced and the dialogue was dynamic and rich. The most impressive aspect of the book was its themes: Free will and Determinism, Ethics, Theory of Mind, Sexuality, etc. were introduced, developed, and aided in fleshing out the characters and improving the overall quality of the story. Another positive feature of the book was its relatability, the modern world's obsession with devices, mirrors the attitude of the AI in the book, and the interplay between the force of logic and emotions created tension in the best of ways.
Despite the quality of the writing and its superb plot, I found the ending quite banal. I was left with an anti-climatic feeling after concluding the book. Regardless, it is a fantastic read and well worth any reader's time. I rate this book five out of five stars.
I would recommend this book to adults with a penchant for Sci-fi books. I would be hesitant to recommend this to a younger audience because of the sexually explicit portions.
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Terms of Service
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Set in a world run by Artificial Intelligence and robots, Terms of Service: Subject to change without notice is a tale of one lady's search for meaning in an age where individual choice has been eradicated. The protagonist, Kim, starts as an employer of an AI company, where she is responsible for programming low-level AI for simple tasks. Kim's life is careful and routine, her daily activities are dictated and influenced by the AI; free will has been eradicated, individuality crippled and choices, ranging from what one eats to who one sleeps with are controlled by the AI via the terms of service. Amid this totalitarian regime, Kim finds herself lacking meaning in her life, and despite the effectiveness of the AI, she seeks out adventure and novelty.
Kim's routine is upended after a promotion at work presents her with the opportunity to work with high-order AI and homunculi. She is tasked with supervising a sentient AI, Kimberley, who requires ethical guidance for day-to-day operations. Kim's relationship with Kimberly and the complexity of her new job exposes her to hidden truths about her world and herself, old memories begin to emerge and Kim discovers that her life was a hall of mirrors, a web of lies, an illusion spun by the corporations. Kim must then make a choice: to remain a slave or rebel
Very few books, express the philosophical complexity and psychological intensity of the Sci-Fi genre like Craig W. Stanfill does in Terms of Service; I was able to experience the full range of Kim's emotions and experiences throughout. The character development was well paced and the dialogue was dynamic and rich. The most impressive aspect of the book was its themes: Free will and Determinism, Ethics, Theory of Mind, Sexuality, etc. were introduced, developed, and aided in fleshing out the characters and improving the overall quality of the story. Another positive feature of the book was its relatability, the modern world's obsession with devices, mirrors the attitude of the AI in the book, and the interplay between the force of logic and emotions created tension in the best of ways.
Despite the quality of the writing and its superb plot, I found the ending quite banal. I was left with an anti-climatic feeling after concluding the book. Regardless, it is a fantastic read and well worth any reader's time. I rate this book five out of five stars.
I would recommend this book to adults with a penchant for Sci-fi books. I would be hesitant to recommend this to a younger audience because of the sexually explicit portions.
******
Terms of Service
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Latest Review: Odyssey of High Hopes by Cyrus A. Ansary
