Review of Terms of Service
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Doyenne
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Review of Terms of Service
[Following is a volunteer review of "Terms of Service" by Craig W. Stanfill.]
A science fiction novel, written by Craig W. Stanfill. Terms of Service centres on the life of a young scientist, Kim. Kim is depicted to be an ambitious, vibrant and law-abiding trainee at an artificial intelligence company. Right from the onset of her career journey, she has always had a passion for Artificial intelligence and desired the chance to work with real higher-order AIs. Kim's strong desire for her career promotion birthed her tolerance towards the overcontrolling rules of the company. The AI company dominates a dystopian society that was created by them, a society where all the affairs of the people are being monitored and surveilled technologically. Kim lacks the freedom of choice; her lifestyle from her childhood has always been mentored and controlled by the government. During her school days, Kim met Shan. Kim and Shan became best of friends, they nicknamed themselves "Beasties". While Kim is calm and cautious, Shan on the other hand is rebellious and daring. They got separated in high school, due to Shan's recklessness. Fortunately for Kim, she was able to reunite with her best friend. Shan's return to Kim's life opened a portal of curiosity and rebelliousness for Kim. Shan influenced Kim to go with her on an adventure. They discovered that some set of people like them live independently and peacefully, which was alien to both of them. Kim's discovery caused her to realise that the reason she feels emptiness and lack of self-fulfilment in her life, is a result of her existence being overly controlled and manipulated by the AIs. Kim eventually decides to tread on a path of freedom with Shan. A path that would require her to give up her career journey with the AI company, and stand against their unquestionable rules and possessiveness. Will Kim be able to succeed with her plan, knowing the consequences she would face? Find out yourself by reading this book.
I greatly enjoyed reading this book by Stanfill, I see it as a perfect blend of fantasy, adventure, and science fiction. Terms of Service is a book that portrays a futuristic world. It gives a clear picture of what a world which is overly controlled by technology and machines would look like. A world where citizens' lifestyle is rigid and mechanical. I must say, the setting of this book was emphasised beautifully. As a reader who is not familiar with science, Artificial Intelligence, I applaud W. Stanfill for doing a great job in giving a well-detailed description of what artificial intelligence technology entails, and its usefulness in society. I also commend the author for the characters' mental development, especially with the way Kim transitioned from being a defenceless lady who lives a mundane life, into becoming a mature and purposeful lady.
I felt no disapproval towards any part or the entirety of this book. The storyline is innovative and well-structured. I loved the way the message of Stanfill's piece addressed the risks that come with over-depending on technology. I learnt that the thirst for perfection, a perfect world, can deprive us of our sense of humanity. The AI company controls their society, strictly by rules that lack humaneness.
The only minor issue I had reading this book was that it started at a slow pace, but because I already read the description of the book by the author, the author requires a reader who is open-minded and patient for a better understanding. I had to be patient and flexible. On getting to chapter 3, I found myself getting captivated and more interested, as the events in the book began to unfold. I would give Terms of Service a good rating of 5 out of 5 stars for its beautiful storyline, detailed description, and excellent delivery. I found no error in the book, which shows a professionally edited work.
I would recommend this book to readers who appreciate science fiction, and to people who are studying Artificial Intelligence technology. Readers who are open-minded, curious, and always willing to learn new things would find this book interesting. Terms of Service contains a great amount of explicit sexual or erotic scenes, therefore, it's not appropriate for young readers.
******
Terms of Service
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
A science fiction novel, written by Craig W. Stanfill. Terms of Service centres on the life of a young scientist, Kim. Kim is depicted to be an ambitious, vibrant and law-abiding trainee at an artificial intelligence company. Right from the onset of her career journey, she has always had a passion for Artificial intelligence and desired the chance to work with real higher-order AIs. Kim's strong desire for her career promotion birthed her tolerance towards the overcontrolling rules of the company. The AI company dominates a dystopian society that was created by them, a society where all the affairs of the people are being monitored and surveilled technologically. Kim lacks the freedom of choice; her lifestyle from her childhood has always been mentored and controlled by the government. During her school days, Kim met Shan. Kim and Shan became best of friends, they nicknamed themselves "Beasties". While Kim is calm and cautious, Shan on the other hand is rebellious and daring. They got separated in high school, due to Shan's recklessness. Fortunately for Kim, she was able to reunite with her best friend. Shan's return to Kim's life opened a portal of curiosity and rebelliousness for Kim. Shan influenced Kim to go with her on an adventure. They discovered that some set of people like them live independently and peacefully, which was alien to both of them. Kim's discovery caused her to realise that the reason she feels emptiness and lack of self-fulfilment in her life, is a result of her existence being overly controlled and manipulated by the AIs. Kim eventually decides to tread on a path of freedom with Shan. A path that would require her to give up her career journey with the AI company, and stand against their unquestionable rules and possessiveness. Will Kim be able to succeed with her plan, knowing the consequences she would face? Find out yourself by reading this book.
I greatly enjoyed reading this book by Stanfill, I see it as a perfect blend of fantasy, adventure, and science fiction. Terms of Service is a book that portrays a futuristic world. It gives a clear picture of what a world which is overly controlled by technology and machines would look like. A world where citizens' lifestyle is rigid and mechanical. I must say, the setting of this book was emphasised beautifully. As a reader who is not familiar with science, Artificial Intelligence, I applaud W. Stanfill for doing a great job in giving a well-detailed description of what artificial intelligence technology entails, and its usefulness in society. I also commend the author for the characters' mental development, especially with the way Kim transitioned from being a defenceless lady who lives a mundane life, into becoming a mature and purposeful lady.
I felt no disapproval towards any part or the entirety of this book. The storyline is innovative and well-structured. I loved the way the message of Stanfill's piece addressed the risks that come with over-depending on technology. I learnt that the thirst for perfection, a perfect world, can deprive us of our sense of humanity. The AI company controls their society, strictly by rules that lack humaneness.
The only minor issue I had reading this book was that it started at a slow pace, but because I already read the description of the book by the author, the author requires a reader who is open-minded and patient for a better understanding. I had to be patient and flexible. On getting to chapter 3, I found myself getting captivated and more interested, as the events in the book began to unfold. I would give Terms of Service a good rating of 5 out of 5 stars for its beautiful storyline, detailed description, and excellent delivery. I found no error in the book, which shows a professionally edited work.
I would recommend this book to readers who appreciate science fiction, and to people who are studying Artificial Intelligence technology. Readers who are open-minded, curious, and always willing to learn new things would find this book interesting. Terms of Service contains a great amount of explicit sexual or erotic scenes, therefore, it's not appropriate for young readers.
******
Terms of Service
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
