Review of Terms of Service

[Kieffer Thomas Ventura]

[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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What if everything in your life isn’t what it seems? What if you find out that the society you live in has a dark secret behind its foundation and how it works? Terms of Service by Craig W. Stanfill is a terrifying dystopian sci-fi fiction set in the far future about a person named Kim, an artificial intelligence trainer, who has an encounter with a friend changes her life forever.

In this story, humanity lives in an authoritarian regime ruled by corporations and a secret society wherein the people’s actions are monitored and controlled in the name of progress and equality. The regime uses artificial intelligence to enforce its laws and beliefs. Most people have no choice but to comply or risk severe punishment.

One positive aspect of the story is that it has good world-building and character development. Every single place in the story is told in detail. From the start, you can tell that there is something wrong with the society the protagonist is in. I also liked the relationship between Kim and Shan. In terms of the artificial intelligence aspect of the story, I like how it is presented throughout the story. The moments between Kim and Kimberly touched me because of how significant they are for each other. It was so good compared to similar relationships I read in other sci-fi stories.

An aspect of Terms of Service that is terrifyingly relevant today is that real authoritarian countries like China use methods that are eerily similar to what we see in the story like the usage of mass surveillance, using a social credit system, and cracking down on dissidents. Some regimes even have cordial relationships with criminals, like Russia and North Korea. Sadly, most of the citizens living in authoritarian governments don’t stand up to them most of the time because they enjoy the benefits of the regime, have no choice, or are scared of retribution from the regime or its allies. These governments would be even more terrifying if they use artificial intelligence to enforce their laws and customs.

I found nothing that I disliked in this book because the story has been amazing from the start. This book is also exceptionally well-edited because I found no errors. For these reasons, I give this book five out of five stars.

This book contains sexual content, profanity, and usage of drugs and alcohol. I recommend it to adult sci-fi lovers and adults who are interested in artificial intelligence and its applications.

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Terms of Service
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