Review of Terms of Service

[Amy Blake]

[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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Terms of Service by Craig W. Stanfill is a science fiction novel set in a cold, dystopian future. In this futuristic society, all individualism, or “selfism” as Stanfill describes it, is monitored by and aggressively and often cruelly suppressed by the governing politicians with the use of artificial intelligence.

Kim works for the company which produces the technology designed to regulate the daily life of society. She spends her days training and re-training automatons to find infractions committed against the published “terms of service” or laws. As the days go by, Kim sees nothing but the monotony and futility of her job as she trains the computers which exert the very control over her life which she hates. Almost everything is chosen for her by these computers, her clothing, her breakfast, even her dates. With so little independence allowed to her, Kim struggles through her day-to-day existence fighting the emptiness building inside.

Then an old school friend, Shan, resurfaces in Kim’s life bringing spontaneity, recklessness and a penchant for rule-breaking with her. As they reconnect, a morning bike ride suddenly sets them on a dangerous path of uncertainty, triggering a chain of events which drastically change the course of both their lives.

I appreciated the picture that Stanfill creates with his writing very much. The world he has created around Kim is dark and frustrating with very few bright points. But when those bright points appear, they make a huge impact on the progression of the storyline and Kim’s character development. Even though the book starts out a little slow, I found the arc of the story to be riveting through the end of the book.

On a slightly negative note, I found the use of pronouns to be confusing. Everyone is referred to as “she” whether they are biologically male or female. And although the explanation for this use of pronouns is incorporated into the story line, I found myself having to backtrack occasionally to figure out who was speaking or being spoken of at first. I did find it easier as the story progressed.

Terms of Service is a well-crafted and professionally edited novel. It boasts an intriguing plotline, a truly imaginative world and a sympathetic and engaging main character in Kim. Stanfill has created a fascinating and at times frightening glimpse into the future which any science fiction lover will appreciate. I give it a rating of 5 out of 5 stars.

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Terms of Service
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