Official Review: Single Wired Female by Greg Dragon
Posted: 08 Mar 2016, 12:04
[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Single Wired Female" by Greg Dragon.]
3 out of 4 stars
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Single Wired Female by Greg Dragon is a book in the science fiction/thriller genre. It is the second book by the author, set in the same universe as the previous one, Re-wired, and revolves around a character from the previous novel.
Bonnie O’Neal is talented, successful and rich. Problem is she cannot remember any of it. After four months of comatose condition, Bonnie wakes up to learn that an attempt on her life by her ex-husband landed her in the hospital, and caused her memory lapse. Bonnie is recovering from her memory loss, with only one slight glitch: the memories belong to someone else. Whose past has invaded her brain? What is reason behind her sudden awareness and understanding of androids? Is Bonnie’s attempted murder a simple case of revenge or is it part of a more sinister conspiracy that has repercussions for the whole world?
Technically, this book is a sequel to the first one, continuing the story of an android trying to make sense of the human world and finding her place in it; however, the book can be read as a standalone as well. For someone recently introduced to Android science fiction, I found the book very thought provoking. Yes, there is some scientific bit to keep the reader interested, though I have mixed feelings about the same; since on one hand people looking for pure science fiction might be disappointed while the newly initiated would find the facts quite easy to grasp. However, what really impressed me was the slightly philosophical and emotional quota in the book.
The author intelligently introduces plot twists to explore the question of how would an android construct its identity. Since, the android is essentially built of metal and wires, is it right to assume that it is non-living, even though it is made to resemble human life as closely as possible. The story goes a step further, and compares an android’s existence to that of a slave, who is also at times subject to molestation, because an android can’t complain, can it?
Tricia, the android character from the previous installment, continues on her path to true freedom, though it is hard to achieve. Her vulnerability, naiveté, attempts to relate to other creatures, human and non-human, her suspicions regarding who to trust, and ultimately, her inability to hate humans, despite all that she has gone through because she was built to love; will arouse the reader’s sympathy.
Coming back to the plot, the author leaves the job of joining the dots to the reader to figure out the mystery. While this is an interesting exercise, the triumph of guessing correctly is denied due to the vague resolution of the suspense element in the book. The plot is predictable in some areas, and then quite unpredictably it comes to a rushed, abrupt end, as if the publisher had rationed the number of pages the author could fill. A bit more thrill to the climax and well detailed plot ending, could have done wonders for the book, instead of the half-baked epilogue penned by the author.
The book has several layers and vivid writing which would impress readers, who appreciate science fiction coupled with moral debates. I rate the novel 3 out of 4 stars.
******
Single Wired Female
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3 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Single Wired Female by Greg Dragon is a book in the science fiction/thriller genre. It is the second book by the author, set in the same universe as the previous one, Re-wired, and revolves around a character from the previous novel.
Bonnie O’Neal is talented, successful and rich. Problem is she cannot remember any of it. After four months of comatose condition, Bonnie wakes up to learn that an attempt on her life by her ex-husband landed her in the hospital, and caused her memory lapse. Bonnie is recovering from her memory loss, with only one slight glitch: the memories belong to someone else. Whose past has invaded her brain? What is reason behind her sudden awareness and understanding of androids? Is Bonnie’s attempted murder a simple case of revenge or is it part of a more sinister conspiracy that has repercussions for the whole world?
Technically, this book is a sequel to the first one, continuing the story of an android trying to make sense of the human world and finding her place in it; however, the book can be read as a standalone as well. For someone recently introduced to Android science fiction, I found the book very thought provoking. Yes, there is some scientific bit to keep the reader interested, though I have mixed feelings about the same; since on one hand people looking for pure science fiction might be disappointed while the newly initiated would find the facts quite easy to grasp. However, what really impressed me was the slightly philosophical and emotional quota in the book.
The author intelligently introduces plot twists to explore the question of how would an android construct its identity. Since, the android is essentially built of metal and wires, is it right to assume that it is non-living, even though it is made to resemble human life as closely as possible. The story goes a step further, and compares an android’s existence to that of a slave, who is also at times subject to molestation, because an android can’t complain, can it?
Tricia, the android character from the previous installment, continues on her path to true freedom, though it is hard to achieve. Her vulnerability, naiveté, attempts to relate to other creatures, human and non-human, her suspicions regarding who to trust, and ultimately, her inability to hate humans, despite all that she has gone through because she was built to love; will arouse the reader’s sympathy.
Coming back to the plot, the author leaves the job of joining the dots to the reader to figure out the mystery. While this is an interesting exercise, the triumph of guessing correctly is denied due to the vague resolution of the suspense element in the book. The plot is predictable in some areas, and then quite unpredictably it comes to a rushed, abrupt end, as if the publisher had rationed the number of pages the author could fill. A bit more thrill to the climax and well detailed plot ending, could have done wonders for the book, instead of the half-baked epilogue penned by the author.
The book has several layers and vivid writing which would impress readers, who appreciate science fiction coupled with moral debates. I rate the novel 3 out of 4 stars.
******
Single Wired Female
View: on Bookshelves
Like debo9967's review? Post a comment saying so!
