Review of What Do You Think, Mr. Collins?

[Dawn Larsen]

[Following is a volunteer review of "What Do You Think, Mr. Collins?" by Neal Bialostosky.]

---

5 out of 5 stars

---

Share This Review

---

What do you think? It seems like a simple question that can be answered easily, doesn’t it? When Ben Collins’ boss asks him this question in a staff meeting, an existential journey into the benefits of artificial intelligence blending with humanity begins. The future seems bright in peaceful Paradise City where Artificial Intelligence and humans intermingle harmoniously if you don’t stare too long or look too deep into the daily lives of the citizens.

The ensemble of characters in What Do You Think, Mr. Collins? is just as diverse as the story itself. Neal Bialostosky paints a perfect picture of each person, from the title’s namesake, Ben Collins, to other staff members of Paradise Building including the newly hired, beautiful Evelyn Broadwell. We also meet the creative mind behind the Artificial Intelligence of Paradise City, Sydney Maddow, and his faithful assistant, Alfred. When we journey to the small subsection of Chinatown we meet Eddie Chin, his twin sister Fan Hua, their Uncle, and the IT technician Nigel. Finally, we find ourselves entangled in the middle of a mayoral election campaign involving the incumbent, Theresa Vasquez, and her opposing candidate, Gregory “The Black Hole” Lind. But out of all the colorful individuals we meet, my favorite is Paradise Building’s new Chief Information Officer Dr. Norman Hippleton with his fresh view on what is going on in the world around him.

Even though the book was frequently peppered with profanity throughout, I found only one grammatical error and the only sexual interaction between a loving husband and wife was very respectfully written. The editing was flawless. This made the quick read a thrilling rollercoaster ride, both fun and gritty with the perfect amount of humor sprinkled in at just the right moments.

Overall, What Do You Think, Mr. Collins? was a well-written sci-fi fantasy that anyone interested in the possible development of the relationship between Artificial Intelligence and humans will enjoy. Due to the profanity, I would not recommend this book to young readers. I am giving What Do You Think, Mr. Collins? 5 out of 5 stars because the story and editing were exceptional, and the profanity was not distracting.

******
What Do You Think, Mr. Collins?
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon