Review of Terms of Service
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Carlos Mata Saenz
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Review of Terms of Service
[Following is a volunteer review of "Terms of Service" by Craig W. Stanfill.]
Kim is just one more citizen in a nation where showing individuality is understood as a weakness, and deviations from the rules are heavily prosecuted. In a world controlled by several companies and their IAs, Kim lives her days as everyone else: immersed in the routine, working at one of the leading companies, watching sports on her VR, and spending time online with her friends. Despite her recurrent nightmares and the traumas from her past, she is just one more, as common as everyone else. But is she? Soon, Kim will discover that there is always someone watching her steps. When the moment of truth comes, will she pay the price for freedom?
In Terms of Service, Craig W. Stanfill presents the perfect example of a dystopia. Following the steps of other references to the genre, like Asimov, Stanfill introduces the reader to a futuristic reality where the worst crime is to think about yourself, love is treated as an aberration, and children are taken apart from their parents and raised by tutors. The IAs monitor and judge people’s behaviour, and they must decide between following the rules and being safe or embracing their free will and being treated as a threat.
I enjoyed reading this novel. I found it very easy to read, probably because of how the author introduces the characters and the society where they live. I had read in other reviews that the story has a slow start, where Stanfill explains Kim’s culture, and that the first few chapters can be difficult for the reader because of their rhythm. Nonetheless, I think those chapters were the reason I got so engaged with the book. The introduction is done in such a way that the reader perceives Kim’s world as its own; it made me feel her reality as something familiar and known even when it was my first contact with it.
Reading this book, you feel that every detail has been placed there for a reason, that it's thought to contribute to creating a well-formed story. The reader can perceive how much the author cares about his novel. This perfectionism can also be appreciated when examining the editorial work, which is close to perfection. Stanfill’s experience with AI can be witnessed in how he explains some elements of the plot that, otherwise, could be too complex for those without the knowledge.
I haven’t found any negative aspects in Terms of Service. This book is very well-edited, with excellent results in avoiding spelling errors or typos. Because of all the above, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.
Those readers who like sci-fi novels and stories about dystopic realities should include this novel in their library. Those who are used to reading other kinds of books should also give this novel an opportunity: thanks to how the author introduces the plot, every reader can enjoy Terms of Service independently of their preferred genre. This book, however, contains topics that can be difficult for some readers, such as drug use, sex scenes, alcohol consumption, and dysfunctional family relationships, not being the optimal option for younger readers.
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Terms of Service
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Kim is just one more citizen in a nation where showing individuality is understood as a weakness, and deviations from the rules are heavily prosecuted. In a world controlled by several companies and their IAs, Kim lives her days as everyone else: immersed in the routine, working at one of the leading companies, watching sports on her VR, and spending time online with her friends. Despite her recurrent nightmares and the traumas from her past, she is just one more, as common as everyone else. But is she? Soon, Kim will discover that there is always someone watching her steps. When the moment of truth comes, will she pay the price for freedom?
In Terms of Service, Craig W. Stanfill presents the perfect example of a dystopia. Following the steps of other references to the genre, like Asimov, Stanfill introduces the reader to a futuristic reality where the worst crime is to think about yourself, love is treated as an aberration, and children are taken apart from their parents and raised by tutors. The IAs monitor and judge people’s behaviour, and they must decide between following the rules and being safe or embracing their free will and being treated as a threat.
I enjoyed reading this novel. I found it very easy to read, probably because of how the author introduces the characters and the society where they live. I had read in other reviews that the story has a slow start, where Stanfill explains Kim’s culture, and that the first few chapters can be difficult for the reader because of their rhythm. Nonetheless, I think those chapters were the reason I got so engaged with the book. The introduction is done in such a way that the reader perceives Kim’s world as its own; it made me feel her reality as something familiar and known even when it was my first contact with it.
Reading this book, you feel that every detail has been placed there for a reason, that it's thought to contribute to creating a well-formed story. The reader can perceive how much the author cares about his novel. This perfectionism can also be appreciated when examining the editorial work, which is close to perfection. Stanfill’s experience with AI can be witnessed in how he explains some elements of the plot that, otherwise, could be too complex for those without the knowledge.
I haven’t found any negative aspects in Terms of Service. This book is very well-edited, with excellent results in avoiding spelling errors or typos. Because of all the above, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.
Those readers who like sci-fi novels and stories about dystopic realities should include this novel in their library. Those who are used to reading other kinds of books should also give this novel an opportunity: thanks to how the author introduces the plot, every reader can enjoy Terms of Service independently of their preferred genre. This book, however, contains topics that can be difficult for some readers, such as drug use, sex scenes, alcohol consumption, and dysfunctional family relationships, not being the optimal option for younger readers.
******
Terms of Service
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Latest Review: Captain Toe Beard by Max Gallagher
