Review of Terms of Service
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Katie Valencia
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Review of Terms of Service
[Following is a volunteer review of "Terms of Service" by Craig W. Stanfill.]
In Terms of Service by Craig W. Stanfill, the future is female; or at least, its pronouns are. However, it is also overwhelmingly collectivist and closely monitored by AI. Kim is a recent graduate of her society’s prestigious academy and works in the AI headquarters. Kim’s role is to train lower-level AIs to learn and report if a citizen acts outside this collectivist mindset. Did someone wear too expressive of clothes on the train calling attention to themselves? Violation. Did you stop and talk to a person you didn’t know on the street, disregarding their right to privacy? Violation. As the violations increase, your social rating drops along with access to convenient transportation, entertainment, and even preferred foods in your home. While it has always been Kim’s dream to work with AI, she lives a lonely existence fueled by alcohol and coffee from her automated coffee machine. While Kim’s career in The Company rises, her life begins a downward spiral as she begins to long for a sense of self and the freedom to make her own choices.
Stanfill, a Doctor of Computer Sciences, spent his career working with artificial intelligence. With this experience working with AI, the dystopian society he creates in Terms of Service feels less like fiction and more like a prediction. Kim’s struggle to be her own person and make her own decisions, when the rigid constructs of her society enact severe consequences on anyone who tries, is so relatable. Almost like imagining how you might react if you found yourself suddenly in her world. While the book is a face paced read, Stanfill’s world-building and character development have readers rooting for Kim from the start. The book is exceptionally well-edited, making it a smooth read as well.
The only downside to this novel is that it leaves the reader wanting more. As I got closer and closer to the end, I wished I had another hundred or so pages to go. However, this is the first book in a two-part series readers can read this as a stand-alone novel or dive deeper into Kim’s world in book two.
This reader enjoyed almost every aspect of the book, from the intricate world Stanfill created to the frustration I felt along with Kim as she struggled with her role in society. I rate this book a 5 out of 5.
Terms of Service is best suited for readers who enjoy dystopian commentaries, as its overall theme fits nicely somewhere between The Giver and 1984. While some content may be a bit mature for young readers, it would be suitable for anyone around high school range well into adulthood. Terms of Service has a plethora of content worthy of discussion and would be the perfect fit for book clubs or classroom discussions.
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Terms of Service
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
In Terms of Service by Craig W. Stanfill, the future is female; or at least, its pronouns are. However, it is also overwhelmingly collectivist and closely monitored by AI. Kim is a recent graduate of her society’s prestigious academy and works in the AI headquarters. Kim’s role is to train lower-level AIs to learn and report if a citizen acts outside this collectivist mindset. Did someone wear too expressive of clothes on the train calling attention to themselves? Violation. Did you stop and talk to a person you didn’t know on the street, disregarding their right to privacy? Violation. As the violations increase, your social rating drops along with access to convenient transportation, entertainment, and even preferred foods in your home. While it has always been Kim’s dream to work with AI, she lives a lonely existence fueled by alcohol and coffee from her automated coffee machine. While Kim’s career in The Company rises, her life begins a downward spiral as she begins to long for a sense of self and the freedom to make her own choices.
Stanfill, a Doctor of Computer Sciences, spent his career working with artificial intelligence. With this experience working with AI, the dystopian society he creates in Terms of Service feels less like fiction and more like a prediction. Kim’s struggle to be her own person and make her own decisions, when the rigid constructs of her society enact severe consequences on anyone who tries, is so relatable. Almost like imagining how you might react if you found yourself suddenly in her world. While the book is a face paced read, Stanfill’s world-building and character development have readers rooting for Kim from the start. The book is exceptionally well-edited, making it a smooth read as well.
The only downside to this novel is that it leaves the reader wanting more. As I got closer and closer to the end, I wished I had another hundred or so pages to go. However, this is the first book in a two-part series readers can read this as a stand-alone novel or dive deeper into Kim’s world in book two.
This reader enjoyed almost every aspect of the book, from the intricate world Stanfill created to the frustration I felt along with Kim as she struggled with her role in society. I rate this book a 5 out of 5.
Terms of Service is best suited for readers who enjoy dystopian commentaries, as its overall theme fits nicely somewhere between The Giver and 1984. While some content may be a bit mature for young readers, it would be suitable for anyone around high school range well into adulthood. Terms of Service has a plethora of content worthy of discussion and would be the perfect fit for book clubs or classroom discussions.
******
Terms of Service
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Latest Review: Cynthia and Dan by Dorothy May Mercer
