Review of Terms of Service

[Solstice2005]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Terms of Service" by Craig W. Stanfill.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Technology is something most of us seem to take for granted, using it in our day to day life, so accustomed to its presence that we barely even register the magnitude of machinery's role in our world. Terms of Service is a book that serves as a gentle reminder of an entirely possible future that many of us are not ready for, and I personally recommend that sci-fi enthusiasts give this one a read.

Set in a relatively futuristic environment, the world is governed by Artificial Intelligence, and people are to adhere strictly to the rules and guidelines specified by technology. The book follows the story of Kim, an avid lover of Artificial Intelligence who started off with great dreams for her life ahead but now finds herself in a monotonous lifestyle developing systems of basic intelligence. She doesn't have any luck in romance either, having attempted countless times, but finding herself unable to see it through to the end. Stuck in this letdown of a life she desperately looks for ways to bring some fun into her otherwise fixed and boring schedule, which she finds when her best friend Shany visits her after years.

Suddenly, Kim finds herself pushing the boundaries of what is considered legal, exploring forbidden areas, coming into contact with individuals who have defected from authority and making decisions that leave her facing dire consequences. Her life turns upside down, plunging her into the depths of "perfect society" and coming across the truth behind the workings of the world she and her friends call their own.

Craig W Stanfill, with his abundant knowledge of technology, takes us on a journey filled with equal bits of fantasy and emotion. His passion for the subject is extremely evident through the effort he takes in detailing the workings of the world he's created through words, going into extremely technical details at times to ensure the reader is fully immersed in the setting. He's quite cleverly placed different characters in their own elements, giving each of them a certain depth that is commonly lacking in many other books of this genre.

Albeit being a bit slow towards the beginning, the story slowly unveils its charm a few chapters after having given the readers sufficient backstory to enjoy the rest of the book to the fullest, which in my opinion really helped better the experiencing of reading the book. Personally, I was captured by the philosophical aspect that was present, masked well but still revealed at certain points in the book, and just how relevant these ideals are in life today.

In conclusion, I would rate the book a 4 out of 4 thanks to its capturing storyline and the depth of the characters. Despite the slight trouble with getting through the beginning of the book as mentioned earlier, this was a solid read and was exactly what I was looking for as a sci-fi enthusiast. I must warn you, however, that this book's true value would be lost on audiences below the age of 16.

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Terms of Service

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Terms of Service
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[readingswithsoso]

His passion for the subject is extremely evident through the effort he takes in detailing the workings of the world he's created through words, going into extremely technical details at times to ensure the reader is fully immersed in the setting.

I could not agree more! He managed it so well that I never felt overwhelmed.