Review of Terms of Service

[Pauls_]

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

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5 out of 5 stars

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Terms of Service: Subject to change without notice by Craig W. Stanfill is a sci-fi novel set in a futuristic AI-induced world. The story pivots around Kim, a young lady who works for an AI company. She had always aspired to work for AI companies and finally got her desire. Having a job as a trainer just in case the automatons malfunctioned was not as exciting as Kim had anticipated. She had a job, lived in a decent district, and had everything that would make one live a comfortable life. But there always seems to be a missing puzzle. An alarming sense of loneliness and solitude. Needing some excitement in her mundane life, she took up the offer of an adventure with Shan, her childhood friend. The adventure into the "City of the Famed" culminated in chains of other events. What was Kim's reaction when she discovered that everything she had ever known was just a "web of illusion"?

The book was slow-paced and detailed. Initially, I found it arduous to read the book. I almost disliked the fact that the plot was slow-paced, but I came to understand the reason as I delved deeper into the book. The author elaborately described each scenario and environment in fluid language. The technological world painted in the book was so cool that one would think it was real. It's a world where human beings and bots coexisted. Everything was monitored and regulated by AIs. And anyone who deviated from the terms of service was punished depending on the degree of the offense.

The plotline and characterization appealed to my imagination, especially the character of Kim. She was timid and submissive in the beginning, which I found quite annoying. I was delighted and pleasantly surprised when the narrative took a sharp turn after she discovered her identity. Some aspects of the book were so hilarious, from how they expressed themselves to the time and days of the week. For example, a single person makes use of 'us' when addressing themself. And the use of "Twoday" and "Fourday" instead of Monday and Tuesday. I thought it was an error until I noted the consistent use of those terms throughout the book.

In as much as the control of AI is something that cannot be combated, most of the happenings were outrageously absurd, like how the AI was in charge of deciding most activities of humans. I earnestly hope a time does not come when the world will be so AI-induced as to warrant a total takeover of every human activity to the point that human beings can no longer reason for themselves. The author featured a diverse perspective on the theme of sexuality. Although some people wouldn't find this disturbing, it did not appeal to me.

The book is exceptionally well edited, as I found no errors in the book. The message embodied in the book was disruptive and thought-provoking, and I look forward to reading the second installment. The book was mentally engaging and exhaustive, and on that note, I rate the book 5 out of 5 stars. The book has sexual content that would be suitable for a mature audience only. I recommend this book to lovers of science fiction novels and technological fans.

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Terms of Service
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[Hazel Mae Bagarinao]

As you mentioned, I am also hoping that AIs will not overpower humans in the future. And freedom will not be lost to humans, of course. Your review is wonderful!