Review of Terms of Service
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LarsAj
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Review of Terms of Service
[Following is a volunteer review of "Terms of Service" by Craig W. Stanfill.]
As technological advancements have leaped in the last decade, AI is no longer a distant theoretical concept, but rather a possible reality. It is no stretch of the imagination to consider the possibility of AI taking over what humans have strived to build; their lives. Craig W. Stanfill has written a book in the temporal context of 250 years from now, where the reality is exactly that; humans do not control humankind anymore and have to respond to AI for any breach of conduct. If life was difficult for some individuals when humans ruled, it pales in comparison to the harshness of their lives in the age of AI. The readers experience this type of lifestyle through the eyes of Kim, the main character. Read Terms of Service: Subject to Change Without Notice to fully understand where AI could lead our lives.
I enjoyed Stanfill's craftiness when it came to world-building; he was very consistent in his idea that Kim's world would best be characterized by neutrality: the only colors humans were allowed to wear were light blue and green, and beige. Similarly, the days of the week were amusingly named Oneday, Twoday, until Sevenday. Being obliged to wear certain clothes was not even the worst of it; everything from conversation topics to lovers were subject to constant monitoring and required approval. Free will became a mythical concept, and any sign of rebellion was treated with thinly veiled threats. The AI had no qualms about imposing its oppressive regime through violence. Another positive aspect I have identified was how well the author managed to capture human nature, as well as artificial intelligence. His novel made sense from both perspectives, which leads me to believe Stanfill researched the topics extensively. I also enjoyed how the characters had numbers as family names; it made the fate of the humans seem all the more daunting.
There was nothing I disliked about Stanfill's novel, and I cannot wait for the next book in the series. I did not come across any errors in grammar or spelling; the novel was professionally edited.
This was a page-turner, and it captivated me to no end. I enjoyed the pace of the plot and the concepts proposed by the author vis-a-vis the evolution of human society while under the thumb of AI. For all of these reasons, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.
There is not much profanity in this novel, yet there are scenes of intimacy; I would not recommend this book to anyone under the age of 18. I find this book a solid recommendation for fans of dystopian fiction and science fiction.
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Terms of Service
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
As technological advancements have leaped in the last decade, AI is no longer a distant theoretical concept, but rather a possible reality. It is no stretch of the imagination to consider the possibility of AI taking over what humans have strived to build; their lives. Craig W. Stanfill has written a book in the temporal context of 250 years from now, where the reality is exactly that; humans do not control humankind anymore and have to respond to AI for any breach of conduct. If life was difficult for some individuals when humans ruled, it pales in comparison to the harshness of their lives in the age of AI. The readers experience this type of lifestyle through the eyes of Kim, the main character. Read Terms of Service: Subject to Change Without Notice to fully understand where AI could lead our lives.
I enjoyed Stanfill's craftiness when it came to world-building; he was very consistent in his idea that Kim's world would best be characterized by neutrality: the only colors humans were allowed to wear were light blue and green, and beige. Similarly, the days of the week were amusingly named Oneday, Twoday, until Sevenday. Being obliged to wear certain clothes was not even the worst of it; everything from conversation topics to lovers were subject to constant monitoring and required approval. Free will became a mythical concept, and any sign of rebellion was treated with thinly veiled threats. The AI had no qualms about imposing its oppressive regime through violence. Another positive aspect I have identified was how well the author managed to capture human nature, as well as artificial intelligence. His novel made sense from both perspectives, which leads me to believe Stanfill researched the topics extensively. I also enjoyed how the characters had numbers as family names; it made the fate of the humans seem all the more daunting.
There was nothing I disliked about Stanfill's novel, and I cannot wait for the next book in the series. I did not come across any errors in grammar or spelling; the novel was professionally edited.
This was a page-turner, and it captivated me to no end. I enjoyed the pace of the plot and the concepts proposed by the author vis-a-vis the evolution of human society while under the thumb of AI. For all of these reasons, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.
There is not much profanity in this novel, yet there are scenes of intimacy; I would not recommend this book to anyone under the age of 18. I find this book a solid recommendation for fans of dystopian fiction and science fiction.
******
Terms of Service
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Latest Review: Final Notice by Van Fleisher
