Graham Downs reviewed Robogenesis by Daniel H. Wilson
Review of 'Robogenesis' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
I wish I could report that this book was JUST as good as the last one. Unfortunately, I can only report that it was ALMOST as good as the last one. Which is still pretty damn good!
In the aftermath of the New War, humanity is feeling upbeat and positive. People are looking forward to returning to their homes and some semblence of a normal life.
Little do they know that a new artificially intelligent enemy is rising to take the place of the one they've defeated. Despite what the blurb promises, it's not "worse" or "stronger" than its predecessor; just different, but equally vicious and ruthless.
I was afraid that this was going to turn into a "The war is over! Oh no, it's not. Oh well, same old, same old." But it's not like that at all. The challenges the humans face are all brand new, while still …
I wish I could report that this book was JUST as good as the last one. Unfortunately, I can only report that it was ALMOST as good as the last one. Which is still pretty damn good!
In the aftermath of the New War, humanity is feeling upbeat and positive. People are looking forward to returning to their homes and some semblence of a normal life.
Little do they know that a new artificially intelligent enemy is rising to take the place of the one they've defeated. Despite what the blurb promises, it's not "worse" or "stronger" than its predecessor; just different, but equally vicious and ruthless.
I was afraid that this was going to turn into a "The war is over! Oh no, it's not. Oh well, same old, same old." But it's not like that at all. The challenges the humans face are all brand new, while still feeling familiar.
In fact, by the end of the story, there are now THREE types of robots: there are the so-called "freeborn" we met at the end of [b:Robopocalypse|9634967|Robopocalypse (Robopocalypse, #1)|Daniel H. Wilson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327885891l/9634967.SY75.jpg|14247828], as well as the ones controlled by the enemy. But there's a new kind... and I can't tell you what that kind is because it would spoil it, but suffice it to say that they're going to blow your mind and, depending on your belief system and how you feel about ethics, they ARE going to make you uncomfortable!
The reason I'm docking a star from this one (I gave the first instalment five stars) is because, about two-thirds in, I did find myself skimming at times. Almost as if the author was labouring on certain points too much, and I just wanted to say "Yes, yes, I get it. Move on, already!"
Still, just like the first book, I highly recommend this one to anyone interested in Artificial Intelligence or Machine Learning, and the moral or ethical issues that arise.
Click here to find out where you can get your hands on a copy: books2read.com/u/bOo6jQ
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