The Metamorphosis of Prime Intellect — Roger Williams

The Metamorphosis of Prime Intellect -- Roger WilliamsSo what if we humans suddenly find ourselves immortal, with the ability to have anything whatsoever that we desire other than real death?   That’s essentially the basis of this book.

A super computer AI, Prime Intellect, has taken over and zapped everything into a virtual reality that is ruled over by Prime Intellect.   Prime Intellect has done this because of the three laws of robotics and it computes that the only way of preventing humans from dying, which it can’t allow, is to essentially upload everything into one galactic sized cyberspace and make all humans immortal.   Within this new reality, as long as the humans don’t do anything, or ask for anything, that contravenes the three laws of robotics, they can do and have anything they want.

Sound good?   Or does it sound like your worse nightmare?

Enter the realm of the death jockey.   People who want to ratchet up the suffering and get as close to death as Prime Intellect will allow.

Yes folks, this book is really fucking twisted.   If you’ve read the Takeshi Kovacs trilogy and thought some of the scenes in those books were extremely brutal and twisted, then you’ll be glad to know that you can put this book on the same bookshelf right next to them.   If you haven’t read them and enjoyed this book then i really suggest you do give them a go: they’ll be right up your twisted alley.

I would say that, at its core, this book is a critique of the three laws of robotics, and how they may be interpreted by any AI governed by them.   The critical pieces of the jigsaw being: what the AI decides it is going to label as human, what is therefore governed by the three laws of robotics and how, therefore, it then treats everything else.

I thought the ending was really good too.

So yeah, the future is bright my friends, rush out and buy your virtual reality gear today.

Me thinks i shall be looking forward to having a read of more of Roger’s books in the future if this is anything to go by.

Roger’s Page

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Foundation and Chaos — Greg Bear

Foundation and Chaos -- Greg BearWhile Hari Seldon is dealing with his problems, Daneel has problems of his own dealing with other factions of robots.

Thus we are introduced to the historical schisms that have occurred within the robots over the implementation of the three laws — and also the zeroth law — creating opposing groups, each with its own idea of humanity’s future and the robots’ place within it.

Once more, not a continuation after Foundation and Earth, but a deeper look into what was going on behind the scenes in the Foundation stories.

All good stuff.

Isaac’s Page Greg’s Page

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Foundations Fear — Gregory Benford

Foundations Fear -- Gregory BenfordThe first book in a trilogy that was authorised by the Asimov estate to be written as a sequel to Foundation.   I had expected it to be a continuation from where Foundation and Earth left off, but it isn’t.

This book picks up the story way back when Hari Seldon was being considered for the role of First Minister and the trilogy takes it from there.   It’s like an alternative view on things giving us more story about the story we already got told.

All in all it’s a pretty good book, although i think a continuation from Foundation and Earth would have been much better.   But if you’re a fan of the franchise then i’m sure you’ll still enjoy it.

Gregory’s Page Isaac’s Page

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A Separate War and Other Stories — Joe Haldeman

A Separate War and Other Stories -- Joe Haldeman

A Separate War – 1999
Diminished Chord – 2005
Giza – 2003
Foreclosure – 2005
Four Short Novels – 2003
For White Hill – 1995
Finding My Shadow – 2003
Civil Disobedience – 2005
Memento Mori – 2004
Faces – 2004
Heartwired – 2005
Brochure – 2000
Out of Phase – 1969
Power Complex – 1972
Fantasy for Six Electrodes and One Adrenaline Drip – 2005

Joe’s Page

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