d.evolution

by Lee Carlon

New World Technology promised to remake the world through digital evolution.

Having already revolutionized the way people live and work with computer implant technology and personal holographic assistants, New World Technology’s teleportation devices were almost universally embraced, eliminating the tyranny of distance. But when Jason Smith — co-founder of New World Technology — discovers the dark underside to his company’s technology, he realizes he must fight everything he has ever worked to create or risk being remembered as the man who enslaved humanity.

Set in the near future, d.evolution fast forwards some of the technologies we use today (2012) and presents a time where it is commonplace for people to have neural implants and continually interact with artificial intelligence on a personal level. The story engages with some of the ideas George Orwell first put forward in Nineteen Eighty-Four and updates the technology that Big Brother uses to control the people.

In d.evolution, Big Brother isn’t just watching you, Big Brother is inside your head.

Genres: Science Fiction

200 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 11, 2012

Reviews

[Sankarshan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I generally tend to be very wary of books around dystopia. The plotlines are often predictable and what is PR-polished as "a foretelling of the future" is generally small nudges to the envelope of possibilities.

I admit I picked this one up based on the reviews of a few friends and, I enjoyed it a lot. I agree with one of the review notes that at places it seems a bit contrived, however, that doesn't harm the fresh and steady pace of the narrative. Lee does handle the story with an even hand and, it is a very quick read. The underlying question is an old one - personal gains or, greater good. But mix in a bit of the author's ability to get you to think and then it becomes a compelling act.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating 3¾ of 5 stars.

The main part of the story takes place in the future, 25 years from now. No, make that 23 years, because the book was published in 2012. I am afraid we're not even this far from the bleak world that is described here. The book features a company called New World Technologies which basically holds all the power and runs the country. The government doesn't intervene, because there's is no government anymore. Not plausible? I don't think so. To me, this isn't far fetched at all. Today's Internet giants + the intelligence agencies aim exactly for this goal. And I'm not even a conspiracist or a truther.

This book is fast paced and entertaining, suspenseful and even funny in parts. The only things I would have liked to be different are: It should have been a little longer (I usually demand the opposite), to give the characters more room to develop (or in this case evolve). Some scenes seemed a little rough to me and could use a little draw-filing in another edit run. The end came a little sudden. Poor Biff! Apart from this I enjoyed the ride and recommend this book to readers of sci-fi/techno-thrillers or dystopia.


This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

[Misha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. While the themes are familiar ones in science fiction, the treatment is really original and, as always, it is worth the price of the book just to read about the technology Lee Carlon comes up with for his fictional universe. To prevent spoiling anything (and talking in any detail about the plot would result in spoilers and revealed plot twists), I'd just say that this is a thought provoking book about identity and circumstances and an extremely easy and enjoyable read.

In my opinion, if you are new to Lee Carlon's work, this book is the best one to dive into as an introduction to his writing style. If you are a fan of science fiction, this book is a humorous, engaging and fast paced read and will not disappoint. Definitely recommended.

[Karen Field · Rating 4 out of 5]

d.evolution is about one of our possible futures. Jason Smith is a co-founder of New World Technology and he finds himself in a confusing situation where he can make a difference. The thing is, will the difference be for the good of man kind, the advancement of technology or personal gain?

I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy this book when I first started reading it. But I was quickly pulled in by the characters and plot.

The biggest plus for this story is that it is quite thought provoking. The author has taken 'what if' to another level that begs to ask the questions: What would you do?

And: Who has the right to decide?

I found myself pondering the answers to these questions long after the story had ended, and believe me, that is a good thing!

d.evolution is a well written post-apocalyptic story and anyone who enjoys science fiction will enjoy this book.

[Amelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm on the fence between giving this three and four stars. On the up side, I found the story and plot compelling. The relationship between the Jason and Biff, his d.me, was really interesting and well worked out. On the other hand, the human characters seemed to lack depth, with many of them sounding just like vehicles for the ideas, exchanged in dialog. I didn't get a sense of them as real people, especially Charlie who came across as too evil to have been anyone's best friend. My other big problem was that Jason usually didn't come across as very smart, certainly not smart enough to have invented all the technology he's credited with. Still, it was an interesting read, and explored some cool ideas.

[Andrew Carlson · Rating 4 out of 5]

d.evolution is a great concept! The main idea behind the plot is very clever!

The story moved at a good pace and revealed twists and turns as the plot developed. The book kept me engaged and turning pages.

There were a few grammar issues that were a bit distracting, but who among us hasn't left a few typos in our stories? The plot seemed to end a bit abruptly; I think the climax could have reached a higher peak and the resolution in the dystopian society could have been explored a bit more in my opinion.

Overall, great concept and good book. I enjoyed d.evolution.

[N.E. White · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book. Proper review to come later.