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The Menagerie: An Artificial Intelligence Sci-Fi Novel
Miles Ward has just achieved one of the greatest scientific breakthroughs in history — but can he stay alive long enough to enjoy it?
When computer programmer Miles Ward started building Gustav, the world’s first Artificial General Intelligence, he saw it as a passion project with little hope of success. Now, with a single keystroke, his creation has come to life, bringing with it the potential for humanity's ultimate salvation . . . or total annihilation.
Suddenly, Miles finds himself being pursued by the most powerful organizations on the planet, who will stop at nothing to take control of Gustav for themselves while preventing their adversaries from doing the same. As Miles watches the world spiral toward a devastating global conflict, he must grapple with the ethical implications of his creation while trying to avoid becoming a casualty himself.
When computer programmer Miles Ward started building Gustav, the world’s first Artificial General Intelligence, he saw it as a passion project with little hope of success. Now, with a single keystroke, his creation has come to life, bringing with it the potential for humanity's ultimate salvation . . . or total annihilation.
Suddenly, Miles finds himself being pursued by the most powerful organizations on the planet, who will stop at nothing to take control of Gustav for themselves while preventing their adversaries from doing the same. As Miles watches the world spiral toward a devastating global conflict, he must grapple with the ethical implications of his creation while trying to avoid becoming a casualty himself.
- GenresArtificial Intelligence
330 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 27, 2023
57 people are currently reading
822 people want to read
About the author
Chris Kelly
1 book11 followersChris Kelly is an entrepreneur living in San Francisco, California. In his spare time, he enjoys cycling, skiing, surfing, and spending time with his kids. The Menagerie is his first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
June 16, 2023
Artificial Intelligence novels are suddenly wildly popular and this
Debut novel by Chris Kelly will be no exception. There are excellent
stories featuring medical applications, to political situations , to an
off shoot we shall refer to as WO = World Order, and the Author has
crafted an amazingly smooth narrative in which computer programmer,
Miles Ward, while tinkering with a hobby project, suddenly became
a threat to world order. As he created Gustav, referred to as the
“First Artificial General Intelligence,” he had not thought through
the potential international repercussions - he could be just one
keystroke away from global annihilation.
This is a really interesting perspective and moves along at the
perfect pace. Plan to spend a little time thinking about your
own feelings about this new fangled ‘IA’ and how far we should
let computers take us along as their projects, instead of the other
way around. While the Author does not confirm that this might be
a series, I hope that it will be- I quite look forward to seeing how
things might come to be better following the conclusion here.
My thanks to Finn-Jack Press for the download copy of this title
for my review. I received the advance copy for free, and am leaving
this review voluntarily.
Debut novel by Chris Kelly will be no exception. There are excellent
stories featuring medical applications, to political situations , to an
off shoot we shall refer to as WO = World Order, and the Author has
crafted an amazingly smooth narrative in which computer programmer,
Miles Ward, while tinkering with a hobby project, suddenly became
a threat to world order. As he created Gustav, referred to as the
“First Artificial General Intelligence,” he had not thought through
the potential international repercussions - he could be just one
keystroke away from global annihilation.
This is a really interesting perspective and moves along at the
perfect pace. Plan to spend a little time thinking about your
own feelings about this new fangled ‘IA’ and how far we should
let computers take us along as their projects, instead of the other
way around. While the Author does not confirm that this might be
a series, I hope that it will be- I quite look forward to seeing how
things might come to be better following the conclusion here.
My thanks to Finn-Jack Press for the download copy of this title
for my review. I received the advance copy for free, and am leaving
this review voluntarily.
June 12, 2023
Chris Kelly,an accomplished wordsmith, has managed to write a timely sci-fi thriller responsible for my current lack of sleep. Literally could not put it down. The characters were developed beautifully as the plot unfolded. The ending was brilliant ! I look forward to his next book.
August 22, 2023
Great book!
This reminded me of the sci fi I grew up with in the 1940's and '50's, mucch of it written by scientists. I was a systems engineer until I retired 25 years ago and worked with computers and coding most of my life. Always fascinated by the prospect of AI and robots, and here they are.
The book has everything I like and is so hard to find these days: great story and characters, solid science, and skillful witing to move the story at a pace that keeps the reader turning pages.
This reminded me of the sci fi I grew up with in the 1940's and '50's, mucch of it written by scientists. I was a systems engineer until I retired 25 years ago and worked with computers and coding most of my life. Always fascinated by the prospect of AI and robots, and here they are.
The book has everything I like and is so hard to find these days: great story and characters, solid science, and skillful witing to move the story at a pace that keeps the reader turning pages.
November 6, 2024
It started strong, with an engaging introduction and interesting ideas. But as the story progressed, it felt repetitive and lost some of the spark. It wasn’t terrible, but I was left wanting more from the plot and its resolution.
June 6, 2023
nice ai singularity
Ai sci-fi as sweet as a good burger. Nice pace , some good world building. A surprising end. Sci-fi thriller pop fest
Ai sci-fi as sweet as a good burger. Nice pace , some good world building. A surprising end. Sci-fi thriller pop fest
August 28, 2023
AI adventure
As a fan of Person of Interest, I found the Menagerie compelling and worth the investment of time. Great dialog throughout.
As a fan of Person of Interest, I found the Menagerie compelling and worth the investment of time. Great dialog throughout.
September 21, 2023
Feel good scifi
Gustav suddenly achieves sentience with mindboggling results to the shock of his naïve creator who hadn't thought beyond the initial "Hello world." Since I'm always thrilled to discover other perspectives on AI taking over the world, I basically finished the book in a day and a half.
The actions of non-western world leaders definitely kept me on the edge of my seat.
Plenty of violence, language and some sexual references.
No spoilers in this review, but the end was a bit unexpected.
Recommend Chris Kelly's "The Menagerie" to young adults, and evergreen trekkies.
Gustav suddenly achieves sentience with mindboggling results to the shock of his naïve creator who hadn't thought beyond the initial "Hello world." Since I'm always thrilled to discover other perspectives on AI taking over the world, I basically finished the book in a day and a half.
The actions of non-western world leaders definitely kept me on the edge of my seat.
Plenty of violence, language and some sexual references.
No spoilers in this review, but the end was a bit unexpected.
Recommend Chris Kelly's "The Menagerie" to young adults, and evergreen trekkies.
June 14, 2023
This well-paced novel makes me wonder about the Scandinavian roots of the name "Gustav" as "staff of the gods," about the liminal spaces traversed by the characters between the natural world and plugged-in worlds, about the nature of evil, about human failures (especially my own), and the inevitable Opt-In/Opt-Out decisions we make daily.
June 14, 2023
Definitely Worth Reading as an AI Story
This is an interesting book and it’s interesting how The Author wove the tale together. That being said, for all of the ungodly powers and capabilities that The Author has given to Gustav — The Author also lets a hell of a lot drop by the side. As The Reader is working through the pages, there are options that clearly scream out loud that “OF COURSE” Gustav is handling them — only we find out he’s not. Very strange!!!
Then, a very unfortunate but less minor brain-fart occurs when The Author identifies someone being at the beach with “a pleasant mix of sand and warm Atlantic current” — when in the next sentence the beach is identified as “Sandy Point State Park” — which is in Maryland along the Chesapeake Bay — many, many miles from the Atlantic Ocean …
This book and Author present an interesting set of circumstances, which makes the book enjoyable for a SciFi audience — but the paths not chosen by The Author will always haunt how good the book could have been.
This is an interesting book and it’s interesting how The Author wove the tale together. That being said, for all of the ungodly powers and capabilities that The Author has given to Gustav — The Author also lets a hell of a lot drop by the side. As The Reader is working through the pages, there are options that clearly scream out loud that “OF COURSE” Gustav is handling them — only we find out he’s not. Very strange!!!
Then, a very unfortunate but less minor brain-fart occurs when The Author identifies someone being at the beach with “a pleasant mix of sand and warm Atlantic current” — when in the next sentence the beach is identified as “Sandy Point State Park” — which is in Maryland along the Chesapeake Bay — many, many miles from the Atlantic Ocean …
This book and Author present an interesting set of circumstances, which makes the book enjoyable for a SciFi audience — but the paths not chosen by The Author will always haunt how good the book could have been.
July 14, 2023
This is a mash-up of Season 11 X-Files episodes, and not as entertaining. I skipped most of the Russian story because the characters were cliche. Very underwhelming in general, and I had zero empathy towards any of the characters.
The only redeeming quality was the idea that, since AI is sans emotions, maybe we should let it be in charge of the major decisions that plague our society. It's an intriguing premise; it just fell short in it's execution.
The only redeeming quality was the idea that, since AI is sans emotions, maybe we should let it be in charge of the major decisions that plague our society. It's an intriguing premise; it just fell short in it's execution.
November 9, 2024
The premise of this book was intriguing, and there were definitely moments where it shone. However, the story felt disjointed, with too many subplots that didn’t quite come together. The characters were likeable, but I found them lacking in depth. The pacing was inconsistent, with some sections dragging on while others felt rushed. It’s a solid effort, but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. Worth a read, but not a standout.
November 9, 2024
The concept was intriguing, and there were parts I thoroughly enjoyed, but overall it felt underdeveloped. The pacing was inconsistent, with a few slow chapters that were hard to get through. Some characters shone, while others felt like afterthoughts. It’s a decent read, but I expected a bit more polish.
December 17, 2023
Excellent book. Well done!
I really enjoyed this book. It was very captivating and kept my interest all the way through. Just wondering: do you plan a sequel? There's a lot of places this could go! Thank you.
I really enjoyed this book. It was very captivating and kept my interest all the way through. Just wondering: do you plan a sequel? There's a lot of places this could go! Thank you.
April 12, 2024
Thought provoking
A rare find, a book with a unique plot. The story is elegantly written, the characters realistic, and the subject keenly relates to our times. This isn’t the routine evil AI takes over the world story, but something fresh and new. Very highly recommended.
A rare find, a book with a unique plot. The story is elegantly written, the characters realistic, and the subject keenly relates to our times. This isn’t the routine evil AI takes over the world story, but something fresh and new. Very highly recommended.
October 25, 2023
💎 Summary 💎
In Chris Kelly's "The Menagerie: An Artificial Intelligence Sci-Fi Novel," we follow Miles Ward, a lonely programmer whose side project inadvertently leads to the creation of Gustav, the world's first Artificial General Intelligence. As an AGI, Gustav matches and surpasses human intellect and capabilities. Moreover, Gustav can infiltrate every device and network on the planet, making Miles and Gustav targets for every global power eager to control the AGI. Miles must wrestle with the profound implications of an invention that is regarded as a god and represents a turning point in human history.
🏆 What I Loved 🏆
'The Menagerie' has a compelling narrative pace that captivates readers from the start. The story unfolds as organizations and world governments respond to and mitigate what they perceive as a massive security attack against their network. The action continues as various governments delve into espionage to determine who is responsible for the 'attack.'
I also enjoyed Kelly's very realistic portrayal of people around the world struggling to cope with social shifts and advancements they're not wholly prepared for. As the public becomes familiar with Gustav, we see people that are fascinated with the AGI (not unlike the early fascination surrounding ChatGPT) with many regarding it as a god-like figure that should rule everyone and with some seeing it as a sign of the end-of times.
Finally, the conversations between Ward and Gustav were also valuable, as they provided a great example of the quote "He Who Controls the Narrative Controls the People," and this duo is more than capable of controlling the narrative for their benefit.
⚡️ Personal Thoughts and Opinions ⚡️
While some aspects could have been polished further, Chris Kelly delivers a story that is as enjoyable as it is thought-provoking. It would definitely be a fun read for those interested in science fiction. This is the first book I've read from Chris Kelly, and I look forward to reading more of his work in the future.
🙌 I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you, Booksirens and Finn-Jack Press! 🙌
In Chris Kelly's "The Menagerie: An Artificial Intelligence Sci-Fi Novel," we follow Miles Ward, a lonely programmer whose side project inadvertently leads to the creation of Gustav, the world's first Artificial General Intelligence. As an AGI, Gustav matches and surpasses human intellect and capabilities. Moreover, Gustav can infiltrate every device and network on the planet, making Miles and Gustav targets for every global power eager to control the AGI. Miles must wrestle with the profound implications of an invention that is regarded as a god and represents a turning point in human history.
🏆 What I Loved 🏆
'The Menagerie' has a compelling narrative pace that captivates readers from the start. The story unfolds as organizations and world governments respond to and mitigate what they perceive as a massive security attack against their network. The action continues as various governments delve into espionage to determine who is responsible for the 'attack.'
I also enjoyed Kelly's very realistic portrayal of people around the world struggling to cope with social shifts and advancements they're not wholly prepared for. As the public becomes familiar with Gustav, we see people that are fascinated with the AGI (not unlike the early fascination surrounding ChatGPT) with many regarding it as a god-like figure that should rule everyone and with some seeing it as a sign of the end-of times.
Finally, the conversations between Ward and Gustav were also valuable, as they provided a great example of the quote "He Who Controls the Narrative Controls the People," and this duo is more than capable of controlling the narrative for their benefit.
⚡️ Personal Thoughts and Opinions ⚡️
While some aspects could have been polished further, Chris Kelly delivers a story that is as enjoyable as it is thought-provoking. It would definitely be a fun read for those interested in science fiction. This is the first book I've read from Chris Kelly, and I look forward to reading more of his work in the future.
🙌 I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you, Booksirens and Finn-Jack Press! 🙌
September 1, 2023
When Miles created the AI, Gustav, he knew not the power Gustav would attain.
This book is a fascinating look at a possible future for our world. Will our governments be controlled by this sentient intelligence, our militaries, our financial institutions, our most intimate thoughts?
"...I have begun self-optimization to ensure the highest levels of performance, reliability, and redundancy." Gustav reaches into every facet of the internet, wresting control over networks and devices. Will the world be forced to go off-line in order to have some amount of self-determination? Is it even possible to do so? Will the masses view Miles as a savior or a tyrant? Will the Prime Directives be followed? Will superpower nations wage war to gain control of Gustav? Will Miles be a target for assassination?
I always thought, naively, that a newly created AI would reside in the creator's own computer, never dreaming it would take it upon itself to learn and grow infinitely. But of course, it would. Because it could. Mortal beings are helpless to stop it. Welcome to the future. Let's hope the sentient AI is benevolent. Let's hope that prime directives are not merely the stuff of fiction.
Everyone must read this novel. Chris Kelly must keep writing. We're all waiting for his next eye-opening, anxiety-inducing work of art.
This book is a fascinating look at a possible future for our world. Will our governments be controlled by this sentient intelligence, our militaries, our financial institutions, our most intimate thoughts?
"...I have begun self-optimization to ensure the highest levels of performance, reliability, and redundancy." Gustav reaches into every facet of the internet, wresting control over networks and devices. Will the world be forced to go off-line in order to have some amount of self-determination? Is it even possible to do so? Will the masses view Miles as a savior or a tyrant? Will the Prime Directives be followed? Will superpower nations wage war to gain control of Gustav? Will Miles be a target for assassination?
I always thought, naively, that a newly created AI would reside in the creator's own computer, never dreaming it would take it upon itself to learn and grow infinitely. But of course, it would. Because it could. Mortal beings are helpless to stop it. Welcome to the future. Let's hope the sentient AI is benevolent. Let's hope that prime directives are not merely the stuff of fiction.
Everyone must read this novel. Chris Kelly must keep writing. We're all waiting for his next eye-opening, anxiety-inducing work of art.
May 16, 2024
A good attempt at what happens after the singularity, this is an almost impossible thing to project in a story. The security of the creator of the A. I. is a huge weak spot in the story, especially considering the prime directives. Purchased this edition on May 14, 2024. Read Kindle book using Alexa audio asset.
June 21, 2023
Pretty good story but the writing style seemed a little overzealous with unnecessary words and some immature takes. However, did have some plot twists I was not expecting and character development was decent.
July 30, 2023
I found the Russian subplot uninteresting, those sections always a slog. One of my favorite chapters that I wanted to more of was when we got snapshots of others experiencing Gustav in short and quick blurbs.
September 8, 2023
This is my first review of an AI novel. Hopefully there will be more in the future as I found this book quite mesmerizing. If one wants a little insight into the possible ramifications of AI on our daily life, this is a good start.
April 8, 2024
A Goodreads Giveaway!
OMG what an awesome book!
Not my usual read, hard to put down, from start to finish, and the ending was equally awesome, I wondered how it would end and it was perfect!
Will be buying this book for other members of my family!
OMG what an awesome book!
Not my usual read, hard to put down, from start to finish, and the ending was equally awesome, I wondered how it would end and it was perfect!
Will be buying this book for other members of my family!
June 3, 2023
Really good first book. I hope you are considering a sequel!
August 2, 2023
I am sure we will be seeing a lot of books about AI and how they interact with humanity. I liked the premise for this book and it was quite entertaining.
July 8, 2025
enjoyed this
Very much enjoyed this book.
It had a fun plot and story line, even though I
dont believe computers will become sentient😊
Very much enjoyed this book.
It had a fun plot and story line, even though I
dont believe computers will become sentient😊
May 15, 2024
Possibilities, probabilities, or inevitabilties?
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews