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Brian, Created Intelligence
Within a four foot stainless steel cube, a bodiless brain is awake, thinking, computing, knowing. Brian was created by genetic engineer Dr. Ellie Parsons, and neuroscientist Tom Marshall, at biotechnology company Dipol Inc., in San Diego, CA. Ethical questions abound as they hide Brian's true identity from him and the world around. To Brian, he's merely artificial intelligence, tasked with creating even more intelligent systems. To Ellie and her company, he's a means to an end, to create true artificial intelligence using his genius and the brain computer interface attached to his only true organ. All is as well as it can be until the day a psychotic agent of DARPA, Jonathan Volt, commandeers it for use in none other than militarization. Once Ellie neurally links herself to Brian, all bets are off to ensure his safety as his entire life is literally on the table.
- GenresScience Fiction
321 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 14, 2022
14 people are currently reading
833 people want to read
About the author
A.J. Pagan IV
2 books14 followersAJ is a novelist maintaining (mostly) science fiction story lines based upon the brain-the final frontier of biology, and of our existence. The brain is the only entity which has named itself and is the most miraculous and confoundingly beautiful machine to have ever come to fruition. Currently, AJ has a handful of works awaiting publication, whether through the publishing houses or self-publishing, only time shall tell. With an amazing wife, a new baby, and weiner dog, AJ works in southern California in pharmaceuticals, cooking, writing, and traveling as much as possible.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 24, 2023
Review coming soon
November 21, 2022
This book will keep you on your toes and have you questioning everything. Such a intriguing page turner with an interesting plot!
April 23, 2023
This review was originally posted at https://bit.ly/3M7xUS4.
Able to grow/create every organ for the human body for replacement as needed except one. The one that has never been done is the human brain, but what is stopping us? Intent on further studying the human brain and how it interfaces with AI a specially crafted team of scientists have done just that. 5 years later Brian is a thinking and feeling being, but does he know what he is? When the AI interface section of the government steps in after the alleged death of 3 workers in Madagascar Brian becomes a tool to be used. Is he legitimate or is there something more in the works?
I received a copy of this eBook from the author in exchange for an honest review. Ethics aside this book was great. We have Ellie who is a young, full of herself loud-mouth who probably should have been fired from Dipol a million times during this book. Then there is the psychologist who didn't want to be there from the start and the psychotic Agent Jonathan Volt who wants to weaponize what he believes to be an AI and use it to take over other locations. It is definitely an odd collection of characters.
That being said the characters meld well together and I enjoyed the storyline. Although I thought for a while that something was going to somehow develop between a bodiless brain and Ellie I am glad with how that aspect of the book ended. I do wonder what will be done with the information that the team had at the end as well what Volt had. I am trying not to give too many details. The book was very intriguing, though although it did get a bit bogged down in the science aspects versus the story aspects sometimes.
This story jumped perspectives a lot, which is something I appreciated. I don't think we would have had a good a grasp of the book without seeing it from each person's (or brains) perspective. Seeing how they were thinking or feeling in that moment. It allowed for a deeper insight without sharing too much that the author isn't ready to share yet.
Able to grow/create every organ for the human body for replacement as needed except one. The one that has never been done is the human brain, but what is stopping us? Intent on further studying the human brain and how it interfaces with AI a specially crafted team of scientists have done just that. 5 years later Brian is a thinking and feeling being, but does he know what he is? When the AI interface section of the government steps in after the alleged death of 3 workers in Madagascar Brian becomes a tool to be used. Is he legitimate or is there something more in the works?
I received a copy of this eBook from the author in exchange for an honest review. Ethics aside this book was great. We have Ellie who is a young, full of herself loud-mouth who probably should have been fired from Dipol a million times during this book. Then there is the psychologist who didn't want to be there from the start and the psychotic Agent Jonathan Volt who wants to weaponize what he believes to be an AI and use it to take over other locations. It is definitely an odd collection of characters.
That being said the characters meld well together and I enjoyed the storyline. Although I thought for a while that something was going to somehow develop between a bodiless brain and Ellie I am glad with how that aspect of the book ended. I do wonder what will be done with the information that the team had at the end as well what Volt had. I am trying not to give too many details. The book was very intriguing, though although it did get a bit bogged down in the science aspects versus the story aspects sometimes.
This story jumped perspectives a lot, which is something I appreciated. I don't think we would have had a good a grasp of the book without seeing it from each person's (or brains) perspective. Seeing how they were thinking or feeling in that moment. It allowed for a deeper insight without sharing too much that the author isn't ready to share yet.
December 1, 2022
Brian was very interesting. The beginning of the story was slow, which is nice because there was a significant chunk of world building. Helps you feel connected/builds your relationship with the main characters the same way they grow with each other. I really liked that. The rest of the book is fast paced, I found it difficult to keep track of the dates which are the markers of chapters. I liked that the book spanned across multiple years, the author does an incredible job of explaining accomplishments as they happened during the past time and progressing the story. The science is intense, I had a hard time figuring out what was rooted in fact and which parts were imaginative which was awesome. The author really made me use my brain (all puns intended). The science was imaginative but simplistic and logical it was incredible. There’s some action, sorrow, and heavy emotion in here too which I wasn’t expecting. The ending took me by surprise, the 3rd half of the book actually took me really by surprise. Give this book a chance, it has the capacity to surprise you. Possibly, one of the best science meets humanity books I’ve read in quite sometime. Props to the author, this was highly imaginative, thought provoking and fucking rad.
March 6, 2024
You can't spell 'brain' without 'AI'
“Are you human, even if you don’t know you are?”
Brian is neither AI nor human; he is Created Intelligence, a brain created with technology. This is his story, as well as that of his parents/creators, notably the driven and angry scientist Ellie.
A sci-fi novel with a capital 'SCI', Brian leans heavily on hard science. A J Pagan has clearly put his work in when it comes to research. This made it hard for me to connect with the story, but for those with more of an interest in science and technology will find a lot to explore here: explorations of theories, rich speculation, and, of course, moral quandries.
The story begins slowly but ramps up considerably around a third of the way in: we go in directions I did not expect, and the volume really gets turned up. A pondering, intricate build-up explodes into a world of emotional and shocking moments.
An enjoyable read for science freaks and enjoyers of brains.
“Are you human, even if you don’t know you are?”
Brian is neither AI nor human; he is Created Intelligence, a brain created with technology. This is his story, as well as that of his parents/creators, notably the driven and angry scientist Ellie.
A sci-fi novel with a capital 'SCI', Brian leans heavily on hard science. A J Pagan has clearly put his work in when it comes to research. This made it hard for me to connect with the story, but for those with more of an interest in science and technology will find a lot to explore here: explorations of theories, rich speculation, and, of course, moral quandries.
The story begins slowly but ramps up considerably around a third of the way in: we go in directions I did not expect, and the volume really gets turned up. A pondering, intricate build-up explodes into a world of emotional and shocking moments.
An enjoyable read for science freaks and enjoyers of brains.
January 20, 2024
I enjoyed this book regardless of the fact that it is inadvertently playing to the paranoia of AI. There was a couple of brickbats. A huge tech company involved in some great breakthroughs, being taken over by a group of black ops renegades really and the company bending over and taking it. What little I know of the American law system it would have been a feeding frenzy of lawyers, defending the company, the project and the military. With all the media hype, lies, gossip that accompanies such action. It does explore the concept of what it is to be human, although as any conman will testify, a bit of empathy, thinking and being aware does not a human make. However notwithstanding the likes of terminator and other Sci fi horror stories, I do not think.it will be too long before we hear of it a lot more. Worth reading.
March 11, 2024
A Humane Experiment?
I love science fiction. This goes beyond that. To me, this is Sci Fi wrought with existential crises. It begs the question what is life? Who owns it? How many boundaries can we push? Scientists aren't usually known for waxing philosophical. This story challenges that notion somewhat. Some are more human than practical whitecoats in sanitary labs as they reach new heights in experimentation. There is a foreboding message from the story, a cautionary tale of human empowerment. I recommend it for a Mature audience as it includes language, graphic violence, and heady material.
I love science fiction. This goes beyond that. To me, this is Sci Fi wrought with existential crises. It begs the question what is life? Who owns it? How many boundaries can we push? Scientists aren't usually known for waxing philosophical. This story challenges that notion somewhat. Some are more human than practical whitecoats in sanitary labs as they reach new heights in experimentation. There is a foreboding message from the story, a cautionary tale of human empowerment. I recommend it for a Mature audience as it includes language, graphic violence, and heady material.
September 6, 2023
Brian, without a doubt is a different type of story, that for me was somewhat interesting but bogged down early- on due to intensive scientific and tech based language and procedures.
The story concept presents a bit of a moral quagmire which becomes more complicated with the addition of governmental/militaristic interference.
Not sure where this fits in terms a reading recommendation, my best is 3 stars.
My thanks to the sponsors of the Goodreads giveaway which provided me the opportunity to read this book.
The story concept presents a bit of a moral quagmire which becomes more complicated with the addition of governmental/militaristic interference.
Not sure where this fits in terms a reading recommendation, my best is 3 stars.
My thanks to the sponsors of the Goodreads giveaway which provided me the opportunity to read this book.
November 3, 2023
This story will take you down a twisted journey blurring the lines of what is ethical and moral.
Brian, the first genetically created bodiless brain, has been created to make scientific advancements in studying artificial intelligence. He lives unknowingly in a new version of hell on earth, which is only further affirmed when the government becomes involved.
This not so distant dystopia presents deep philosophical discussions on consciousness, human rights and the stark realization of the future of technology which will leave a heavy impression on readers.
Brian, the first genetically created bodiless brain, has been created to make scientific advancements in studying artificial intelligence. He lives unknowingly in a new version of hell on earth, which is only further affirmed when the government becomes involved.
This not so distant dystopia presents deep philosophical discussions on consciousness, human rights and the stark realization of the future of technology which will leave a heavy impression on readers.
November 1, 2022
This book will make you question what it is to be human. There are some awkward bits of narration, with the usage of 3rd person omniscience describing multiple characters' thoughts within the same chapter. All in all, a highly imaginative debut novel with exciting ideas and some lovely descriptions of food - always a plus.
March 29, 2024
An interesting sci-fi concept that is unfortunately too much science and philosophy and nowhere near as human as it has the potential to be.
This book cannot make it's mind up as to what it even is. Perhaps I was expecting too much, but I just could not root for any of the main characters, particularly the hot-headed Ellie Parsons who flew off the handle in every single scene, so that by the end I just felt done with her. Which is unfortunate because done rightly I think this is a story that you could care and invest in.
The ominous 'post credit' epilogue was just laughable. I won't say anything to give it away, but if it was meant to be a twist, it was sign posted so heavily.
This book cannot make it's mind up as to what it even is. Perhaps I was expecting too much, but I just could not root for any of the main characters, particularly the hot-headed Ellie Parsons who flew off the handle in every single scene, so that by the end I just felt done with her. Which is unfortunate because done rightly I think this is a story that you could care and invest in.
The ominous 'post credit' epilogue was just laughable. I won't say anything to give it away, but if it was meant to be a twist, it was sign posted so heavily.
April 29, 2023
verbose
The intelligence level that this was aimed at was very low. The scenes pass slowly. It is almost like this is a play. I didn’t finish this book, it was to slow. I did not finish this book because it was boring to read. It did not keep my interest. None of the characters were sympathetic.
The intelligence level that this was aimed at was very low. The scenes pass slowly. It is almost like this is a play. I didn’t finish this book, it was to slow. I did not finish this book because it was boring to read. It did not keep my interest. None of the characters were sympathetic.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews