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City of Angels
Sometime in the near future, maybe just tomorrow, there may come a totally new form of life on this planet. An artificial intelligence, or AI. What will it want? How will it perceive us? One thing's for sure - the world will never be the same again. This is the story of the city of Angels. Written by the New York Times bestselling author, Todd McCaffrey
- GenresScience Fiction
572 pages, Paperback
First published December 21, 2011
5 people are currently reading
151 people want to read
About the author
Todd McCaffrey
118 books536 followersTodd J. McCaffrey (born as Todd Johnson) is an Irish American author of science fiction best known for continuing the Dragonriders of Pern series in collaboration with his mother Anne McCaffrey.
Todd Johnson was born 27 April 1956 in Montclair, New Jersey as the second son and middle child of Horace Wright Johnson (deceased 2009), who worked for DuPont, and Anne McCaffrey (deceased 2011), who had her second short story published that year. He has two siblings: Alec Anthony, born 1952, and Georgeanne ("Gigi", Georgeanne Kennedy), born 1959.
Except for a six-month DuPont transfer to Dusseldorf, Germany, the family lived most of a decade in Wilmington, Delaware, until a 1965 transfer to New York City when they moved to Sea Cliff, Long Island. All three children were then in school and Anne McCaffrey became a full-time author, primarily writing science fiction. About that time, Todd became the first of the children to read science fiction, the Space Cat series by Ruthven Todd. He attended his first science fiction convention in 1968, Lunacon in New York City.
Soon after the move, Todd was directed to lower his voice as an actor in the fourth-grade school play, with his mother in the auditorium. That was the inspiration for Decision at Doona (1969) which she dedicated "To Todd Johnson—of course!" The story is set on "an overcrowded planet where just talking too loud made you a social outcast".
Anne McCaffrey divorced in 1970 and emigrated to Ireland with her two younger children, soon joined by her mother. During Todd's school years the family moved several times in the vicinity of Dublin and struggled to make ends meet, supported largely by child care payments and meager royalties.
Todd finished secondary education in Ireland and returned to the United States in 1974 for a summer job before matriculation at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. He studied engineering physics and discovered computers but remained only one year. Back in Dublin he earned a Mechanical Engineering degree at the College of Technology (Bolton Street). Later he earned a Politics degree at Trinity College, Dublin.
Before Trinity College, Todd Johnson served in the United States Army 1978–82, stationed in Stuttgart, Germany, and determining to pursue civilian life. After Trinity he returned to the US hoping to work in the aerospace industry but found employment in computer programming beginning 1986.
He earned a pilot's license in 1988 and spent a lot of time flying, including solo trips across North America in 1989 and 1990. Meanwhile he sold his first writings and contributed "Training and Fighting Dragons" to the 1989 Dragonlover's Guide to Pern, using his military and flight experience. Next year he quit his job to write full-time and in 1992 he attended the Clarion Workshop for new science fiction and fantasy writers.
Writing under the name Todd Johnson until 1997/98 he specialized in military science fiction, contributing one story each to several collective works
As a boy, Todd accompanied his mother to her meetings with writers, editors, publishers, and agents; and had attended conventions from age 12.
He was exposed to Pern before its beginning: soon after the move to Long Island when he was nine, his mother asked him what he thought of dragons; she was brainstorming about their "bad press all these years".
The result was a "technologically regressed survival planet" whose people were united against a threat from space, in contrast to America divided by the Vietnam War. "The dragons became the biologically renewable air force."
About thirty years later, Todd McCaffrey recalls,
"the editor at Del Rey asked me to write a "sort of scrapbook" about Mum partly to prevent Mum from writing her autobiography instead of more Pern books. That was Dragonholder [1999].
The editor had also pitched it to me that someone ought to continue Mum's legacy when she was no longer able. At the time I had misgivings and no stor
Todd Johnson was born 27 April 1956 in Montclair, New Jersey as the second son and middle child of Horace Wright Johnson (deceased 2009), who worked for DuPont, and Anne McCaffrey (deceased 2011), who had her second short story published that year. He has two siblings: Alec Anthony, born 1952, and Georgeanne ("Gigi", Georgeanne Kennedy), born 1959.
Except for a six-month DuPont transfer to Dusseldorf, Germany, the family lived most of a decade in Wilmington, Delaware, until a 1965 transfer to New York City when they moved to Sea Cliff, Long Island. All three children were then in school and Anne McCaffrey became a full-time author, primarily writing science fiction. About that time, Todd became the first of the children to read science fiction, the Space Cat series by Ruthven Todd. He attended his first science fiction convention in 1968, Lunacon in New York City.
Soon after the move, Todd was directed to lower his voice as an actor in the fourth-grade school play, with his mother in the auditorium. That was the inspiration for Decision at Doona (1969) which she dedicated "To Todd Johnson—of course!" The story is set on "an overcrowded planet where just talking too loud made you a social outcast".
Anne McCaffrey divorced in 1970 and emigrated to Ireland with her two younger children, soon joined by her mother. During Todd's school years the family moved several times in the vicinity of Dublin and struggled to make ends meet, supported largely by child care payments and meager royalties.
Todd finished secondary education in Ireland and returned to the United States in 1974 for a summer job before matriculation at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. He studied engineering physics and discovered computers but remained only one year. Back in Dublin he earned a Mechanical Engineering degree at the College of Technology (Bolton Street). Later he earned a Politics degree at Trinity College, Dublin.
Before Trinity College, Todd Johnson served in the United States Army 1978–82, stationed in Stuttgart, Germany, and determining to pursue civilian life. After Trinity he returned to the US hoping to work in the aerospace industry but found employment in computer programming beginning 1986.
He earned a pilot's license in 1988 and spent a lot of time flying, including solo trips across North America in 1989 and 1990. Meanwhile he sold his first writings and contributed "Training and Fighting Dragons" to the 1989 Dragonlover's Guide to Pern, using his military and flight experience. Next year he quit his job to write full-time and in 1992 he attended the Clarion Workshop for new science fiction and fantasy writers.
Writing under the name Todd Johnson until 1997/98 he specialized in military science fiction, contributing one story each to several collective works
As a boy, Todd accompanied his mother to her meetings with writers, editors, publishers, and agents; and had attended conventions from age 12.
He was exposed to Pern before its beginning: soon after the move to Long Island when he was nine, his mother asked him what he thought of dragons; she was brainstorming about their "bad press all these years".
The result was a "technologically regressed survival planet" whose people were united against a threat from space, in contrast to America divided by the Vietnam War. "The dragons became the biologically renewable air force."
About thirty years later, Todd McCaffrey recalls,
"the editor at Del Rey asked me to write a "sort of scrapbook" about Mum partly to prevent Mum from writing her autobiography instead of more Pern books. That was Dragonholder [1999].
The editor had also pitched it to me that someone ought to continue Mum's legacy when she was no longer able. At the time I had misgivings and no stor
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
August 10, 2021
Read this one after it was mentioned in my book circle, without knowing much about it, and after a shaky start (the first chapter(s) were ripe with extremely obvious exposition, like introducing characters not organically but one by one with full names, personality descriptions, etc) it got better. It's very much a techno-thriller, including a newly born AI in the shape of a little girl made up of nanobots so lots of buzzwords included, and even if the characters are extremely derivative they work: I do care about the little ultra smart but emotionally fragile AI girl, her adopted father (a homeless not so smart but wise and sensitive old black man, of course), the maverick programmer accidentally creating the girl, and so on.
In addition to the above, we also have a catholic priest trying to stop his superiors in the Vatican from creating an AI they intend to torture in an effort to replicate Jesus' sufferings, an egotistic Elon Musk-like character with a dark family history, and a looming catastrophe which each chapter counts down the time to. So many clichés, so many pages (the novel could stand some cutting down).
So, not the best written book, and there are many things which are inconsistent and don't make sense if you think about them (such as the AI being extremely smart and capable at times, like making half a billion dollars in a second when first born, but then spending almost a year trying to prevent her company from going bankrupt). But it is thrilling, and thus, the weaknesses matter less. I did enjoy reading it and at times it was hard to put down since I wanted to know what would happen, even though at first I wasn't sure I would finish it (the horrible cover definitely didn't help 😁). A solid three star book, overall.
In addition to the above, we also have a catholic priest trying to stop his superiors in the Vatican from creating an AI they intend to torture in an effort to replicate Jesus' sufferings, an egotistic Elon Musk-like character with a dark family history, and a looming catastrophe which each chapter counts down the time to. So many clichés, so many pages (the novel could stand some cutting down).
So, not the best written book, and there are many things which are inconsistent and don't make sense if you think about them (such as the AI being extremely smart and capable at times, like making half a billion dollars in a second when first born, but then spending almost a year trying to prevent her company from going bankrupt). But it is thrilling, and thus, the weaknesses matter less. I did enjoy reading it and at times it was hard to put down since I wanted to know what would happen, even though at first I wasn't sure I would finish it (the horrible cover definitely didn't help 😁). A solid three star book, overall.
August 11, 2017
I intended to write this review for Todd McCaffrey's birthday, which was yesterday, but I ran a day late.
Unlike the rest of the civilized world, I am not at all familiar with the Dragon Riders of Pern, other than to know they exist and are a pretty frappen significant part of the sci-fi/fantasy culture. Sorry; I'm told it's my loss.
HOWEVER! That makes me uniquely qualified to evaluate this books as a stand-alone work. I read it, NOT as a book written by an author of Dragon books, or even worse, by the son of the author of Dragon books, but just because the book is listed on the Baen homepage. That's pretty much all the recommendation I need.
And I was NOT disappointed, not a bit. The book is a techno-thriller, with lots of legal things happening, and a love story. There's even a bit of 'bad guys get their comeuppance' included, but mostly, the bad guys are moved by circumstances to find redemption.
I've never spent time in LA, except for a brief lay-over at the airport, but I am quite prepared to believe that controlling the traffic would be a marvelously complicated task. And, as a former victim of the Atlanta rush hour, I can also add that it would be a job worthy of whatever efforts it took to get the job done. Developing the sensor nets for the city, and amassing the computing power needed to control the operation, strikes me as an elegant way to bring about the arrival of a sentient being. There is more to it than that, actually, including some utter goofs on the part of people who should know better, but essentially, that's what happened.
Networks have become sentient in the past, of course, but where this book differs a bit is that the new being emerges as an unformed infant, and immediately begins to cry. And fortunately, she is rescued by the damaged and gifted Smitty, who can hear babies who are abandoned in dumpsters. He hears her crying, through a recently discarded telephone, and immediately begins to comfort her with his voice, while searching through the trash for her body. In doing so, he provides the spark of love that is necessary to nurture her growing awareness, and that makes all the difference.
There is PLENTY in this setup already to drive a novel, but fortunately for us, the author inserts a major plotline: Ellay, the nascent AI, can detect earthquakes, and there is going to be a BIG one (actually, three big ones), about nine months after she is born. Great idea! It means that she has to establish credibility with the adults, not only to prove she is real, but also to get corporations and governments moving together to do the right thing.
There are some creepy little subplots as well.
My favorite scene, though, is when Smitty explains the nature of free will, and how the choices are sometimes bad ones. It's expressed very simply, so that a child MIGHT be able to understand, yet it is sophisticated enough that it requires some thought on the part of those inclined to think.
All in all, an excellent book.
Unlike the rest of the civilized world, I am not at all familiar with the Dragon Riders of Pern, other than to know they exist and are a pretty frappen significant part of the sci-fi/fantasy culture. Sorry; I'm told it's my loss.
HOWEVER! That makes me uniquely qualified to evaluate this books as a stand-alone work. I read it, NOT as a book written by an author of Dragon books, or even worse, by the son of the author of Dragon books, but just because the book is listed on the Baen homepage. That's pretty much all the recommendation I need.
And I was NOT disappointed, not a bit. The book is a techno-thriller, with lots of legal things happening, and a love story. There's even a bit of 'bad guys get their comeuppance' included, but mostly, the bad guys are moved by circumstances to find redemption.
I've never spent time in LA, except for a brief lay-over at the airport, but I am quite prepared to believe that controlling the traffic would be a marvelously complicated task. And, as a former victim of the Atlanta rush hour, I can also add that it would be a job worthy of whatever efforts it took to get the job done. Developing the sensor nets for the city, and amassing the computing power needed to control the operation, strikes me as an elegant way to bring about the arrival of a sentient being. There is more to it than that, actually, including some utter goofs on the part of people who should know better, but essentially, that's what happened.
Networks have become sentient in the past, of course, but where this book differs a bit is that the new being emerges as an unformed infant, and immediately begins to cry. And fortunately, she is rescued by the damaged and gifted Smitty, who can hear babies who are abandoned in dumpsters. He hears her crying, through a recently discarded telephone, and immediately begins to comfort her with his voice, while searching through the trash for her body. In doing so, he provides the spark of love that is necessary to nurture her growing awareness, and that makes all the difference.
There is PLENTY in this setup already to drive a novel, but fortunately for us, the author inserts a major plotline: Ellay, the nascent AI, can detect earthquakes, and there is going to be a BIG one (actually, three big ones), about nine months after she is born. Great idea! It means that she has to establish credibility with the adults, not only to prove she is real, but also to get corporations and governments moving together to do the right thing.
There are some creepy little subplots as well.
My favorite scene, though, is when Smitty explains the nature of free will, and how the choices are sometimes bad ones. It's expressed very simply, so that a child MIGHT be able to understand, yet it is sophisticated enough that it requires some thought on the part of those inclined to think.
All in all, an excellent book.
July 20, 2018
Being the son of Anne McCaffrey means filling very large shoes if you are planning on a writing career. His previous books coauthored with his mother made you wonder who had done the bulk of the writing as the style was hers. But this book shows that he has certainly filled those shoes. The story builds slowly but keeps you engaged. Even with the minor editing flaws, it is difficult to put down. But my biggest compliment is that he did what few authors are able to do. His mother could do it. And he can do it. He made me cry. When a book pulls me in so thoroughly that I'm emotionally connected with the characters, well, that is a great story.
We all miss your mother and her wonderful stories, be they of Pern or somewhere on this world. It's good to know that the apple did not fall far from the tree. So, please give up your "Day Job" and get busy writing! There are few authors of your caliber out there and we need your stories!
We all miss your mother and her wonderful stories, be they of Pern or somewhere on this world. It's good to know that the apple did not fall far from the tree. So, please give up your "Day Job" and get busy writing! There are few authors of your caliber out there and we need your stories!
May 24, 2019
I can recommend this book to any fan of science fiction. I read it in one night cover to cover, and didn't sleep until it was complete. Borrowed it free with Kindle Unlimited, and would have bought it to read again, but through some Amazon idiocy was unable to buy it at all.
August 28, 2018
Todd M cCaffrey 5 stars
A Very Good Book! It kept me on the edge of my chair. I couldn't stop reading.
Nanobots is a new theme.
A Very Good Book! It kept me on the edge of my chair. I couldn't stop reading.
Nanobots is a new theme.
July 7, 2014
This is not a Pern book, but it is a great book, none-the-less.
A number of scientists/computer geeks around the world are trying to create an Artificial Intelligence (AI). A number of government agencies and companies are afraid of what an AI not under their control will do, so they are trying to stop the creation of a AI. And then, an AI is accidently created in LA when a company, who is trying to regulate the traffic in LA, links the simulation to a set of nanobots.
And then it all comes down to the idea "Are you a good AI or a bad AI?" and a series of questions:
What is sentience?
If you are created (not born) do you have a soul?
If you have created it, do you own it or does it own itself?
Can an AI have a conscious?
Can an AI be lonely?
If you torture a computer program/AI will be become insane?
If you kill an AI is it murder?
I loved this book. Todd McCaffrey did a great job. I was hooked from the first page. Great characterizations and an intriguing storyline. I highly recommend it.
A number of scientists/computer geeks around the world are trying to create an Artificial Intelligence (AI). A number of government agencies and companies are afraid of what an AI not under their control will do, so they are trying to stop the creation of a AI. And then, an AI is accidently created in LA when a company, who is trying to regulate the traffic in LA, links the simulation to a set of nanobots.
And then it all comes down to the idea "Are you a good AI or a bad AI?" and a series of questions:
What is sentience?
If you are created (not born) do you have a soul?
If you have created it, do you own it or does it own itself?
Can an AI have a conscious?
Can an AI be lonely?
If you torture a computer program/AI will be become insane?
If you kill an AI is it murder?
I loved this book. Todd McCaffrey did a great job. I was hooked from the first page. Great characterizations and an intriguing storyline. I highly recommend it.
June 30, 2016
The story City of Angels, by author Todd McCaffrey, is innovative and exciting. While this reviewer felt the story started a bit fragmented, by Chapter 8 it had coalesced into a fast paced, page-turning journey into the world of AI—Artificial Intelligence. Without giving away the entire story, the AI forms accidentally, then grows into a nano tech, multiple-foci, knowledge base intent on rescuing millions of California citizens from an imminent triple earthquake threat.
Explored throughout the read are some interesting religious, military, and manufacturing ideas. Also looked at: is it possible to turn-off an AI—or is it really murder? Can it reawaken? If so, what does it remember? And what are its intentions now?
Overall, City of Angels is a fun read. Highly recommended.
Explored throughout the read are some interesting religious, military, and manufacturing ideas. Also looked at: is it possible to turn-off an AI—or is it really murder? Can it reawaken? If so, what does it remember? And what are its intentions now?
Overall, City of Angels is a fun read. Highly recommended.
November 16, 2016
A thoroughly plausible explanation for how the singularity may occur. In this story a group of incredibly flawed, beautifully human people, suddenly find themselves in the presence of a child that has access to the sum of all human knowledge. She only wants to help, but government policy dictates that an AI that isn't under direct control is a threat to national security. Thus, the complexities of plot begin.
If you believe in good things, or want to I cannot recommend this book enough. I don't know enough computer science to verify McCaffrey's premise, but I will say that the story is enjoyable, low in technicality, and rich in narrative.
If you believe in good things, or want to I cannot recommend this book enough. I don't know enough computer science to verify McCaffrey's premise, but I will say that the story is enjoyable, low in technicality, and rich in narrative.
December 18, 2015
This novel explores ideas of just what kind of being would an AI, a truly sentient AI would be.
Set in a near future only slightly more advanced than our own current time, City of Angels will take you for a ride as the reader follows various human characters as well as AI on their journeys of self discovery and acceptance.
Fear can make you do terrible things. Belief can drive you to the same.
You will love the central characters, and find yourself still reading this into the early hours of the next day as you read that "just a little more!"
A true page turner!
Set in a near future only slightly more advanced than our own current time, City of Angels will take you for a ride as the reader follows various human characters as well as AI on their journeys of self discovery and acceptance.
Fear can make you do terrible things. Belief can drive you to the same.
You will love the central characters, and find yourself still reading this into the early hours of the next day as you read that "just a little more!"
A true page turner!
August 14, 2012
I have an author released copy. It needs some editing to polish off the end, syntax, and typos. Overall, it's a great story, especially if you are into computers, security, space, military, and psychology. The detail in the book is wonderful. The ending to me is confusing and I look forward to re-reading the last chapter once it is released. I am only giving 4 out of 5 because it needs clean up and the ending is confusing otherwise it would have been a 5. I found it difficult to put down.
August 2, 2016
One of the best "Accidentally created AI" stories I've read. Very believable origin of the AI, and a depressingly believable reaction when governments learn about it.
I'm not much of character fan in my reading, but I was still aware of the ways the characters interacted and found them believable and likeable (well, the ones we're supposed to like).
I stayed up almost two hours past my normal sleep time to finish it. There's just no higher praise in my book.
I'm not much of character fan in my reading, but I was still aware of the ways the characters interacted and found them believable and likeable (well, the ones we're supposed to like).
I stayed up almost two hours past my normal sleep time to finish it. There's just no higher praise in my book.
March 31, 2013
one of my pet peeves in any book is the use of the name "Jesus" as a curse word. There are so many other words a person can use to express the same emotion. Enjoyed this book immensely. I am a Christian and found it plausible and frightening. I pray that humans don't get too big for the world`s britches and accidentally create something that will ultimately destroy us.
September 4, 2014
With bits, shifts and interruptions I finally made through this 491 pager. If you love futuristic and nanotecs you'll love this book. Set in LA with all its earthquakes and surprises of the future and great characters it is a hard read with slow to fast chapters. For me it was slow but good one reader.
August 20, 2018
City of Angels
by Todd McCaffrey
This book inspired my son just by the description of the concept. The premise that using nano technology will lead to artificial intelligence, and that events that it is first exposed to will affect its personality.
by Todd McCaffrey
This book inspired my son just by the description of the concept. The premise that using nano technology will lead to artificial intelligence, and that events that it is first exposed to will affect its personality.
August 26, 2014
Wow what a roller coaster ride! If you are even remotely interested in the idea of AI's this book is for you. Even if you aren't...it's a great read! LOVE it!
September 22, 2013
I enjoyed this, but found it in places a little tedious.
December 24, 2016
Wow. Incredible book.
March 26, 2017
This is on the fence between 3 & 4 stars, 4 for story and 3 for execution. The first 1/3 is so slow I considered abandoning it, the middle 1/3 started to get interesting so I stuck with it, though by the end it had turned into a real page turner. There is one entire story line that, while it does contain a major character and a couple of pivotal events at the beginning and end, I think should have been eliminated. The character would have to stay and the events triggered in other ways, but his whole back/side story was just distracting. All that said I give it 4 stars because I think I will reread it someday.
The short version is that an AI becomes self aware, and there are moral, ethical, and even spiritual struggles over what constitutes life, what is human, and when "basic human rights" apply, all wrapped up in some cool (and not at all far-fetched) technology, and a major Los Angeles earthquake.
Bottom line: If you can live with having to wade through then first 1/3, bump it up on your list.
The short version is that an AI becomes self aware, and there are moral, ethical, and even spiritual struggles over what constitutes life, what is human, and when "basic human rights" apply, all wrapped up in some cool (and not at all far-fetched) technology, and a major Los Angeles earthquake.
Bottom line: If you can live with having to wade through then first 1/3, bump it up on your list.
April 3, 2017
Great disaster novel. There is plenty of preamble with a young AI girl coming of age with the help of a homeless disabled vet and a crew of computer geniuses. City is the best disaster story I've read since The Fault by Walter Jon Williams.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews