Annihilation Almost: Time to Start Again

by Raj Sharma

We, the mankind, had pushed the self-destruct button a long time back and are currently in the final stages of the countdown, the end of which would mean the end of mankind, the end of this world, and perhaps, the end of the planet. This book is an attempt to show how mankind's blind lust for power and supremacy can lead to its end. It is also an interesting insight into the complications that can rise out of our overdependence on technology and can accelerate our drive on the path to self-destruction. The book's plot revolves around the use of an ancient language in mankind's battle against its nemesis Alexander and also showcases how our science is regressive, not progressive. The protagonists manage to defeat Alexander but fail to stop him from launching nuclear missiles. And that is where the plot turns a new corner.

220 pages, Hardcover

First published December 18, 2013

Reviews

[Sophie David · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting book but there were some aspects that could maybe do with a little polishing. First off, I thought the plot was excellent, I love these kind of modern technology thrillers but, the execution of it was a little off at times. I thought that the name for the super-computer CYBERION-I was amazing! And its base being called CYBERIA was genuinely inspired but sadly there weren’t enough conversations for me, there needed to be more character led dialogue to make it properly work in my opinion. I don’t know if this was how it was meant to be but I thought it was written a little too much like a journal entry, plus when we were told that a main character had died it was almost mentioned as an incidental thing, and when we found out some of the truly shocking, world changing events that were happening it was in a very low-key way, and I would have expected a lot more to be made of it, like, if it was a film it would have been a cliff-hanger moment with a lot of dramatic looks between people but this was a bit surprising for me. In summary, I did like the book, I LOVED the premise, there were great moments of promise dotted all through, I just think it needs polishing and padding out, more words, more conversations, more technical speak but good work overall and I would really like to see this made into a Hollywood blockbuster like 2012!

[Maggiemay1992 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Annihilation: Almost: Time to Start Again by Raj is a very interesting piece science fiction.

This story is about the end of the world as we know it. Robin, a world famous computer hacker, is approached by the American government to join a project to build the ultimate computer (CYBERION-1) that can protect digital information and the world. This computer evolves to see humans as the main problem.

I liked both this story and the social commentary presented in this book, but it is, however, an awkward read. Many sentences are oddly structured causing the reader some frustration. In addition, there is an annoying repetition of certain phrases throughout the book (“as per” is the most pertinent). Overall though, I found Annihilation: Almost to be an interesting tale of the potential downside of computer interconnectivity.

Annihilation: Almost: Time to Start Again is an interesting book for anyone who likes a Terminator-style story.