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Auto Series #10
Hotspot
Siobhan O’Donnell’s holiday in London wouldn’t be complete without a night at Choon – the hottest club in town!
Like all young clubbers in 2022, Siobhan and her girlfriends rely on their autos to help them enjoy an exciting night out. Especially when it comes to meeting boys. Without your auto to match profiles and calculate compatibility, how else can you find out if someone’s Hot/Not?
But there are some things, and some people, an auto can’t deal with. Siobhan discovers that when the online world is ripped away, reality can burn…
Hotspot is a 7,000 word story and is part of the Auto Series.
Like all young clubbers in 2022, Siobhan and her girlfriends rely on their autos to help them enjoy an exciting night out. Especially when it comes to meeting boys. Without your auto to match profiles and calculate compatibility, how else can you find out if someone’s Hot/Not?
But there are some things, and some people, an auto can’t deal with. Siobhan discovers that when the online world is ripped away, reality can burn…
Hotspot is a 7,000 word story and is part of the Auto Series.
24 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 25, 2014
10 people want to read
About the author
David Wailing
23 books59 followersI was born in Nineteen Davidey-Dave (all the best people were born that year) and live in London. I write contemporary fiction, a blend of mystery, thriller and humour.
My most recent novel is Under, a horror/mystery set on the London Underground. Both it and Signal Failure - a prelude short story available for free - are the result of a long-held fascination with the London Underground and its history.
As a native Londoner I have travelled on the Tube thousands of times, but it always feels like inhabiting a slightly different world to the city on the surface. The facts and figures of the Underground are just as fascinating as its mysteries and shadowy corners, and I hope my book does justice to both aspects.
I have five other novels available as Kindle ebooks: Auto, Auto 2, Bang, Duallists and Fake Kate.
My most recent novel is Under, a horror/mystery set on the London Underground. Both it and Signal Failure - a prelude short story available for free - are the result of a long-held fascination with the London Underground and its history.
As a native Londoner I have travelled on the Tube thousands of times, but it always feels like inhabiting a slightly different world to the city on the surface. The facts and figures of the Underground are just as fascinating as its mysteries and shadowy corners, and I hope my book does justice to both aspects.
I have five other novels available as Kindle ebooks: Auto, Auto 2, Bang, Duallists and Fake Kate.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 30, 2014
'Hotspot' is another standalone story from David Wailing's popular and successful Auto series. Set in a future where technology runs rampant, this is another tale cleverly mixing humour and something more serious.
David's series is always entertaining but it has often rather chilled me. This story is no different. The writing is deceptively straightforward but details are dropped in casually which, when reflected upon, have sinister Big Brother undertones. Take, for example, Five, the new 5G network; in the club (delightfully named 'Choon'), everyone is connected to Five. "They have no choice, since all the other networks are being blocked." Here is a world where technology makes everything possible and so much easier and yet I get the impression that it is a far more dangerous, controlled world, a place where everyone can be uncontrollably manipulated.
This story differs from other books in the series in that the thriller element is played down. In fact, there is no thriller aspect as such. Instead, the author takes the opportunity to compare and contrast communication in this new world with communication from the old way of living (including, god forbid, talking!) - it's a neat twist on the series. You'll think on the ending, which shows that David's Auto series is, amongst other things, a cautionary tale for our times.
David's series is always entertaining but it has often rather chilled me. This story is no different. The writing is deceptively straightforward but details are dropped in casually which, when reflected upon, have sinister Big Brother undertones. Take, for example, Five, the new 5G network; in the club (delightfully named 'Choon'), everyone is connected to Five. "They have no choice, since all the other networks are being blocked." Here is a world where technology makes everything possible and so much easier and yet I get the impression that it is a far more dangerous, controlled world, a place where everyone can be uncontrollably manipulated.
This story differs from other books in the series in that the thriller element is played down. In fact, there is no thriller aspect as such. Instead, the author takes the opportunity to compare and contrast communication in this new world with communication from the old way of living (including, god forbid, talking!) - it's a neat twist on the series. You'll think on the ending, which shows that David's Auto series is, amongst other things, a cautionary tale for our times.
February 4, 2015
Hotspot is another excellent instalment in David Wailing's Auto Series.A thought provoking (and more than mildly chilling) glimpse in the not-so-distant future of social networking, automation technology and their repercussions on our society and interactions. This outing explored communication and interpersonal relationships in the year 2022... As always, straight forward and very well thought-through.Do give it a try, you will not regret it.JDI, FFS, LOL, CNDB.p.s. you might be wondering why I only rated this piece, as I did the others in the same series, three stars ("I liked it", which is actually a four stars rating on Amazon)... that is indeed a difficult one for me to explain rationally...Although I love David Wailing's writing style, and endeavour to read all and any of his works, I have not found myself loving these stories. I suppose, if I had to rationalise it, it might be due to their stark reality, which I find just too close to home for comfort. That is however just a personal feeling and no reflection whatsoever on this excellent author.
June 1, 2014
I have been a fan of David Wailing for quite some time and his Auto series of short stories, of which this is one, always make for a good, quick thought provoking read. I “like” his vision of the near future, in this case 2022, and his predictions of just how far technology and social media will evolve, to the point where actually talking to people face to face will be something of a social “no no”. It all seems scarily plausible.
In this story we follow student Siobhan on a night out clubbing in London with her friends, and the author really demonstrates just how far he thinks things will go, even to the point of not having to order our drinks at the bar.
It is a cracking little cautionary tale with a definite sting at the end, well worth a read. I particularly liked the huge nod to his first novel Fake Kate, which is a read I absolutely loved. If you haven’t read it, and you like this story, then I heartily recommend it as well.
In this story we follow student Siobhan on a night out clubbing in London with her friends, and the author really demonstrates just how far he thinks things will go, even to the point of not having to order our drinks at the bar.
It is a cracking little cautionary tale with a definite sting at the end, well worth a read. I particularly liked the huge nod to his first novel Fake Kate, which is a read I absolutely loved. If you haven’t read it, and you like this story, then I heartily recommend it as well.
June 2, 2014
Hotspot is another short story in the Auto universe. For those that haven't come across it yet, the Auto series is concerned mostly with the future of social media, in particular how we may manage our online presence. The main postulate is the introduction of an "Auto" an AI type program that takes care of all the little trivia involved in being online. Dealing with Friend Requests, posting Happy Birthday on a Friend's wall, liking photos and tweets and so on without you having to actively do anything.
Hotspot it about what happens when you remove a hotspot, and the ability to link to the internet in such a "connected" society, in this instance in a Night club. As usual for the auto series the story is though provoking and a plausible extrapolation of current trends. I especially like the idea of communicating via a text medium in a noisy environment. Probably wont be long before this catches on.
Hotspot it about what happens when you remove a hotspot, and the ability to link to the internet in such a "connected" society, in this instance in a Night club. As usual for the auto series the story is though provoking and a plausible extrapolation of current trends. I especially like the idea of communicating via a text medium in a noisy environment. Probably wont be long before this catches on.
April 9, 2014
Always a fan of David Wailing’s Auto series, I am glad to see that this new short story has not lost its appeal, far from it. Hotspot is not only a great short story, it is also an in-depth look into the human psyche and our social order. Hidden within the storyline are deep statements about social networking and the social stigmas we place upon ourselves. I am eager to see what happens next, now that Siobhan has found the path to social liberation. Once you have opened that door, there is no going back!
March 30, 2014
not as good as previous auto books but still enjoyable
October 3, 2014
I'm a big fan of the author's Auto series. These stories combine to form a world where most people live's are governed (or at least influenced) by their autos. Autos are software entities which handle social interactions in a world dominated by social media.
The strength of these stories is the practical element. These aren't esoteric science fiction, but rather contemporary tales with an interesting sci-fi aspect. They demonstrate the downsides (and occasionally strengths) for such universal reliance on the technology.
Each story adds a new perspective on this all too believable world. In this story we join a young lady on a night out clubbing with her friends. On the surface it's a superficial look but lurking beneath is a bleak study of how technology can isolate us - even within the crowd.
As with his other stories this is very well written and a fine addition to the series.
The strength of these stories is the practical element. These aren't esoteric science fiction, but rather contemporary tales with an interesting sci-fi aspect. They demonstrate the downsides (and occasionally strengths) for such universal reliance on the technology.
Each story adds a new perspective on this all too believable world. In this story we join a young lady on a night out clubbing with her friends. On the surface it's a superficial look but lurking beneath is a bleak study of how technology can isolate us - even within the crowd.
As with his other stories this is very well written and a fine addition to the series.
March 1, 2015
Not quite as action packed as the other books in the series but still a lot of fun!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews