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Monkey Room
MONKEY ROOM - a twisted GRAPHIC NOVEL in the classic sci-fi spirit. Bizarre technology, kinky sex, and a twisted plan to build a Global Consciousness by linking together millions of phones and tablets and computers into a massive interconnected mind, MONKEY ROOM is a cyberpunk graphic novel for smart readers. Set in a dingy little apartment in a seedy part of San Francisco, this surreal and sexy psycho-thriller explores the future of technology, society, and artificial intelligence through the warped lens of techno-satire. It follows the struggles of a former child prodigy, Joshua Ketterman and his desperate attempt to achieve a work of greatness despite years of abject failure. But now, by a twist of fortune, his vision may actually pan out, unleashing a surge of global good. That's the grand plan, anyway. If only the consequences weren't so damn monstrous...
220 pages, Paperback
First published January 15, 2014
116 people are currently reading
38 people want to read
About the author
Louis Rosenberg
25 books11 followersLouis Rosenberg, PhD is a writer, researcher, and entrepreneur. He is currently CEO and Chief Scientist of Unanimous AI, a company that pursues Collective Superintelligence. A prolific inventor, Rosenberg has been awarded over 350 patents for his work in virtual reality, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence. He earned his PhD from Stanford University and was a tenured professor at California State University. Rosenberg is known for developing the first mixed reality system when working for NASA and Air Force Research Laboratory. In 1993, Rosenberg founded of the early virtual reality company, Immersion (NASDAQ: IMMR) and later the 3D graphics company Microscribe. His AI-related fiction includes the graphic novels UPGRADE, MONKEY ROOM, ARRIVAL MIND, and ONE OF US. He was also the screenwriter of the award-winning web series, LAB RATS. His non-fiction includes OUR NEXT REALITY from Hachette Book Group. Rosenberg writes often for VentureBeat and other publications.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 10, 2018
What a wild book, I loved it.
Be prepared for some mental whiplash
Be prepared for some mental whiplash
September 27, 2020
Collaborative Consciousness, I Loved This
Loved the story and the illustrations. This book asked a lot of very relevant questions that resonated with me.
When you develop something you know will change the world, what would you do to get it out there? What price will you pay? When you reduce a human being to inputs and outputs, reactions and stimulus, desensitizing yourself to who you are using to achieve your goal—are you still doing good?
The depiction of humans as slaves to the apps on their phones was so spot on. These apps that are only successful if they engage a lot of users, they are not setting us free.
A must-read for everyone who’s ever spent time on apps instead of interacting with the world around them.
Loved the story and the illustrations. This book asked a lot of very relevant questions that resonated with me.
When you develop something you know will change the world, what would you do to get it out there? What price will you pay? When you reduce a human being to inputs and outputs, reactions and stimulus, desensitizing yourself to who you are using to achieve your goal—are you still doing good?
The depiction of humans as slaves to the apps on their phones was so spot on. These apps that are only successful if they engage a lot of users, they are not setting us free.
A must-read for everyone who’s ever spent time on apps instead of interacting with the world around them.
February 17, 2023
Have you ever read something and wanted to go back and read it again ASAP? That was how I felt about this one.
It is a brilliant graphic novel with many layers to it. Is technology reducing us to a series of ones and zeros? Are all of our decisions predetermined, like we are following some sort of algorithm? These are the questions that will be popping into my head when I'm trying to go to sleep tonight. Thanks Monkey Room!
It is a brilliant graphic novel with many layers to it. Is technology reducing us to a series of ones and zeros? Are all of our decisions predetermined, like we are following some sort of algorithm? These are the questions that will be popping into my head when I'm trying to go to sleep tonight. Thanks Monkey Room!
February 1, 2020
Every sentient being should read this
It's odd that by even posting this in part of it. This story has hidden layers and reopen meanings. Let those with eyes see and those with ears hear. If you don't understand than its not meant for you.If it is it will blow your mind.
It's odd that by even posting this in part of it. This story has hidden layers and reopen meanings. Let those with eyes see and those with ears hear. If you don't understand than its not meant for you.If it is it will blow your mind.
December 19, 2020
Devoured this book in a single sitting, thoroughly engaging. Reads like a Philip k dick novella or a technology based lovecraft. If you like psychological with an severe present foreboding then read this book.
April 4, 2021
Nothing is impossible ...
But I do nothing all the time ? This is one of those stories that disturbs you enough to make you think, I wonder if that’s possible ? I think maybe it is …
But I do nothing all the time ? This is one of those stories that disturbs you enough to make you think, I wonder if that’s possible ? I think maybe it is …
July 25, 2021
Programmed dystopia.
This was a good and slightly disturbing story, that ended a bit differently than I expected. The black and white style of art lends to its bleak and somewhat stark tone.
This was a good and slightly disturbing story, that ended a bit differently than I expected. The black and white style of art lends to its bleak and somewhat stark tone.
July 29, 2020
Interessantissomo, gostaria de conhecer o resto da historia.
September 9, 2020
Monkeys data
Unique how the author brought gathering data from people via smartphones and computers into a powerful God to bring results in the insight of a single man's mind
Unique how the author brought gathering data from people via smartphones and computers into a powerful God to bring results in the insight of a single man's mind
October 10, 2020
Absolutely bonkers. Wild ride. Great artwork. Great story.
September 20, 2014
Sophisticated, Layered, Twisty
If you read just the blurbs and summary for this book you'll feel like you've already read it even before you start. A super-interconnected-web-brain is supposed to know all, runs amok, and now we have to stop it: blah -blah - blah, " Hello, internet HAL". That's what I thought when I started. Well, I was wrong; I deeply underestimated the interesting and rewarding things going on here and I apologize for my bad thoughts.
To be fair, a one sentence summary would read sort of like what I just wrote. But then again, a one sentence summary of "Moby Dick" would only tell you that some intense guy goes fishing and has a bad time. So, what else is going on here?
Well, we have a tormented, lost child prodigy hero, and he is interesting and thoughtful instead of annoying or a drama queen. We have a creepy/genius? neighbor. We have another creepy/really-creepy neighbor. We have a couple of lost soul characters showing up every now and then to scream cryptic guidance. We have a hot, manipulative, creepy-good?-or-creepy-bad?, female neighbor. All of these people are ingredients that go into the stew.
Our hero is a professional focus group manipulator, and it begins to dawn on all of the interesting characters that all of the tech obsessed ipod-people zombies are like a huge wired in global focus group. How can we do good?, make a buck? attain world power? pick stocks better? with this knowledge and a room full of super computers.
That gives you the gist of it, but there are twists and turns and we drift into a surprisingly satisfying noirish mystery about two-thirds in. Total bonus plotting and character stuff that I didn't see coming and that jumps into high gear just when it seems like the book is drifting back into a predictable sort of ending.
And get this. These guys talk about stuff like the collective subconscious, religion, the search for authority, and existential meaning, and it does not feel like a freshman dorm bull session. (Maybe a grad level bull session, but still.)
On top of it all, you can see, read and understand the drawing. Not too dark; no ridiculous fonts that you can't read. Serviceable backgrounds with clean expressive character action in the foreground. No manic draftsman show boating. The drawing supports and enhances the story; it fills in and clarifies and doesn't get in the way.
So, good story, nice twisty variations, appealing, or at least interesting, characters, and good graphics. I'm a happy downloader.
Please note that I found this book while browsing kindleunlimited freebies. I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
If you read just the blurbs and summary for this book you'll feel like you've already read it even before you start. A super-interconnected-web-brain is supposed to know all, runs amok, and now we have to stop it: blah -blah - blah, " Hello, internet HAL". That's what I thought when I started. Well, I was wrong; I deeply underestimated the interesting and rewarding things going on here and I apologize for my bad thoughts.
To be fair, a one sentence summary would read sort of like what I just wrote. But then again, a one sentence summary of "Moby Dick" would only tell you that some intense guy goes fishing and has a bad time. So, what else is going on here?
Well, we have a tormented, lost child prodigy hero, and he is interesting and thoughtful instead of annoying or a drama queen. We have a creepy/genius? neighbor. We have another creepy/really-creepy neighbor. We have a couple of lost soul characters showing up every now and then to scream cryptic guidance. We have a hot, manipulative, creepy-good?-or-creepy-bad?, female neighbor. All of these people are ingredients that go into the stew.
Our hero is a professional focus group manipulator, and it begins to dawn on all of the interesting characters that all of the tech obsessed ipod-people zombies are like a huge wired in global focus group. How can we do good?, make a buck? attain world power? pick stocks better? with this knowledge and a room full of super computers.
That gives you the gist of it, but there are twists and turns and we drift into a surprisingly satisfying noirish mystery about two-thirds in. Total bonus plotting and character stuff that I didn't see coming and that jumps into high gear just when it seems like the book is drifting back into a predictable sort of ending.
And get this. These guys talk about stuff like the collective subconscious, religion, the search for authority, and existential meaning, and it does not feel like a freshman dorm bull session. (Maybe a grad level bull session, but still.)
On top of it all, you can see, read and understand the drawing. Not too dark; no ridiculous fonts that you can't read. Serviceable backgrounds with clean expressive character action in the foreground. No manic draftsman show boating. The drawing supports and enhances the story; it fills in and clarifies and doesn't get in the way.
So, good story, nice twisty variations, appealing, or at least interesting, characters, and good graphics. I'm a happy downloader.
Please note that I found this book while browsing kindleunlimited freebies. I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
September 20, 2014
Sophisticated, Layered, Twisty
If you read just the blurbs and summary for this book you'll feel like you've already read it even before you start. A super-interconnected-web-brain is supposed to know all, runs amok, and now we have to stop it: blah -blah - blah, " Hello, internet HAL". That's what I thought when I started. Well, I was wrong; I deeply underestimated the interesting and rewarding things going on here and I apologize for my bad thoughts.
To be fair, a one sentence summary would read sort of like what I just wrote. But then again, a one sentence summary of "Moby Dick" would only tell you that some intense guy goes fishing and has a bad time. So, what else is going on here?
Well, we have a tormented, lost child prodigy hero, and he is interesting and thoughtful instead of annoying or a drama queen. We have a creepy/genius? neighbor. We have another creepy/really-creepy neighbor. We have a couple of lost soul characters showing up every now and then to scream cryptic guidance. We have a hot, manipulative, creepy-good?-or-creepy-bad?, female neighbor. All of these people are ingredients that go into the stew.
Our hero is a professional focus group manipulator, and it begins to dawn on all of the interesting characters that all of the tech obsessed ipod-people zombies are like a huge wired in global focus group. How can we do good?, make a buck? attain world power? pick stocks better? with this knowledge and a room full of super computers.
That gives you the gist of it, but there are twists and turns and we drift into a surprisingly satisfying noirish mystery about two-thirds in. Total bonus plotting and character stuff that I didn't see coming and that jumps into high gear just when it seems like the book is drifting back into a predictable sort of ending.
And get this. These guys talk about stuff like the collective subconscious, religion, the search for authority, and existential meaning, and it does not feel like a freshman dorm bull session. (Maybe a grad level bull session, but still.)
On top of it all, you can see, read and understand the drawing. Not too dark; no ridiculous fonts that you can't read. Serviceable backgrounds with clean expressive character action in the foreground. No manic draftsman show boating. The drawing supports and enhances the story; it fills in and clarifies and doesn't get in the way.
So, good story, nice twisty variations, appealing, or at least interesting, characters, and good graphics. I'm a happy downloader.
Please note that I found this book while browsing kindleunlimited freebies. I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
If you read just the blurbs and summary for this book you'll feel like you've already read it even before you start. A super-interconnected-web-brain is supposed to know all, runs amok, and now we have to stop it: blah -blah - blah, " Hello, internet HAL". That's what I thought when I started. Well, I was wrong; I deeply underestimated the interesting and rewarding things going on here and I apologize for my bad thoughts.
To be fair, a one sentence summary would read sort of like what I just wrote. But then again, a one sentence summary of "Moby Dick" would only tell you that some intense guy goes fishing and has a bad time. So, what else is going on here?
Well, we have a tormented, lost child prodigy hero, and he is interesting and thoughtful instead of annoying or a drama queen. We have a creepy/genius? neighbor. We have another creepy/really-creepy neighbor. We have a couple of lost soul characters showing up every now and then to scream cryptic guidance. We have a hot, manipulative, creepy-good?-or-creepy-bad?, female neighbor. All of these people are ingredients that go into the stew.
Our hero is a professional focus group manipulator, and it begins to dawn on all of the interesting characters that all of the tech obsessed ipod-people zombies are like a huge wired in global focus group. How can we do good?, make a buck? attain world power? pick stocks better? with this knowledge and a room full of super computers.
That gives you the gist of it, but there are twists and turns and we drift into a surprisingly satisfying noirish mystery about two-thirds in. Total bonus plotting and character stuff that I didn't see coming and that jumps into high gear just when it seems like the book is drifting back into a predictable sort of ending.
And get this. These guys talk about stuff like the collective subconscious, religion, the search for authority, and existential meaning, and it does not feel like a freshman dorm bull session. (Maybe a grad level bull session, but still.)
On top of it all, you can see, read and understand the drawing. Not too dark; no ridiculous fonts that you can't read. Serviceable backgrounds with clean expressive character action in the foreground. No manic draftsman show boating. The drawing supports and enhances the story; it fills in and clarifies and doesn't get in the way.
So, good story, nice twisty variations, appealing, or at least interesting, characters, and good graphics. I'm a happy downloader.
Please note that I found this book while browsing kindleunlimited freebies. I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
March 30, 2017
Much better than expected!
Impressive work for an indie. Big ideas swim throughout the story, which keeps redefining itself up to a tight ending. Will definitely seek out Rosenberg's other work!
Impressive work for an indie. Big ideas swim throughout the story, which keeps redefining itself up to a tight ending. Will definitely seek out Rosenberg's other work!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews