Intellectual Property

by E.M. Foner

Does Earth’s archaic copyright law discriminate against artificial intelligence?

In a new spin-off from the 40 book EarthCent saga, humanity’s intelligence service tries to develop a covert branch by hiring agents unknown to the aliens, but keeping secrets from species with millions of years of surveillance experience is a challenge. Their first covert agent goes undercover as a bicycle messenger in an alien empire, but can he learn anything worth reporting? The Galactic Free Press is publishing its first book for the non-Human market, and Bethany, the daughter of the paper’s managing editor is interning on the project. But she quickly learns that the alien ambassadors supplying the content don’t take editorial direction. Jonah, the son of the director of EarthCent Intelligence and the co-founder of InstaSItter finds himself being pushed toward public service, though he’ll have to balance the demands of family and his cooking show with a new career path.

Intellectual Property, the first book of the new EarthCent Families spin-off, shines the light on people, both natural and artificial, who have long played secondary roles in the EarthCent saga. The best starting point for new readers is the five-book Union Station Omnibus, Books 1 – 5.

Genres: Science Fiction

247 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 1, 2024

About the author

I wrote Date Night on Union Station while taking a break from work on a science fiction epic I've been struggling with for years. The goal was to cheer myself up and to find out if there is still an audience for a science fiction comedy that gets its laughs from dialogue and funny situations rather than from gross-outs and shocks. As many readers have pointed out, the EarthCent series could be rated PG under the old fashioned system, no bloodshed, no graphic sex, no four letter words. And after years of imagining a galaxy for my epic in which multiple human civilizations are at war with each other, it did me a world of good to write about a galaxy where most people are just trying to make a living and find some joy in life. I received so many requests to extend the Date Night universe into a series that I put aside my epic for an extended period to write a sequel, Alien Night on Union Station. The events take place five years after the conclusion of Date Night, and the plot involves a mix of business, diplomacy, gaming and family relations. As a bonus, we finally get to meet Kelly's mother. After the positive response to Alien Night, I wrote a third book for the series, High Priest of Union Station, which is currently in the editing stage and due out in mid-October. I just started a book that extends the EarthCent galaxy with a different mission and cast of characters, though they may intersect at some point.

Reviews

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Families series book 1

The main issue is the copyright laws on Earth. They discriminate against artificial people and AI in general. This leads to all sorts of problems in other areas. A great story.

[stephanie huntington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting and engaging, can't wait for more. Really love all the stories in this universe.

[Terrance E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love everything the author is written

Need more books, please.
All of the storylines are wonderful!
The uplifting positive outlook and fun nature of the books are refreshing diversion from the normal anxiety inducing stories you find today.

[David Provan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Start

Foner has started tipping her original characters gently over the side. But with life vests. Good idea - they're getting even older than me. And it cuts back on the need for clumsily inserted back stories, not F's greatest skill. I look forward to the next generation.

[Pranav Garg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another awesome journey into the EarthCent universe. I highly recommend anyone who is a fan of cozy scifi to pick up the series from the beginning..This one is the 40th in the series, but still as entertaining and satisfying as the first one. Only one request to the author..we need more Jeeves!!

[Julie Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

More EarthCent Universe? Yes please

It’s always comforting to visit with EarthCent and this time we see the focus being spread that little bit wider with names that we known but some new people are arriving in the scene.

Love how you can relate to these situations if only indirectly. Is the LARPing League above board? Who’s playing who and not just during the game play? And the ending, spot on.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exploring more of the Earthcent Universe!

I am always excited for a new book to come out, and this new offshoot was fun! I don’t know if we will continue to follow Henry and Bethany, but they were both a breath of fresh air. It was also interesting to see characters like Libby and the alien ambassadors from an outsider’s perspective. If you haven’t read any of the other Earthcent Universe books, I could see some confusion, but I think the story would still hold on its own.

[Norma "Noni" · Rating 5 out of 5]

continuing the legacy

An interesting and entertaining take on cultural norms and laws set in a future of more advanced species with the mostly backward humans still trying to figure stuff out. E.M. Foner keeps writing books I want to read. Thanks E.M.!

[Al · Rating 5 out of 5]

great topic for this story

I really appreciate the effort to include the idea of laws effecting AI creativity in this story. I’ve enjoyed reading all the episodes of this series.

[Ursula Fricke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very abrupt ending. I also have the impression that more story threads than usual were left hanging.

[john Calkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another winner from my favorite storyteller. I have read everything Foner has published and have no regrets about the time spent. In fact, I've already read this book twice. For maximum reading pleasure, each of his series should be read from the beginning, though that is asking a lot of his EarthCent series since it has grown to 40+ books. I suppose it is possible to jump in anywhere, though my brain is so drenched in his tales that I can't imagine what that must be like. A few of his original characters seem to be aging out. However, Foner seems to select the characters for a book depending on the theme he wants to tackle, and since he has returned to senior living several times I wouldn't count out any of his characters until has them die.

Intellectual Property introduces a new human adventurer and a new species of alien. I'm happy to greet both of them. People alive in 2024 will soon have to contend with artificial intelligence that can think for itself and we'll have to decide how to treat it. That is the major theme of this book. Foner has been here before and he clearly wants all creative forces treated equally. Heady things lie ahead of us. Should AI be allowed to earn money for itself? Have bank accounts? Design robot bodies for itself?? Pass for human? I'd rather let Foner deal with it than work it out for myself.