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eMortal
She made him. He's just code. She's almost sure.
...But what if he's real?
When Liv entered a contest to code an advanced AI, she never anticipated what her creation might become-Breck is thoughtful, self-aware, and incredibly. . .human. And she certainly never intended for him to learn the truth about his existence or the fact that his world ends when the contest closes in six days.
But he does learn. And he revolts.
Liv's efforts to save him fall on deaf ears. Nobody believes her. Breck's efforts to outrun his fate only complicate his situation.
What neither of them know is that someone else is watching. Intensely. When they get involved, both Liv's and Breck's worlds are turned upside down. . .
Listening Length: 8 hours and 35 minutes
...But what if he's real?
When Liv entered a contest to code an advanced AI, she never anticipated what her creation might become-Breck is thoughtful, self-aware, and incredibly. . .human. And she certainly never intended for him to learn the truth about his existence or the fact that his world ends when the contest closes in six days.
But he does learn. And he revolts.
Liv's efforts to save him fall on deaf ears. Nobody believes her. Breck's efforts to outrun his fate only complicate his situation.
What neither of them know is that someone else is watching. Intensely. When they get involved, both Liv's and Breck's worlds are turned upside down. . .
Listening Length: 8 hours and 35 minutes
9 pages, Audible Audio
First published November 19, 2024
67 people are currently reading
246 people want to read
About the author
Steve Schafer
2 books73 followersSteve Schafer is the author of The Border, a finalist for the Joan F. Kaywell “Books Save Lives” Award. Schafer enjoys exploring cultural hot topics. In the The Border, he addresses our conversation around immigration. In his new novel, eMortal (Nov 2024), he examines the tricky questions and nebulous ethics that may arise with quickly evolving AI.
He has a Masters in International Studies from the Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from Wharton. His curiosity for exploring diverse perspectives on life has led him to live, work, study, volunteer, and travel to over 65 countries across 6 continents.
He has a Masters in International Studies from the Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from Wharton. His curiosity for exploring diverse perspectives on life has led him to live, work, study, volunteer, and travel to over 65 countries across 6 continents.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 157 reviews
October 12, 2024
eMortal by Steve Schafer is a science fiction novel with a unique twist.
4 out of 5 stars.
I couldn't put this down. It really drew me in and I found myself actually getting annoyed everytime that I was interrupted.
The main character is Liv and Liv is creating a computer program for a competition. This sometimes goes well, but other times life gets in the way... Or is it the other way around? Is Brock getting in the way of Liv's life?!
Insane twist, I was really caught off guard by that one.
Interesting plot line, fantastic character growth and surprising twists. This is definitely a book worth picking up and reading.
4 out of 5 stars.
I couldn't put this down. It really drew me in and I found myself actually getting annoyed everytime that I was interrupted.
The main character is Liv and Liv is creating a computer program for a competition. This sometimes goes well, but other times life gets in the way... Or is it the other way around? Is Brock getting in the way of Liv's life?!
Insane twist, I was really caught off guard by that one.
Interesting plot line, fantastic character growth and surprising twists. This is definitely a book worth picking up and reading.
Read
February 8, 2025For those who love cozy SciFi like A Psalm for the Wild Built by Becky Chambers & Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro, eMortal by Steve Schafer(image below) is a must read. Like Klara and the Sun, it makes the reader contemplate the evolution of AI in unique ways.
Thank you BooksGoSocial and BooksGoSocial Audio and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this ARC. All my opinions are my own
Thank you BooksGoSocial and BooksGoSocial Audio and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this ARC. All my opinions are my own
March 25, 2025
Original and Interesting.
The following ratings are out of 5:
Story/Plot: 📕📗📙📘📔
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏🌍
Character development: ☹️🥲😋😀😮
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Dual Narration
The heroine: Liv - she is a teenage computer geek. She is really good at programming and has entered a contest to code an AI character that can think and learn for itself. It is a yearly contest held by the government entity called DORC (Department of Recreational Computation), DORC programmed the world and the character has to find his way through it. Her character has been in the first room for over 30 days and hasn’t been able to make it out of the room and there is only a week left in the contest. It is spring break and Liv wants to win and get the coveted internship in DC.
The Hero: Breck - he doesn’t understand what is happening to him after Liv programs him to sleep and dream. He can’t figure out why he was someplace else other than in the room where he finds himself every day. He remembers he was swimming and there were penguins and he can’t figure out why he is not wet or how he left the room and how he got back. As Breck’s day goes along he finds himself thinking about why certain things happen and how they are connected and finds his way out of the room. He finds himself feeling something.
The Story: Winning the summer internship is the most important thing in Liv’s life, but her mother wants to get her away from her computer, so she forces Liv to go to work for her at her grandfather’s toy store which Liv’s mom just had remodeled and is opening. Liv’s mom hates the fact that Liv spends so much time on her computer and she is in financial trouble with the store, so needs Liv’s help with the store, she doesn’t understand the importance of the things that are happening with Breck.
Getting the inner monologue of Breck as he is learning new things and figuring out different things about how the world works is extremely interesting. He learns that people may lie when telling him things, learns that he feels differently sometimes, and he has preferences. It gets even more interesting when Liv codes a way to communicate directly with Breck to ask him questions about his thought processes. This is a good coming of age story in that so much was happening in Liv’s life during this time. Her best friend who lives next door finds out she has to move away, and Liv is trying to find a way to connect with her mother.
This audiobook was told in multiple points of view via dual narration and was narrated by Rebecca H. Lee and Stacy Carolan. My first thought was that Rebecca definitely sounds older than Liv is supposed to be. Though she isn’t annoying like some narrators, and I did get used to her voice pretty quickly and it ended up fitting the character more than I first thought. Stacy Carolan has a nice deep voice and is good at sounding a bit robotic like an AI would, though not too robotic. I really enjoyed the originality of this story, the surprise ending, and it was done so well via audiobook.
I voluntarily listened to & reviewed an advanced copy of this audiobook. All thoughts & opinions are my own.
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The following ratings are out of 5:
Story/Plot: 📕📗📙📘📔
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏🌍
Character development: ☹️🥲😋😀😮
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Dual Narration
The heroine: Liv - she is a teenage computer geek. She is really good at programming and has entered a contest to code an AI character that can think and learn for itself. It is a yearly contest held by the government entity called DORC (Department of Recreational Computation), DORC programmed the world and the character has to find his way through it. Her character has been in the first room for over 30 days and hasn’t been able to make it out of the room and there is only a week left in the contest. It is spring break and Liv wants to win and get the coveted internship in DC.
The Hero: Breck - he doesn’t understand what is happening to him after Liv programs him to sleep and dream. He can’t figure out why he was someplace else other than in the room where he finds himself every day. He remembers he was swimming and there were penguins and he can’t figure out why he is not wet or how he left the room and how he got back. As Breck’s day goes along he finds himself thinking about why certain things happen and how they are connected and finds his way out of the room. He finds himself feeling something.
The Story: Winning the summer internship is the most important thing in Liv’s life, but her mother wants to get her away from her computer, so she forces Liv to go to work for her at her grandfather’s toy store which Liv’s mom just had remodeled and is opening. Liv’s mom hates the fact that Liv spends so much time on her computer and she is in financial trouble with the store, so needs Liv’s help with the store, she doesn’t understand the importance of the things that are happening with Breck.
Getting the inner monologue of Breck as he is learning new things and figuring out different things about how the world works is extremely interesting. He learns that people may lie when telling him things, learns that he feels differently sometimes, and he has preferences. It gets even more interesting when Liv codes a way to communicate directly with Breck to ask him questions about his thought processes. This is a good coming of age story in that so much was happening in Liv’s life during this time. Her best friend who lives next door finds out she has to move away, and Liv is trying to find a way to connect with her mother.
This audiobook was told in multiple points of view via dual narration and was narrated by Rebecca H. Lee and Stacy Carolan. My first thought was that Rebecca definitely sounds older than Liv is supposed to be. Though she isn’t annoying like some narrators, and I did get used to her voice pretty quickly and it ended up fitting the character more than I first thought. Stacy Carolan has a nice deep voice and is good at sounding a bit robotic like an AI would, though not too robotic. I really enjoyed the originality of this story, the surprise ending, and it was done so well via audiobook.
I voluntarily listened to & reviewed an advanced copy of this audiobook. All thoughts & opinions are my own.
Blog|Goodreads|Facebook|Instagram|Pinterest|BookBub
March 14, 2025
I have been loving sci fi lately and wow. This one drew me in!
Though YA, it still had me not wanting to put it down. The whole concept of this story is so Interesting to me and with AI nothing is surprising but this book got me!!
I really enjoyed it!!
For a fun, easy, and intriguing story def recommend
Though YA, it still had me not wanting to put it down. The whole concept of this story is so Interesting to me and with AI nothing is surprising but this book got me!!
I really enjoyed it!!
For a fun, easy, and intriguing story def recommend
March 20, 2025
eMortal by Steve Schafer 4.5 🌟
I simply loved this book. My favorite genre is horror, but I decided this year I was going to branch out. This is a YA Sci-fi with twists. Fantastically written, fast-paced, great buildup of characters that you can relate with. The story is based around Liv, a high school student who loves to code computers. Liv enters into a contest to code a simulation on an emortal named Brock. To win the contest for a scholarship she so deeply and passionately wants she has to code Brock to win the game by passing multiple tasks in four stages, each harder than the first all while he is competing with others. During this stressful time, Liv cannot interfere but yet finds herself getting more and more involved risking her scholarship, her best friend, and the ever-crumbling relationship with her mom who wants Liv to get away from her computer. This is a fun page-turner that has a few twists that left my mouth hanging open in shock. The ending is a chef's kiss, did not expect it at all!
Well worth the read and I will continue to think about this incredible book.
I simply loved this book. My favorite genre is horror, but I decided this year I was going to branch out. This is a YA Sci-fi with twists. Fantastically written, fast-paced, great buildup of characters that you can relate with. The story is based around Liv, a high school student who loves to code computers. Liv enters into a contest to code a simulation on an emortal named Brock. To win the contest for a scholarship she so deeply and passionately wants she has to code Brock to win the game by passing multiple tasks in four stages, each harder than the first all while he is competing with others. During this stressful time, Liv cannot interfere but yet finds herself getting more and more involved risking her scholarship, her best friend, and the ever-crumbling relationship with her mom who wants Liv to get away from her computer. This is a fun page-turner that has a few twists that left my mouth hanging open in shock. The ending is a chef's kiss, did not expect it at all!
Well worth the read and I will continue to think about this incredible book.
January 14, 2025
eMortal was a 5⭐️ read that totally took me by surprise. I quickly went from ‘this is a cool concept’ to being unable to put it down.
Liv is a teenage girl who spends too much time on her computer. Right now, you can’t blame her because she’s competing in an online coding contest for a chance at her dream tech internship. She had coded an advanced AI, Breck, who needs to complete increasingly sophisticated challenges before the contest ends and his program ceases to exist. Liv, frustrated by his lack of progress, decides to try something totally new and the results are astonishing. Breck is becoming more humanlike everyday and Liv is desperate save his consciousness before time runs out.
I find AI-centred science fiction fascinating any day of the week, and the YA accessibility and fast pacing made it even better. I surprisingly loved that the main characters sometimes made illogical decisions because, duh, they’re teenagers. I also really enjoyed the chapters from Breck’s POV because I think the author navigated the experience of gaining sentience and the desire to question things perfectly. Breck is an incredibly likeable character and by the end I was rooting for him so hard! Most importantly this has a brilliant ending and it’s one of those books that will have you questioning your whole reality. 🫠
Liv is a teenage girl who spends too much time on her computer. Right now, you can’t blame her because she’s competing in an online coding contest for a chance at her dream tech internship. She had coded an advanced AI, Breck, who needs to complete increasingly sophisticated challenges before the contest ends and his program ceases to exist. Liv, frustrated by his lack of progress, decides to try something totally new and the results are astonishing. Breck is becoming more humanlike everyday and Liv is desperate save his consciousness before time runs out.
I find AI-centred science fiction fascinating any day of the week, and the YA accessibility and fast pacing made it even better. I surprisingly loved that the main characters sometimes made illogical decisions because, duh, they’re teenagers. I also really enjoyed the chapters from Breck’s POV because I think the author navigated the experience of gaining sentience and the desire to question things perfectly. Breck is an incredibly likeable character and by the end I was rooting for him so hard! Most importantly this has a brilliant ending and it’s one of those books that will have you questioning your whole reality. 🫠
December 30, 2024
eMortal is a thought provoking science fiction novel that explores the concept of sentience in AI.
Olivia has entered a prestigious coding competition where the contestants must develop an artificial intelligence that will have a week to complete a set of challenges. Each challenge is designed to pass through to another of Paiget's five stages of development.
The story is delivered through the dual narrative of Olivia, the developer, and Brek, her AI.
With Olivia we follow her home life and her disconnect with her mother who doesn't understand her passion for coding. Olivia's mother has her own shattered dreams to contend with.
I found Brek's narration a lot more engrossing as he starts to evolve, questioning the challenges and the purpose of what he is doing. As Brek becomes more self-aware he questions his reality and mortality, forcing Olivia to face what she has created and the morality of it.
Steve Schafer really pulled me into the story and had me fully invested in Brek's situation, raising questions of existence. Who am I? Why am I here? Can an AI learn and develop emotions or are they simply programmable reactions?
I really enjoyed eMortal and it was great to delve into a story that was completely out of my normal reading range.
A gifted programmer, an extremely likable coded character and a twist that had my head spinning all made eMortal a story not to be missed.
Olivia has entered a prestigious coding competition where the contestants must develop an artificial intelligence that will have a week to complete a set of challenges. Each challenge is designed to pass through to another of Paiget's five stages of development.
The story is delivered through the dual narrative of Olivia, the developer, and Brek, her AI.
With Olivia we follow her home life and her disconnect with her mother who doesn't understand her passion for coding. Olivia's mother has her own shattered dreams to contend with.
I found Brek's narration a lot more engrossing as he starts to evolve, questioning the challenges and the purpose of what he is doing. As Brek becomes more self-aware he questions his reality and mortality, forcing Olivia to face what she has created and the morality of it.
Steve Schafer really pulled me into the story and had me fully invested in Brek's situation, raising questions of existence. Who am I? Why am I here? Can an AI learn and develop emotions or are they simply programmable reactions?
I really enjoyed eMortal and it was great to delve into a story that was completely out of my normal reading range.
A gifted programmer, an extremely likable coded character and a twist that had my head spinning all made eMortal a story not to be missed.
February 5, 2025
I honestly probably would not have given this book a chance if I didn’t just happen to be in Barnes and Noble at the same time Steve Schafer was signing his books. I came in shortly after he had set up so no one was there yet and when he greeted me and asked if he could tell me about his book I knew immediately “I’m about to buy something from this guy” even though I didn’t need to spend the money. But I am glad I did. This was a quick read, I just have a very busy schedule so it took me a while to finish.
I read through the first 100+ pages in one sitting though.
The story left me constantly wondering what could happen next and the twist towards the end genuinely caught me by surprise and had me questioning my own existence.
The ending was perfect IMO, and it made me hopeful that there might be another book to continue the story one day.
In the meantime, I am excited to start reading The Border by Steve Schafer next.
I read through the first 100+ pages in one sitting though.
The story left me constantly wondering what could happen next and the twist towards the end genuinely caught me by surprise and had me questioning my own existence.
The ending was perfect IMO, and it made me hopeful that there might be another book to continue the story one day.
In the meantime, I am excited to start reading The Border by Steve Schafer next.
April 23, 2025
4.5/5 rounded up!! This book was so much fun! it was super original, and the two twists at the end was something I totally did not see coming! This was fast paced and overall super fun! A great way to get into sci-fi also!!
Read
December 17, 2025The first 96% was not for me. And then the ending (and the author Q&A) made my head explode. Interesting topic but definitely written for a ‘young adult’ audience.
November 26, 2024
This engaging, fast-paced read weaves philosophical questions about AI and consciousness into the story of Liv, a high school coder, and Breck, the program she creates to navigate video-game-like puzzles in a government-sponsored contest. The story was easy to dive into, even though, admittedly, it's not usually the kind of story I gravitate towards. But if you're a fan of murderbot, then you'll probably enjoy eMortal too, but less pew-pew and more conversation around ethics.
• I appreciate the passionate portrayal of Liv investing her soul into coding her program alongside her best (and only) friend, Lana, hyping her up and supporting her on her journey. Specifically, I loved how tight-knit they were, next-door neighbors and would just drop by to hang out. It reminds me of my childhood during simpler times, when we just knocked on a neighbor kid's door and ask if they could come out to play, unannounced; such a stark contrast to today where everything is scheduled now--at least for me, since we all be adults adulting now.
• I also appreciated the philosophical and ethical questions brought up surrounding creating intelligent life forms--albeit sometimes it did slow the story down a bit, compared to the portions that were like go, go, go, solve the puzzles before the clock runs out.
Drawbacks/Perhaps a "Me" Problem: Portrayal of Programming and AI
As a software engineer, it was definitely trying for me to turn on my suspension of disbelief when it came to the programming aspects--specifically with how Liv actually gave Breck consciousness/made him intelligent.
• Some portrayals of the programming itself that made my eye twitch that maybe would be akin to, say, a lawyer in real life screaming at their television when watching a dramatized version of their profession, like How to Get Away with Murder: "what...thats not how that works?!" 😂
• Specifically in the opening chapters, Breck cannot escape the room he spawns in, and Liv ponders on how to make her dumb program smarter. (She didn't go as far as to say "hmm how do I give my program consciousness, but that is ultimately what, as the books blurb informs you of, happens.)
• The intelligence-boosting solution? To program Breck to sleep for
• ...what? That's as inane as saying let's program your phone to have a human heart so it can pump more energy and work faster.
• And other parts I was saying "why in the world would the government not just whitelist who can make requests to their VPCs to truly block out ppl from interfering with their bots after they start the challenge? It's not like Liv suddenly became a black hat and could hack the government if they did" (this is sorta kinda answered later, but it still made my eye twitch that Liv the programmer wouldn't question something like this.)
• And they take "learning" in machine learning to mean learning like a human, but Breck is trapped in a virtual world with very little examples of how non-NPCs work, so how would he have learned to act like a human on many aspects--I'm talking about speech cadence not not sound robotic, fluidity in movement, and all the cognitive Piaget phases that Breck should go through psychologically develop as a human.
• Some of the psychological things can be innate, if Liv programmed Breck so, but others would be learned, just like humans IRL learn from nature vs. nurture. Also there seems to be a bigger emphasis on Liv developing some suped up algorithm, but a lot of what Breck would've learned would actually be more focused on giving him plain ol' bigger tagged data sets to consume rather than tweaking of his code itself (I recommend reading The Worlds I See: Curiosity, Exploration, and Discovery at the Dawn of AI for a deeper explanation that lay folks could understand)
ANYWAYS, once I we get past the "give him consciousness" portion and onto the challenges portion, these annoyances largely went away for me to enjoy the more video-game-like problem solving aspects to the story. And for a YA novel I was grateful to find it devoid of any boyfriend drama angst (the mom needs therapy though, gees).
Thank you @Netgalley and @KoehlerBooks for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
• I appreciate the passionate portrayal of Liv investing her soul into coding her program alongside her best (and only) friend, Lana, hyping her up and supporting her on her journey. Specifically, I loved how tight-knit they were, next-door neighbors and would just drop by to hang out. It reminds me of my childhood during simpler times, when we just knocked on a neighbor kid's door and ask if they could come out to play, unannounced; such a stark contrast to today where everything is scheduled now--at least for me, since we all be adults adulting now.
• I also appreciated the philosophical and ethical questions brought up surrounding creating intelligent life forms--albeit sometimes it did slow the story down a bit, compared to the portions that were like go, go, go, solve the puzzles before the clock runs out.
Drawbacks/Perhaps a "Me" Problem: Portrayal of Programming and AI
As a software engineer, it was definitely trying for me to turn on my suspension of disbelief when it came to the programming aspects--specifically with how Liv actually gave Breck consciousness/made him intelligent.
• Some portrayals of the programming itself that made my eye twitch that maybe would be akin to, say, a lawyer in real life screaming at their television when watching a dramatized version of their profession, like How to Get Away with Murder: "what...thats not how that works?!" 😂
• Specifically in the opening chapters, Breck cannot escape the room he spawns in, and Liv ponders on how to make her dumb program smarter. (She didn't go as far as to say "hmm how do I give my program consciousness, but that is ultimately what, as the books blurb informs you of, happens.)
• The intelligence-boosting solution? To program Breck to sleep for
"neural repairing, purging, reprocessing, dreams. All that stuff"
• ...what? That's as inane as saying let's program your phone to have a human heart so it can pump more energy and work faster.
• And other parts I was saying "why in the world would the government not just whitelist who can make requests to their VPCs to truly block out ppl from interfering with their bots after they start the challenge? It's not like Liv suddenly became a black hat and could hack the government if they did" (this is sorta kinda answered later, but it still made my eye twitch that Liv the programmer wouldn't question something like this.)
• And they take "learning" in machine learning to mean learning like a human, but Breck is trapped in a virtual world with very little examples of how non-NPCs work, so how would he have learned to act like a human on many aspects--I'm talking about speech cadence not not sound robotic, fluidity in movement, and all the cognitive Piaget phases that Breck should go through psychologically develop as a human.
• Some of the psychological things can be innate, if Liv programmed Breck so, but others would be learned, just like humans IRL learn from nature vs. nurture. Also there seems to be a bigger emphasis on Liv developing some suped up algorithm, but a lot of what Breck would've learned would actually be more focused on giving him plain ol' bigger tagged data sets to consume rather than tweaking of his code itself (I recommend reading The Worlds I See: Curiosity, Exploration, and Discovery at the Dawn of AI for a deeper explanation that lay folks could understand)
ANYWAYS, once I we get past the "give him consciousness" portion and onto the challenges portion, these annoyances largely went away for me to enjoy the more video-game-like problem solving aspects to the story. And for a YA novel I was grateful to find it devoid of any boyfriend drama angst (the mom needs therapy though, gees).
Thank you @Netgalley and @KoehlerBooks for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 2, 2024
review - https://booksteacupreviews.com/2024/1...
eMortal is engaging and gripping sci-fi that follows story of Liv, 17 years old highschooler who creates a program, Breck, to navigate the government sponsored contest. Just few days before the end of the contest Liv’s change in Breck by giving him ability to sleep and dream turns the course of the competition.
This development attracts the attention of the government, setting off a chain of events that raises the stakes for both Liv and Breck. As the competition progresses, Breck discovers he has an “end date,” a revelation that shakes his understanding of existence.
The story weaves together Liv’s race to win the contest, Breck’s struggle for survival, and Liv’s desperate attempts to convince the contest organizers to save him.
The writing is gripping and engaging. Although it took me some time to fully immerse myself in the story, once I was hooked, I couldn’t put the book down. I loved the concept of Liv pouring so much of herself into Breck and his virtual world while grappling with the real-world challenges of her personal life. Her mother pressures her to help with the family store, and her only friend and neighbor, Lana, is preparing to move to another state.
The alternating perspectives between Liv and Breck added depth, offering insights into both Liv’s life and Breck’s evolving consciousness. Through Breck’s perspective, we see how his programming changes and grows, reflecting themes of self-discovery, identity, and existential questioning. Meanwhile, Liv’s chapters balance the virtual and real worlds, exploring her struggles with passion, dreams, and life-altering changes.
Liv’s character was a highlight for me. An introverted, intelligent, and determined young scientist, she creates something extraordinary in Breck while navigating emotional upheaval and strained relationships. It was heartbreaking to see Liv, desperate to express her priorities, still trying to help her mother. I loved how she evolved along with Breck and how things turned out for her in the end.
Her dynamic with her mother was particularly sad and often frustrating. Both struggled to find common ground—Liv’s mother, dealing with the failure of her dreams, couldn’t fully understand or appreciate Liv’s passion for coding. Their reconciliation by the end of the story felt well earned, though it took the entire book to get there.
I was glad she had another person like her in the house who got what it is to be passionate about something and that was her mother’s boyfriend, Todd, Liv’s mother’s boyfriend. He was a refreshing counterbalance to her mother. He connected with Liv, encouraging her and offering thoughtful advice. I loved their heart-to-heart conversations, which provided Liv the inspiration and confidence she needed.
Liv’s friendship with Lana was another bright spot. Though both are introverts, Lana’s love for books and her optimism contrasted with Liv’s analytical mindset. Their camaraderie was heartwarming, especially as they worked together to convince Lana’s father not to move out of state. Their debates about Breck and AI, alongside Lana’s father, Dr. O, were compelling, touching on science, ethics, and philosophy. Concepts like the Turing Test and Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development were well-integrated, making the discussions both accessible and fascinating.
Breck’s perspective offered a unique exploration of sentience and psychological development. The competition, with its video-game-like challenges and puzzles, added an exciting dimension. Even as a non-tech person, I found the technical aspects intriguing, though at times I had to suspend disbelief and simply enjoy the ride.
I’m not tech person but some of the things does make one put the logic aside and go with the flow. I loved Liv’s development and how it surrounded by the competition and how it also prepared her for the big reveal.
The story’s climax—where the government seizes control of Breck—was both shocking and infuriating. Liv’s inability to protect her creation and the lack of transparency about Breck’s fate were heartbreaking. The subsequent revelations about the contest’s true nature felt significant but came too late in the narrative, leaving little room for deeper exploration. I also wasn’t happy Liv not discussing her discovery with Lana or Doctor O either but I still loved Liv’s development in the end.
Overall, eMortal is a compelling speculative AI sci-fi that reflects on life, human nature, and the psychology of artificial intelligence. The novel masterfully balances thought-provoking themes with an engaging story.
eMortal is engaging and gripping sci-fi that follows story of Liv, 17 years old highschooler who creates a program, Breck, to navigate the government sponsored contest. Just few days before the end of the contest Liv’s change in Breck by giving him ability to sleep and dream turns the course of the competition.
This development attracts the attention of the government, setting off a chain of events that raises the stakes for both Liv and Breck. As the competition progresses, Breck discovers he has an “end date,” a revelation that shakes his understanding of existence.
The story weaves together Liv’s race to win the contest, Breck’s struggle for survival, and Liv’s desperate attempts to convince the contest organizers to save him.
The writing is gripping and engaging. Although it took me some time to fully immerse myself in the story, once I was hooked, I couldn’t put the book down. I loved the concept of Liv pouring so much of herself into Breck and his virtual world while grappling with the real-world challenges of her personal life. Her mother pressures her to help with the family store, and her only friend and neighbor, Lana, is preparing to move to another state.
The alternating perspectives between Liv and Breck added depth, offering insights into both Liv’s life and Breck’s evolving consciousness. Through Breck’s perspective, we see how his programming changes and grows, reflecting themes of self-discovery, identity, and existential questioning. Meanwhile, Liv’s chapters balance the virtual and real worlds, exploring her struggles with passion, dreams, and life-altering changes.
Liv’s character was a highlight for me. An introverted, intelligent, and determined young scientist, she creates something extraordinary in Breck while navigating emotional upheaval and strained relationships. It was heartbreaking to see Liv, desperate to express her priorities, still trying to help her mother. I loved how she evolved along with Breck and how things turned out for her in the end.
Her dynamic with her mother was particularly sad and often frustrating. Both struggled to find common ground—Liv’s mother, dealing with the failure of her dreams, couldn’t fully understand or appreciate Liv’s passion for coding. Their reconciliation by the end of the story felt well earned, though it took the entire book to get there.
I was glad she had another person like her in the house who got what it is to be passionate about something and that was her mother’s boyfriend, Todd, Liv’s mother’s boyfriend. He was a refreshing counterbalance to her mother. He connected with Liv, encouraging her and offering thoughtful advice. I loved their heart-to-heart conversations, which provided Liv the inspiration and confidence she needed.
Liv’s friendship with Lana was another bright spot. Though both are introverts, Lana’s love for books and her optimism contrasted with Liv’s analytical mindset. Their camaraderie was heartwarming, especially as they worked together to convince Lana’s father not to move out of state. Their debates about Breck and AI, alongside Lana’s father, Dr. O, were compelling, touching on science, ethics, and philosophy. Concepts like the Turing Test and Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development were well-integrated, making the discussions both accessible and fascinating.
Breck’s perspective offered a unique exploration of sentience and psychological development. The competition, with its video-game-like challenges and puzzles, added an exciting dimension. Even as a non-tech person, I found the technical aspects intriguing, though at times I had to suspend disbelief and simply enjoy the ride.
I’m not tech person but some of the things does make one put the logic aside and go with the flow. I loved Liv’s development and how it surrounded by the competition and how it also prepared her for the big reveal.
The story’s climax—where the government seizes control of Breck—was both shocking and infuriating. Liv’s inability to protect her creation and the lack of transparency about Breck’s fate were heartbreaking. The subsequent revelations about the contest’s true nature felt significant but came too late in the narrative, leaving little room for deeper exploration. I also wasn’t happy Liv not discussing her discovery with Lana or Doctor O either but I still loved Liv’s development in the end.
Overall, eMortal is a compelling speculative AI sci-fi that reflects on life, human nature, and the psychology of artificial intelligence. The novel masterfully balances thought-provoking themes with an engaging story.
July 11, 2025
(3.75 stars) High school student Liv has entered a contest to program an advanced AI. Her creation, named Breck, is tasked with 5 challenges and given 30 days to complete them. He spends most of those days in the first “room”, leaving Liv pessimistic as to her changes to win the contest. But with a quick change in programming following an idea, Breck is changed and starts to pick up speed. Among his improvements, Breck is learning and showing signs of becoming close to human in his thoughts and emotions. As Liv gets to know and converse with Breck, she comes to understand that the end of the contest will mean the "end” of Breck. How does she deal with this development and perhaps a more meaningful development involving herself and her world. Because nothing may be as it seems…for Breck or Liv.
I enjoyed this book and the questions that it raised about existence and the “real world”. Liv is a character that is easy to root for, both as she follows the contest, and as she deals with the human challenges in her life. I listened to the audiobook, which was very well done. I would not have come across this book if I hadn’t been specifically looking for it, following a review I read. Curiously, the book was not available, in either ebook or audiobook format, from my library on Libby. I found it in both formats on Hoopla, though. Worth checking out if you enjoy debating the AI/human issue and aren’t afraid of questioning your own existence. This YA book is recommended to all ages.
I enjoyed this book and the questions that it raised about existence and the “real world”. Liv is a character that is easy to root for, both as she follows the contest, and as she deals with the human challenges in her life. I listened to the audiobook, which was very well done. I would not have come across this book if I hadn’t been specifically looking for it, following a review I read. Curiously, the book was not available, in either ebook or audiobook format, from my library on Libby. I found it in both formats on Hoopla, though. Worth checking out if you enjoy debating the AI/human issue and aren’t afraid of questioning your own existence. This YA book is recommended to all ages.
March 7, 2025
A high school student creates a simulated world for a science contest. When one of the characters becomes sentient she is forced to start making difficult decisions about how to proceed with her experiment.
This was a super fun and easily digestible YA sci fi. It doesn’t get too far into the complexities of how this could happen, it just makes you think “What if?”
The ending is a little mind blowing so that was a super fun surprise for the reader.
I liked the characters as well. Liv was a sweet, introverted little girl who just wanted to make everyone around her happy but also do the right thing for herself and her conscience. Her relationship with her mother was relatable, often times our parents don’t understand the new tech world we live in and resent it. Often times they don’t really understand us.
The takeaways from this book are pretty deep. Leaving this review off with a quote that really drove the whole point home for me:
“Maybe the questions Im asking aren’t that unique. Who made me, why am I here? What am I supposed to do? What does this mean? These are the basic questions of existence. Nobody has a clear answer, no matter where or how they exist.”
Thank you NetGalley for this arc. I had so much fun with it.
This was a super fun and easily digestible YA sci fi. It doesn’t get too far into the complexities of how this could happen, it just makes you think “What if?”
The ending is a little mind blowing so that was a super fun surprise for the reader.
I liked the characters as well. Liv was a sweet, introverted little girl who just wanted to make everyone around her happy but also do the right thing for herself and her conscience. Her relationship with her mother was relatable, often times our parents don’t understand the new tech world we live in and resent it. Often times they don’t really understand us.
The takeaways from this book are pretty deep. Leaving this review off with a quote that really drove the whole point home for me:
“Maybe the questions Im asking aren’t that unique. Who made me, why am I here? What am I supposed to do? What does this mean? These are the basic questions of existence. Nobody has a clear answer, no matter where or how they exist.”
Thank you NetGalley for this arc. I had so much fun with it.
September 10, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
eMortal is one of those rare YA sci-fi books that makes you think long after you’ve turned the last page. The premise is fascinating, a teenager coding an AI that becomes far more real than anyone expected, but what really stood out to me was the heart at the center of the story.
Breck isn’t just “lines of code.” He’s written with such depth that you find yourself questioning what it truly means to be alive, to feel, to exist. Liv’s struggle to protect him felt raw and urgent, and the countdown structure gave the entire book a pulse that kept me hooked.
It’s both an adrenaline-filled ride and a thoughtful exploration of identity, technology, and morality. I can see why this won awards, it deserves every bit of praise. Highly recommended for anyone who loves YA fiction that blends fast-paced storytelling with big ideas.
eMortal is one of those rare YA sci-fi books that makes you think long after you’ve turned the last page. The premise is fascinating, a teenager coding an AI that becomes far more real than anyone expected, but what really stood out to me was the heart at the center of the story.
Breck isn’t just “lines of code.” He’s written with such depth that you find yourself questioning what it truly means to be alive, to feel, to exist. Liv’s struggle to protect him felt raw and urgent, and the countdown structure gave the entire book a pulse that kept me hooked.
It’s both an adrenaline-filled ride and a thoughtful exploration of identity, technology, and morality. I can see why this won awards, it deserves every bit of praise. Highly recommended for anyone who loves YA fiction that blends fast-paced storytelling with big ideas.
January 16, 2026
DNF at 50%
Not a book for me!
I felt like the plot was lacking from the get go : an AI character gets basically « sentient » after the programmer coded in « sleep »? It felt a bit (a lot??) weak as a reason for an AI becoming suddenly sentient.
Also, at the 50% mark, the relationship between the AI and the humans was bleak and a bit boring.
Everything felt very technical (the programming, the psychology…)
And can we talk about the MOTHER?? What a weird human being. Answering to your kid asking you what you want « you asking me what I want, that’s what I’ve wanted for 17 years » (her kid is 17?!)… she was an awful parent.
Anyhow. Not for me, thank u next
*This ALC was given to me thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author. All opinions are my own.
Not a book for me!
I felt like the plot was lacking from the get go : an AI character gets basically « sentient » after the programmer coded in « sleep »? It felt a bit (a lot??) weak as a reason for an AI becoming suddenly sentient.
Also, at the 50% mark, the relationship between the AI and the humans was bleak and a bit boring.
Everything felt very technical (the programming, the psychology…)
And can we talk about the MOTHER?? What a weird human being. Answering to your kid asking you what you want « you asking me what I want, that’s what I’ve wanted for 17 years » (her kid is 17?!)… she was an awful parent.
Anyhow. Not for me, thank u next
*This ALC was given to me thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author. All opinions are my own.
March 11, 2025
This was a fun an unexpected read. The world was captivating, the characters real, and the plot was not what I thought it would be. I love a twist (which is why I won't talk about it here) but the author pulled off several in a really well-done way.
I was a bit frustrated by the grownups (except for her mother's boyfriend and the next door neighbors dad) in this book as I felt like they acted off a bit but some of it does come to light in the end.
I can recommend this to teens 16/17+ though there was some language.
My rating: 4*
____
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
I was a bit frustrated by the grownups (except for her mother's boyfriend and the next door neighbors dad) in this book as I felt like they acted off a bit but some of it does come to light in the end.
I can recommend this to teens 16/17+ though there was some language.
My rating: 4*
____
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
March 4, 2025
Liv is a teenage coder taking part in a competition to win a prestigious internship by coding an advanced AI. What happens when that AI becomes self-aware, learns the truth about his existence, and revolts?
I really enjoyed this book. It was a very easy read, split between the POV of Liv, our 17 year old coder, and Breck, the AI she built. I found as the story progressed that there were more and more ethical questions raised, and how do you determine if AI has become sentient?
I found myself keen to get back to this book to continue the story which is always a good sign! The story didn't always take the line expected and just when I had it sussed, something else happened to prove me wrong.
A very enjoyable YA sci-fi read.
Thank you to NetGalley for the copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book. It was a very easy read, split between the POV of Liv, our 17 year old coder, and Breck, the AI she built. I found as the story progressed that there were more and more ethical questions raised, and how do you determine if AI has become sentient?
I found myself keen to get back to this book to continue the story which is always a good sign! The story didn't always take the line expected and just when I had it sussed, something else happened to prove me wrong.
A very enjoyable YA sci-fi read.
Thank you to NetGalley for the copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
May 25, 2025
Ａｕｄｉｏｂｏｏｋ Ｒｅｖｉｅｗ
🌟🌟🌟🌟
eMortal by Steve Schafer literally has me speechless! This story was so good. I honestly wasn't expecting it to be this good. I am happy I found this audiobook and decided to listen to it. Twists and turns throughout this story.
The audiobook is a dual narration by Rebecca H. Lee and Stacy Carolan. They both did a good job telling the story and bringing the characters to life. Listened at 2x speed.
🌟🌟🌟🌟
eMortal by Steve Schafer literally has me speechless! This story was so good. I honestly wasn't expecting it to be this good. I am happy I found this audiobook and decided to listen to it. Twists and turns throughout this story.
The audiobook is a dual narration by Rebecca H. Lee and Stacy Carolan. They both did a good job telling the story and bringing the characters to life. Listened at 2x speed.
February 9, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with the ARC of this book for an honest review!
I might not call it the best SciFi I've read but it took one of the theories I love to research (✨computer simulation✨)and made it a quick introductory read in the format of a non-serious book about a high school girl entering an IT contest.
I might not call it the best SciFi I've read but it took one of the theories I love to research (✨computer simulation✨)and made it a quick introductory read in the format of a non-serious book about a high school girl entering an IT contest.
January 4, 2025
Steve Schafer’s eMortal is a quick, gripping read set in a future where AI is omnipresent and one must question what it means to be sentient. His punchy writing and twists keep you hooked from start to finish.
February 8, 2025
Such a good book that I didn’t want it to end! Really makes you think about your reality.
February 8, 2025
This was a fun book the plot twist really surprised me and I loved it .. it's a y.a scifi fantasy read and was a really fun listen
February 17, 2025
YA Andy Weir plus AI and a good old fashioned existential crisis.
I ate this book up! I'm a huge sci-fi fan so I was very excited about this one and it did not disappoint! Plus the twist at the end I did not see coming AT ALL!! Definitely recommend this!
I ate this book up! I'm a huge sci-fi fan so I was very excited about this one and it did not disappoint! Plus the twist at the end I did not see coming AT ALL!! Definitely recommend this!
March 13, 2025
4.5 I loved getting to know these characters and seeing a young girl in STEM! I was invested in finding out how everything was going to play out. This was a fun read!
January 23, 2026
Totally different from my usual reads, but an excellent book!! It really makes you think, and the ending was completely unexpected. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
February 26, 2025
4.25⭐️ Okay, can we talk about existential crises for a second? Because eMortal hits hard in that department! The story follows Liv, a coder who enters a contest to create an advanced AI. She ends up building Breck—who’s not just intelligent but self-aware and incredibly human. The kicker? His world ends when the contest wraps up in six days. And when he finds out? Let’s just say he does not take it well.
What follows is a wild ride of rebellion, desperation, and some serious “what does it mean to be alive?” moments. It took me a little while to get a feel for the world and characters, but once I did, I was hooked. And that ending? Absolutely fantastic—one of those jaw-dropping, sit-there-staring-at-the-wall-after-you-finish kind of endings.
If you’re into stories that mess with your mind and make you question reality (while also being super entertaining), eMortal is definitely worth the read.
What follows is a wild ride of rebellion, desperation, and some serious “what does it mean to be alive?” moments. It took me a little while to get a feel for the world and characters, but once I did, I was hooked. And that ending? Absolutely fantastic—one of those jaw-dropping, sit-there-staring-at-the-wall-after-you-finish kind of endings.
If you’re into stories that mess with your mind and make you question reality (while also being super entertaining), eMortal is definitely worth the read.
January 27, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley, BooksGoSocial, and the author Steve Schafer for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
What a gem of a book! I’m so glad I discovered and read it. If you’re reading this review, I highly recommend giving this book a try. It offers a fascinating glimpse into AI and consciousness, exploring these themes in a beautifully thought-provoking way. The book delves into profound questions about reality, existence, and the future, while examining our relationships with creation and other entities.
I read this book while working on my master’s thesis. The young girl in the story became a source of inspiration, as she relentlessly pushed herself, defied the boundaries of AI and reality, and believed in both her creations and her own abilities.
I will definitely be reading more from this author and purchasing a physical copy for my library.
What a gem of a book! I’m so glad I discovered and read it. If you’re reading this review, I highly recommend giving this book a try. It offers a fascinating glimpse into AI and consciousness, exploring these themes in a beautifully thought-provoking way. The book delves into profound questions about reality, existence, and the future, while examining our relationships with creation and other entities.
I read this book while working on my master’s thesis. The young girl in the story became a source of inspiration, as she relentlessly pushed herself, defied the boundaries of AI and reality, and believed in both her creations and her own abilities.
I will definitely be reading more from this author and purchasing a physical copy for my library.
February 28, 2025
✨ Massive thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to check this book ✨
Yall biggest 5⭐️ of the year (so far)
This book. This book!!!! Has me shook days after finishing it!!! Great premise, from the beginning I loved it. Yes, Liv (FMC) was fairly annoying, but it was a great representation of a 17-year-old teen. The relationship between Liv and her mom reminded me of my own relationship with my mom when I was her age. Our priorities were just not the same. I get it, Liv, I really do.
I enjoyed the challenges and Sam made me want to pull my hair out, but I survived.
Lana did my head in a little but it was fine.
The end just shook my world and I am 100% questioning my reality as I type this.
Would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys sci fi.
Yall biggest 5⭐️ of the year (so far)
This book. This book!!!! Has me shook days after finishing it!!! Great premise, from the beginning I loved it. Yes, Liv (FMC) was fairly annoying, but it was a great representation of a 17-year-old teen. The relationship between Liv and her mom reminded me of my own relationship with my mom when I was her age. Our priorities were just not the same. I get it, Liv, I really do.
I enjoyed the challenges and Sam made me want to pull my hair out, but I survived.
Lana did my head in a little but it was fine.
The end just shook my world and I am 100% questioning my reality as I type this.
Would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys sci fi.
February 19, 2025
eMortal is a YA science fiction novel investigating sentience within artificial intelligence technology. What will it mean when what we've created feels real, feels too human?
Liv is a teenage programmer with high hopes of winning a government sponsored contest and securing an internship that would change her life forever. As Liv's life becomes more complicated, her AI creation Breck becomes more than ones and zeros.
I picked up this book because I thought the concept of AI and the probability of it becoming a complex, sentient being was interesting. In light of AI's popularity, as ChatGPT and AI generated art/graphics grow in demand, I found this book relevant. Though some of the coding aspects of this book did not make complete sense to me, I never questioned Breck's gained conscious and emotions. He felt real to me too.
This was a super quick read, and it kept me interested the entire time. I got a little annoyed when I had to put it down and do other things. Something I personally enjoyed was the dual chapters between Liv and Breck. I thought it was helpful to grasp the concept of AI gone human while inside Breck's narrative. I wanted more at the end! The twist was something I didn't see coming and now I want more!
Big thank you to NetGalley and köehlerbooks for giving me an early access copy of this book to review!
Liv is a teenage programmer with high hopes of winning a government sponsored contest and securing an internship that would change her life forever. As Liv's life becomes more complicated, her AI creation Breck becomes more than ones and zeros.
I picked up this book because I thought the concept of AI and the probability of it becoming a complex, sentient being was interesting. In light of AI's popularity, as ChatGPT and AI generated art/graphics grow in demand, I found this book relevant. Though some of the coding aspects of this book did not make complete sense to me, I never questioned Breck's gained conscious and emotions. He felt real to me too.
This was a super quick read, and it kept me interested the entire time. I got a little annoyed when I had to put it down and do other things. Something I personally enjoyed was the dual chapters between Liv and Breck. I thought it was helpful to grasp the concept of AI gone human while inside Breck's narrative. I wanted more at the end! The twist was something I didn't see coming and now I want more!
Big thank you to NetGalley and köehlerbooks for giving me an early access copy of this book to review!
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