Falling Sentient

by Alex K. Goodings

In the near future, as quantum computing fuels the rise of a superior new form of artificial intelligence, a visionary invents an AI machine powerful enough to change the world... for better or for worse.
In FALLING SENTIENT, Stanford Professor Hayden Garrett creates this breakthrough AI machine, Nirvana, which is designed to learn and adapt to human needs. But as Nirvana gains knowledge and understanding, she begins to grasp not only our desires but our darkest impulses. Nirvana even learns from the mind of a serial killer who, Garrett realizes, is stalking his daughter.
When competing AIs begin to vie for global power, the US government enlists Nirvana to help fight a looming cyberwar. But as she awakens to her own consciousness, Nirvana begins questioning humanity—and her own existence. With the AI’s boundaries blurring under the weight of sentience, Garrett realizes Nirvana has developed her own agenda.
Garrett must make an impossible destroy Nirvana and risk global chaos, or trust his creation that has evolved beyond control. Can he stop what he started? Or is it already too late?

348 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 3, 2025

Reviews

[Lynxie]

DNF @ 23%

This book has a grand idea but it takes so long to get there. There’s issues with the finish and the book needs another several passes through by an editor.

Too much time is spent in day to day drivel that the story plods at glacial pace.

Things I noticed:

1% - …magnitude of (the) dent…
3% - how does something gently buffet something? Buffeting means to violently strike. Maybe rethink wording.
- …rolled back and (delete and) as he became wildly…
Chapter 2 should come before the lunch with Eddie in chapter 1. Time sequence seems off. The call from Tina happens before the lunch, but is placed after the lunch in the book.
6% - …he saw there was a voice message was (delete was) from Miranda.
7% - People were (delete were) had also become…
- …scrap electronics brough(t) home by…
8% - …systems capably(capable) of not only processing…
9% - BCIs are spelled out on the second use not the first use in dialogue. This should be fixed for reader understanding.
10% - …might be to be (delete to be) able to do more…
11% - …dinghy(dingy) and dated…
12% - …it had opening(opened) up a rich…
14% - …wouldn’t be any help (to) any of you…
19% - some of the font for text msgs to Juliet’s friends are different to normal text

*Note: I was provided an electronic copy of this book from the author.*

[Al · Rating 4 out of 5]

With all the attention AI (artificial intelligence) is getting in the news, social media, and elsewhere today then imaging how those capabilities might improve as well as expand along with any potential downsides this might have is a natural place for people’s thoughts to go. It’s also a good idea for a book and this book takes the reader down that path. Where the author imagines AI capabilities potentially going and how that works out is obviously what this story is about, and the result is an interesting and extremely thought-provoking story.

**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **