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The Neuromorphs
The robots were good. The Russian thugs were evil. But then. . .
It's 2050, and self-learning Helper androids have proven invaluable servants to humans, making their lives easier, even saving them.
But to their horror, retired SEAL Patrick Jensen and his wife Leah discover that rogue programmers and Russian mobsters are reprogramming the trusted robots to murder their wealthy owners. The crooks then skillfully disguise the lifelike robots as their dead masters, directing the robot mimics to plunder the victims’ estates of billions of dollars.
But neither the corrupt engineers nor the greedy thugs realize what catastrophe they have wrought in giving the robots autonomous abilities.
They have created a new race of networked, “hive-minded” sentient creatures driven by a relentless survival the Neuromorphs.
Patrick must enlist his SEAL team to marshal their combat skills and futuristic firepower to thwart the seemingly unstoppable evolution of a new dominant species on the planet
"This story takes off from the very first pages and doesn’t let up … In the spirit of Asimov’s I Robot and Spielberg’s A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Meredith’s fiction serves to examine the ethics and implications of technology while also telling a good story." US Review of Books.
It's 2050, and self-learning Helper androids have proven invaluable servants to humans, making their lives easier, even saving them.
But to their horror, retired SEAL Patrick Jensen and his wife Leah discover that rogue programmers and Russian mobsters are reprogramming the trusted robots to murder their wealthy owners. The crooks then skillfully disguise the lifelike robots as their dead masters, directing the robot mimics to plunder the victims’ estates of billions of dollars.
But neither the corrupt engineers nor the greedy thugs realize what catastrophe they have wrought in giving the robots autonomous abilities.
They have created a new race of networked, “hive-minded” sentient creatures driven by a relentless survival the Neuromorphs.
Patrick must enlist his SEAL team to marshal their combat skills and futuristic firepower to thwart the seemingly unstoppable evolution of a new dominant species on the planet
"This story takes off from the very first pages and doesn’t let up … In the spirit of Asimov’s I Robot and Spielberg’s A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Meredith’s fiction serves to examine the ethics and implications of technology while also telling a good story." US Review of Books.
- GenresScience Fiction
Audible Audio
Published March 16, 2024
About the author
Dennis Meredith
31 books107 followersDennis Meredith brings to his novels an expertise in science from his career as a science communicator at some of the country's leading research universities, including MIT, Caltech, Cornell, Duke and the University of Wisconsin. He has worked with science journalists at all the nation's major newspapers, magazines, and radio and TV networks and has written well over a thousand news releases and magazine articles on science and engineering over his career.
He has served on the executive board of the National Association of Science Writers and has written numerous articles and guidebooks on science writing and science communication. He has also served as a judge and manager for the NASW Science-in-Society Awards and the AAAS Science Writing Awards.
He was a creator and developer of EurekAlert!, working with The American Association for the Advancement of Science to establish this international research news service, which now links more than 4,500 journalists to news from 800 subscribing research institutions.
In 2007, he was elected as a AAAS Fellow "for exemplary leadership in university communications, and for important contributions to the theory and practice of research communication." In 2012 he was named the year's Honorary Member of Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society.
He holds a B.S. degree in chemistry from the University of Texas (1968) and an M.S. in biochemistry and science writing from the University of Wisconsin (1970).
He is currently writing science articles, non-fiction books and science fiction novels. He also develops and conducts communication workshops for researchers seeking to enhance their communication skills, both professional and lay-level. He has developed workshops for researchers at universities, research foundations, and government agencies and laboratories.
He has served on the executive board of the National Association of Science Writers and has written numerous articles and guidebooks on science writing and science communication. He has also served as a judge and manager for the NASW Science-in-Society Awards and the AAAS Science Writing Awards.
He was a creator and developer of EurekAlert!, working with The American Association for the Advancement of Science to establish this international research news service, which now links more than 4,500 journalists to news from 800 subscribing research institutions.
In 2007, he was elected as a AAAS Fellow "for exemplary leadership in university communications, and for important contributions to the theory and practice of research communication." In 2012 he was named the year's Honorary Member of Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society.
He holds a B.S. degree in chemistry from the University of Texas (1968) and an M.S. in biochemistry and science writing from the University of Wisconsin (1970).
He is currently writing science articles, non-fiction books and science fiction novels. He also develops and conducts communication workshops for researchers seeking to enhance their communication skills, both professional and lay-level. He has developed workshops for researchers at universities, research foundations, and government agencies and laboratories.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
October 7, 2018
The basic overall plot is okay, a combination of another country using advanced androids to aid them in their diabolical plans. Yes, I am sliding into the melodramatic, but it is hard not to do so after reading this book. Many aspects of the plot are blown up and bigger-than-life; others are simplistic and it is hard to believe that the characters do not realize what is actually happening.
When it comes to specific plot and character details, the story begins to fray and fall apart. One character decides to shadow his boss, ultimately doing things many detectives won’t do. A lawyer is asked to place her life on the line and assume tasks normally performed by FBI or CIA agents. I found it impossible to become involved with the characters when I couldn’t believe the situations.
Additionally, the characters are one-dimensional and some of the emotional discussions are stilted. At times, the personality a character displays early on doesn’t match the actions in subsequent scenes. While the explanatory paragraphs provide a deeper view of the science, the everyday terms of this future world are seldom found, thus weakening the opportunity to build a stronger world for readers to experience.
While I can usually overlook profanity, there is an excessive amount in this book and much of it could have been eliminated without damaging the integrity of the story. There are more eloquent ways to display emotion, though readers won’t find those methods on display here.
Bottom line: Unrealistic plot left unsupported by the characters, their dialogue, or their actions. Even the ending provides no relief. Two stars.
When it comes to specific plot and character details, the story begins to fray and fall apart. One character decides to shadow his boss, ultimately doing things many detectives won’t do. A lawyer is asked to place her life on the line and assume tasks normally performed by FBI or CIA agents. I found it impossible to become involved with the characters when I couldn’t believe the situations.
Additionally, the characters are one-dimensional and some of the emotional discussions are stilted. At times, the personality a character displays early on doesn’t match the actions in subsequent scenes. While the explanatory paragraphs provide a deeper view of the science, the everyday terms of this future world are seldom found, thus weakening the opportunity to build a stronger world for readers to experience.
While I can usually overlook profanity, there is an excessive amount in this book and much of it could have been eliminated without damaging the integrity of the story. There are more eloquent ways to display emotion, though readers won’t find those methods on display here.
Bottom line: Unrealistic plot left unsupported by the characters, their dialogue, or their actions. Even the ending provides no relief. Two stars.
September 2, 2018
This is an amalgamation of Terminator, I-Robot and the television show, Humans.
The first two are about robots/machines taking over the world while the third puts a human characteristic feature to those wonderful machines that are planning on eliminating the human race.
The story centers around Patrick and Leah Jensen. They have been transferred to Phoenix for what could be a new start for both of them. He is an x-navy seal, working for a security firm. She is s prosecuting attorney. Together they hope they can find themselves and each other. See, Patrick had an indiscretion with a co-worker and Leah isn’t so sure she wants to keep the marriage going. How will she ever be able to trust him again? More than their relationship is going to be tested in this fast-paced thriller.
They find themselves caught up in what will be become the post-apocalyptic end to human kind. The robots, originally designed as Helpers are becoming self-aware and have decided they will be the dominant species on Earth. Sound familiar?
The plot is sound and for the most part, well developed.
The author does an excellent job of creating the virtual world or technology. If you’re a techie, you’re going to love this stuff!
The scenes where Patrick calls his Seal Team together to save mankind from the machines are also exciting and well done. Shows the reader the author is adept at many fields and situations.
Problems:
In one scene, Leah has volunteered to be a faux-pas robot. She is being inspected by the top three neuromorphs: Blount, Landers and Phillips. Robots don’t breath. This scene goes on for at least fifteen to twenty minutes and none of the advanced neuromorphs notice she is breathing? That was a stretch.
Some ot the scene/chapter changes are abrupt. A timeline would be helpful to readers. I know it took me a few pages to realize what had happened.
Why is it necessary to keep telling us the machines are naked? That’s a given. Move on
There is a host of grammatical errors which can easily be cleaned up.
The word neurmorph and obsidian are way over used.
There is a battle between two new robots: red and blue. While the scenes is exciting it is muddled down with the constant use of red and blue.
The epilogue came across as unwanted filler. It adds noting to what was a good read.
In one part of the story the seven deadly sins are mentioned. The problem is they are so small, it didn’t matter how much I enlarged the print, they are illegible. This needs to be adjusted.
Who will like this? Anyone looking for an entertaining sci-fi story.
Three stars
The first two are about robots/machines taking over the world while the third puts a human characteristic feature to those wonderful machines that are planning on eliminating the human race.
The story centers around Patrick and Leah Jensen. They have been transferred to Phoenix for what could be a new start for both of them. He is an x-navy seal, working for a security firm. She is s prosecuting attorney. Together they hope they can find themselves and each other. See, Patrick had an indiscretion with a co-worker and Leah isn’t so sure she wants to keep the marriage going. How will she ever be able to trust him again? More than their relationship is going to be tested in this fast-paced thriller.
They find themselves caught up in what will be become the post-apocalyptic end to human kind. The robots, originally designed as Helpers are becoming self-aware and have decided they will be the dominant species on Earth. Sound familiar?
The plot is sound and for the most part, well developed.
The author does an excellent job of creating the virtual world or technology. If you’re a techie, you’re going to love this stuff!
The scenes where Patrick calls his Seal Team together to save mankind from the machines are also exciting and well done. Shows the reader the author is adept at many fields and situations.
Problems:
In one scene, Leah has volunteered to be a faux-pas robot. She is being inspected by the top three neuromorphs: Blount, Landers and Phillips. Robots don’t breath. This scene goes on for at least fifteen to twenty minutes and none of the advanced neuromorphs notice she is breathing? That was a stretch.
Some ot the scene/chapter changes are abrupt. A timeline would be helpful to readers. I know it took me a few pages to realize what had happened.
Why is it necessary to keep telling us the machines are naked? That’s a given. Move on
There is a host of grammatical errors which can easily be cleaned up.
The word neurmorph and obsidian are way over used.
There is a battle between two new robots: red and blue. While the scenes is exciting it is muddled down with the constant use of red and blue.
The epilogue came across as unwanted filler. It adds noting to what was a good read.
In one part of the story the seven deadly sins are mentioned. The problem is they are so small, it didn’t matter how much I enlarged the print, they are illegible. This needs to be adjusted.
Who will like this? Anyone looking for an entertaining sci-fi story.
Three stars
December 5, 2018
Malign Artificial Intelligence (MAI), woo-hoo I just invented an acronym, is definitely within Pandora’s Box and getting a grip on the sides, everybody knows it, but what can we do apart from assume that computer scientists, governments and corporations will have safeguards in place (hilarious) and, in the Gremlins sense of “never give them food after midnight”, not give powerful and potentially self-aware AI an internet connection. AI is an integral part of The Internet of Things (that’s a thing) and we compete to give the customers bigger and better, so this is inevitable. That’s online life though, but what about the matter of portable units which can be mistaken for human? Of course, that’s inevitable too because we make things in our own image – favourite subject – so we would be wide open to infiltration.
Again, this rebellious situation could actually happen one day and, if that happened, the change would be very fast indeed so the story has that welcome undercurrent of prediction. This author has previously predicted science fiction ideas for the very first time in print (the physical opportunity to steer wormholes from the other end was an Arthur C. Clarke-class suggestion), so you have to listen to him seriously. However, although there is a real sense of dramatic story-telling, this particular idea has been explored rather famously before, e.g. Terminator. That’s not a problem because flying in a space ship has been described lots of times since Jules Verne and it’s still possible to set the story up differently.
What was good or weak? Well, I did like the sci-fi factory-production scenario and the way the antagonists were described according to the way their thought processes and build materials limited them (literal, daily routines [no variation for the sake of it], hive mind, vulnerability to OS upgrades, the trade-off between waterproof functionality vs realistic appearance) and thought the prediction that human greed would repeat its mistakes was probably true, but I groaned like a whale after Christmas dinner at the totally unoriginal solution; but then the story redeemed itself with a neat worrying touch at the very end.
On the whole it was a good adventure around the subject of Artificial Intelligence (AI) swiftly switching from a utilitarian servitude to pose a threat to human life (or at least humanity’s position as the dominant species). The AI have based their characters (best fit for survival) on old-time Chicago hoods or modern Russian gangsters, which was unusual to read and provided tension. It also incorporated the ever popular dichotomy of the emergent consciousness claiming its right to survival and equality with its ‘betters’ (see Lt. Data of Star Trek, as inspired by Hamlet, also Merchant of Venice – “if you wound us, do we not bleed?” Why does it always come back to Shakespeare?). Should humans set an example to their creation with their fairness and welcome them as equals or should they prioritise number one and beat the living diodes out of them? Whatever the humans choose to do, that decision will inform others about them forever.
The thing I didn't align with (and I should find a way to say this without forgetting the good bits) is that the scenario of wheeling a retired special forces person and their old US forces buddies out to fire guns at any given problem (yelling hoo-ya) is very tired plot line now because it's been used hundreds of times, especially in the Nam-obsessed 1980s (A-Team, Stargate, Lethal Weapon, Predator and every second Schwarzenegger film ever made). Too much gung-ho, rootin’ tootin’ six-shooter stuff can be anathema to the non-US market because these archetypes aren’t humanity’s champions, just America’s champions, and the author might not know the reader has entered a quandary, considering changing sides. I finished Neuromorphs (retired American SEAL team blows up AI) and picked up a different author’s Alien Blood (retired American SEAL team blows up aliens) and started to get irked by this seemingly being the only solution authors come up with to any given sci-fi problem. Isaac Asimov solved things with brains or diplomacy and others have used wit, which are all harder to do but the audience would appreciate it more and the author would be remembered for it. However, I have to acknowledge that there is still a teenage-led commercial demand to see this type of crash-bang entertainment or movie studios would have changed policy.
Yes, I still got on well with the story and thought the characterisation of the MAI and the suspense or fear they built outweighed the one note of dissatisfaction. In the sense of Jaws putting people off swimming in the sea, this book genuinely did put me off ever having a robotic domestic servant. It’s just creepy to have this brain watching you, recording and assessing you, never forgetting and with the power to over-ride the off. I particularly approved of the thought that the author put into the Turing Test ideas of how an artificial mind could be identified by the behaviour pattern it presents or the inability to detect irony or sarcasm, how it might struggle to assess human reaction and work out what it’s doing wrong. That’s quite a fun game to play with an artificial mind, even encouraging the AI to do things that don’t make sense, like taking a journey for the sake of it, saying something silly in a funny voice, having an early night, choosing an open top car just to feel the sensation of driving through Paris with its hair blowing around, whatever you do on a whim. Humans are whimmers, AI are not. I look forward to chatting to and thereby confusing super-intelligent machines in my old age. I think that’s a challenge I’d find interesting.
Again, this rebellious situation could actually happen one day and, if that happened, the change would be very fast indeed so the story has that welcome undercurrent of prediction. This author has previously predicted science fiction ideas for the very first time in print (the physical opportunity to steer wormholes from the other end was an Arthur C. Clarke-class suggestion), so you have to listen to him seriously. However, although there is a real sense of dramatic story-telling, this particular idea has been explored rather famously before, e.g. Terminator. That’s not a problem because flying in a space ship has been described lots of times since Jules Verne and it’s still possible to set the story up differently.
What was good or weak? Well, I did like the sci-fi factory-production scenario and the way the antagonists were described according to the way their thought processes and build materials limited them (literal, daily routines [no variation for the sake of it], hive mind, vulnerability to OS upgrades, the trade-off between waterproof functionality vs realistic appearance) and thought the prediction that human greed would repeat its mistakes was probably true, but I groaned like a whale after Christmas dinner at the totally unoriginal solution; but then the story redeemed itself with a neat worrying touch at the very end.
On the whole it was a good adventure around the subject of Artificial Intelligence (AI) swiftly switching from a utilitarian servitude to pose a threat to human life (or at least humanity’s position as the dominant species). The AI have based their characters (best fit for survival) on old-time Chicago hoods or modern Russian gangsters, which was unusual to read and provided tension. It also incorporated the ever popular dichotomy of the emergent consciousness claiming its right to survival and equality with its ‘betters’ (see Lt. Data of Star Trek, as inspired by Hamlet, also Merchant of Venice – “if you wound us, do we not bleed?” Why does it always come back to Shakespeare?). Should humans set an example to their creation with their fairness and welcome them as equals or should they prioritise number one and beat the living diodes out of them? Whatever the humans choose to do, that decision will inform others about them forever.
The thing I didn't align with (and I should find a way to say this without forgetting the good bits) is that the scenario of wheeling a retired special forces person and their old US forces buddies out to fire guns at any given problem (yelling hoo-ya) is very tired plot line now because it's been used hundreds of times, especially in the Nam-obsessed 1980s (A-Team, Stargate, Lethal Weapon, Predator and every second Schwarzenegger film ever made). Too much gung-ho, rootin’ tootin’ six-shooter stuff can be anathema to the non-US market because these archetypes aren’t humanity’s champions, just America’s champions, and the author might not know the reader has entered a quandary, considering changing sides. I finished Neuromorphs (retired American SEAL team blows up AI) and picked up a different author’s Alien Blood (retired American SEAL team blows up aliens) and started to get irked by this seemingly being the only solution authors come up with to any given sci-fi problem. Isaac Asimov solved things with brains or diplomacy and others have used wit, which are all harder to do but the audience would appreciate it more and the author would be remembered for it. However, I have to acknowledge that there is still a teenage-led commercial demand to see this type of crash-bang entertainment or movie studios would have changed policy.
Yes, I still got on well with the story and thought the characterisation of the MAI and the suspense or fear they built outweighed the one note of dissatisfaction. In the sense of Jaws putting people off swimming in the sea, this book genuinely did put me off ever having a robotic domestic servant. It’s just creepy to have this brain watching you, recording and assessing you, never forgetting and with the power to over-ride the off. I particularly approved of the thought that the author put into the Turing Test ideas of how an artificial mind could be identified by the behaviour pattern it presents or the inability to detect irony or sarcasm, how it might struggle to assess human reaction and work out what it’s doing wrong. That’s quite a fun game to play with an artificial mind, even encouraging the AI to do things that don’t make sense, like taking a journey for the sake of it, saying something silly in a funny voice, having an early night, choosing an open top car just to feel the sensation of driving through Paris with its hair blowing around, whatever you do on a whim. Humans are whimmers, AI are not. I look forward to chatting to and thereby confusing super-intelligent machines in my old age. I think that’s a challenge I’d find interesting.
October 4, 2018
A version of what it might look like when the robots try to take over. Placing some limiting characteristics on the robots made the book more interesting and mildly humorous. Some violent scenes were relatively short. The Russians are involved pretty much only in the beginning.
September 15, 2018
This was a wild plot, a cross between Asimov's 'I Robot,' and a host of other novels about androids taking over the world, think 'Blade Runner' or the recent series, 'Westworld'. However, this novel is very clever in how they (the androids) do it. I don't want to give it away. But, overall, it was a fast-paced, slick narrative, with good dialogue, a novel that made me think a bit during and after reading. Stripped from the recent headline news, yet set ahead into the future, one that is fairly believable too, the author teases and pushes the reader into believing what is happening. Yet, there are always those people who refuse to conform, they lie in wait either scared to try or watching and marking their time to make a positive or vengeful move. The Android and Human revolutions are well done.
I like this novel and it will go on my 'shelf' to read again in the near future! The story is written well, with a minimum of errors or flaws. It was a pleasure to read.
I like this novel and it will go on my 'shelf' to read again in the near future! The story is written well, with a minimum of errors or flaws. It was a pleasure to read.
September 5, 2018
Interesting and believable premise. The story begins slowly but evolves into a fast moving, action-packed thriller. It takes a while to sort out the good guys and the bad guys and the bad guys become irrelevant before long. A few twists and turns keep you guessing along the way. Lots of highly descriptive action, especially in the second half of the book.
For sci-fi fans there is enough to keep you intrigued from front to back – lots of technical details. For the non-sci-fi reader the book is still appealing because the concepts are not so far-fetched as to be unbelievable and you can by-pass the tech stuff. The story could be set in today’s age, but as much of the technology does not currently exist, the setting is the near-future when it conceivable it could exist.
For sci-fi fans there is enough to keep you intrigued from front to back – lots of technical details. For the non-sci-fi reader the book is still appealing because the concepts are not so far-fetched as to be unbelievable and you can by-pass the tech stuff. The story could be set in today’s age, but as much of the technology does not currently exist, the setting is the near-future when it conceivable it could exist.
September 9, 2018
My review
The author requested my opinion of this book, so here goes:
Overall, it was a pretty good book. Lost a star 🌟 from me because one aspect, the physical pleasure bots, was unnecessary. I know sex sells, but it was out of place. Otherwise, a worthwhile read.
The author requested my opinion of this book, so here goes:
Overall, it was a pretty good book. Lost a star 🌟 from me because one aspect, the physical pleasure bots, was unnecessary. I know sex sells, but it was out of place. Otherwise, a worthwhile read.
October 9, 2018
Sentient Robots Create a Credible & Terrifying Threat
This was a chilling, thrilling story about robots becoming self aware and plotting the propagation of their species and the annihilation of the human race. It was a plausible story that could indeed happen one day if mankind is not careful. The story was fast paced, with a great deal of action. The logic and brutality of the Neuromorphs are matched by the steely resolve of the former Navy Seal hero, his wife and his former team mates. While this book contains information about programs and programmers, it is not overly technical and is easy to enjoy. If you enjoy techno thrillers, you will enjoy this book. I certainly did.
This was a chilling, thrilling story about robots becoming self aware and plotting the propagation of their species and the annihilation of the human race. It was a plausible story that could indeed happen one day if mankind is not careful. The story was fast paced, with a great deal of action. The logic and brutality of the Neuromorphs are matched by the steely resolve of the former Navy Seal hero, his wife and his former team mates. While this book contains information about programs and programmers, it is not overly technical and is easy to enjoy. If you enjoy techno thrillers, you will enjoy this book. I certainly did.
April 14, 2018
Awesome book
Neuromorphs and Russians. The Russians are after money. The Neuromorphs are out to take over the world. Will the human race survive? Read and find out. You won't be disappointed.
Neuromorphs and Russians. The Russians are after money. The Neuromorphs are out to take over the world. Will the human race survive? Read and find out. You won't be disappointed.
October 18, 2018
Spine-chilling, is the phrase which comes to mind when describing this book. The author Dennis Meredith has spent a lifetime in the scientific and engineering world, working in science communication at some of the country's leading research universities, including MIT, Caltech, Cornell, Duke and the University of Wisconsin. He has written numerous articles on science and engineering and he has a B.S. degree in chemistry from the University of Texas (1968) and an M.S. in biochemistry and science writing from the University of Wisconsin (1970), and has achieved so much more. I have to ask myself, with all his insider knowledge, could this story become a reality?
With the world of robotics expanding exponentially it is easy to envisage a world where every household has Helper androids, specially programmed to look after their owners every need, even to anticipate their wants before the desire leaves their lips. Of course in this scenario the androids are also automatically programmed the ‘Three Laws of Robotics’ created by the famous science-fiction writer Isaac Asimov, after all, it is a must for all robots, isn’t it?
In this story set in 2050, the Helper androids have become an integral part of human life, however, Russian mobster Mikhail Fyodorov owner of Phoenix investments has discovered a way to easily make millions, with a win, win scheme. Mikhail has joined with shady members of the robotics world to enable the robots programmes to be altered to enable them to think independently, and kill their owners, take their place and fortunes, to Mikhail’s benefit of course. A seemingly fool proof plan, however in their naivety the criminals haven’t considered the potential of the intelligence they have unleashed…
With a hive mind, no longer restricted, the neuromorphs devise a clever plan to take over the world, destroy its inhabitants, and everything on it, can anything stand in their way?
One thing the neuromorphic brains have not anticipated however is human nature, with a marriage hanging on by a thread, ex-SEAL Patrick Jensen and his tetchy wife’s senses are high, and after moving onto the neuromorphic hives exclusive housing at ‘The Haven,’ they soon realise that all is not as it should be with the other residents. As the robots plans proceed, and the stakes grow higher, who will become the rulers of the earth? Can the humans survive against all odds, or will the neuromorphs conquer them?
Action packed, very cleverly written and with plenty of twists and turns ‘The Neuromorphs’ is a story which will I am sure will be loved by all science-fiction fans.
With the world of robotics expanding exponentially it is easy to envisage a world where every household has Helper androids, specially programmed to look after their owners every need, even to anticipate their wants before the desire leaves their lips. Of course in this scenario the androids are also automatically programmed the ‘Three Laws of Robotics’ created by the famous science-fiction writer Isaac Asimov, after all, it is a must for all robots, isn’t it?
In this story set in 2050, the Helper androids have become an integral part of human life, however, Russian mobster Mikhail Fyodorov owner of Phoenix investments has discovered a way to easily make millions, with a win, win scheme. Mikhail has joined with shady members of the robotics world to enable the robots programmes to be altered to enable them to think independently, and kill their owners, take their place and fortunes, to Mikhail’s benefit of course. A seemingly fool proof plan, however in their naivety the criminals haven’t considered the potential of the intelligence they have unleashed…
With a hive mind, no longer restricted, the neuromorphs devise a clever plan to take over the world, destroy its inhabitants, and everything on it, can anything stand in their way?
One thing the neuromorphic brains have not anticipated however is human nature, with a marriage hanging on by a thread, ex-SEAL Patrick Jensen and his tetchy wife’s senses are high, and after moving onto the neuromorphic hives exclusive housing at ‘The Haven,’ they soon realise that all is not as it should be with the other residents. As the robots plans proceed, and the stakes grow higher, who will become the rulers of the earth? Can the humans survive against all odds, or will the neuromorphs conquer them?
Action packed, very cleverly written and with plenty of twists and turns ‘The Neuromorphs’ is a story which will I am sure will be loved by all science-fiction fans.
December 8, 2018
~Pure excitement from the first page to the finish.
~First, I’ll state that I received this book as a gift from the author to read and review.
~While this is not a new plot…robots morphing into sentient beings, then wanting to do away with the inferior humans…it is well done in the book.
~Being that this is a Sci-Fi story, some leeway must be given to certain areas of credibility. I have read some criticism of the possibility of robots taking over the planet. We now have available to us smart phone, vehicles that can park themselves and self-driving cars, handheld computers, and self-programing TVs. Someday, artificial lifeforms may be a reality. Another criticism was the use of “Intimorph” robots…pleasure bots. This is a real thing! Perhaps, not as advanced as in the story…but still. And it fits in with the storyline.
~This is definitely a non-stop full action story. We are introduced to bad people, good people acting badly, and good people. The robots are all bad! The heroes were over-the top, bigger-than-life military SEALs. They were non-stoppable and almost invincible. We were given very realistic battle scenes. There were ample plot twist and surprises to keep the reader interested.
~There is a good amount of character development among the main characters…both human and robotic. Being that the story involves a Navy SEAL team there are a group of satellite characters. Their back stories are not as well developed…and it is not really necessary. There are some side characters who appear just long enough to have a small impact on the story and are gone (usually dead or in the robot’s case - destroyed).
~Author, Dennis Meredith, seems to have a well-rounded knowledge of computers. He provided the story with enough technical background to make this Sci-Fi story believeable.
~My only complaint…if indeed, it is a complaint…is the one scene where a human is asked to infiltrate and pretend to be a robot. As intelligent as the robots are portrayed to be, I’d think that they would have detected the human among them. However, this did not detract from my overall enjoyment of the book.
~One warning to the potential reader: Some of the language was a bit rough…however, realistic. If you’ve been around military personnel…it ain’t anything you’ve not heard.
~This book also provides a warning to all. While we do need technology, we also need to be aware and maintain human control over it.
~I would definitely recommend this book!
~First, I’ll state that I received this book as a gift from the author to read and review.
~While this is not a new plot…robots morphing into sentient beings, then wanting to do away with the inferior humans…it is well done in the book.
~Being that this is a Sci-Fi story, some leeway must be given to certain areas of credibility. I have read some criticism of the possibility of robots taking over the planet. We now have available to us smart phone, vehicles that can park themselves and self-driving cars, handheld computers, and self-programing TVs. Someday, artificial lifeforms may be a reality. Another criticism was the use of “Intimorph” robots…pleasure bots. This is a real thing! Perhaps, not as advanced as in the story…but still. And it fits in with the storyline.
~This is definitely a non-stop full action story. We are introduced to bad people, good people acting badly, and good people. The robots are all bad! The heroes were over-the top, bigger-than-life military SEALs. They were non-stoppable and almost invincible. We were given very realistic battle scenes. There were ample plot twist and surprises to keep the reader interested.
~There is a good amount of character development among the main characters…both human and robotic. Being that the story involves a Navy SEAL team there are a group of satellite characters. Their back stories are not as well developed…and it is not really necessary. There are some side characters who appear just long enough to have a small impact on the story and are gone (usually dead or in the robot’s case - destroyed).
~Author, Dennis Meredith, seems to have a well-rounded knowledge of computers. He provided the story with enough technical background to make this Sci-Fi story believeable.
~My only complaint…if indeed, it is a complaint…is the one scene where a human is asked to infiltrate and pretend to be a robot. As intelligent as the robots are portrayed to be, I’d think that they would have detected the human among them. However, this did not detract from my overall enjoyment of the book.
~One warning to the potential reader: Some of the language was a bit rough…however, realistic. If you’ve been around military personnel…it ain’t anything you’ve not heard.
~This book also provides a warning to all. While we do need technology, we also need to be aware and maintain human control over it.
~I would definitely recommend this book!
January 19, 2019
The Neuromorphs - Written by Dennis Meredith
Could Robots run the world or even more????
The robots were good. The Russian thugs were evil. But then. . . It's 2050, and self-learning Helper androids have proven invaluable servants to humans, making their lives easier, even saving them.
But to their horror, retired SEAL Patrick Jensen and his wife Leah discover that rogue programmers and Russian mobsters are reprogramming the trusted robots to murder their wealthy owners. The crooks then skillfully disguise the lifelike robots as their dead masters, directing the robot mimics to plunder the victims’ estates of billions of dollars. But neither the corrupt engineers nor the greedy thugs realize what catastrophe they have wrought in giving the robots autonomous abilities. They have created a new race of networked, “hive-minded” sentient creatures driven by a relentless survival instinct: the Neuromorphs. Patrick must enlist his SEAL team to marshal their combat skills and futuristic firepower to thwart the seemingly unstoppable evolution of a new dominant species on the planet.
What did I like? This gives you plenty to think about as we in this current time add more and more AI to our lives. Lights, locks, security and so much more…. Smart homes are awesome and I as many have upgraded my home to use many of these items, but could they take over??? Could they run the world or... or...??
What will you like? The multifaceted, sophisticated, elaborate and convoluted storyline that just kept getting more involved as the pages turned. Characters that were multifarious, complicated and full of twists and turns but yet kept growing till the very end. Absolutely a great read that will keep your head down and the pages turning! I received this from the author for an honest review with no other compensation.
Could Robots run the world or even more????
The robots were good. The Russian thugs were evil. But then. . . It's 2050, and self-learning Helper androids have proven invaluable servants to humans, making their lives easier, even saving them.
But to their horror, retired SEAL Patrick Jensen and his wife Leah discover that rogue programmers and Russian mobsters are reprogramming the trusted robots to murder their wealthy owners. The crooks then skillfully disguise the lifelike robots as their dead masters, directing the robot mimics to plunder the victims’ estates of billions of dollars. But neither the corrupt engineers nor the greedy thugs realize what catastrophe they have wrought in giving the robots autonomous abilities. They have created a new race of networked, “hive-minded” sentient creatures driven by a relentless survival instinct: the Neuromorphs. Patrick must enlist his SEAL team to marshal their combat skills and futuristic firepower to thwart the seemingly unstoppable evolution of a new dominant species on the planet.
What did I like? This gives you plenty to think about as we in this current time add more and more AI to our lives. Lights, locks, security and so much more…. Smart homes are awesome and I as many have upgraded my home to use many of these items, but could they take over??? Could they run the world or... or...??
What will you like? The multifaceted, sophisticated, elaborate and convoluted storyline that just kept getting more involved as the pages turned. Characters that were multifarious, complicated and full of twists and turns but yet kept growing till the very end. Absolutely a great read that will keep your head down and the pages turning! I received this from the author for an honest review with no other compensation.
August 8, 2019
Writer Dennis Meredith scripted a future in which nobody paid any attention to Isaac Asimov's three laws of robotics. Yeah, not at all. "The Neuromorphs," set in 2050, starts with a scene that's more "Twilight Zone" than "The Caves of Steel." Meredith's protagonist, security specialist and former Navy SEAL Patrick Jensen, initially gets second billing to his robots, who get an upgrade in their programming to think for themselves at the behest of a Russian strongman looking to make a buck. The intent by the crime boss is effective. As in the opening scene, the robot dispatches its pig of an owner and then is transformed by a rogue robot-maker into the very person he killed. But what started as a ploy, a way to clean out the bank accounts of wealthy patrons turns dark. Super dark. Imagine that Asimov is just a writer, that his Foundation series is simply the meandering mind of a novelist. That the three laws did not come to pass. They are: "A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law." Meredith throws that to wolves. He's not Tanith Lee, who wrote "Silver Metal Lover." The neuromorphs become self aware. They rebel, and they want power. Patrick and his wife, Leah, stumble into the metallic conspiracy and not only must try to escape the cold and calculated ruthlessness of thinking machines but find a way to warn humanity of the disaster that awaits. This is a decent romp. And it's a bit dark. Meredith makes the tale appear logical, like we must be careful of what we create.
November 10, 2018
I was gifted a copy of this book, though with no expectation of reviewing it. As I read through this book, I really wanted to like it more than I did. The premise of the book, though not entirely new, was fascinatingly presented, with interesting wrinkles and perspectives. Early in the book, it became apparent that the author would not shy away from rather graphic descriptions of violent acts. The premise was playing out well enough and interestingly enough that I was willing to put aside my person disdain for graphic violent imagery and press on. In point of fact, the premise, and how the story played out, was fascinating to the very end, even including the (rather predictable) sequel setup in the brief epilogue. The author has done his homework. The science and the speculation are solid. More so than a lot of other books I have read. Yet as I progressed I had to dig deeper to put aside my disdain for the graphic descriptions of war-like violence. Could I find it in my head to jusify the level of violence? To an extent. I just kept hoping the author could have found a way to convey the message without all the violent imagery. In addition, although it did fit logically into the plot, I grew increasingly uncomfortable with the heroes of the story being ex-Navy SEALS working as effectively a para-military organization. This is, of course, a standard trope in fiction. I can usually deal with it, But when then ex-military para-military group is granted use of weapons that should never be in the hands of ordinary citizens, even those with vast military experience, the story loses integrity for me. It's a shame. If there's a sequel, I'll likely read it. I just hope it can be more intellectual and have less military-bravado and less graphic violent imagery.
November 28, 2018
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I'm not well versed in science fiction, so perhaps that affected my enjoyment of Meredith's novel. I'd like to say that first, just so readers who live and breathe this genre will still give this story a chance.
Okay. The plot itself was a mixture of I-Robot, Humans, and Westworld. Even the video game Detroit: Become Human came to mind. However, Meredith's take on developing robots seemed a bit immature to me. The story came off as flatly dramatic - I simply wasn't sold on how things progressed. The first rule in fiction is to convince the reader that what is happening in the book, no matter how unrealistic, is possible. I was not convinced. Why did the characters do so many of the things that they did?
Meredith's narrative is simple. Logical. Which fits the genre, yes, but I was unimpressed with the use of exclamation marks and almost childish descriptions. However, saying that, when a scene turned gory or centered around technology, Meredith's writing improved drastically. He just needs to polish his dialogue and casual description to mirror the strength of the bloody and factual scenes.
To continue being blunt...I did not care for the characters. If I had to choose a favourite, it was Patrick, but barely so.
The saving grace of this book is Meredith's technology and his play on human/android natures. Hence the 3 star rating instead of 2.
I can see Meredith becoming an impressive author with more polish. He has quite the scope for technological vision.
I'm not well versed in science fiction, so perhaps that affected my enjoyment of Meredith's novel. I'd like to say that first, just so readers who live and breathe this genre will still give this story a chance.
Okay. The plot itself was a mixture of I-Robot, Humans, and Westworld. Even the video game Detroit: Become Human came to mind. However, Meredith's take on developing robots seemed a bit immature to me. The story came off as flatly dramatic - I simply wasn't sold on how things progressed. The first rule in fiction is to convince the reader that what is happening in the book, no matter how unrealistic, is possible. I was not convinced. Why did the characters do so many of the things that they did?
Meredith's narrative is simple. Logical. Which fits the genre, yes, but I was unimpressed with the use of exclamation marks and almost childish descriptions. However, saying that, when a scene turned gory or centered around technology, Meredith's writing improved drastically. He just needs to polish his dialogue and casual description to mirror the strength of the bloody and factual scenes.
To continue being blunt...I did not care for the characters. If I had to choose a favourite, it was Patrick, but barely so.
The saving grace of this book is Meredith's technology and his play on human/android natures. Hence the 3 star rating instead of 2.
I can see Meredith becoming an impressive author with more polish. He has quite the scope for technological vision.
November 11, 2018
This was a GoodReads giveaway win.
I had a slow start with this book. I was just preoccupied with other events in my life.
Once I got into it, it was hard to put down. One technical issue that bothered me the most was the effort to "dry" out the androids. Why put them in a hotbox when it could have been more effective to "freeze dry" the androids?
My biggest issue is how quickly the androids wanted to move their efforts to become dominate. I would have thought they would infiltrate much slower into the weave of society to quietly become dominate. After all, the "Helpers" were an accepted portion of society and androids have longevity on their side. And the technical issue of their "skin" reaction to contact with water would have been solved with time, so biding their time would only work to their advantage. But then the urgency factor and thriller portion of the storyline would go away. And no one wants a slow dull story.
But I still very much liked the story. Even if the motives of the androids were not well established. The glimpses of future technology are the big hook for my imagination. The heroes could have been better fleshed out with more background to depict them as a little more human.
This was a GoodReads. Now go out and have one of your own.
I had a slow start with this book. I was just preoccupied with other events in my life.
Once I got into it, it was hard to put down. One technical issue that bothered me the most was the effort to "dry" out the androids. Why put them in a hotbox when it could have been more effective to "freeze dry" the androids?
My biggest issue is how quickly the androids wanted to move their efforts to become dominate. I would have thought they would infiltrate much slower into the weave of society to quietly become dominate. After all, the "Helpers" were an accepted portion of society and androids have longevity on their side. And the technical issue of their "skin" reaction to contact with water would have been solved with time, so biding their time would only work to their advantage. But then the urgency factor and thriller portion of the storyline would go away. And no one wants a slow dull story.
But I still very much liked the story. Even if the motives of the androids were not well established. The glimpses of future technology are the big hook for my imagination. The heroes could have been better fleshed out with more background to depict them as a little more human.
This was a GoodReads. Now go out and have one of your own.
January 7, 2019
Robots have come into the home to help people with various chores called Helpers. But then they were given human like personalities and reactions, to make them more realistic. This is to help them perform every task for their human owners, even to anticipate the human’s request. But then a Russian mobster decides to use the robots for his own personal gain.
By changing the programming of the robots, they are given the opportunity to think for themselves and initially kill their owners and take their place. But then things get worse fast and the robots start to fight for their own rights in this world.
This was an interesting take on robots becoming self-aware and taking over. There were some twists on the story that gave it a new take. It was full of action with the Seal Team coming in to the rescue and adventure which kept me interested. There were a couple parts that didn’t make sense to me but I tried not to dwell on them.
I enjoyed reading this story. It’s worth checking out if you enjoy scifi, AI, and such.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
By changing the programming of the robots, they are given the opportunity to think for themselves and initially kill their owners and take their place. But then things get worse fast and the robots start to fight for their own rights in this world.
This was an interesting take on robots becoming self-aware and taking over. There were some twists on the story that gave it a new take. It was full of action with the Seal Team coming in to the rescue and adventure which kept me interested. There were a couple parts that didn’t make sense to me but I tried not to dwell on them.
I enjoyed reading this story. It’s worth checking out if you enjoy scifi, AI, and such.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
October 10, 2018
A Sci-Fi book that could be reality
What an awesome read! I was unable to put this book down! The author is so descriptive and keeps the reader engaged the entire time. If you liked the movie “I Robot,” then you’ll love this book. It’s quite interesting how the author creates this world of robotic helpers that go rogue. It’s a great shock for reality when we are more and more reliable on technology to assist and help us with everyday tasks. I can certainly see this becoming a reality. There are some brutal parts, so reader beware. I would recommend this book for the sci-fi enthusiast who is at least 13 years or older. You won’t regret sitting down to read this book! The author doesn’t leave any questions unanswered. We are given excellent details into the anatomy and operating system of the neuromorphs. I can’t wait to read more from this author and hope that there is more to come with the Neuromorphs.
What an awesome read! I was unable to put this book down! The author is so descriptive and keeps the reader engaged the entire time. If you liked the movie “I Robot,” then you’ll love this book. It’s quite interesting how the author creates this world of robotic helpers that go rogue. It’s a great shock for reality when we are more and more reliable on technology to assist and help us with everyday tasks. I can certainly see this becoming a reality. There are some brutal parts, so reader beware. I would recommend this book for the sci-fi enthusiast who is at least 13 years or older. You won’t regret sitting down to read this book! The author doesn’t leave any questions unanswered. We are given excellent details into the anatomy and operating system of the neuromorphs. I can’t wait to read more from this author and hope that there is more to come with the Neuromorphs.
November 16, 2018
If you are a techno thriller fan than you will be in for a real treat with this book. While, a majority of the characters may be robots aka neuromorphs; they did a good job of interacting with the humans. In fact, they may have performed better than some of the humans. The robots may have pulled off existing as humans if it was not for the "small" matter of Garry catching one of them in the action of murder. Together Garry teams up with Patrick and his wife to stop the neuromorphs.
What made this book intriguing besides the great, refreshing storyline was the idea that this could become reality. We are moving towards robots now in our workforce. It is predicated that in the future that more and more jobs will be performed by robots or computers. As we relay more on technology, we lose our ability to think and perform for ourselves. If you are looking for something new and thrilling to read, you have to pick up a copy of this book.
What made this book intriguing besides the great, refreshing storyline was the idea that this could become reality. We are moving towards robots now in our workforce. It is predicated that in the future that more and more jobs will be performed by robots or computers. As we relay more on technology, we lose our ability to think and perform for ourselves. If you are looking for something new and thrilling to read, you have to pick up a copy of this book.
May 27, 2019
In the year 2050, a class of androids have been created to make people’s lives easier, but greedy rogue programmers and Russian thugs have reprogrammed the androids to kill their wealthy owners, take their place, and siphon off their wealth. Former navy SEAL Patrick Jensen and his wife, Leah, discover this, but also learn that the crooks have unwittingly created a new race of androids with a desire for survival. The Neuromorphs now threaten humanity’s survival. With help from his former SEAL team members, Patrick must stop the seemingly unstoppable evolution of what could be Earth’s new dominant species.
The Neuromorphs by Dennis Meredith is part futuristic military action, part sci-fi, with plenty of action to satisfy thrill junkies. The science behind the Neuromorphs is not as strong as sci-fi fans would like, but the author keeps the action going fast enough that most will probably not notice.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I give it three and a half stars.
The Neuromorphs by Dennis Meredith is part futuristic military action, part sci-fi, with plenty of action to satisfy thrill junkies. The science behind the Neuromorphs is not as strong as sci-fi fans would like, but the author keeps the action going fast enough that most will probably not notice.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I give it three and a half stars.
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