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Artificial Truth
From J. M. Lee, a bestselling phenomenon in Korea, comes a haunting and mind-bending novel about the revolutionary possibilities of AI and the infinite mysteries of what it means to be human.
In the virtual city of Alegria, fantasies are made real, innumerable lifetimes are lived, and even death itself is a survivable experience. An escape from reality that changed the landscape of artificial intelligence, it is home to more than one hundred million people. Though it’s been six years since Alegria’s creator—revolutionary tech genius KC Kim—died of cancer, his legacy is alive in the pinnacle of KC’s an AI named Allen who surges with KC’s memories.
As hard as KC’s widow, Minju, and her new husband, Junmo, try to move on, Minju can’t shake the unnerving feeling that somehow, from somewhere, KC is watching. She sees a stranger who bears an uncanny resemblance to him. A pair of KC’s custom-made shoes arrive at her doorstep. And someone has booked a Tokyo hotel room where she and KC shared happier times. Certain of nothing except KC’s mad innovation, Minju can only imagine what he is accomplishing without even existing.
If KC is reaching out from an infinity of memories, what are his plans for Minju and Junmo, and how can they hope to escape KC’s all-seeing grasp? And whose plans are they, really? The possibilities are frightening.
In the virtual city of Alegria, fantasies are made real, innumerable lifetimes are lived, and even death itself is a survivable experience. An escape from reality that changed the landscape of artificial intelligence, it is home to more than one hundred million people. Though it’s been six years since Alegria’s creator—revolutionary tech genius KC Kim—died of cancer, his legacy is alive in the pinnacle of KC’s an AI named Allen who surges with KC’s memories.
As hard as KC’s widow, Minju, and her new husband, Junmo, try to move on, Minju can’t shake the unnerving feeling that somehow, from somewhere, KC is watching. She sees a stranger who bears an uncanny resemblance to him. A pair of KC’s custom-made shoes arrive at her doorstep. And someone has booked a Tokyo hotel room where she and KC shared happier times. Certain of nothing except KC’s mad innovation, Minju can only imagine what he is accomplishing without even existing.
If KC is reaching out from an infinity of memories, what are his plans for Minju and Junmo, and how can they hope to escape KC’s all-seeing grasp? And whose plans are they, really? The possibilities are frightening.
223 pages, Paperback
First published May 17, 2024
1309 people are currently reading
5018 people want to read
About the author
Jung-Myung Lee
20 books60 followersLee Jung-myung (이정명) has sold hundreds of thousands of copies of his books in his native Korea. One, Deep Rooted Tree, was made into a popular TV series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews
December 17, 2025
You can call me Al
Very entertaining page-turner about AI. Multi-POV suspense sci-fi mystery. Husband creates an AI entity to continue on his consciousness after facing death from terminal diagnosis. Eternal life...for what purpose, and what cost? The AI named Alan has many of his qualities. but none of his empathy. When his wife remarries things become very twisty, on the verge of convoluted but not tipping into nonsensical absurdity. Maybe hard to wrap all the strands together, but they are there. Themes of consciousness, existence, and of course the extents of artificial intelligence.
4.9*
Very entertaining page-turner about AI. Multi-POV suspense sci-fi mystery. Husband creates an AI entity to continue on his consciousness after facing death from terminal diagnosis. Eternal life...for what purpose, and what cost? The AI named Alan has many of his qualities. but none of his empathy. When his wife remarries things become very twisty, on the verge of convoluted but not tipping into nonsensical absurdity. Maybe hard to wrap all the strands together, but they are there. Themes of consciousness, existence, and of course the extents of artificial intelligence.
4.9*
January 30, 2026
Serviceable thriller set in a world where AI and VR are ubiquitous. Even rich widows don't seem to really be able to enjoy this brave new world when creepy things start to happen in the house and the new husband shows to have a dark history
This void is the utopia I created
After the death of an AI founder that suffered from pancreatic cancer, very Steve Jobs like, the police descends on the young widow. She is an actress and is acquitted through AI aided polygraph interviews. However soon problems emerge.
This is one of the many books I read that have the AlphaGo moment prominently being mentioned. The world building is a bit scant to be fair, the whole VR coming before AI is interesting and seems a bit driven by the metaverse hype we had two/three years ago. This VR world leads to privately arranged crime and escape into virtual worlds.
Also there is consistent marital abuse. Overall the outcome of the book is a bit conventional but I like the creepiness of all-out surveillance.
This void is the utopia I created
After the death of an AI founder that suffered from pancreatic cancer, very Steve Jobs like, the police descends on the young widow. She is an actress and is acquitted through AI aided polygraph interviews. However soon problems emerge.
This is one of the many books I read that have the AlphaGo moment prominently being mentioned. The world building is a bit scant to be fair, the whole VR coming before AI is interesting and seems a bit driven by the metaverse hype we had two/three years ago. This VR world leads to privately arranged crime and escape into virtual worlds.
Also there is consistent marital abuse. Overall the outcome of the book is a bit conventional but I like the creepiness of all-out surveillance.
December 4, 2025
"Humans think language is their most essential tool. Yet how much death and destruction have been brought about by words."
Set in the near future, technology has advanced to the point that a virtual world exists called Alegria where millions of people live and work thus escaping reality. In Alegria, people can be whomever they want to and use whatever appearance they choose therefore remaining anonymous. You can even grocery shop in Alegria and a "presenter" will deliver the items to your home. The creator of Alegria, KC, has also been working on perfecting a super artificial general intelligence (AGI) intending to give it human-like cognitive abilities so that it can understand, learn, and apply knowledge to perform any intellectual task a human can. KC is desperately trying to accomplish this by imbuing the AGI, Allen, with his own memories before he dies.
This is a solid hard sci-fi novel with a lot of technical details surrounding the way Alegria functions and the work involved in creating Allen. Told in multiple POVs, we get to see the same events viewed differently to each person, which may or not be the TRUTH of the situation. There's a sense of unease and some stalker-esque vibes but there's also quite a bit of how interpersonal relationships are affected. My interest was held throughout and the ending was quite clever and satisfying!
As translated fiction from Korean to English, some of the phrasing and sentence structures were unusual in the way thoughts and ideas were conveyed, which for me only added to my enjoyment of the tale. There are some truly beautiful passages that are as poetic as they are poignant.
ARTIFICIAL TRUTH is an intriguing tale of hubris and ambition gone awry, what it means to be human, and the consequences of advanced AGI and VR. It reminded me of a blend of the science fiction films 'Surrogates', 'Gamer', and 'Transcendence'. So if you're a fan of intellectual and speculative sci fi with moral and ethical situations along with a nefarious and manipulative villain, then this is for you!
____
Thank you to OTRPR and Amazon Publishing for my gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Set in the near future, technology has advanced to the point that a virtual world exists called Alegria where millions of people live and work thus escaping reality. In Alegria, people can be whomever they want to and use whatever appearance they choose therefore remaining anonymous. You can even grocery shop in Alegria and a "presenter" will deliver the items to your home. The creator of Alegria, KC, has also been working on perfecting a super artificial general intelligence (AGI) intending to give it human-like cognitive abilities so that it can understand, learn, and apply knowledge to perform any intellectual task a human can. KC is desperately trying to accomplish this by imbuing the AGI, Allen, with his own memories before he dies.
This is a solid hard sci-fi novel with a lot of technical details surrounding the way Alegria functions and the work involved in creating Allen. Told in multiple POVs, we get to see the same events viewed differently to each person, which may or not be the TRUTH of the situation. There's a sense of unease and some stalker-esque vibes but there's also quite a bit of how interpersonal relationships are affected. My interest was held throughout and the ending was quite clever and satisfying!
As translated fiction from Korean to English, some of the phrasing and sentence structures were unusual in the way thoughts and ideas were conveyed, which for me only added to my enjoyment of the tale. There are some truly beautiful passages that are as poetic as they are poignant.
ARTIFICIAL TRUTH is an intriguing tale of hubris and ambition gone awry, what it means to be human, and the consequences of advanced AGI and VR. It reminded me of a blend of the science fiction films 'Surrogates', 'Gamer', and 'Transcendence'. So if you're a fan of intellectual and speculative sci fi with moral and ethical situations along with a nefarious and manipulative villain, then this is for you!
____
Thank you to OTRPR and Amazon Publishing for my gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
November 20, 2025
Too many technical details and boring writing style.
January 22, 2026
A mind-bending, technological thriller.
I was drawn to this story for the philosophical exploration of artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and our reliance of technological advancements.
'I'm not claiming that I'm alive. Just because something can talk like a human, think like a human, and remember like a human doesn't mean it's alive like a human.'
This story was chilling, and I appreciate how it approached grief. This has left me rather terrified for how technology encroaches upon our lives and personhood.
I enjoyed this as an immersive read - listening to the audiobook while following along in the book. I enjoyed the brilliant audiobook narration by Michelle H. Lee, Austin Ku and Zion Jang.
I was drawn to this story for the philosophical exploration of artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and our reliance of technological advancements.
'I'm not claiming that I'm alive. Just because something can talk like a human, think like a human, and remember like a human doesn't mean it's alive like a human.'
This story was chilling, and I appreciate how it approached grief. This has left me rather terrified for how technology encroaches upon our lives and personhood.
I enjoyed this as an immersive read - listening to the audiobook while following along in the book. I enjoyed the brilliant audiobook narration by Michelle H. Lee, Austin Ku and Zion Jang.
December 17, 2025
This story offers a unique take on artificial intelligence. There are four main characters: KC, Minju, Allen, and Junmo. KC is the intelligence behind the AI. He becomes ill and dies, but before his death, he finds a way to create an AI that will continue his legacy. Allen is the name of the AI, and although it was created by KC, it soon develops its own thoughts and reasoning. Minju is KC’s widow, and she eventually falls in love with and marries a man named Junmo. Junmo is a convict who is skilled at what he does, but he struggles with the conflict between good and evil within himself. Suspicion grows between Minju and Junmo, with KC and Allen investigating Junmo’s true motives for marrying Minju. The ending takes an unexpected twist.
I liked the idea of this story and understood KC’s reason for the AI. I also enjoyed Junmo’s backstory and how he ended up with the elites. What felt a little disjointed was how the story came together and the build-up to the twist. I initially thought this would be a story about AI taking over the world or at least destroying some large servers (this idea was based on the book cover not matching the story), but it turned out to be more about relationships and jealousy. I suppose that, too, was another twist.
I liked the idea of this story and understood KC’s reason for the AI. I also enjoyed Junmo’s backstory and how he ended up with the elites. What felt a little disjointed was how the story came together and the build-up to the twist. I initially thought this would be a story about AI taking over the world or at least destroying some large servers (this idea was based on the book cover not matching the story), but it turned out to be more about relationships and jealousy. I suppose that, too, was another twist.
January 10, 2026
Could it be that I'd been contracted to kill my wife by someone who might not even exist? But then it occurred to me that even if he didn't exist in the traditional sense of the word, he had power over me, power over the real world. That was existence enough.
Artificial Truth is Sean Lin Halbert's translation of 안티 사피엔스 by 이정명, who appears normally on GR as Jung-myung Lee, including in Broken Summer )tr. An Seon Jae), Painter of the Wind (tr, Hannah Pang and Stella Kim) and The Boy Who Escaped Paradise and The Investigation (both tr. Chi-Young Kim). But here the publisher has gone, confusingly, for J.M. Lee.
I have to say this novel didn't really work for me - indeed as someone who is almost constantly reading and reads one book at a time, I left it for a day before I had the enthusiasm to finish the last 40-50 pages. For me it was too unfocused and didn't really succeed either as science fiction (where it was not terribly convincing and seemed to be trying to both be around artificial intelligence and about virtual reality) or as a thriller (where the plot is very contrived).
There were some interesting observations though on 이세돌 and Alpha Go which save it from 1 star and round it up to 2.
"Do you remember the Go match between AlphaGo and world champion Lee Sedol? He lost four to one. Some people panicked. They saw it as a sign that we were approaching the singularity. But others found hope in the fact that, with the hand of God, Lee was able to defeat AlphaGo in the fourth match. They called it a triumph for humanity."
"And which group do you belong to?"
"Neither. I was more fascinated by the man sitting across from Lee Sedol, reading AlphaGo's moves on the monitor and placing the stones in accordance. Dr. Aja Huang, a Taiwanese engineer from Google DeepMind and a top-ranking member of the British Go Association. He acted as the hands of the machine for five straight matches, without once taking a restroom break."
Artificial Truth is Sean Lin Halbert's translation of 안티 사피엔스 by 이정명, who appears normally on GR as Jung-myung Lee, including in Broken Summer )tr. An Seon Jae), Painter of the Wind (tr, Hannah Pang and Stella Kim) and The Boy Who Escaped Paradise and The Investigation (both tr. Chi-Young Kim). But here the publisher has gone, confusingly, for J.M. Lee.
I have to say this novel didn't really work for me - indeed as someone who is almost constantly reading and reads one book at a time, I left it for a day before I had the enthusiasm to finish the last 40-50 pages. For me it was too unfocused and didn't really succeed either as science fiction (where it was not terribly convincing and seemed to be trying to both be around artificial intelligence and about virtual reality) or as a thriller (where the plot is very contrived).
There were some interesting observations though on 이세돌 and Alpha Go which save it from 1 star and round it up to 2.
"Do you remember the Go match between AlphaGo and world champion Lee Sedol? He lost four to one. Some people panicked. They saw it as a sign that we were approaching the singularity. But others found hope in the fact that, with the hand of God, Lee was able to defeat AlphaGo in the fourth match. They called it a triumph for humanity."
"And which group do you belong to?"
"Neither. I was more fascinated by the man sitting across from Lee Sedol, reading AlphaGo's moves on the monitor and placing the stones in accordance. Dr. Aja Huang, a Taiwanese engineer from Google DeepMind and a top-ranking member of the British Go Association. He acted as the hands of the machine for five straight matches, without once taking a restroom break."
November 20, 2025
Wild Ride
Sci-fi at its finest. Captivating from beginning to end. If you liked Hal from 2001 A Space Odyssey - you are going to be fascinated by Allen. Great characters told from multiple pov's along with a masterful story. This is a book not to be missed!
Sci-fi at its finest. Captivating from beginning to end. If you liked Hal from 2001 A Space Odyssey - you are going to be fascinated by Allen. Great characters told from multiple pov's along with a masterful story. This is a book not to be missed!
December 24, 2025
Interesting concept, like a Black Mirror episode. A very wealthy loner dives deep into AI, the singularity, and neural linking. When he dies, we (and his wife) wonder what is him vs his uploaded alter ego. Mysterious things happen, but in a slow and deliberate fashion. This story could be very exciting in the hands of a writer like @JJAbrams or @BlakeCrouch. The audiobook has a slow and deliberate pace which helps to build tension, but it maintains its even keel regardless of the POV or narrator. To win over a broad American audience, in my opinion, it needs more action. It was interesting nonetheless.
My thanks to the author, publisher, @BrillianceAudio, and #NetGalley for access to the audiobook of #ArtificialTruth for review purposes. It is now available.
My thanks to the author, publisher, @BrillianceAudio, and #NetGalley for access to the audiobook of #ArtificialTruth for review purposes. It is now available.
November 19, 2025
This was probably not the book for me. There were moments I was intrigued, but for the most part I was bored and confused by the back and forth of the storyline. There wasn't much character development so I didn't really feel for anyone in this book.
January 2, 2026
Artificial Truth by J M Lee is a psychological thriller about AI, a Ready Player One type virtual world, and a woman who is being haunted by her deceased husband… Or is she?
Minju, a widow, is remarried to Junmo, but strange things are going on which lead her to believe her first husband may possibly still be alive.
KC, Minju’s first husband, a tech genius invented the virtual city of Alegria, and artificial intelligence is key.
If you enjoy thrillers, science fiction, and AI stories, then you may enjoy Artificial Truth.
To be honest, I didn’t like the writing style and found the story burdensome to follow. It just wasn’t my cup of tea. I usually enjoy science fiction, but I hated all of the characters and the science dump. I went into this one hoping to love it, but it really fell flat for me.
*Thank you to Amazon Publishing and to OTRPR for the gifted copy.*
Minju, a widow, is remarried to Junmo, but strange things are going on which lead her to believe her first husband may possibly still be alive.
KC, Minju’s first husband, a tech genius invented the virtual city of Alegria, and artificial intelligence is key.
If you enjoy thrillers, science fiction, and AI stories, then you may enjoy Artificial Truth.
To be honest, I didn’t like the writing style and found the story burdensome to follow. It just wasn’t my cup of tea. I usually enjoy science fiction, but I hated all of the characters and the science dump. I went into this one hoping to love it, but it really fell flat for me.
*Thank you to Amazon Publishing and to OTRPR for the gifted copy.*
November 13, 2025
3.5/5 ⭐️ I really enjoyed the concept of this book! Shows us a dystopia that we might be heading into pretty soon and acts as a sort of PSA. I thought the way AI was used was pretty realistic, it felt like one big Black Mirror episode. I will say, I wish they built the relationship between Munji and her second husband better because I wasn’t really interested in them. I wish we had seen more sweet moments between them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 6, 2025
A Glimpse into our Future?
AI...it's exciting and scary
I thought this book was well written and engaging throughout.
It was thought provoking and still entertaining.
AI...it's exciting and scary
I thought this book was well written and engaging throughout.
It was thought provoking and still entertaining.
November 18, 2025
DNF at 80%. Doesn’t really get going until well over halfway through; before that it’s mostly telling and not showing. Repetitive. The characters are inconsistent and unengaging. There are chapters that could have been two sentences. It wants to be Neuromancer but its ideas are too tired to effectively build a world. It’s unrealistic today that people would be “stunned” by the idea of creating an independent AI from somebody’s brain. It feels like a clunky translation of an uninspired story that’s been done in many, much better, ways. I really need to stop getting Amazon First Reads.
January 17, 2026
Read for the Korean Literature Book Club - January 2026.
I haven’t read too many novels about AI because I feel like they all culminate in AI = bad; that also happens here, haha, but it does touch on a couple interesting topics.
AI here serves more as a vehicle for the plot rather than being the plot itself, in a novel that really seems to be about human mortality and what constitutes as a soul as a wife and husband struggle to deal with a terminal illness diagnosis.
A couple interesting points that are brought up include the digital footprint we have and just how much people can learn about us online without ever having met us. It takes it even a step further by showing us how the algorithm we build through our searches can be curated to manipulate us in frightening ways. These are issues we’re already experiencing today, but the novel tackles them head on and shows us the extremes they can lead to.
Writing this story as a thriller was an interesting choice that surprisingly worked to tie these two dissimilar topics together (terminal illness and human mortality with our online presence and emergence of AI.)
My biggest hang-ups were
1) there’s a virtual reality world that the characters meet in several times at important plot points that’s barely expounded upon.
And 2) there’s ending was painfully cliché.
Overall though this was a pleasant surprise.
I haven’t read too many novels about AI because I feel like they all culminate in AI = bad; that also happens here, haha, but it does touch on a couple interesting topics.
AI here serves more as a vehicle for the plot rather than being the plot itself, in a novel that really seems to be about human mortality and what constitutes as a soul as a wife and husband struggle to deal with a terminal illness diagnosis.
A couple interesting points that are brought up include the digital footprint we have and just how much people can learn about us online without ever having met us. It takes it even a step further by showing us how the algorithm we build through our searches can be curated to manipulate us in frightening ways. These are issues we’re already experiencing today, but the novel tackles them head on and shows us the extremes they can lead to.
Writing this story as a thriller was an interesting choice that surprisingly worked to tie these two dissimilar topics together (terminal illness and human mortality with our online presence and emergence of AI.)
My biggest hang-ups were
1) there’s a virtual reality world that the characters meet in several times at important plot points that’s barely expounded upon.
And 2) there’s ending was painfully cliché.
Overall though this was a pleasant surprise.
December 18, 2025
#ad much love for my advance copy @amazonpublishing @otrpr #partner
🅰🆁🆃🅸🅵🅸🅲🅸🅰🅻 🆃🆁🆄🆃🅷
< @
ᴀᴠᴀɪʟᴀʙʟᴇ ᴠɪᴀ ᴋᴜ ᴀꜱ ᴀ ʀᴇᴀᴅ/ʟɪꜱᴛᴇɴ ɴᴏᴡ
★ ★ ★ ★
“𝙸𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚒𝚜 𝚊 𝚐𝚒𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚖𝚊𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚒𝚐𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚋𝚢 𝙶𝚘𝚍 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚢 𝚒𝚜 𝚊 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚐𝚛𝚊𝚖 𝚠𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚗 𝚒𝚗 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚞𝚊𝚐𝚎, 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚠𝚎 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚋𝚎 𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚊 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚏𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚗𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚒𝚝,” (p. 109).
KC decides not to pursue cancer treatment. Either way, he’s losing time - time spent sick and still dying, or time feeling relatively okay and dying anyway. He has things he wants to do before the end, so he chooses no treatment and pours everything he has left into his AI project.
He loves his wife fiercely and believes that not even death could ever separate them. Their bond feels unbreakable and he will find a way to never part from her.
Six years after KC’s death, his widow crosses paths with someone who looks like him, sounds like him, and behaves exactly the way he did. Is it possible that this is KC? And if so… how? Why now? And what does that mean for her life - especially since she’s remarried?
I really loved the technical side of this story. The near-future take on AI, consciousness, and preserved memory is fascinating, and that’s always a plus for me. This one definitely made me think.
That said, it’s a complex, layered book and there were parts where the pacing was a little slow. The audiobook helped a lot, though, and I’d absolutely recommend listening to it. The story is atmospheric and philosophical which I loved, but I can see some readers struggling with it - there’s a lot of technical detail.
This would make an excellent book club pick. There’s so much here to dissect and discuss.
🅰🆁🆃🅸🅵🅸🅲🅸🅰🅻 🆃🆁🆄🆃🅷
< @
ᴀᴠᴀɪʟᴀʙʟᴇ ᴠɪᴀ ᴋᴜ ᴀꜱ ᴀ ʀᴇᴀᴅ/ʟɪꜱᴛᴇɴ ɴᴏᴡ
★ ★ ★ ★
“𝙸𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚒𝚜 𝚊 𝚐𝚒𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚖𝚊𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚒𝚐𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚋𝚢 𝙶𝚘𝚍 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚢 𝚒𝚜 𝚊 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚐𝚛𝚊𝚖 𝚠𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚗 𝚒𝚗 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚞𝚊𝚐𝚎, 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚠𝚎 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚋𝚎 𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚊 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚏𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚗𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚒𝚝,” (p. 109).
KC decides not to pursue cancer treatment. Either way, he’s losing time - time spent sick and still dying, or time feeling relatively okay and dying anyway. He has things he wants to do before the end, so he chooses no treatment and pours everything he has left into his AI project.
He loves his wife fiercely and believes that not even death could ever separate them. Their bond feels unbreakable and he will find a way to never part from her.
Six years after KC’s death, his widow crosses paths with someone who looks like him, sounds like him, and behaves exactly the way he did. Is it possible that this is KC? And if so… how? Why now? And what does that mean for her life - especially since she’s remarried?
I really loved the technical side of this story. The near-future take on AI, consciousness, and preserved memory is fascinating, and that’s always a plus for me. This one definitely made me think.
That said, it’s a complex, layered book and there were parts where the pacing was a little slow. The audiobook helped a lot, though, and I’d absolutely recommend listening to it. The story is atmospheric and philosophical which I loved, but I can see some readers struggling with it - there’s a lot of technical detail.
This would make an excellent book club pick. There’s so much here to dissect and discuss.
December 6, 2025
Even though I finished this book a few days ago, I'm still thinking about it. A.I. driven plot with twists and turns. A wild ride set in the future that was captivating from beginning to end. Not my normal genre but I loved the writing style.
dnf
February 1, 2026dnf at 26%
AI is so boring as a topic to me already, and this didn't pick up at all after getting through a quarter of the book..
I enjoyed the first chapter the most, with how AI has essentially infiltrated all parts of life (the judiciary system in this case, the rest really wasn't elaborated on lmao) and foreshadowing how it might be reality in the future, but the world building and characters just didn't jive with me at all past that
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"[...] Why do I have to prove my innocence if I haven't been accused of anything?"
"That's not for me to decide. That's AI's job. And if the AI program comes back saying we need to do more questioning, that's what we'll do."
AI is so boring as a topic to me already, and this didn't pick up at all after getting through a quarter of the book..
I enjoyed the first chapter the most, with how AI has essentially infiltrated all parts of life (the judiciary system in this case, the rest really wasn't elaborated on lmao) and foreshadowing how it might be reality in the future, but the world building and characters just didn't jive with me at all past that
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"[...] Why do I have to prove my innocence if I haven't been accused of anything?"
"That's not for me to decide. That's AI's job. And if the AI program comes back saying we need to do more questioning, that's what we'll do."
November 17, 2025
I’m assuming this book was less selected as an Amazon First Read because people are reluctant to read translated works. Having had mediocre such reads from Amazon before, I can heartily endorse giving Artificial Truth a try for anyone who enjoys light Sci Fi and/or more contemplative novels.
If you have ever pondered what AI might do to human relationships, you may enjoy this novel. You don’t need to be interested in the author’s native culture to enjoy the story.
Artificial Truth is a fairly short novel, and I finished it in just a few days, extending my usual evening reading time by a bit and adding morning sessions because I wanted to know what happened next. I felt compelled to keep going with this one!
The tone is more suspenseful and human-/emotion-centered than “tech-y” or dry. The book is set in a near-future that feels familiar and easy to imagine. The chapters alternating different points of view works here. If the premise even remotely intrigues you, I highly recommend you read Artificial Truth.
If you have ever pondered what AI might do to human relationships, you may enjoy this novel. You don’t need to be interested in the author’s native culture to enjoy the story.
Artificial Truth is a fairly short novel, and I finished it in just a few days, extending my usual evening reading time by a bit and adding morning sessions because I wanted to know what happened next. I felt compelled to keep going with this one!
The tone is more suspenseful and human-/emotion-centered than “tech-y” or dry. The book is set in a near-future that feels familiar and easy to imagine. The chapters alternating different points of view works here. If the premise even remotely intrigues you, I highly recommend you read Artificial Truth.
December 14, 2025
*DNF* at 52%
Like other reviewers I didn't warm to this book, the style of writing, the story or the characters. My biggest gripe was that each chapter felt like diary entries. Full of individuals who told you what was happening in a series of flashbacks rather than showing us what was happening.
There was also too much descriptive text - and long pseudo-scientific details on the concepts of AI and robotics.
Whilst I initially wanted to know where the story would lead - each chapter, which narrated by a different character; it was hard to know who was speaking. As every character felt similar to one another. Thereby making it exceedingly difficult to care about any of the characters.
My major issue with the writing style - was that it felt like none of the characters had any personality other than being passive (the lead female MinJu was so passive, their was barely any point to her as a character), Minju in particular was boring, added nothing to the plot and barely contained any interest.
Overall, the concept was fantastic - but the writing really let it down, and I gave up caring about how the story ended.
Like other reviewers I didn't warm to this book, the style of writing, the story or the characters. My biggest gripe was that each chapter felt like diary entries. Full of individuals who told you what was happening in a series of flashbacks rather than showing us what was happening.
There was also too much descriptive text - and long pseudo-scientific details on the concepts of AI and robotics.
Whilst I initially wanted to know where the story would lead - each chapter, which narrated by a different character; it was hard to know who was speaking. As every character felt similar to one another. Thereby making it exceedingly difficult to care about any of the characters.
My major issue with the writing style - was that it felt like none of the characters had any personality other than being passive (the lead female MinJu was so passive, their was barely any point to her as a character), Minju in particular was boring, added nothing to the plot and barely contained any interest.
Overall, the concept was fantastic - but the writing really let it down, and I gave up caring about how the story ended.
December 16, 2025
This started of a little slow and confusing. BUT the way it came together was fantastic. Oh what a creepy look into the future and how ai might evolve down the road. Truly is horrifying. Based in Korea, mostly in Seoul. No spice, just straight up mind blowing science/fiction. But probably soon to be reality of we keep going the same direction. I got confused at couple times thinking there were plot holes but it gets "filled in" later on.
Grabbed this off Kindle FirstReads free for November and it turned out to be a good choice. I thought it was gonna be more about virtual reality. It was so much more. I dont like ai and this takes it to a whole different level. 💀 This may be what our future looks like. I liked this enough to keep reading cause I wanted to know what happened and I am glad I stuck with it.
Grabbed this off Kindle FirstReads free for November and it turned out to be a good choice. I thought it was gonna be more about virtual reality. It was so much more. I dont like ai and this takes it to a whole different level. 💀 This may be what our future looks like. I liked this enough to keep reading cause I wanted to know what happened and I am glad I stuck with it.
November 22, 2025
Great Premise. Not So Well Executed
The idea of machines taking over the world isn't new, but with the rise and commit use of artificial intelligence, it's a more relevant storyline. Writer J.M. Lee uses his book Artificial Truth to warn of the dangers of relying on and connecting to AI. A computer engineer and programmer invents a way to combine the human brain with nano-computers, giving the brain unlimited access to knowledge, speed of processing, and instant recall. With every thought and memory stored as data, he toys with the idea that it would be his very preserved. Diagnosed with terminal cancer, he risks carrying out his experiment on himself and succeeds. Or does he? Is it him or the AI platform that is trying to connect with his widowed wife? Great story, but Lee misses the mark with his novel. It's awkward, uneven, and has long boring sections. Exciting action written in a couple of paragraphs is separated by pages of unnecessary detail. The story goes back and forth in time. The first person perspective is switched every paragraph. Important aspects of the story and left out completely, making it seem confusing, then later alluded to. It's just... no.
The idea of machines taking over the world isn't new, but with the rise and commit use of artificial intelligence, it's a more relevant storyline. Writer J.M. Lee uses his book Artificial Truth to warn of the dangers of relying on and connecting to AI. A computer engineer and programmer invents a way to combine the human brain with nano-computers, giving the brain unlimited access to knowledge, speed of processing, and instant recall. With every thought and memory stored as data, he toys with the idea that it would be his very preserved. Diagnosed with terminal cancer, he risks carrying out his experiment on himself and succeeds. Or does he? Is it him or the AI platform that is trying to connect with his widowed wife? Great story, but Lee misses the mark with his novel. It's awkward, uneven, and has long boring sections. Exciting action written in a couple of paragraphs is separated by pages of unnecessary detail. The story goes back and forth in time. The first person perspective is switched every paragraph. Important aspects of the story and left out completely, making it seem confusing, then later alluded to. It's just... no.
Read
December 23, 2025Started out as a fascinating story of the creator of a virtual world and his wife. When he dies, she remarries, but he seems to still be part of her life. At the end, things kind of fell apart for me.
February 6, 2026
cannot believe i finished this
November 27, 2025
DNF @ 30%
January 7, 2026
2.5 ⭐️ a book on AI taking over someone’s conscious after they have died, not sure this one.
November 12, 2025
We will live in a society
December 3, 2025
In light of recent advances in AI, this novel reflects the possibility of where our world is headed in the near future.
This novel shifts points of view from KC to Minju to Junmo, and even to Allen. It was intriguing to see where each chapter went and how it added to the storyline. There were times when I thought I knew where the story was headed, only to have a new viewpoint introduced that changed everything I had believed until then.
KC is a genius and manages to create AI that can evolve and think for itself. How does he do this? By ignoring protocols and using his brain to map the processes to teach AI logic and reasoning. Sure, he is dying, but was this a wise move? It is hard to say, but more details are laid out later in the book, which turns logic on its head.
Junmo is a convict, but is drawn into a situation that is not of his making. I don't want to spoil the details, but it added a new layer to the story when his truth was revealed.
Minju and KC had an interesting relationship. I do not doubt that they were meant for each other, but his treatment of her at the end of his life wasn't deserving. However, we know that many of his actions were tied to the nanobots running around his body.
This book is full of technical details, which is to be expected when discussing virtual reality and the advancement of AI. I found it to be intriguing, and I might have learned a thing or two.
This story was intriguing, complex, and suspenseful. I couldn't believe the twists that the author took us on with each new chapter.
If you enjoy sci-fi and futuristic novels, this might be one that you will enjoy.
We give it 5 paws up.
This novel shifts points of view from KC to Minju to Junmo, and even to Allen. It was intriguing to see where each chapter went and how it added to the storyline. There were times when I thought I knew where the story was headed, only to have a new viewpoint introduced that changed everything I had believed until then.
KC is a genius and manages to create AI that can evolve and think for itself. How does he do this? By ignoring protocols and using his brain to map the processes to teach AI logic and reasoning. Sure, he is dying, but was this a wise move? It is hard to say, but more details are laid out later in the book, which turns logic on its head.
Junmo is a convict, but is drawn into a situation that is not of his making. I don't want to spoil the details, but it added a new layer to the story when his truth was revealed.
Minju and KC had an interesting relationship. I do not doubt that they were meant for each other, but his treatment of her at the end of his life wasn't deserving. However, we know that many of his actions were tied to the nanobots running around his body.
This book is full of technical details, which is to be expected when discussing virtual reality and the advancement of AI. I found it to be intriguing, and I might have learned a thing or two.
This story was intriguing, complex, and suspenseful. I couldn't believe the twists that the author took us on with each new chapter.
If you enjoy sci-fi and futuristic novels, this might be one that you will enjoy.
We give it 5 paws up.
December 13, 2025
Linda’s Book Obsession Reviews “Artificial Truth” by J.M. Lee, Amazon Crossing, December 1, 2025
J. M. Lee, the Author of “Artificial Truth” has written a terrifying, frightening, and thought-provoking novel. This is an eye opener, shockingly horrifying, and kept me on the edge of my seat. This is a deep, complicated well written and well told story. The Genres for this translated Korean novel are : Crime and Mystery, Science Fiction, Techno-Thrillers, Speculative, Dystopian, Artificial Intelligence, Psychological Thriller and Horror. The Author asks, “what does it mean to be human?” "What are the ramifications of Artificial Intelligence and Impact on Humanity?” “Can one survive Death?"
The author vividly describes the environment and complex, complicated, dark and evil characters. The concept of good and evil are brought into this book. What “powers” can a human being give to “Artificial Intelligence? This is a mind boggling, suspenseful, edgy, twisted novel with betrayals, surprises, dangers and possibly death.I am still rattled after reading this book. There are so many questions with “What If???”. In Alegria, a city where fantasies are real, Genius KC Kim had created a form of intelligence called “Allen”, before he died of pancreatic cancer. Allen has KC’s memories, and morale code, and thus survives with a “mental” part of “KC”. Minju, KC’s widow remarries a photographer, Junmo. I give you a warning, there are dark secrets.
Minju starts to have strange experiences, and believes she has even seen the “dead” KC. She is terrified that KC is stalking her. Can you imagine a world where Artificial Intelligence can take over and rule? How and what can Minju do to protect herself? I highly recommend this intriguing, suspenseful and captivating novel. I am still left thinking about this book.
December 18, 2025
Artificial Truth by J.M. Lee is a high-concept sci-fi thriller centered on artificial intelligence that, despite not fully working for me stylistically, still kept me interested because of its concept. I didn’t fly through this one in the same way I do with other sci-fi and thriller books, but I was engaged enough to want to see how everything came together by the end.
The concept and storyline are the book’s strongest points. I genuinely enjoyed the premise and the way it made me think about AI and its potential implications for our world. The story unfolds across different timelines from multiple POVs. While the ending was fairly predictable, as a seasoned thriller reader, I did appreciate how the author tied all the threads together in a cohesive way.
Where the book lacked for me was in its execution. The story is largely told in a diary-like format, which results in a lot of telling rather than showing. Much of the narrative basically reads as explanations of what happened instead of allowing the reader to experience events as they unfold. I understand the stylistic choice, but it wasn’t one I personally enjoyed, and it made it harder to feel immersed in the story.
That said, I kept thinking that if this were adapted into a movie, I would probably love it. The ideas, pacing of reveals, and overall concept felt very cinematic, even if the execution on the page didn’t quite land for me.
Overall, while the writing style wasn’t to my personal taste, I did like the concept and appreciated how much it made me think about the current topic of AI. If you’re looking for a unique thriller and don’t mind a more tell-heavy narrative style, this might be worth checking out.
Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book was read as an audiobook and all opinions are completely my own.
The concept and storyline are the book’s strongest points. I genuinely enjoyed the premise and the way it made me think about AI and its potential implications for our world. The story unfolds across different timelines from multiple POVs. While the ending was fairly predictable, as a seasoned thriller reader, I did appreciate how the author tied all the threads together in a cohesive way.
Where the book lacked for me was in its execution. The story is largely told in a diary-like format, which results in a lot of telling rather than showing. Much of the narrative basically reads as explanations of what happened instead of allowing the reader to experience events as they unfold. I understand the stylistic choice, but it wasn’t one I personally enjoyed, and it made it harder to feel immersed in the story.
That said, I kept thinking that if this were adapted into a movie, I would probably love it. The ideas, pacing of reveals, and overall concept felt very cinematic, even if the execution on the page didn’t quite land for me.
Overall, while the writing style wasn’t to my personal taste, I did like the concept and appreciated how much it made me think about the current topic of AI. If you’re looking for a unique thriller and don’t mind a more tell-heavy narrative style, this might be worth checking out.
Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book was read as an audiobook and all opinions are completely my own.
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