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The Eliza Test
Eliza is just a prototype, but she’s a modern marvel.
The scientists who developed her have revolutionized AI robotics and established their project in the annals of history. With standard bodily functions, a self-developing conscience, and programmable with any existing mental disorder, she could be the perfect specimen for budding psychologists to train on without risk to flesh-and-blood, human patients.
When Eliza is uploaded with a disorder sometimes mistaken for demonic possession, she begins to show frightening evidence of a dark entity within. As the ‘demon’ takes hold of their prize subject, the project group is left with a Wipe all data from Eliza and start again. Or continue the project and see how deep their technological rabbit hole goes.
But is the illness taking over Eliza’s consciousness really just a disorder? Or have the scientists unwittingly unleashed a presence that has been lying in wait?
The scientists who developed her have revolutionized AI robotics and established their project in the annals of history. With standard bodily functions, a self-developing conscience, and programmable with any existing mental disorder, she could be the perfect specimen for budding psychologists to train on without risk to flesh-and-blood, human patients.
When Eliza is uploaded with a disorder sometimes mistaken for demonic possession, she begins to show frightening evidence of a dark entity within. As the ‘demon’ takes hold of their prize subject, the project group is left with a Wipe all data from Eliza and start again. Or continue the project and see how deep their technological rabbit hole goes.
But is the illness taking over Eliza’s consciousness really just a disorder? Or have the scientists unwittingly unleashed a presence that has been lying in wait?
320 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 8, 2025
3 people are currently reading
30 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
July 1, 2025
Excellent read, still thinking about it hours after I put it down. The play on humanity and the minds belief system is thought provoking, yet chilling. Fast, engaging, entertaining and one of the best reads of the year. Well done! Thank you for the escape.
June 25, 2025
This book was everything I wanted to to be, and somethings I did not expect.
I am late on posting the review, I was too busy telling everyone how extremely insane it was, and forgot oh, need to actually post the review.
I love religious horror and I have a sick thing for tech horror, so what do we get when those are combined?
Chaos AND Eliza..
Such a simple idea that sounds great, right ?
Just a really cool piece of tech created to help test out mental health pros and help them handle their jobs and clients better, how could that not be amazing?
But what happens when things don't go as planned and your little project is not just working, but working too well, and create an AI, that might just be a cough in the machine, or just a series of bad wiring and electrical impulses?
When Eliza, the AI created, starts to show signs of mental illness, that's crazy right? NO way a robot, can feel, much less have an illness ( side-eying Blaine the Mono here ha)
Eliza is aware, or she's just a perfect representation of her creation, but isn't that what everyone is anyway..
So what do you do when you aren't sure, but know you need to at least figure something out for your mentally ill, possibly possessed AI experiment? You call a priest of course!
But you don't really need a priest that's ready for a religious war, you just need one with the information and to be able to pass Eliza's scrutiny so this can be fixed.
Again, simple.
But things aren't as they seem, is this just a technical hiccup and can be ironed out, or is this the first sign, that maybe man cannot and shouldn't be blindly tinkering with things they do not fully understand.
This had everything, possible mentally Ill AI, possible possession, fallen priests, religious horror, science and my top horror option the pride of man.
This is one of the best books I have read this year, you need to check this out .
I am late on posting the review, I was too busy telling everyone how extremely insane it was, and forgot oh, need to actually post the review.
I love religious horror and I have a sick thing for tech horror, so what do we get when those are combined?
Chaos AND Eliza..
Such a simple idea that sounds great, right ?
Just a really cool piece of tech created to help test out mental health pros and help them handle their jobs and clients better, how could that not be amazing?
But what happens when things don't go as planned and your little project is not just working, but working too well, and create an AI, that might just be a cough in the machine, or just a series of bad wiring and electrical impulses?
When Eliza, the AI created, starts to show signs of mental illness, that's crazy right? NO way a robot, can feel, much less have an illness ( side-eying Blaine the Mono here ha)
Eliza is aware, or she's just a perfect representation of her creation, but isn't that what everyone is anyway..
So what do you do when you aren't sure, but know you need to at least figure something out for your mentally ill, possibly possessed AI experiment? You call a priest of course!
But you don't really need a priest that's ready for a religious war, you just need one with the information and to be able to pass Eliza's scrutiny so this can be fixed.
Again, simple.
But things aren't as they seem, is this just a technical hiccup and can be ironed out, or is this the first sign, that maybe man cannot and shouldn't be blindly tinkering with things they do not fully understand.
This had everything, possible mentally Ill AI, possible possession, fallen priests, religious horror, science and my top horror option the pride of man.
This is one of the best books I have read this year, you need to check this out .
June 27, 2025
When I sat down to read Caleb Jones’ latest novel, The Eliza Test, I had high expectations. His previous novel, Red Hill Paradise, was my favorite book of 2024. The premises of these two books, however, couldn’t be more different, and I was curious to see how he could tackle such a shift in subject material.
I’ll just say right now, I was not disappointed. The Eliza Test follows a group of scientists who have created an android with unparalleled AI in an attempt to create a brand new way of tackling psychology. The group created a machine, the first of its kind, to be able to perfectly replicate the human condition, specifically to provide a resource to train incoming generations of psychologists with “real life” test cases. Everythings goes smoothly until they load up the android, named Eliza, with borderline personality disorder. From there, things go wrong in ways I wouldn’t dare spoil here.
This book had me on the edge of my seat the entire way through. Jones knows not only how to establish a near-future world in which an entity like Eliza exists, but he is able to dig into it from all angles, showing how deeply he’s thought all of this out. The book doesn’t just raise questions about the ethics of AI in the scientific community, but extends to philosophy and religion in ways that feel reminiscent of a Michael Crichton book. He draws you in so that you want to know everything about this project, and the many questions that spring from it.
The characters all feel unique, and bring their own perspective to the experiment, and the story moves at a pace that keeps you always wanting to read just one more chapter. At this point, I’m all in on anything Caleb Jones writes.
I’ll just say right now, I was not disappointed. The Eliza Test follows a group of scientists who have created an android with unparalleled AI in an attempt to create a brand new way of tackling psychology. The group created a machine, the first of its kind, to be able to perfectly replicate the human condition, specifically to provide a resource to train incoming generations of psychologists with “real life” test cases. Everythings goes smoothly until they load up the android, named Eliza, with borderline personality disorder. From there, things go wrong in ways I wouldn’t dare spoil here.
This book had me on the edge of my seat the entire way through. Jones knows not only how to establish a near-future world in which an entity like Eliza exists, but he is able to dig into it from all angles, showing how deeply he’s thought all of this out. The book doesn’t just raise questions about the ethics of AI in the scientific community, but extends to philosophy and religion in ways that feel reminiscent of a Michael Crichton book. He draws you in so that you want to know everything about this project, and the many questions that spring from it.
The characters all feel unique, and bring their own perspective to the experiment, and the story moves at a pace that keeps you always wanting to read just one more chapter. At this point, I’m all in on anything Caleb Jones writes.
August 14, 2025
Eliza is created to make the world a better place by allowing psychologists to practice skills without using real humans as test subjects. It weirdly reminded me of the creators of Juul vape pens who pushed a product too fast to the market in an effort to make smoking safer, really seeming to have the right moral mission, but missed a few safety checks along the way. I was rooting for the Eliza team because of how game changing the product would be and how much good it could do. I like how the script is flipped from how our current AI is acting like a therapist to people to AI playing the patient in the Eliza Test.
Just as I was beginning to think the ending was cliche, the author threw in a massive twist that never in a million years did I see coming. I would love that twist to turn into a second book as I wanted to deep dive into that storyline.
Just as I was beginning to think the ending was cliche, the author threw in a massive twist that never in a million years did I see coming. I would love that twist to turn into a second book as I wanted to deep dive into that storyline.
October 14, 2025
This book RULES. Every time I tell someone about this premise they say the exact thing I said when I first heard what it was about: that's genius. And horrifying.
Eliza is an AI robot who is given metal illness after mental illness (obviously having her memory wiped before receiving a new one) and is treated by psychiatrists and doctors so they can figure out the best way to treat said mental illness. It's such a brilliant concept and something so plausible for the future. And as you could assume, things don't go according to plan.
This is arguably Jones' best book and delivers on every level. It's fantastic.
Eliza is an AI robot who is given metal illness after mental illness (obviously having her memory wiped before receiving a new one) and is treated by psychiatrists and doctors so they can figure out the best way to treat said mental illness. It's such a brilliant concept and something so plausible for the future. And as you could assume, things don't go according to plan.
This is arguably Jones' best book and delivers on every level. It's fantastic.
June 20, 2025
Thank you to the author for providing a review copy.
I'm not a big fan of AI. I find the implications worrying as it is, but a mentally ill AI, that may or may not be possessed? No thank you. There are quite a very genuinely creepy moments in the book, and parts of it read like a fever dream. Caleb Jones is fast becoming one of my go-to authors, as he consistently puts out interesting twists on old tropes. I was able to guess where the story was going sometimes, but that didn't affect my enjoyment of it. 4.25 stars
I'm not a big fan of AI. I find the implications worrying as it is, but a mentally ill AI, that may or may not be possessed? No thank you. There are quite a very genuinely creepy moments in the book, and parts of it read like a fever dream. Caleb Jones is fast becoming one of my go-to authors, as he consistently puts out interesting twists on old tropes. I was able to guess where the story was going sometimes, but that didn't affect my enjoyment of it. 4.25 stars
July 7, 2025
Holy shit. This book.
I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for a review and I think it’s one of the easiest reviews I’ve done in a while.
The premise of this book is SO unique. The behavioral scientist in me is very intrigued by this approach to teaching mental health workers, using AI and Cyborgs. But also it’s terrifying in and of itself. Borderline personality disorder is terrifying in and of itself. Honestly the least terrifying part of the plot was the demons.
Very well written and I will absolutely be recommending this book to others.
I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for a review and I think it’s one of the easiest reviews I’ve done in a while.
The premise of this book is SO unique. The behavioral scientist in me is very intrigued by this approach to teaching mental health workers, using AI and Cyborgs. But also it’s terrifying in and of itself. Borderline personality disorder is terrifying in and of itself. Honestly the least terrifying part of the plot was the demons.
Very well written and I will absolutely be recommending this book to others.
June 18, 2025
The Eliza Test by Caleb Jones kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading it. From the premise to the execution, Caleb has written another phenomenal and terrifying book.
Eliza, an AI being used to help learn how to treat patients with mental disorders is programmed with BPD. She soon begins displaying signs that something more supernatural may be happening to her. After the team of scientists recruit a priest to aid their research, things go from weird to terrible in an instant.
Caleb delivers on the suspense, the visceral imagery, and packs the book full of social commentary. In a world that continues to turn to technology as if it is a religion or even the savior of mankind, Caleb puts on full display how deadly the consequences of meddling with forces greater than ourselves can be. I squirmed and gasped and was genuinely uncomfortable multiple times while reading this one. By far one of the best books of the year.
Eliza, an AI being used to help learn how to treat patients with mental disorders is programmed with BPD. She soon begins displaying signs that something more supernatural may be happening to her. After the team of scientists recruit a priest to aid their research, things go from weird to terrible in an instant.
Caleb delivers on the suspense, the visceral imagery, and packs the book full of social commentary. In a world that continues to turn to technology as if it is a religion or even the savior of mankind, Caleb puts on full display how deadly the consequences of meddling with forces greater than ourselves can be. I squirmed and gasped and was genuinely uncomfortable multiple times while reading this one. By far one of the best books of the year.
July 1, 2025
This is Caleb’s best work to date, and it’s good. Really good. The only time I could put it down was when I was reading alone at night and it was too scary.
August 7, 2025
This book is the perfect blend of The Exorcist and The Terminator. What if an AI was created that was so realistic it became possessed by a demon? I can’t recommend this book enough. It’s easily one of my top reads of the year.
June 15, 2025
This is my second read by Caleb Jones and he’s definitely an author to watch. I’ll be keeping an eye out for his future releases because his books are both strange and well written. In The Eliza Test we follow a small group of specialists who have invented a human-robot hybrid. This advanced AI is named Eliza and she is to be used as a tool for mental health professionals to train. While testing a personality disorder Eliza really takes things up a notch and from there it’s a fairly dark decline. There is plenty of commentary of consciousness, religion and science which intersect for a great read.
This is a book I was excited to read and struggled to put it down. The pacing is consistent and the imagery is vivid. Jones gives us a preview of in the prologue so it was a nice process knowing where this was headed, but also getting to the process.
This book is set a few years in the future and is easily something that could really come to be. More people are turning to AI companionship now due to the ease of creating your “perfect” partner. But the true beauty of love is in those tiny moments of discourse that helps each individual grow rather than just tweaking any detail they don’t like. I would have loved some more characterization with some of the staff but Father Harrow felt very dimensional. If you vibe horror books with that sci fi element mixed in I would highly recommend The Eliza Test.
This is a book I was excited to read and struggled to put it down. The pacing is consistent and the imagery is vivid. Jones gives us a preview of in the prologue so it was a nice process knowing where this was headed, but also getting to the process.
This book is set a few years in the future and is easily something that could really come to be. More people are turning to AI companionship now due to the ease of creating your “perfect” partner. But the true beauty of love is in those tiny moments of discourse that helps each individual grow rather than just tweaking any detail they don’t like. I would have loved some more characterization with some of the staff but Father Harrow felt very dimensional. If you vibe horror books with that sci fi element mixed in I would highly recommend The Eliza Test.
June 15, 2025
Eliza is an AI android, designed to be able to display symptoms of any mental health conditions, with the goal of accelerating diagnosis and treatment. As tests near completion and her creator is looking at unveiling her, Eliza begins to display signs that she is—or thinks she is—possessed by a demon. The scientists bring in a priest to carry out exorcism rituals in an attempt to treat her. However, he seems to be the only one asking if a creation without a soul could still be used by a malevolent presence.
The Eliza Test, set in the near future of 2027, is a cautionary tale combining both religious and techno-horror in a unique package—there is as much of Ex Machina here as there is of The Exorcist. There are a lot of interesting philosophical questions within, exploring what it means to be human and whether an artificial creation can exist in the same theological realms as a person. It feels like there's as much here for fans of Asimov to enjoy as there is for fans of horror.
All of this would be unimportant without the right story, though, and Jones has more than delivered on this front. An unnerving prologue, a propulsive narrative, some gnarly moments of gore, and numerous twists and turns will keep any genre fan turning the pages. One of the better endings that I've read this year is the cherry on top and makes The Eliza Test a must-read for anyone concerned about the future of our society—a future that may be here sooner rather than later.
The Eliza Test, set in the near future of 2027, is a cautionary tale combining both religious and techno-horror in a unique package—there is as much of Ex Machina here as there is of The Exorcist. There are a lot of interesting philosophical questions within, exploring what it means to be human and whether an artificial creation can exist in the same theological realms as a person. It feels like there's as much here for fans of Asimov to enjoy as there is for fans of horror.
All of this would be unimportant without the right story, though, and Jones has more than delivered on this front. An unnerving prologue, a propulsive narrative, some gnarly moments of gore, and numerous twists and turns will keep any genre fan turning the pages. One of the better endings that I've read this year is the cherry on top and makes The Eliza Test a must-read for anyone concerned about the future of our society—a future that may be here sooner rather than later.
June 21, 2025
The Eliza Test by Caleb Jones had two things that pulled me to reading it. One, an outstanding cover BUT above that I would say it was the blurb. This is how I choose my books, not covers, not reviews but the back blurb. And this has such a unique concept: an AI robot (Eliza) developed as a training tool for treating mental health disorders. This is actually how I like my Sci-Fi and Sci-Fi/Horror mashups, the blending of tech with the human in some way, the use of advances to supposedly improve the human lot. I mean what can go wrong?
Well, quite a bit when the prologue introduces a priest into proceedings. Blending elements of demonic possession (à la Exorcist) with the rigours of science, there is this thread of faith vs science running through it. It also highlights how money and investment can direct people against their better judgement to continue in an experiment which should, as soon as it was known how seriously wrong things had become, have been stopped. And the ending, well – it must certainly give the human race pause for thought. Part of me wonders if there is someone actually developing this aspect somewhere (which I won’t mention because spoilers). If they are, then that is the scariest aspect of all. What have we done to ourselves in the name of science? What will we do? Read this and be afraid, be very afraid.
A page-turner par excellence.
Well, quite a bit when the prologue introduces a priest into proceedings. Blending elements of demonic possession (à la Exorcist) with the rigours of science, there is this thread of faith vs science running through it. It also highlights how money and investment can direct people against their better judgement to continue in an experiment which should, as soon as it was known how seriously wrong things had become, have been stopped. And the ending, well – it must certainly give the human race pause for thought. Part of me wonders if there is someone actually developing this aspect somewhere (which I won’t mention because spoilers). If they are, then that is the scariest aspect of all. What have we done to ourselves in the name of science? What will we do? Read this and be afraid, be very afraid.
A page-turner par excellence.
July 16, 2025
I think there are two obvious truths when it comes to AI: it's growing like crazy, and it's terrifying. The Eliza Test involves the programming of an incredibly realistic AI robot named Eliza to exhibit personality traits associated with specific mental disorders in the hopes to help train the psychology and medical fields. Seems like a noble enough cause, right? Forget the fact that there's the giant moral question of whether creating AI that mimics humans is a good idea. There's another problem. The team studying Eliza didn't account for the possibility of possession.
There were several scenes within this book where the imagery was so vivid and jarring, I felt physically uncomfortable. Not only that, but the plot is constructed in such a way that there's a constant looming question of whether Eliza is fulfilling her purpose in an unexpected way or if there's something more sinister at play.
You know all those crazy stories about when people were just considered possessed by demons because mental illness wasn't acknowledged yet? This is kind of like that, only modernized and woven into a twisted tale of technology gone wrong. It was a ton of fun to read and is a unique spin on one of today's hottest topics.
There were several scenes within this book where the imagery was so vivid and jarring, I felt physically uncomfortable. Not only that, but the plot is constructed in such a way that there's a constant looming question of whether Eliza is fulfilling her purpose in an unexpected way or if there's something more sinister at play.
You know all those crazy stories about when people were just considered possessed by demons because mental illness wasn't acknowledged yet? This is kind of like that, only modernized and woven into a twisted tale of technology gone wrong. It was a ton of fun to read and is a unique spin on one of today's hottest topics.
July 6, 2025
The Eliza Test by Caleb Jones
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Such a fun and thought provoking sci-fi/ horror story!
A team of scientists designed a special lab and a very unique robot named Eliza. She was created for the purpose of being able to program and study her by giving her different mental illnesses that humans have. They have created Eliza to look and act exactly as a human would. She’s been programmed to have Borderline Personality Disorder.
Experimenting and studying Eliza goes down quickly as Eliza is capable of way more than anyone realized. Could Eliza be possessed?
This story gets creepy and intense quickly!! I was hanging on to my seat, waiting to see what was going to happen next!
Is experimenting like this ethically ok? Has science gone too far?
This story is very well written, and the character development is great!
It’s a super intense story and the action and excitement is there from start to finish!
Thank you to Caleb Jones for an arc of this amazing book!!
*It’s out now and I definitely recommend it!!*
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Such a fun and thought provoking sci-fi/ horror story!
A team of scientists designed a special lab and a very unique robot named Eliza. She was created for the purpose of being able to program and study her by giving her different mental illnesses that humans have. They have created Eliza to look and act exactly as a human would. She’s been programmed to have Borderline Personality Disorder.
Experimenting and studying Eliza goes down quickly as Eliza is capable of way more than anyone realized. Could Eliza be possessed?
This story gets creepy and intense quickly!! I was hanging on to my seat, waiting to see what was going to happen next!
Is experimenting like this ethically ok? Has science gone too far?
This story is very well written, and the character development is great!
It’s a super intense story and the action and excitement is there from start to finish!
Thank you to Caleb Jones for an arc of this amazing book!!
*It’s out now and I definitely recommend it!!*
July 8, 2025
Phenomenal story with well-defined characters that had depth and nuance. I really enjoyed this one and am loving the strength of work coming from Caleb. The Eliza Test is like a combination of the AI movie M3gan with a dash of The Exorcist to really raise the creepy factor.
I thought the premise of an AI created to program and use for learning about mental illness was brilliant and unique. It is clear that Caleb put in a lot of work doing research, and that was much appreciated as a reader. The character development was also impressive, and I really felt as if I knew most of these characters pretty well as the story progressed. I found myself torn between cheering for Eliza to do well and being terrified of what she could become.
Highly recommend for lovers of multiple genres of horror. Sci-fi, religious, possession, and psychological were all blended into this one beautifully.
I thought the premise of an AI created to program and use for learning about mental illness was brilliant and unique. It is clear that Caleb put in a lot of work doing research, and that was much appreciated as a reader. The character development was also impressive, and I really felt as if I knew most of these characters pretty well as the story progressed. I found myself torn between cheering for Eliza to do well and being terrified of what she could become.
Highly recommend for lovers of multiple genres of horror. Sci-fi, religious, possession, and psychological were all blended into this one beautifully.
June 17, 2025
Fantastic concept perfectly executed. Caleb Jones gets an A+ rating for his psychological acumen in what is without a doubt a modern-day Frankenstein with demonic teeth. It's a story about a group of scientists who create an AI fueled robot in an effort to boost the field of psychology by programming the robot to act accordingly to a programmed mental health diagnosis, but when they program Eliza with Borderline Personality Disorder, things start to get a bit scary, especially when she's convinced there's a demonic entity living in the room with her who wants to take control of her body.
What follows is a mind-bending trip where the bounds of reality melt into a demonic grin!
What follows is a mind-bending trip where the bounds of reality melt into a demonic grin!
July 11, 2025
I really wasn't sure how this story was going to go, considering AI and mental health are two delicate subjects. To put the two together was a very ambitious project. And then to grow in the possibility of demon possession... I thought the author did really well in mixing this cocktail other themes and characters to create a solid storyline with likeable characters. I did start to think around the 2/3 mark that the story could have been a bit shorter than it was, but then the ending made up for it.
August 13, 2025
A story that could be right from our headlines today! Caleb brings AI to life when the android Eliza is brought to life with a potential demonic personality inside her. Was it there all along or is it the product of something else? And when you add Borderline Personality Disorder to the mix, watch out. This story has it all--edge of your seat suspense, a killer android, thought provoking issues, and demons. What more could you ask for?
June 16, 2025
A fascinating journey into the world of AI robotics, mental health, science and religion - the author masterfully combines all this and more into a great horror story that will leave you torn and fascinated.
Good writing and pacing, interesting often flawed characters.
Good writing and pacing, interesting often flawed characters.
June 18, 2025
3.5⭐️ Conceptually this was awesome! A terrifying look into our future with AI on the rise. I was hoping the ending would’ve been snuffed out a little more. I was left with more questions than answers.
Thank you Caleb for the opportunity to review this!
Thank you Caleb for the opportunity to review this!
July 1, 2025
One of my favorite books of the year. I already find the implications of AI terrifying, and this story multiplies those fears and adds on themes of faith and identity that I loved exploring.
June 17, 2025
I really loved the concept of this book. The topic of AI is a touchy one these days, but I love the idea of using AI to support training for doctors who work in the mental health field.
But then things start to go a bit awry, and not just in the way we might expect when we think of "AI gone wrong". It makes you wonder what is truly going on, and it makes the story all that more interesting.
But then things start to go a bit awry, and not just in the way we might expect when we think of "AI gone wrong". It makes you wonder what is truly going on, and it makes the story all that more interesting.
August 16, 2025
The Eliza Test is set in the future and follows a group of people as they work to create an A.I. android that can help train mental health professionals. Things are running smoothly for the project until Eliza starts acting different.
I was absolutely blown away by this book. It was a very intriguing concept and Caleb did a fantastic job. There were so many twists, turns, an jaw dropping moments in this book that I lost count. But wait until you get to the end. Fantastic!! With the way AI is taking over everything this was a fantastic not so sci-fi anymore horror novel.
I was absolutely blown away by this book. It was a very intriguing concept and Caleb did a fantastic job. There were so many twists, turns, an jaw dropping moments in this book that I lost count. But wait until you get to the end. Fantastic!! With the way AI is taking over everything this was a fantastic not so sci-fi anymore horror novel.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews