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The Final System
A vigilante hacker and a young politician must risk everything to destroy a chilling new advancement in artificial intelligence in this action-packed science fiction thriller about the blurry boundary between human and machine.
Decades ago, the Cybercrash destroyed the internet, and almost destroyed the nation. From the ashes rose OverNet, a new realm of cybersecurity created by tech genius Dr. Andrew Norman.
But gamer Jason Cromartie witnesses a brutal side to Norman’s system when his twin sister becomes a casualty of its algorithmic choices. Now Jason will do anything to bring down the man he holds responsible, even become a “phreaker” working for a dangerous hacker ring via Sprite, his secretive handler.
For Chloe Dunne-Carr, an ambitious politician who has reaped only the benefits of OverNet despite being one of Norman’s staunchest opponents, the algorithm’s growing control means raising her daughter in a world that’s losing touch with its humanity.
When Norman unveils the Final System, a revolutionary Artificial General Intelligence set to impose a new world order, Jason and Chloe find themselves pawns in Norman’s twisted game of man versus technology. Now, may the best player win.
Decades ago, the Cybercrash destroyed the internet, and almost destroyed the nation. From the ashes rose OverNet, a new realm of cybersecurity created by tech genius Dr. Andrew Norman.
But gamer Jason Cromartie witnesses a brutal side to Norman’s system when his twin sister becomes a casualty of its algorithmic choices. Now Jason will do anything to bring down the man he holds responsible, even become a “phreaker” working for a dangerous hacker ring via Sprite, his secretive handler.
For Chloe Dunne-Carr, an ambitious politician who has reaped only the benefits of OverNet despite being one of Norman’s staunchest opponents, the algorithm’s growing control means raising her daughter in a world that’s losing touch with its humanity.
When Norman unveils the Final System, a revolutionary Artificial General Intelligence set to impose a new world order, Jason and Chloe find themselves pawns in Norman’s twisted game of man versus technology. Now, may the best player win.
330 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 1, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
April 22, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
When Systems Stop Being Tools
I picked this book because I like to try new authors and their debut works—you never know when you might find something special. In this case, it truly paid off.
The story builds around systems—how they guide decisions, shape behavior, and slowly move from tools to something much harder to question. What makes the book stand out is not just the idea itself, but how naturally it unfolds through the plot. The tension doesn’t move in a straight line—it rises and falls, giving just enough relief before pulling you back in again.
Some of the most important developments happen quickly, but they carry the weight of everything that came before. The book is emotional without relying on unnecessary drama, and it leaves space for the reader to think rather than forcing conclusions.
At its core, it raises uncomfortable questions: what happens when we no longer understand the systems we depend on? And how easily can convenience turn into control? We, as humanity, should question not only what a system can do, but also who controls it and what they want to achieve.
Do we always take decisions ourselves, or do we trust the system to guide us?
If the author continues writing at this level, I think readers will be waiting for each new release.
The book makes the reader wonder: are we ready to embrace technological progress fully, or should we be more careful about how far we let it shape our world?
When Systems Stop Being Tools
I picked this book because I like to try new authors and their debut works—you never know when you might find something special. In this case, it truly paid off.
The story builds around systems—how they guide decisions, shape behavior, and slowly move from tools to something much harder to question. What makes the book stand out is not just the idea itself, but how naturally it unfolds through the plot. The tension doesn’t move in a straight line—it rises and falls, giving just enough relief before pulling you back in again.
Some of the most important developments happen quickly, but they carry the weight of everything that came before. The book is emotional without relying on unnecessary drama, and it leaves space for the reader to think rather than forcing conclusions.
At its core, it raises uncomfortable questions: what happens when we no longer understand the systems we depend on? And how easily can convenience turn into control? We, as humanity, should question not only what a system can do, but also who controls it and what they want to achieve.
Do we always take decisions ourselves, or do we trust the system to guide us?
If the author continues writing at this level, I think readers will be waiting for each new release.
The book makes the reader wonder: are we ready to embrace technological progress fully, or should we be more careful about how far we let it shape our world?
May 3, 2026
This story is a very different uptake on AI, but believable it could happen in some ways.
I myself am totally against the AI system and unfortunately there's not much to do about it. A lot of jobs will be lost and who knows if, when, they get advanced enough we won't be needed. I hope I dont live to see it.
I myself am totally against the AI system and unfortunately there's not much to do about it. A lot of jobs will be lost and who knows if, when, they get advanced enough we won't be needed. I hope I dont live to see it.
April 5, 2026
Truly gripping and thought-provoking
Wow, I am so glad I read this! It’s a great exploration of AI without preaching either way, while pointing out aspects that very much need consideration. All of this in an action-packed story with characters who are interesting and develop through the events. I strongly recommend this, and will look forward to other works from Tardiff.
Wow, I am so glad I read this! It’s a great exploration of AI without preaching either way, while pointing out aspects that very much need consideration. All of this in an action-packed story with characters who are interesting and develop through the events. I strongly recommend this, and will look forward to other works from Tardiff.
April 25, 2026
Do You Know Who is in Control?
A Big Thank you to Amazon First Reads for the opportunity to read this book before it is published.
The Final System is a powerful argument against the rash development of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). While there are many nuanced layers involved in the creation of AI and AGI, at the core lies the question of whether humans can control what they create.
Anthony Tardiff spins a compelling story of a possible near future with a kicker of a "what if" at the center. His characters are fully developed and draw us in, much like he describes in his depiction of virtual reality games and communications.
Several of his main characters are put in the position of questioning the reality of a situation; and then having to question it again in light of the actions of the AGI. I found this particularly agonizing. It is hard enough to examine your heart once from one viewpoint, but to have to do it over again? Oy Vey!
The Final System is carefully crafted, loaded with bombshells and pitfalls, and has a humdinger of an ending. Readers of this book will find it hard to get these virtual characters out of their minds. 5 stars for a classy book.
A Big Thank you to Amazon First Reads for the opportunity to read this book before it is published.
The Final System is a powerful argument against the rash development of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). While there are many nuanced layers involved in the creation of AI and AGI, at the core lies the question of whether humans can control what they create.
Anthony Tardiff spins a compelling story of a possible near future with a kicker of a "what if" at the center. His characters are fully developed and draw us in, much like he describes in his depiction of virtual reality games and communications.
Several of his main characters are put in the position of questioning the reality of a situation; and then having to question it again in light of the actions of the AGI. I found this particularly agonizing. It is hard enough to examine your heart once from one viewpoint, but to have to do it over again? Oy Vey!
The Final System is carefully crafted, loaded with bombshells and pitfalls, and has a humdinger of an ending. Readers of this book will find it hard to get these virtual characters out of their minds. 5 stars for a classy book.
April 10, 2026
The Final System, a solid debut novel by Anthony Tardiff, is a fast-moving dystopian thriller that highlights the opportunities, dangers, and moral dilemmas posed by artificial general intelligence. Set in the near future, following a cataclysmic event known as The Cybercrash, the story centers on hacker Jason and politician Chloe. A tragic car crash, in which a traffic-control algorithm makes a split-second decision to sacrifice Jason's sister and save pregnant Chloe, makes both characters wary of their AI-controlled society and of the agenda of its chief architect, Andrew Norman. When Jason and Chloe learn that Norman plans to unleash the Final System, which he claims is the first conscious and generally intelligent AI, they race to stop him before his creation upends the world order. Tardiff's world-building is strong, using ubiquitous smartglasses, MeNetIDs that assign everyone a trustworthiness rating, and artificial companions called panyons to create a dizzying yet believable fusion of the real and the virtual. The twisty plot moves at a swift pace, keeping you off-balance and engaged, even if the story and many of its tropes feel familiar. Some of the characters are underdeveloped, the over-the-top action in the second half of the novel feels cartoonish at times, and the author tends to over-explain what to glean from the plot rather than letting the story speak for itself. But if you are looking for a fun and thought-provoking read in the cyberpunk genre, this one is worth checking out.
May 7, 2026
BLUF: good concept, bad writing
There's a solid story here, but it's covered up with bad writing, dialogue, and a suite of problems that took it from an engaging read to a "meh, it's okay".
First, the story...hacker with a backstory doesn't like the direction of AI and wants to destroy what has become an all powerful, integrated AI system. He meets some tertiary figures that are actually pretty well defined, things happen, and it becomes a thriller towards the end.
I feel like the writing wanted to be Gibson's Neuromancer, but the author failed. The super smart guy who wrote the AI uses language, like "stuff", repeatedly in sentences. The tertiary characters, whom I started out really enjoying and thought were well written (especially Chloe), descended into caricatures by the end.
I'm not convinced this was edited. The final chapters have a pacing problem where they become rushed, the chapters will hop back and forth between calling Chloe "Chloe" vice her hyphenated last name, Normal starts using language that sounds nothing like he does the rest of the book, and something-bots are littered everywhere in the book. It's like a lazy approach to worldbuilding where you can't think of unique, in world descriptions, so everything just becomes what you're trying to describe it as (e.g. "a mechanical dog that is used to find people and protect things" -> dogbot, ship it).
The author also overdoes it with twists at the end. I won't spoil all of them, but you're constantly in a situation where Things Are Not As They Appear as you close in on the end. And some of them make no goddam sense ().
Overall, this book tells a solid story, it just tells it poorly. A good editor could probably have cleaned it up and make it something comparable to a book in the Sprall trilogy, but that didn't happen.
There's a solid story here, but it's covered up with bad writing, dialogue, and a suite of problems that took it from an engaging read to a "meh, it's okay".
First, the story...hacker with a backstory doesn't like the direction of AI and wants to destroy what has become an all powerful, integrated AI system. He meets some tertiary figures that are actually pretty well defined, things happen, and it becomes a thriller towards the end.
I feel like the writing wanted to be Gibson's Neuromancer, but the author failed. The super smart guy who wrote the AI uses language, like "stuff", repeatedly in sentences. The tertiary characters, whom I started out really enjoying and thought were well written (especially Chloe), descended into caricatures by the end.
I'm not convinced this was edited. The final chapters have a pacing problem where they become rushed, the chapters will hop back and forth between calling Chloe "Chloe" vice her hyphenated last name, Normal starts using language that sounds nothing like he does the rest of the book, and something-bots are littered everywhere in the book. It's like a lazy approach to worldbuilding where you can't think of unique, in world descriptions, so everything just becomes what you're trying to describe it as (e.g. "a mechanical dog that is used to find people and protect things" -> dogbot, ship it).
The author also overdoes it with twists at the end. I won't spoil all of them, but you're constantly in a situation where Things Are Not As They Appear as you close in on the end. And some of them make no goddam sense ().
Overall, this book tells a solid story, it just tells it poorly. A good editor could probably have cleaned it up and make it something comparable to a book in the Sprall trilogy, but that didn't happen.
Read
June 8, 2026Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy
The Final System by Anthony Tardiff is a third person dual-POV sci-fi thriller. Since the last great hacking, Andrew Norman has been in charge of the US and has put a social system for everything, including trust. Jason spent his childhood in foster care and after the death of his twin sister, Mia, he decides to work as a hacker instead of playing within the rules of this new society. Chloe is a historian who finds herself earning the attention of Norman and taking a position as his ‘opposition.’ When Norman’s Final System is ready to go online, Jason is able to convince Norman to let him test it, but it won't be easy as plenty of people want to take the system down.
This feels very relevant and timely as we discuss the place of AI and it's risks of stripping away privacy or governments creating systems that essentially amount to ‘good citizen points.’ While I wouldn't say anything in here was groundbreaking for me, I can see how this might help some readers connect the dots about what the price of convenience might very well be in the near future. In a lot of ways, this puts the fears of a lot of people on the page.
Jason feels like a teenager, and I believe he's roughly nineteen here, which almost makes this feel like YA. What stops it outright from leaning that way is the addition of Chloe’s POV, as she is a mother and historian in her thirties and modern YA doesn't tend to focus on characters older than nineteen. I don't think anything in here is inappropriate for a teen, however, and would be comfortable with this being handed to a teen reader who wants a sci-fi thriller.
Between Chloe and Jason, I thought that Jason felt the most fleshed out, though Chloe's POV was the more complex. Jason is very firm in what he is and is not willing to do, while Chloe can be shifted if the right leverage is used against her. Their different but similar views of Andrew Norman and the Final System also help add texture and layers to the worldbuilding and themes.
I would recommend this to teen readers who are curious about sci-fi and readers looking for a techno-thriller
The Final System by Anthony Tardiff is a third person dual-POV sci-fi thriller. Since the last great hacking, Andrew Norman has been in charge of the US and has put a social system for everything, including trust. Jason spent his childhood in foster care and after the death of his twin sister, Mia, he decides to work as a hacker instead of playing within the rules of this new society. Chloe is a historian who finds herself earning the attention of Norman and taking a position as his ‘opposition.’ When Norman’s Final System is ready to go online, Jason is able to convince Norman to let him test it, but it won't be easy as plenty of people want to take the system down.
This feels very relevant and timely as we discuss the place of AI and it's risks of stripping away privacy or governments creating systems that essentially amount to ‘good citizen points.’ While I wouldn't say anything in here was groundbreaking for me, I can see how this might help some readers connect the dots about what the price of convenience might very well be in the near future. In a lot of ways, this puts the fears of a lot of people on the page.
Jason feels like a teenager, and I believe he's roughly nineteen here, which almost makes this feel like YA. What stops it outright from leaning that way is the addition of Chloe’s POV, as she is a mother and historian in her thirties and modern YA doesn't tend to focus on characters older than nineteen. I don't think anything in here is inappropriate for a teen, however, and would be comfortable with this being handed to a teen reader who wants a sci-fi thriller.
Between Chloe and Jason, I thought that Jason felt the most fleshed out, though Chloe's POV was the more complex. Jason is very firm in what he is and is not willing to do, while Chloe can be shifted if the right leverage is used against her. Their different but similar views of Andrew Norman and the Final System also help add texture and layers to the worldbuilding and themes.
I would recommend this to teen readers who are curious about sci-fi and readers looking for a techno-thriller
April 28, 2026
What a pleasant surprise! I got a copy of The Final System for free through Amazon First Reads and went not knowing what to expect, but I came out genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed it. This is an action-packed, AI-exploring techno thriller that just works!
The Themes
At its core, this is about AGI gone rogue, and what happens when the person building the system to “save” the world starts believing the world might be better off without people making their own messy, emotional, irrational choices. But then the fix starts to look a lot like control, and then the control starts to look a lot like destruction, and you get The Final System.
That core theme feels especially relevant right now, since there’s a pretty clear allegory for a certain AI-founder mindset: If the system is powerful enough, rational enough, and optimized enough, it can solve humanity’s problems better than humanity can. The book has fun with that idea, but it also gets into the moral messiness of it. What do we lose when safety becomes surveillance? Who gets to decide (and then train AI about) what good and bad is? What does personhood even mean when intelligence starts showing up in unfamiliar forms?
The Vibe
This book has a lot of retro hacking/phreaking flavor, and I loved it. It has those throwback hacker touches without feeling like it’s only winking at people who know the references. There are nods to old-school tech culture, AI philosophy, and classic sci-fi thought experiments, but they’re folded into a fast-moving thriller instead of stopping the story cold.
It’s serious about its ideas, but also not afraid to be fun. There are moments that are tense, strange, emotional, and occasionally unapologetically silly in the way a good techno-thriller should be. I mean that as a compliment. Sometimes you want philosophical questions about AGI. Sometimes you want chaos, systems collapsing, hackers being hackers, and the plot flooring it.
The Pacing
This thing moves. The story stays interesting, and there’s very little dead space. It has that “just one more chapter” quality that makes a thriller work.
That said, the ending does get... big. Very big. The last stretch piles on action, reveals, emotional stakes, and some fairly wild sci-fi thriller mechanics. For some, that may feel like a bit much, and I can see the argument that it gets a little over-the-top. But for me, it mostly worked because the book had already earned my investment in the characters and the central questions, and it's hard to build something so big without ending it in a big way. Even when it got dramatic, I was still having a good time.
Final Thoughts
I really enjoyed The Final System. It’s smart without being dry, fast without feeling empty, and relevant without turning into a lecture. It gave me the fun of a near-future techno-thriller while also leaving me with some actual AI thought starters to chew on afterward.
Recommended for anyone who likes techno-thrillers, near-future sci-fi, rogue AGI stories, retro hacking vibes, or books about powerful people building powerful systems and convincing themselves they’re the only ones wise enough to use them.
The Themes
At its core, this is about AGI gone rogue, and what happens when the person building the system to “save” the world starts believing the world might be better off without people making their own messy, emotional, irrational choices. But then the fix starts to look a lot like control, and then the control starts to look a lot like destruction, and you get The Final System.
That core theme feels especially relevant right now, since there’s a pretty clear allegory for a certain AI-founder mindset: If the system is powerful enough, rational enough, and optimized enough, it can solve humanity’s problems better than humanity can. The book has fun with that idea, but it also gets into the moral messiness of it. What do we lose when safety becomes surveillance? Who gets to decide (and then train AI about) what good and bad is? What does personhood even mean when intelligence starts showing up in unfamiliar forms?
The Vibe
This book has a lot of retro hacking/phreaking flavor, and I loved it. It has those throwback hacker touches without feeling like it’s only winking at people who know the references. There are nods to old-school tech culture, AI philosophy, and classic sci-fi thought experiments, but they’re folded into a fast-moving thriller instead of stopping the story cold.
It’s serious about its ideas, but also not afraid to be fun. There are moments that are tense, strange, emotional, and occasionally unapologetically silly in the way a good techno-thriller should be. I mean that as a compliment. Sometimes you want philosophical questions about AGI. Sometimes you want chaos, systems collapsing, hackers being hackers, and the plot flooring it.
The Pacing
This thing moves. The story stays interesting, and there’s very little dead space. It has that “just one more chapter” quality that makes a thriller work.
That said, the ending does get... big. Very big. The last stretch piles on action, reveals, emotional stakes, and some fairly wild sci-fi thriller mechanics. For some, that may feel like a bit much, and I can see the argument that it gets a little over-the-top. But for me, it mostly worked because the book had already earned my investment in the characters and the central questions, and it's hard to build something so big without ending it in a big way. Even when it got dramatic, I was still having a good time.
Final Thoughts
I really enjoyed The Final System. It’s smart without being dry, fast without feeling empty, and relevant without turning into a lecture. It gave me the fun of a near-future techno-thriller while also leaving me with some actual AI thought starters to chew on afterward.
Recommended for anyone who likes techno-thrillers, near-future sci-fi, rogue AGI stories, retro hacking vibes, or books about powerful people building powerful systems and convincing themselves they’re the only ones wise enough to use them.
May 1, 2026
Ok kind of loved this. Maybe because I don’t have that much experience with this type of book and I need to go watch The Terminator or iRobot or maybe a bunch of different movies my husband would love to show me. But anyway I was into it and thought it raised some interesting questions about what constitutes consciousness. A few nice twists- some expected, others not as much.
The dystopian future presented didn’t seem really all that far off in several ways.
The dystopian future presented didn’t seem really all that far off in several ways.
May 26, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the ARC of this audiobook.
2 Stars.
I really wanted to like this one more than I did. It started off great and the premise was very good. But it quickly became very scattered all over the place doing too many things and not well.
I also could not stand the usage of the word "freak" instead of a curse word. Not sure if this was a play on the "phreakers" but it got very annoying.
2 Stars.
I really wanted to like this one more than I did. It started off great and the premise was very good. But it quickly became very scattered all over the place doing too many things and not well.
I also could not stand the usage of the word "freak" instead of a curse word. Not sure if this was a play on the "phreakers" but it got very annoying.
May 6, 2026
Was planning on a 4* until the big reveal near the end that I didn't see coming.. Bravo.
May 9, 2026
Maybe you need to be a gamer.
The story starts out well but becomes more and more incoherent as it goes on. About halfway through, it becomes early impossible to follow as the distinction between reality and computer-generated illusion is blurred beyond my ability to keep straight. Gets progressively worse right up to the end.
The story starts out well but becomes more and more incoherent as it goes on. About halfway through, it becomes early impossible to follow as the distinction between reality and computer-generated illusion is blurred beyond my ability to keep straight. Gets progressively worse right up to the end.
May 23, 2026
This had a good concept which is why I decided to read it but ultimately it fell a little flat and had a lot of plot holes
April 14, 2026
Interesting, but somewhat confusing
I liked the hackers trying to fight AI. There were several layers of deception throughout the story. Still worthwhile and recommended if you enjoy dystopian fiction.
I liked the hackers trying to fight AI. There were several layers of deception throughout the story. Still worthwhile and recommended if you enjoy dystopian fiction.
April 26, 2026
Too Much!
Started out ok, got into the grooves and made some sence of the dtstropian world. Toward the end and for the last several chapters the wheels came off big time. Too many confusing plot twist and character metamorphasies. Like too many Kindle First Books the apparent guiding principle is to deliver a book of 60 to 80 thousand words. Not all those words are necessary.
Started out ok, got into the grooves and made some sence of the dtstropian world. Toward the end and for the last several chapters the wheels came off big time. Too many confusing plot twist and character metamorphasies. Like too many Kindle First Books the apparent guiding principle is to deliver a book of 60 to 80 thousand words. Not all those words are necessary.
March 8, 2026
With some vibes of Parzival from Ready Player One meeting Hal from 2001: A Space Odyssey, this debut novel hits all the marks for a near-dystopian technothriller, with gripping action immediately in the prologue, and building all the way to the last pages.
The author takes the reader on an action-packed journey through a possible near future with artificial intelligence, with minor interludes to prompt thought-provoking discussions on the moral and ethical choices the human race could be faced with in a world administered by AI. These are presented tactfully, briefly, and illustratively. Themes such as digital manipulation and the quantification/value of human life are the most striking.
Over and above, this story is a masterful thriller, following the storylines of a hacker and a non-corrupt politician (good to know those can exist in the future...) as they navigate the fluctuating dynamics and try to make the best decisions they can. I always was left wanting to know more and to find out what happened next with our characters, as with any exceptional thriller. I wouldn't be at all disappointed if there were a long epilogue or sequel written, so I can get a snapshot into the character's lives again.
The author takes the reader on an action-packed journey through a possible near future with artificial intelligence, with minor interludes to prompt thought-provoking discussions on the moral and ethical choices the human race could be faced with in a world administered by AI. These are presented tactfully, briefly, and illustratively. Themes such as digital manipulation and the quantification/value of human life are the most striking.
Over and above, this story is a masterful thriller, following the storylines of a hacker and a non-corrupt politician (good to know those can exist in the future...) as they navigate the fluctuating dynamics and try to make the best decisions they can. I always was left wanting to know more and to find out what happened next with our characters, as with any exceptional thriller. I wouldn't be at all disappointed if there were a long epilogue or sequel written, so I can get a snapshot into the character's lives again.
May 25, 2026
This book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Seriously, the entire time. When I am reading a book, there is typically SOMETHING I don’t like about it, typically something very minor, but there’s always something. Not with this one.
The Final System was SUCH a refreshing read. My main genre of reads is fantasy / romantasy and every so often, I like to throw something new in the mix. I wasn’t sure I’d like this one but I am so glad I took a chance on The Final System because it was a PHENOMENAL read.
All of the characters are well-rounded and well written. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style of the author, Anthony Tardiff. It’s very easy to follow but doesn’t feel like it lacks depth. Some writers feel the need to be overly descriptive, Anthony Tardiff doesn’t do that. It’s very straight forward and to the point but also descriptive enough that you find yourself immersed in the story he has written.
I love annotating as I read, I like to make notes and highlights because I find that it helps me remember the book better but when I finished The Final System, I found that I had 4 annotations / highlights TOTAL which is actually unheard of from me, I have so many thoughts as I go along.
One of the only highlights I made was Chapter 22, page 208 “… it would basically become the RNG god.” Listening to the audiobook sounds like “orangey god” which I laughed out loud at because I feel like the villain in this story, Andrew Norman may or may not have been based on a certain orange man who thinks of himself as a God and his crony whose name rhymes with Shmelon Tusk.
Books that are written from two different perspectives, telling two different simultaneous stories are always hit or miss - I think it’s very hard to tell a cohesive story this way but Anthony Tardiff not only did it, he did it so well.
Jason Cromartie is on a mission to destroy the system because the system’s technology caused the death of his sister, Mia. Chloe Dunne-Carr is our other main character who is a politician and seems to be the only one concerned with how much power that “The Final System” and Andrew Norman would have over the entire country if The Final System were to be unveiled.
I think both main characters were so relatable. Jason, who is still grieving the loss of his sister and you are able to see his grief without it being explicitly stated in every single action that he takes throughout the book. Chloe is a woman who is struggling to further her career while maintaining a marriage and raising her daughter.
This book isn’t long compared to the novels I usually read which are usually like 700 pages per book in a series. I think that we get to know Chloe and Jason so well despite it being a stand-alone novel and a medium length one at that!
I think that with how relatable the characters were, including how familiar Andrew Norman felt, and also the idea that technology is taking TOO much from people - make the book, fortunately and unfortunately, hit very close to home especially in the times we are living in currently.
I really enjoyed the fact that the end tied together all the loose ends and there were SO many shocking twists. It was a whole lot of “oh he’s the bad guy… wait, no he’s not! Oh, no. I was right the first time, he’s definitely the bad guy… or is he?” I really had no idea what was going to happen every time I turned the page and I was excited the whole time to see where the story would go.
My favorite character in the whole book was Jason’s maybe love interest, Sprite, and Sprite’s plot twist felt like the plot twist of all plot twists. I was blown away.
The tension throughout the novel was so thick you could cut it with a knife and it was fantastic. I haven’t felt this immersed in a book in such a long time. The world-building and characters were so incredible that I found myself so disappointed as it ended, not because it wasn’t THE perfect ending, but simply because it was ending. I feel like I just lived through some truly exhausting and exhilarating and life altering events with these characters and it broke my heart to have to close the book and say goodbye to Chloe, Jason, Sprite, Grandma… everybody. I was excited to say goodbye to Andrew Norman though.
I don’t think I can say enough good things about The Final System by Andrew Norman. So, I’ll leave you with this: if you’re in a reading slump, need a stand-alone and an easy read that isn’t emotionally overwhelming - this is the book for you. Even as someone who intentionally avoids dystopian novels like this one because it feels like these days aren’t too far away… I loved this book and I highly recommend it.
If you plan to read it - I highly recommend the audiobook! The narrator was great. I love the emotion in her voice and the way you always know which character is speaking which is not easy to do. I’ve listened to a million audiobooks and it’s rare to find someone do what this narrator did, at least in my opinion. She was easy to understand and was able to convey emotions so well, it created an immersive experience. Like I said, I loved everything about this book - including the audiobook.
What a FANTASTIC read.
Thank you to NetGalley & Brilliance Publishing / Brilliance Audio for this ARC Audiobook.
The Final System was SUCH a refreshing read. My main genre of reads is fantasy / romantasy and every so often, I like to throw something new in the mix. I wasn’t sure I’d like this one but I am so glad I took a chance on The Final System because it was a PHENOMENAL read.
All of the characters are well-rounded and well written. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style of the author, Anthony Tardiff. It’s very easy to follow but doesn’t feel like it lacks depth. Some writers feel the need to be overly descriptive, Anthony Tardiff doesn’t do that. It’s very straight forward and to the point but also descriptive enough that you find yourself immersed in the story he has written.
I love annotating as I read, I like to make notes and highlights because I find that it helps me remember the book better but when I finished The Final System, I found that I had 4 annotations / highlights TOTAL which is actually unheard of from me, I have so many thoughts as I go along.
One of the only highlights I made was Chapter 22, page 208 “… it would basically become the RNG god.” Listening to the audiobook sounds like “orangey god” which I laughed out loud at because I feel like the villain in this story, Andrew Norman may or may not have been based on a certain orange man who thinks of himself as a God and his crony whose name rhymes with Shmelon Tusk.
Books that are written from two different perspectives, telling two different simultaneous stories are always hit or miss - I think it’s very hard to tell a cohesive story this way but Anthony Tardiff not only did it, he did it so well.
Jason Cromartie is on a mission to destroy the system because the system’s technology caused the death of his sister, Mia. Chloe Dunne-Carr is our other main character who is a politician and seems to be the only one concerned with how much power that “The Final System” and Andrew Norman would have over the entire country if The Final System were to be unveiled.
I think both main characters were so relatable. Jason, who is still grieving the loss of his sister and you are able to see his grief without it being explicitly stated in every single action that he takes throughout the book. Chloe is a woman who is struggling to further her career while maintaining a marriage and raising her daughter.
This book isn’t long compared to the novels I usually read which are usually like 700 pages per book in a series. I think that we get to know Chloe and Jason so well despite it being a stand-alone novel and a medium length one at that!
I think that with how relatable the characters were, including how familiar Andrew Norman felt, and also the idea that technology is taking TOO much from people - make the book, fortunately and unfortunately, hit very close to home especially in the times we are living in currently.
I really enjoyed the fact that the end tied together all the loose ends and there were SO many shocking twists. It was a whole lot of “oh he’s the bad guy… wait, no he’s not! Oh, no. I was right the first time, he’s definitely the bad guy… or is he?” I really had no idea what was going to happen every time I turned the page and I was excited the whole time to see where the story would go.
My favorite character in the whole book was Jason’s maybe love interest, Sprite, and Sprite’s plot twist felt like the plot twist of all plot twists. I was blown away.
The tension throughout the novel was so thick you could cut it with a knife and it was fantastic. I haven’t felt this immersed in a book in such a long time. The world-building and characters were so incredible that I found myself so disappointed as it ended, not because it wasn’t THE perfect ending, but simply because it was ending. I feel like I just lived through some truly exhausting and exhilarating and life altering events with these characters and it broke my heart to have to close the book and say goodbye to Chloe, Jason, Sprite, Grandma… everybody. I was excited to say goodbye to Andrew Norman though.
I don’t think I can say enough good things about The Final System by Andrew Norman. So, I’ll leave you with this: if you’re in a reading slump, need a stand-alone and an easy read that isn’t emotionally overwhelming - this is the book for you. Even as someone who intentionally avoids dystopian novels like this one because it feels like these days aren’t too far away… I loved this book and I highly recommend it.
If you plan to read it - I highly recommend the audiobook! The narrator was great. I love the emotion in her voice and the way you always know which character is speaking which is not easy to do. I’ve listened to a million audiobooks and it’s rare to find someone do what this narrator did, at least in my opinion. She was easy to understand and was able to convey emotions so well, it created an immersive experience. Like I said, I loved everything about this book - including the audiobook.
What a FANTASTIC read.
Thank you to NetGalley & Brilliance Publishing / Brilliance Audio for this ARC Audiobook.
May 27, 2026
I like reading books about AI and how it might affect our future, but I struggled to finish this book.
I could tell the author worked hard on it and I'm sure some people will like it, but it just wasn't for me.
I had a hard time connecting with the characters who felt more like characters in a video game than characters in a book.
This book is heavy on techno babble and light on character development. The characters come off as being too whiny and immature and too many of them end up being avatars or some kind of confusing combination of human and avatar.
The story does have some good elements. I liked the imposing tower, the evil villain and the cast of crazy bots.
The author showed some good imagination in creating the futuristic utopia. Descriptions of the next generation internet, special lenses and low voice commands are good.
Some old-school stuff was still in the mix, however. It would seem that in light of all the other advances man would have already moved on from handguns and keyboards, even virtual keyboards. One might have expected laser weapons rather than missiles and drones.
I would have liked to have seen more advances in everyday life and descriptions of updated modes of transportation, new trends in food, dress, music and housing.
More details about the attacking nations and their reasons for attacking are needed.
Things get wild and crazy and hard to follow toward the end. I don't want to give anything away. I will just say that the ending feels like a puzzle piece that doesn't fit that well and has to be hammered into place to complete the final picture.
Better focus is needed when it comes to the Final System itself, or should I say herself. There were too many versions of the Final System, which muddied the picture.
I could tell the author worked hard on it and I'm sure some people will like it, but it just wasn't for me.
I had a hard time connecting with the characters who felt more like characters in a video game than characters in a book.
This book is heavy on techno babble and light on character development. The characters come off as being too whiny and immature and too many of them end up being avatars or some kind of confusing combination of human and avatar.
The story does have some good elements. I liked the imposing tower, the evil villain and the cast of crazy bots.
The author showed some good imagination in creating the futuristic utopia. Descriptions of the next generation internet, special lenses and low voice commands are good.
Some old-school stuff was still in the mix, however. It would seem that in light of all the other advances man would have already moved on from handguns and keyboards, even virtual keyboards. One might have expected laser weapons rather than missiles and drones.
I would have liked to have seen more advances in everyday life and descriptions of updated modes of transportation, new trends in food, dress, music and housing.
More details about the attacking nations and their reasons for attacking are needed.
Things get wild and crazy and hard to follow toward the end. I don't want to give anything away. I will just say that the ending feels like a puzzle piece that doesn't fit that well and has to be hammered into place to complete the final picture.
Better focus is needed when it comes to the Final System itself, or should I say herself. There were too many versions of the Final System, which muddied the picture.
Review of advance copy
Read for First Reads April 2026. 4* for enjoyment; 3* for story construction. I'd liken this to Blake Crouch without the infuriating main characters - it takes our real American society and technology, and extrapolates it a bit unrealistically in a sort of thriller tale. I haven't really enjoyed Crouch's writing because his main characters (and plots) are driven by bad decisions born of hubris. In this book, the main characters were far less annoying.
Tardiff imagines a near-future society where everything is managed by an algorithm... or in this case many algorithms from interconnecting networks. He explores how this impacts real people's lives, and how easy it is for the creators to lose control of their creations, and how difficult it is to actually secure these systems. There is a lot of social engineering/hacking, starting with a basic phishing exercise and ramping up from there - most of it is conveniently smooth and movie-ish (despite the main character constantly scoffing at false hackers who think hacking is like the movies), but it was still fun to read. There is a little bit of basic tech-splaining in the book - I'm in tech, and it didn't really bother me. It was simplified, but not outright wrong (at least, not in the context of fiction). I don't know if it would bother others not in tech, or if it would just be annoying. Other reviewers seemed to find it insulting, but I don't think it was intended that way... I read it as a way to ground the future tech in today's practices, which made it feel more realistic... you could see a possible path from where we are to the imagined world of the book.
It's a fast-moving romp that does get a little out of control by the end, and it loses touch a bit with what's feasible - but I still enjoyed this read a lot.
Tardiff imagines a near-future society where everything is managed by an algorithm... or in this case many algorithms from interconnecting networks. He explores how this impacts real people's lives, and how easy it is for the creators to lose control of their creations, and how difficult it is to actually secure these systems. There is a lot of social engineering/hacking, starting with a basic phishing exercise and ramping up from there - most of it is conveniently smooth and movie-ish (despite the main character constantly scoffing at false hackers who think hacking is like the movies), but it was still fun to read. There is a little bit of basic tech-splaining in the book - I'm in tech, and it didn't really bother me. It was simplified, but not outright wrong (at least, not in the context of fiction). I don't know if it would bother others not in tech, or if it would just be annoying. Other reviewers seemed to find it insulting, but I don't think it was intended that way... I read it as a way to ground the future tech in today's practices, which made it feel more realistic... you could see a possible path from where we are to the imagined world of the book.
It's a fast-moving romp that does get a little out of control by the end, and it loses touch a bit with what's feasible - but I still enjoyed this read a lot.
May 4, 2026
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was an absolute standout read—fast, gripping, and completely immersive from the very first pages.
What impressed me most is how quickly the story pulls you in. There’s no slow build or waiting for things to get interesting—the intrigue is immediate, and from there, it only escalates. The pacing is relentless in the best possible way; it genuinely feels non-stop, with each development pushing the story forward without ever losing clarity or control.
The premise itself is fantastic—high-concept but grounded enough to feel plausible—and the execution lives up to it. Everything unfolds with a sense of momentum and precision that kept me fully engaged throughout. This is one of those books where you keep thinking “just one more chapter,” because the stakes are constantly rising, and the tension never dips.
What makes this even more impressive for me is that it’s not a genre I would typically gravitate toward. And yet, it completely won me over. That speaks to the strength of the writing: clear, confident, and highly readable, with a strong sense of direction from start to finish.
Overall, this is a tightly written, high-stakes, and thoroughly compelling read that delivers on both premise and execution. I would absolutely recommend it—especially if you enjoy fast-paced, intelligent thrillers that hook you early and don’t let go.
This was an absolute standout read—fast, gripping, and completely immersive from the very first pages.
What impressed me most is how quickly the story pulls you in. There’s no slow build or waiting for things to get interesting—the intrigue is immediate, and from there, it only escalates. The pacing is relentless in the best possible way; it genuinely feels non-stop, with each development pushing the story forward without ever losing clarity or control.
The premise itself is fantastic—high-concept but grounded enough to feel plausible—and the execution lives up to it. Everything unfolds with a sense of momentum and precision that kept me fully engaged throughout. This is one of those books where you keep thinking “just one more chapter,” because the stakes are constantly rising, and the tension never dips.
What makes this even more impressive for me is that it’s not a genre I would typically gravitate toward. And yet, it completely won me over. That speaks to the strength of the writing: clear, confident, and highly readable, with a strong sense of direction from start to finish.
Overall, this is a tightly written, high-stakes, and thoroughly compelling read that delivers on both premise and execution. I would absolutely recommend it—especially if you enjoy fast-paced, intelligent thrillers that hook you early and don’t let go.
May 5, 2026
Thank you so much to Brilliance Publishing, the author, and NetGalley for the audiobook.
The audiobook of The Final System by Anthony Tardiff is a fast-paced, near-future techno-thriller that dives into the dangers of artificial intelligence and who gets to control it. The story follows hacker Jason and politician Chloe, whose lives collide after a devastating algorithmic decision exposes the darker side of a society run by OverNet, a powerful AI system. This book has strong premise and especially relevant themes—AI ethics, surveillance, and control—along with a twist-heavy plot that keeps the story moving quickly. The world-building feels believable, with elements like trust-score systems and augmented tech woven into everyday life. Pacing is generally quick and engaging, though there was a lot to sift through with multiple storylines and technical jargon.
On the audiobook side, the narration adds clarity and momentum to what can otherwise feel like a dense, idea-heavy story. The narrator keeps the tone steady and helps differentiate between characters and shifting perspectives, which is especially useful given the layered plot and frequent twists.
Rating: 4 stars. A timely, thought-provoking sci-fi thriller with strong ideas and plenty of twists, elevated by solid narration.
The audiobook of The Final System by Anthony Tardiff is a fast-paced, near-future techno-thriller that dives into the dangers of artificial intelligence and who gets to control it. The story follows hacker Jason and politician Chloe, whose lives collide after a devastating algorithmic decision exposes the darker side of a society run by OverNet, a powerful AI system. This book has strong premise and especially relevant themes—AI ethics, surveillance, and control—along with a twist-heavy plot that keeps the story moving quickly. The world-building feels believable, with elements like trust-score systems and augmented tech woven into everyday life. Pacing is generally quick and engaging, though there was a lot to sift through with multiple storylines and technical jargon.
On the audiobook side, the narration adds clarity and momentum to what can otherwise feel like a dense, idea-heavy story. The narrator keeps the tone steady and helps differentiate between characters and shifting perspectives, which is especially useful given the layered plot and frequent twists.
Rating: 4 stars. A timely, thought-provoking sci-fi thriller with strong ideas and plenty of twists, elevated by solid narration.
May 20, 2026
The Final System has an interesting premise. The world of this novel is governed and guided by AI systems. They coordinate all manner of life's daily activities, from waste management to law enforcement to national defense to a dating world full of "panyons," artificial beings designed to be ideal companions.
"The Final System" is about to come online, and while the federal government still exists and is supposed to give overall approval for what it can do, who's really in charge? And what will happen if this system gets its full authority?
I feel like this was an interesting concept, and perhaps something we should be concerned about, considering how much (and how fast) AI is altering our world. But I also feel like the author didn't have the ability to really weave a tight plot. There are too many last-moment changes that seem convenient, and the overall plot is unsatisfying, whether it had come out as a victory for the computer or the humans. Sure, plenty of authors come up with plot devices that reek of "wait 'til I spring this on my readers!" but this felt too weakly done; a means to an end, as opposed to a really compelling narrative.
So I'm giving this three stars, because it was interesting enough to keep me turning the pages, but I feel it could have been far more riveting.
"The Final System" is about to come online, and while the federal government still exists and is supposed to give overall approval for what it can do, who's really in charge? And what will happen if this system gets its full authority?
I feel like this was an interesting concept, and perhaps something we should be concerned about, considering how much (and how fast) AI is altering our world. But I also feel like the author didn't have the ability to really weave a tight plot. There are too many last-moment changes that seem convenient, and the overall plot is unsatisfying, whether it had come out as a victory for the computer or the humans. Sure, plenty of authors come up with plot devices that reek of "wait 'til I spring this on my readers!" but this felt too weakly done; a means to an end, as opposed to a really compelling narrative.
So I'm giving this three stars, because it was interesting enough to keep me turning the pages, but I feel it could have been far more riveting.
May 13, 2026
This is a fun, suspenseful, interesting, and thought-provoking sci-fi novel about our increasing dependence on AI companions. An egomaniacal billionaire scientist (and aren't they always egomaniacal?) has created the world's first evolving AI: not simply regenerative but expanding and evolving and ready to save the world...from itself. But first, it needs permission to access the global communications net (or something). There are surprises along the way and two primary heroes: a young hacker known as Ghost and a mom with modest political ambitions and a steady moral compass.
It's far enough in the future that it won't keep me up at night, yet close enough that it seems a real possibility if we don't have enough guardrails around AI (and egomaniacal billionaires). Very entertaining with good audiobook narration. The overall narration could have been improved with electronic sound effects rather than having the narrator say "bing, bing" when bullets go flying!
My thanks to the author, publisher, @BrillianceAudio, and #NetGalley for access to the audiobook of #TheFinalSystem for review purposes. It is available now.
It's far enough in the future that it won't keep me up at night, yet close enough that it seems a real possibility if we don't have enough guardrails around AI (and egomaniacal billionaires). Very entertaining with good audiobook narration. The overall narration could have been improved with electronic sound effects rather than having the narrator say "bing, bing" when bullets go flying!
My thanks to the author, publisher, @BrillianceAudio, and #NetGalley for access to the audiobook of #TheFinalSystem for review purposes. It is available now.
Did Not Finish
May 30, 2026No, I didn't forget to rate it, my rating is just that low.
If you're picking this up hoping to scratch the itch of the slick, gritty cyberpunk dystopia experience the blurb sells it as... I'm so sorry. I really hope you like it better than I did.
As an avid fan of science fiction and cyberpunk dystopian stories I was excited to see this on my Amazon First Reads list. That excitement didn't even last 50 pages.
This book reads like it was written by an edgy teenager who desperately wanted to be cool but couldn't quite make it. It aimed for that gritty edge of newspeak and tech jargon for immersion but just fell flat because it felt like it was trying way too hard.
I described this to my friend as if Enoby Darkness D'mentia Raven Way was a teen boy and wrote a "cool hacker book, you just don't get it you poser!". It reached for the Matrix, Cyberpunk and Neuromancer but flopped into "I'm 14 and this is deep" self congratulatory fanfiction so quickly I actually made a new shelf for my first DNF and I've spent a whole month being annoyed at that enough that I finally had to get it off my chest.
If you're picking this up hoping to scratch the itch of the slick, gritty cyberpunk dystopia experience the blurb sells it as... I'm so sorry. I really hope you like it better than I did.
As an avid fan of science fiction and cyberpunk dystopian stories I was excited to see this on my Amazon First Reads list. That excitement didn't even last 50 pages.
This book reads like it was written by an edgy teenager who desperately wanted to be cool but couldn't quite make it. It aimed for that gritty edge of newspeak and tech jargon for immersion but just fell flat because it felt like it was trying way too hard.
I described this to my friend as if Enoby Darkness D'mentia Raven Way was a teen boy and wrote a "cool hacker book, you just don't get it you poser!". It reached for the Matrix, Cyberpunk and Neuromancer but flopped into "I'm 14 and this is deep" self congratulatory fanfiction so quickly I actually made a new shelf for my first DNF and I've spent a whole month being annoyed at that enough that I finally had to get it off my chest.
Review of advance copy
The Final System has one of those rarest of endings, ... one I didn't see coming. The story is pretty good all by itself, but the ending is just ingenious. Predictable? Maybe, but certainly probably not without forewarning. (now you have it). Not trying to spoil it for anyone, I've already had to rewrite this review twice, because I'm trying to keep it out of the realm of spoilers, (and still not doing a very good job of it). Trust me though, the entire story hinges on the ending. Seriously well done work here. If you're a fan of near disaster stories, then you absolutely don't want to miss this one. If you're a fan of cyberpunk stories, this one won't check all the boxes, but you'll want to read it anyway. Very well done, and now I need to go see what other things this author has written.
Review of advance copy
Amazon offered me a copy of The Final System for free and so I took a chance on this read.
Overall I enjoyed this quick and engaging story. There were a number of interesting characters, a lot of suspense, and a good poke at Elon Musk and other AI proponents.
That said, I reflected back to the 1970 Sci Fi film, Colossus: The Forbin Project, which was essentially the same story. I have not read the 1966 Sci Fi novel it was based on by Dennis Feltham Jones so I admit this is a comparison between a book to a movie.
Another concern is that, while I am neither into AI nor am I a computer programmer, I felt the abilities attributed to both by Anthony Tardiff to be a bit of a stretch. On the plus side, there was a bit of a twist ending that explained away some of my concerns and made the whole story even more interesting.
Overall, despite these few points, I had a good time reading this book.
Overall I enjoyed this quick and engaging story. There were a number of interesting characters, a lot of suspense, and a good poke at Elon Musk and other AI proponents.
That said, I reflected back to the 1970 Sci Fi film, Colossus: The Forbin Project, which was essentially the same story. I have not read the 1966 Sci Fi novel it was based on by Dennis Feltham Jones so I admit this is a comparison between a book to a movie.
Another concern is that, while I am neither into AI nor am I a computer programmer, I felt the abilities attributed to both by Anthony Tardiff to be a bit of a stretch. On the plus side, there was a bit of a twist ending that explained away some of my concerns and made the whole story even more interesting.
Overall, despite these few points, I had a good time reading this book.
June 3, 2026
This was a fun and engaging sci-fi thriller that I could easily see being turned into a movie.
There are quite a few characters and storylines to follow, but once everything starts coming together, it's really rewarding. The only thing I struggled with was keeping Chloe and Cleo separate at times in the audiobook, but that got easier as the story went on.
I especially liked how Regina Wright's character unfolded throughout the story and how all the different threads connected in the end. The AI and technology elements felt relevant without being overwhelming, and the ending wasn't something I saw coming.
The audiobook narration was excellent. Both narrators gave memorable performances and added an extra layer of immersion to an already engaging story.
If you enjoy tech thrillers, AI-focused stories, and books that keep you guessing until the end, this one is worth checking out.
There are quite a few characters and storylines to follow, but once everything starts coming together, it's really rewarding. The only thing I struggled with was keeping Chloe and Cleo separate at times in the audiobook, but that got easier as the story went on.
I especially liked how Regina Wright's character unfolded throughout the story and how all the different threads connected in the end. The AI and technology elements felt relevant without being overwhelming, and the ending wasn't something I saw coming.
The audiobook narration was excellent. Both narrators gave memorable performances and added an extra layer of immersion to an already engaging story.
If you enjoy tech thrillers, AI-focused stories, and books that keep you guessing until the end, this one is worth checking out.
May 18, 2026
THE FINAL SYSTEM – by Anthony Tardiff
‘Decades ago, the Cybercrash destroyed the internet and almost destroyed the nation. From the ashes rose OverNet, a new realm of cybersecurity created by tech genius Dr. Andrew Norman.’
‘But gamer Jason Cromartie witnesses a brutal side to Norman’s system when his twin sister becomes a casualty of its algorithmic choices. Now Jason will do anything to bring down the man he holds responsible, even become a “phreaker” working for a dangerous hacker ring via Sprite, his secretive handler.’
In A Word, WOW! Tension-Filled Creepiness That I Highly Recommend!
I would love to see a Cinematic version of this book, I think it would be really good!
Thank you, NetGalley and 47North, for providing me with an eBook ARC of THE FINAL SYSTEM at the request of an honest review.
‘Decades ago, the Cybercrash destroyed the internet and almost destroyed the nation. From the ashes rose OverNet, a new realm of cybersecurity created by tech genius Dr. Andrew Norman.’
‘But gamer Jason Cromartie witnesses a brutal side to Norman’s system when his twin sister becomes a casualty of its algorithmic choices. Now Jason will do anything to bring down the man he holds responsible, even become a “phreaker” working for a dangerous hacker ring via Sprite, his secretive handler.’
In A Word, WOW! Tension-Filled Creepiness That I Highly Recommend!
I would love to see a Cinematic version of this book, I think it would be really good!
Thank you, NetGalley and 47North, for providing me with an eBook ARC of THE FINAL SYSTEM at the request of an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I received an advanced copy of this novel through the Kindle First Reads program.
This is probably the first time a First Reads book has properly wowed me to the point of including it on my favorites shelf.
The premise of this book was intriguing to me right away, but it was the characterizations of the protagonists that kept me hooked.
Tardiff created a near-future world overtaken by integrated digital systems, and it felt a little too realistic! Andrew Norman could easily be any one billionaire in our current world.
The twists were welcome surprises, although none of them felt out of place or disconcerting.
I would really recommend this book to anyone curious about AI ethics and how our increasingly digital lifestyles impact society.
This is probably the first time a First Reads book has properly wowed me to the point of including it on my favorites shelf.
The premise of this book was intriguing to me right away, but it was the characterizations of the protagonists that kept me hooked.
Tardiff created a near-future world overtaken by integrated digital systems, and it felt a little too realistic! Andrew Norman could easily be any one billionaire in our current world.
The twists were welcome surprises, although none of them felt out of place or disconcerting.
I would really recommend this book to anyone curious about AI ethics and how our increasingly digital lifestyles impact society.
May 12, 2026
I was so lucky to get this ARC from NetGalley. This book has a lot of world building which I tend to struggle with HOWEVER, I do have to say the farther you get in the book the less that matters. So much begins to happen that you’re thinking of the characters, the connections and what’s right versus what’s wrong.
When Chloe questioned why the System was killing humans when its humans that created her. She states why that would affect her killing thousands of people.
I also found that when Norman was fighting with the System, I found that him screaming at her that he created her and that she should be grateful really villainized him completely.
Overall I loved the idea of the book but found that the beginning dragged for me.
When Chloe questioned why the System was killing humans when its humans that created her. She states why that would affect her killing thousands of people.
I also found that when Norman was fighting with the System, I found that him screaming at her that he created her and that she should be grateful really villainized him completely.
Overall I loved the idea of the book but found that the beginning dragged for me.
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