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The Sentient Trilogy #1
The Sentient Collector
Book Description
An exciting story of insurmountable odds and overwhelmingly capable enemies. This is the 2nd novel from the author of TRANSITORY.
Readers said that TRANSITORY was:
“A must-read for lovers of science fiction.”
“Clever, complex science fiction.”
“His characterisations were brilliant. They made me care about Nate.”
“An Excellent Debut Sci-Fi Novel.”
From the Back Cover
In 2058 everything and everyone is connected. THEY ARE VULNERABLE.
An EVIL intelligence lurks deep within the SIMOVA network, waiting for its time to strike. Only a few know it even exists. They will not risk others knowing.
Once it begins, it cannot be stopped. Only one man can try. He is called THE SENTIENT COLLECTOR. Unfortunately, most think he is but a myth. Proving he is not could make the difference between war and peace.
Thrust into action, GRAHAM DENEHEY must find this mysterious figure before it is too late.
THE SENTIENT COLLECTOR is the first book in THE SENTIENT TRILOGY.
An exciting story of insurmountable odds and overwhelmingly capable enemies. This is the 2nd novel from the author of TRANSITORY.
Readers said that TRANSITORY was:
“A must-read for lovers of science fiction.”
“Clever, complex science fiction.”
“His characterisations were brilliant. They made me care about Nate.”
“An Excellent Debut Sci-Fi Novel.”
From the Back Cover
In 2058 everything and everyone is connected. THEY ARE VULNERABLE.
An EVIL intelligence lurks deep within the SIMOVA network, waiting for its time to strike. Only a few know it even exists. They will not risk others knowing.
Once it begins, it cannot be stopped. Only one man can try. He is called THE SENTIENT COLLECTOR. Unfortunately, most think he is but a myth. Proving he is not could make the difference between war and peace.
Thrust into action, GRAHAM DENEHEY must find this mysterious figure before it is too late.
THE SENTIENT COLLECTOR is the first book in THE SENTIENT TRILOGY.
402 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 17, 2015
12 people are currently reading
103 people want to read
About the author
Ian Williams
5 books124 followersIan Williams is a Science Fiction writer from the UK. He lives in a small town not far from London. Ian had a short career in the UK Court Service but was forced to quit that job when his medical condition worsened. Now, from the comfort of his wheelchair, he writes the stories he has always wanted to read. His writing spans lightyears of space, to near-future Earths; from small changes to society, to entirely new civilisations.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 23, 2015
Singularity is a rich topic for fiction, and I enjoy novels that explore its possibilities.
From Wiki: The technological singularity is a hypothetical event related to the advent of genuine artificial general intelligence (also known as "strong AI"). Such a computer, computer network, or robot would theoretically be capable of recursive self-improvement (redesigning itself), or of designing and building computers or robots better than itself on its own. Repetitions of this cycle would likely result in a runaway effect – an intelligence explosion– where smart machines design successive generations of increasingly powerful machines, creating intelligence far exceeding human intellectual capacity and control. Because the capabilities of such a superintelligence may be impossible for a human to comprehend, the technological singularity is the point beyond which events may become unpredictable or even unfathomable to human intelligence.
This definition contains the reason why writing about technological singularity is so difficult--the capabilities of an AI that reaches super-intelligence may be incomprehensible, and the events, unpredictable or unfathomable. So, how does one write such a story for readers who insist on understanding it?
One of the best is the film 2001: A Space Odyssey . Hal is akin to Isaac, the AI in The Sentient Collector. My favor goes to Hal, who is sinister, but not evil, whereas Isaac is strongly cast as a James-Bond-worthy villain, which I think is a philosophical mistake of the novel. Evil, in its essence can be clever, but not intelligent, which is not merely brainpower, but also judgment, reasoning, understanding, comprehension--thereby does not indicate corruption or sin. Perhaps Isaac was indeed corrupted, due to being caged and used as the tool he was designed to be. In that case, The Sentient Collector has invented a super-villain, leaving Luke as the only hope for intelligent evolution of the machine--you must read the novel to make sense of that statement.
One of the interesting choices of the author was to begin his story where many writers leave off--the destruction of the Frankenstein, so to speak. Isaac, however, is not as compliant. Isaac escapes, and sets the stage for Round 2.
My rating is 3.5 because: The novel begins a bit like Ghostbusters, sort of comic bookish. Men giggled too many times at inappropriate moments, which threw off my reading. Phoenix reminded me too much of Lisbeth Salander from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, without the real edge that made Lisbeth so fascinating. Real edges are not possible in novels where men keep giggling. So, the push pull between Arthur C. Clark, Stieg Larsson, and Dan Aykroyd was, for me, a near hit, but just off enough to fall short of 4 stars. Luckily, there is rounding, which I fall on the positive side because I was prompted to rethink my favorite film, 2001.
January 6, 2016
As scientists move closer to developing real Artificial Intelligence (AI), the science fiction world has seen ever increasing novels and movies that address the future for a world with a strong AI presence. 'The Sentient Collector', by Ian Williams, is one of these and book one in a planned trilogy, set in a dystopian society. The story begins, however, years after a mighty AI named Isaac has disappeared, and its place taken by a corporation.
Graham and Elliot work for SIMOVA, a corporate conglomerate that controls every facet of life in this futuristic world, through their network of super computers. The two technicians job is to capture Malicious Awareness and Resurgent Corruption (MARCs) data bits that are random, often hostile and roam the SIMOVA network. As the story unfolds, Graham and Elliot become immersed in a plot to steal MARCs that lead them to confrontations with primary characters that include Anthony, Phoenix and Kristof. Each of the three come from different environments and each are drawn into the storyline for disparate reasons. Anthony wants to reassemble / resurrect Isaac and Kristof is out to stop him. Phoenix is an anomaly in the story, whose side is she on?
As I read, the movie 'Ghostbusters' came to mind due to the method by which Graham and Elliot captured the MARCs. Substitute MARCs for ghosts and cages for ghost traps and the similarities are obvious. This wouldn’t be bad except that 'Ghostbusters' was a comedy and 'The Sentient Collector' a serious science fiction tale. After about the 30% mark, the story tone changed and became more like the thriller I had expected. Though the characters were all well developed (often with a bit of backstory in the middle of an action scene), I could not connect with any of them. The single exception was Anthony, a bad guy who remained in character and goal throughout.
I’ve read a lot of UK authors without a problem concerning style, word usage and the idiosyncracies that divide UK from American English. Mr. Williams’ writing style, though, was hard for me to read. Word usage and sentence structure, while grammatically correct, was such that the story often dragged when it should have been exploding with action. Still, the premise of 'The Sentient Collector' is interesting, well thought out and plotted, and vital for a trilogy-the ending is not a cliff-hanger; but, perfectly concluded to lead into the next book.
My rating is a solid three stars. This is a book I didn’t love, but liked. As there are many readers who don’t share my bias for fast pacing and verisimilitude across all facets of storytelling, and would love this novel, I have upgraded the rating to four stars.
Graham and Elliot work for SIMOVA, a corporate conglomerate that controls every facet of life in this futuristic world, through their network of super computers. The two technicians job is to capture Malicious Awareness and Resurgent Corruption (MARCs) data bits that are random, often hostile and roam the SIMOVA network. As the story unfolds, Graham and Elliot become immersed in a plot to steal MARCs that lead them to confrontations with primary characters that include Anthony, Phoenix and Kristof. Each of the three come from different environments and each are drawn into the storyline for disparate reasons. Anthony wants to reassemble / resurrect Isaac and Kristof is out to stop him. Phoenix is an anomaly in the story, whose side is she on?
As I read, the movie 'Ghostbusters' came to mind due to the method by which Graham and Elliot captured the MARCs. Substitute MARCs for ghosts and cages for ghost traps and the similarities are obvious. This wouldn’t be bad except that 'Ghostbusters' was a comedy and 'The Sentient Collector' a serious science fiction tale. After about the 30% mark, the story tone changed and became more like the thriller I had expected. Though the characters were all well developed (often with a bit of backstory in the middle of an action scene), I could not connect with any of them. The single exception was Anthony, a bad guy who remained in character and goal throughout.
I’ve read a lot of UK authors without a problem concerning style, word usage and the idiosyncracies that divide UK from American English. Mr. Williams’ writing style, though, was hard for me to read. Word usage and sentence structure, while grammatically correct, was such that the story often dragged when it should have been exploding with action. Still, the premise of 'The Sentient Collector' is interesting, well thought out and plotted, and vital for a trilogy-the ending is not a cliff-hanger; but, perfectly concluded to lead into the next book.
My rating is a solid three stars. This is a book I didn’t love, but liked. As there are many readers who don’t share my bias for fast pacing and verisimilitude across all facets of storytelling, and would love this novel, I have upgraded the rating to four stars.
February 16, 2015
This is a really good read. The story is well constructed and fast paced, whilst being thought provoking and unique.
October 8, 2020
I love the book well done from Ciara
August 5, 2016
There is no doubt that technology is an integral part of our lives. With virtually everything run by computers, everyone glued to Ipads, Ipods, and Iphones, business transactions taking place electronically, and the opportunities to communicate with people all over the world via social networking, it’s difficult to believe that just a few decades ago, none of this even existed. Now we are so dependent that we can’t imagine life without it.
In The Sentient Collector by Ian Williams, the readers see a futuristic version of a society that is not only completed dominated by technology, but the monopolistic conglomerate providing a range of services from public transportation to energy to entertainment is so vital to the functioning of society that they almost serve as a governing body. This massive company, called Simova, suffered a catastrophe twelve years prior to the events of the novel when an artificial intelligence unit called “Isaac” becomes too powerful and wreaks havoc all over the city. During the course of the novel, things seem to have returned to normal (if the definition of ‘normal’ is being spied on by a corporate entity and having every aspect of your life recorded. Even more disturbing is that almost everyone accepts Simova’s constant presence as normal). But danger is lurking underneath.
Graham and his brother-in-law Elliot are employees of Simova who in general think nothing of their task of removing pesky MARCs (a futuristic version of a computer virus) from people’s homes. One day, they are called to what they think is a routine job, unaware they are about to be sucked into a death trap by a terrorist organization obsessed with Isaac and with bringing Simova down. The terms given to Graham are simple: locate the elusive Sentient Collector within twenty-four hours, or Elliot will die.
Meanwhile, Phoenix, an orphan whose sole mission in life is to provide for her younger brothers, finds herself beholden to this terrorist organization. She watches in horror as Anthony, the head terrorist, commits multiple violent acts. Unsure of his objective and sickened by his brutish ways, she slowly loses faith in her boss and starts making her own plans.
These two very different people find that they just might be able to help each other. But will they be able to act in time? If not, innocent people will die and society will come to a screeching halt.
I’ve been a big fan of Williams since reading Transitory, and I sure wasn’t disappointed with The Sentient Collector. While addressing such major themes as over-reliance on technology, urbanization, climate manipulation, and drug dependency, the novel manages to maintain a charming light-hearted humor. The constantly bickering between Graham and Elliot provides comic relief, and Anthony is the quintessential villain with one-liners such as “‘Elliot’ will be the name of the new color scheme on the wall.” There are clear flavors of 1984 (with Simova functioning as Big Brother), Brave New World (especially in a somaform-like drug called D-stem, which is widely abused with no apparent attempt on the part of authorities to stop it), and Fahrenheit 451 (there is no book-burning or any other overt government control. The control comes from keeping society completely dependent. To see how this mirrors Ray Bradbury’s classic novel, you’ll have to read the fantastic ending, which is bittersweet but completely satisfying). There is certainly no shortage of fast-paced action, and readers will be more than pleased with this story. Give it a try today!
In The Sentient Collector by Ian Williams, the readers see a futuristic version of a society that is not only completed dominated by technology, but the monopolistic conglomerate providing a range of services from public transportation to energy to entertainment is so vital to the functioning of society that they almost serve as a governing body. This massive company, called Simova, suffered a catastrophe twelve years prior to the events of the novel when an artificial intelligence unit called “Isaac” becomes too powerful and wreaks havoc all over the city. During the course of the novel, things seem to have returned to normal (if the definition of ‘normal’ is being spied on by a corporate entity and having every aspect of your life recorded. Even more disturbing is that almost everyone accepts Simova’s constant presence as normal). But danger is lurking underneath.
Graham and his brother-in-law Elliot are employees of Simova who in general think nothing of their task of removing pesky MARCs (a futuristic version of a computer virus) from people’s homes. One day, they are called to what they think is a routine job, unaware they are about to be sucked into a death trap by a terrorist organization obsessed with Isaac and with bringing Simova down. The terms given to Graham are simple: locate the elusive Sentient Collector within twenty-four hours, or Elliot will die.
Meanwhile, Phoenix, an orphan whose sole mission in life is to provide for her younger brothers, finds herself beholden to this terrorist organization. She watches in horror as Anthony, the head terrorist, commits multiple violent acts. Unsure of his objective and sickened by his brutish ways, she slowly loses faith in her boss and starts making her own plans.
These two very different people find that they just might be able to help each other. But will they be able to act in time? If not, innocent people will die and society will come to a screeching halt.
I’ve been a big fan of Williams since reading Transitory, and I sure wasn’t disappointed with The Sentient Collector. While addressing such major themes as over-reliance on technology, urbanization, climate manipulation, and drug dependency, the novel manages to maintain a charming light-hearted humor. The constantly bickering between Graham and Elliot provides comic relief, and Anthony is the quintessential villain with one-liners such as “‘Elliot’ will be the name of the new color scheme on the wall.” There are clear flavors of 1984 (with Simova functioning as Big Brother), Brave New World (especially in a somaform-like drug called D-stem, which is widely abused with no apparent attempt on the part of authorities to stop it), and Fahrenheit 451 (there is no book-burning or any other overt government control. The control comes from keeping society completely dependent. To see how this mirrors Ray Bradbury’s classic novel, you’ll have to read the fantastic ending, which is bittersweet but completely satisfying). There is certainly no shortage of fast-paced action, and readers will be more than pleased with this story. Give it a try today!
September 27, 2016
Actually, it didn't have a predictable plot. I disliked the writing enough I didn't get past chapter 2. Sorry, just my personal tastes. I was actually kind of "lost" for a while and didn't like it enough to figure it out.
January 14, 2016
This was an intense ride from the prologue. I found this book to be highly addicting. I found myself turning page after page biting my finger nails. I was impressed with the flow of the book and how well the characters were developed. It is told through several point of views but my favorite was Graham. I found I had a good connection to him and enjoyed being in his head. By the end of the book I really liked Phoenix as well. I kept wanting her to do the right the thing. My favorite and most intense moment of the book was when the police and Kristof entered the shopping mall. Everything in that action scene went slow motion in my head. I could picture everything vividly and even could imagine the smells. It was action packed and a great read. I will be interested in reading the rest of the series because I want to know what happens to these characters. I would recommend this to anyone who likes a great science fiction or dystopian novel.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews