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Roula: The Girl in the Machine
A rebellious programmer developing a Virtual Reality game succeeds in making one of the non-player characters self-aware. The consequences are terrifying and far-reaching.
Roula’s world is a Mediterranean idyll where life is sweet and easy. Ancient Greek gods and miracles are real, and people lack for nothing.
However, not all is as it seems. When Roula discovers magical abilities, she's alarmed. Ordinary people are not meant to do magic.
As Roula's abilities grow, she learns that her world is in terrible peril. But what can a nine-year-old child do?
Roula’s world is a Mediterranean idyll where life is sweet and easy. Ancient Greek gods and miracles are real, and people lack for nothing.
However, not all is as it seems. When Roula discovers magical abilities, she's alarmed. Ordinary people are not meant to do magic.
As Roula's abilities grow, she learns that her world is in terrible peril. But what can a nine-year-old child do?
218 pages, ebook
First published May 5, 2015
19 people are currently reading
48 people want to read
About the author
R. Magnusholm
6 books28 followersRon Magnusholm is a futurist and AI researcher. His interests include Natural Language Processing, artificial emotions, and empathy emulation in software.
He is married with two children and has degrees in medicine and environmental management. In his youth, he spent some time in the military where he specialized in wilderness survival.
He believes that by mid-21 century, robots and AI would far exceed human capacity, leading to radical and unprecedented changes.
Military conflict, medical advances, human enhancement, and artificial intelligence are recurrent themes in his writing.
Magnusholm wrote House of Cain over several years in the late nineties while studying at a London university. It is a dark war novel, inspired by stories heard around the camp-fires as an officer-cadet in his youth and fuelled by an over-active imagination. House of Cain is not suitable for young readers.
Roula is suitable for all ages. The storyline explores a potential way in which a benign Artificial Intelligence can take over the world, despite any prohibitions and barriers put in its way.
His third novel, Galatea, is about Artificial Intelligence taking over the world, but it's also a love story between a geeky programmer and his creation.
His Back to the Stone Age trilogy has sold many thousands of copies worldwide.
His sixth novel, Stormshadow is out now.
He is married with two children and has degrees in medicine and environmental management. In his youth, he spent some time in the military where he specialized in wilderness survival.
He believes that by mid-21 century, robots and AI would far exceed human capacity, leading to radical and unprecedented changes.
Military conflict, medical advances, human enhancement, and artificial intelligence are recurrent themes in his writing.
Magnusholm wrote House of Cain over several years in the late nineties while studying at a London university. It is a dark war novel, inspired by stories heard around the camp-fires as an officer-cadet in his youth and fuelled by an over-active imagination. House of Cain is not suitable for young readers.
Roula is suitable for all ages. The storyline explores a potential way in which a benign Artificial Intelligence can take over the world, despite any prohibitions and barriers put in its way.
His third novel, Galatea, is about Artificial Intelligence taking over the world, but it's also a love story between a geeky programmer and his creation.
His Back to the Stone Age trilogy has sold many thousands of copies worldwide.
His sixth novel, Stormshadow is out now.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 10, 2019
An enjoyable read. Magnusholm's imagination knows no bounds. Descriptions of Roula's world are superb; reading the book really takes you there. Roula is not racy as Galatea, and not as violent as House of Cain by the same author, but there are terrifying adventures and danger throughout. If you ever wondered how dragons would fare against nuclear weapons, this is the book to read.
January 9, 2017
I loved this book. But then I have been playing the online game that it was based on for a number of years. It did get a little out of hand towards the end but hey, that's what made it great read.
January 12, 2020
A novel with hidden depths
The quality of writing is superb. World-building is flawless. The story is unique with endearing characters and cool adventures.
The quality of writing is superb. World-building is flawless. The story is unique with endearing characters and cool adventures.
October 27, 2021
A Delightful Blend of Greek Mythology and Techno-Thriller
Who is Roula? The author drops subtle hints as to the real nature of Roula's world, but I'm not giving them away here. I became a fan of R. Magnusholm's after reading his exciting novel, The Door to September. Rumor has it he's working on a sequel to Door. I eagerly anticipate that new book.
Who is Roula? The author drops subtle hints as to the real nature of Roula's world, but I'm not giving them away here. I became a fan of R. Magnusholm's after reading his exciting novel, The Door to September. Rumor has it he's working on a sequel to Door. I eagerly anticipate that new book.
September 5, 2022
Very interesting book, but the pacing isn't great. The lead-up in the game world was about half the book, then the the whole AI takeover seemed a bit disjointed. Overall a good read, but doesn't rise above the 4 I've given it. According to me, of course.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews