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Technodiversity
Enter a world where rogue software animates junk to life…
Born on a blasted world where mechanical creatures form spontaneously in the wake of interstellar apocalypse, Rem of the Recycle Canyon must scour laser-lit landscapes for lost knowledge and rip technocreatures apart for scraps of lost technology.
But when she decides to set her first catch free, Rem disturbs the ancient balance between her people and their spacefaring relatives who crave her world’s riches, finding herself in a post-biological world of trouble.
Rem’s defiance against the so-called “gods of hell-space”, and her surprising affection towards her world’s technocreatures, kick off an explosive misadventure that will challenge her convictions and test every skill she doesn’t believe she has.
Will she rise above age-old prejudices, outsmart a computer-god, keep her feelings for a charming but suspicious outsider under control, reach the mythical Hologram Valley and survive its secret?
If so, she might succeed where legendary heroes of old failed and discover the impossible solution to protect her world’s technodiversity… and perhaps even find love in the unlikeliest of places.
Otherwise, she might leave her last breath under a techbeast’s chassis — or worse — find herself banished in hell-space!
Theodore Koukouvitis’ debut novel is a fresh science fiction adventure that combines a sophisticated narrative in the vein of traditional sci-fi classics with breathtaking action, whirlwind romance and spunky humor.
Born on a blasted world where mechanical creatures form spontaneously in the wake of interstellar apocalypse, Rem of the Recycle Canyon must scour laser-lit landscapes for lost knowledge and rip technocreatures apart for scraps of lost technology.
But when she decides to set her first catch free, Rem disturbs the ancient balance between her people and their spacefaring relatives who crave her world’s riches, finding herself in a post-biological world of trouble.
Rem’s defiance against the so-called “gods of hell-space”, and her surprising affection towards her world’s technocreatures, kick off an explosive misadventure that will challenge her convictions and test every skill she doesn’t believe she has.
Will she rise above age-old prejudices, outsmart a computer-god, keep her feelings for a charming but suspicious outsider under control, reach the mythical Hologram Valley and survive its secret?
If so, she might succeed where legendary heroes of old failed and discover the impossible solution to protect her world’s technodiversity… and perhaps even find love in the unlikeliest of places.
Otherwise, she might leave her last breath under a techbeast’s chassis — or worse — find herself banished in hell-space!
Theodore Koukouvitis’ debut novel is a fresh science fiction adventure that combines a sophisticated narrative in the vein of traditional sci-fi classics with breathtaking action, whirlwind romance and spunky humor.
- GenresFiction
322 pages, ebook
Published April 25, 2017
About the author
Theodore Koukouvitis
9 books7 followersA successful freelance writer, Theodore Koukouvitis has published several non-fiction eBooks and thousands of articles that between them command millions of daily views.
Driven by an insatiable curiosity and a keen interest for all things scientific, he has been writing science fiction stories since his late teens, creating improbable yet scientifically plausible worlds.
Theodore is also considered one of the world’s most sought-after writers of executive resumes and biographies for senior business leaders and Fortune 1000 executives, with over 300 executive resumes completed to date.
Driven by an insatiable curiosity and a keen interest for all things scientific, he has been writing science fiction stories since his late teens, creating improbable yet scientifically plausible worlds.
Theodore is also considered one of the world’s most sought-after writers of executive resumes and biographies for senior business leaders and Fortune 1000 executives, with over 300 executive resumes completed to date.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 30, 2018
**Actual Rating 4.5**
Characters
I don't know where I'm at on Rem, but I for sure liked her better at the end of the novel then I did at the beginning. She was much more redeeming in my mind. I think part of my problem came from the gender switching on the planet, which was interesting but did test what could make sense. It was great at points but tripped me up more than once because it felt almost like she was trying too hard. I actually didn't realize for a while that the main character was a girl. This was only made worse because her idea of romance was purely physical based and so adding anything else made her seem really shallow. On that note I loved a lot of the supporting characters and my favorite is Sol. What a fun and unpredictable character!
Plot
This book just throws you into the deep end. Thrusting the reader knee deep into the world surrounding Rem. There are actually multiple stories going on within this story. The bigger arcing theme is two parts - one romantic and the other adventure. The Tech learns and it knows. It was full of action and adventure with massive sci-fi overtones and even some humor. The main character is reluctant at first but once she sets her mind to prove she can do it, she jumps in with both feet. A little impulsive? Sure, but also fun!
Overall
Holy world building. This is an intensely immersive world that is well thought out and expertly built. A beautiful shattered world that has advancing tech that is unique and extensive. The flow is a little wonky because some of the chapters are insanely long. While others are quite short and manageable. It was particularly difficult in one of the middle chapters where there was a debate going on in the 'council' that seemed to just drag on. It could have been shortened, but thankfully once it wraps up it was the last of its time. Once the second half of the novel starts, it pretty much was page after page because I wanted to know the ending. Let's just say a lot happens in this book and it keeps you interested.
Biggest complaint is the use of the word 'badass,' which was way over done! Gah! To the point of annoying through the second half of the novel.
Rating
4.5 stars (rounded down)
A stunning sci-fi novel that is an immersive treat! Great world building, a passable main character (thank goodness for Sol!), and a fascinating sci-fi read is worth the time!
This is a voluntary review. More reviews at creatingworldswithwords.wordpress.com.
Characters
I don't know where I'm at on Rem, but I for sure liked her better at the end of the novel then I did at the beginning. She was much more redeeming in my mind. I think part of my problem came from the gender switching on the planet, which was interesting but did test what could make sense. It was great at points but tripped me up more than once because it felt almost like she was trying too hard. I actually didn't realize for a while that the main character was a girl. This was only made worse because her idea of romance was purely physical based and so adding anything else made her seem really shallow. On that note I loved a lot of the supporting characters and my favorite is Sol. What a fun and unpredictable character!
Plot
This book just throws you into the deep end. Thrusting the reader knee deep into the world surrounding Rem. There are actually multiple stories going on within this story. The bigger arcing theme is two parts - one romantic and the other adventure. The Tech learns and it knows. It was full of action and adventure with massive sci-fi overtones and even some humor. The main character is reluctant at first but once she sets her mind to prove she can do it, she jumps in with both feet. A little impulsive? Sure, but also fun!
Overall
Holy world building. This is an intensely immersive world that is well thought out and expertly built. A beautiful shattered world that has advancing tech that is unique and extensive. The flow is a little wonky because some of the chapters are insanely long. While others are quite short and manageable. It was particularly difficult in one of the middle chapters where there was a debate going on in the 'council' that seemed to just drag on. It could have been shortened, but thankfully once it wraps up it was the last of its time. Once the second half of the novel starts, it pretty much was page after page because I wanted to know the ending. Let's just say a lot happens in this book and it keeps you interested.
Biggest complaint is the use of the word 'badass,' which was way over done! Gah! To the point of annoying through the second half of the novel.
Rating
4.5 stars (rounded down)
A stunning sci-fi novel that is an immersive treat! Great world building, a passable main character (thank goodness for Sol!), and a fascinating sci-fi read is worth the time!
This is a voluntary review. More reviews at creatingworldswithwords.wordpress.com.
August 27, 2017
Somewhere between “The Island of Misfit Toys” and “Jurassic Park” and millions of miles away and well into the future there is Technodiversity, a planet once dedicated to being a garbage dump for tech refuse. In a tip of the hat to rising concerns regarding artificial intelligence, the scrap heaps acquire intelligence and start evolving on their own, revolting against the humans who put them on this faraway garbage planet.
The story starts with a badass young woman names REM who heads into the valleys and canyons to harvest parts and neutralize the new “life” forms for parts and ancient knowledge. Yet more powerful cyber beings have evolved with multicores and advanced defense capabilities and there is an approaching standoff between evolved systems and mere mortals.
Adding to the mix is the presence of a pantheon of Gods and rulers, some of whom view these new breeds of intelligent cyber scraps as protected species. They want the humans to leave and let cyber nature continue on its course. The implications are captivating to say the least, and more likely ominous as the humans realize that the cyber beings could likely adapt to their surroundings and even space travel much easier than humans.
This brings us to a struggle between various factions, mixed allegiances and layers of plot as the humans realize that they may be mere pawns on a very big chessboard. The suggestion that human beings should even blend with the cyborgs is even presented as an option for the survival of the human race.
The characters are rich to say the least and the dialogue, including the tech slang that has evolved from the silicon dump planet’s Recycle Canyon, rings with rare authenticity. The story is action-packed and nuanced with layers of implications and potential sub-plots along the way.
There is enough packed into Technodiversity to appeal to a broad range of readers, from people looking for an action-packed science fiction read to those mindful of where technology is leading us in the greater scheme of things. There are implications and outcomes that strike very close to mainstream issues today, including the rise of computer viruses, malware and artificial intelligence. That gives Technodiversity comparisons to everything between Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Bravo! Five Stars!!!!
The story starts with a badass young woman names REM who heads into the valleys and canyons to harvest parts and neutralize the new “life” forms for parts and ancient knowledge. Yet more powerful cyber beings have evolved with multicores and advanced defense capabilities and there is an approaching standoff between evolved systems and mere mortals.
Adding to the mix is the presence of a pantheon of Gods and rulers, some of whom view these new breeds of intelligent cyber scraps as protected species. They want the humans to leave and let cyber nature continue on its course. The implications are captivating to say the least, and more likely ominous as the humans realize that the cyber beings could likely adapt to their surroundings and even space travel much easier than humans.
This brings us to a struggle between various factions, mixed allegiances and layers of plot as the humans realize that they may be mere pawns on a very big chessboard. The suggestion that human beings should even blend with the cyborgs is even presented as an option for the survival of the human race.
The characters are rich to say the least and the dialogue, including the tech slang that has evolved from the silicon dump planet’s Recycle Canyon, rings with rare authenticity. The story is action-packed and nuanced with layers of implications and potential sub-plots along the way.
There is enough packed into Technodiversity to appeal to a broad range of readers, from people looking for an action-packed science fiction read to those mindful of where technology is leading us in the greater scheme of things. There are implications and outcomes that strike very close to mainstream issues today, including the rise of computer viruses, malware and artificial intelligence. That gives Technodiversity comparisons to everything between Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Bravo! Five Stars!!!!
August 21, 2017
Rem lives in a world where it is the humans against the tech. She is a texplorer, meaning that she goes into the wilderness where all the techbeasts are, harvests them for their parts, and then takes them back to Mount Offline or where the humans live. It is the law for at least one person in every family to be a texplorer, and her older brother and sister have both died from texploring. If she doesn't succeed in this field, then her mom or her sickly father will have to take up the trade, and they are sure to be unsuccessful.
But this is harder than it seems. Rem is named after the famous Rem of the Hologram Valley, a woman who taught the humans to look up to the "hell-space" and talk to the gods. Now, almost every man or woman is named Rem, and each person with that name hopes to live up to her legacy. However, Rem of the Recycle Canyon does not enjoy texsploring. She feels bad for taking apart the creatures, feels as if she is actually killing something that can live and think.
When exploring in the Tech, she meets a strange man who doesn't kill the tech but instead lives with them. He teaches her how to ride a horse/bull like tech creature, and how to survive some of the seemingly dangerous techbeasts. Now Rem has to decide whether or not to believe that the tech are living creatures, and what to do so she can save them.
I loved this book. I hadn't read anything like it before, and it felt so full. I felt, unfortunately, that it was a tad slow in the beginning, but I was reading it during a time where I could barely read a couple of pages a day. Then, I literally read half of the book in about 2 hours, with just enough time to spare for another one.
The world that Rem lives in is a matriarchy, which I don't see that much in books. The women run everything, the most celebrated texplorers are almost all women, and the women living on Mount Offline are independent and powerful.
I loved the pacing of this book, even though I felt that it was slower in the beginning. The buildup actually proved to be crucial to the story as when she was going on bigger adventures in the end of the book, I was able to understand and remember everyone from the beginning. Which, if you know me, is hard for me to do.
Altogether, I loved this novel. I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for an action story, an adventure story, a fantasy story, a sci-fi story, just ANY story. Heck, even the first person POV counts as comedy! Just read this if you are looking for an amazing story written by Theodore Koukouvitis.
But this is harder than it seems. Rem is named after the famous Rem of the Hologram Valley, a woman who taught the humans to look up to the "hell-space" and talk to the gods. Now, almost every man or woman is named Rem, and each person with that name hopes to live up to her legacy. However, Rem of the Recycle Canyon does not enjoy texsploring. She feels bad for taking apart the creatures, feels as if she is actually killing something that can live and think.
When exploring in the Tech, she meets a strange man who doesn't kill the tech but instead lives with them. He teaches her how to ride a horse/bull like tech creature, and how to survive some of the seemingly dangerous techbeasts. Now Rem has to decide whether or not to believe that the tech are living creatures, and what to do so she can save them.
I loved this book. I hadn't read anything like it before, and it felt so full. I felt, unfortunately, that it was a tad slow in the beginning, but I was reading it during a time where I could barely read a couple of pages a day. Then, I literally read half of the book in about 2 hours, with just enough time to spare for another one.
The world that Rem lives in is a matriarchy, which I don't see that much in books. The women run everything, the most celebrated texplorers are almost all women, and the women living on Mount Offline are independent and powerful.
I loved the pacing of this book, even though I felt that it was slower in the beginning. The buildup actually proved to be crucial to the story as when she was going on bigger adventures in the end of the book, I was able to understand and remember everyone from the beginning. Which, if you know me, is hard for me to do.
Altogether, I loved this novel. I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for an action story, an adventure story, a fantasy story, a sci-fi story, just ANY story. Heck, even the first person POV counts as comedy! Just read this if you are looking for an amazing story written by Theodore Koukouvitis.
August 18, 2017
Out of all the sci-fi New Worlds I’ve encountered, this was easily one of the most imaginative. Nature has given away to machines of all sizes and dispositions, some friendly, some lethal. To operate their own technology, humans must harvest discarded parts out in the field beyond their mountain, their safe domain.
That’s the job of Rem of the Recycle Canyon, a late teen also in search of love. Her slang is lively yet not crude. The time frame of the tale is brief—just a few days—and for much of it Rem is missing sleep, running on fumes. But she has no choice as the threats are imminent to her Tech land, her own world, and the seeming madman who has sparked her love interest.
Her society is supremely macha with gender roles totally reversed. Her culture, a former colony of Earth, centuries later after losing a war against aliens, is both backward and forward. It’s a queendom and hierarchical. Yet their remnant technology is impressive, too—some creative weapons (grenade size batteries!) and vehicles (a ride to a low orbit in just minutes!).
Humans fear the tech world beyond their walls and plot to destroy. Technology evolves and spins off new species with amazing rapidity—some cute, some funny, some terrifying. Rem, bless her heart, tries to work out co-existence for organic and inorganic creatures. Most of the fleshy fellows oppose that. The human politics is complicated by the competing gods who are a mix of highly evolved humans and aliens.
Out in the tech world, the surprises never stopped coming. And the new words for all the entities were a real brain treat. Plus, some of the scenes out there were captivatingly beautiful. Like Rem, I did not want to see humans destroy all that, either. Yet given the killing power of the tech entities—high-powered saws!—it seemed more likely that they would destroy humanity.
Read the story and teleport yourself into a world like none other, full of sights and insights. And do so before you get behind. The ending did leave room for a sequel.
That’s the job of Rem of the Recycle Canyon, a late teen also in search of love. Her slang is lively yet not crude. The time frame of the tale is brief—just a few days—and for much of it Rem is missing sleep, running on fumes. But she has no choice as the threats are imminent to her Tech land, her own world, and the seeming madman who has sparked her love interest.
Her society is supremely macha with gender roles totally reversed. Her culture, a former colony of Earth, centuries later after losing a war against aliens, is both backward and forward. It’s a queendom and hierarchical. Yet their remnant technology is impressive, too—some creative weapons (grenade size batteries!) and vehicles (a ride to a low orbit in just minutes!).
Humans fear the tech world beyond their walls and plot to destroy. Technology evolves and spins off new species with amazing rapidity—some cute, some funny, some terrifying. Rem, bless her heart, tries to work out co-existence for organic and inorganic creatures. Most of the fleshy fellows oppose that. The human politics is complicated by the competing gods who are a mix of highly evolved humans and aliens.
Out in the tech world, the surprises never stopped coming. And the new words for all the entities were a real brain treat. Plus, some of the scenes out there were captivatingly beautiful. Like Rem, I did not want to see humans destroy all that, either. Yet given the killing power of the tech entities—high-powered saws!—it seemed more likely that they would destroy humanity.
Read the story and teleport yourself into a world like none other, full of sights and insights. And do so before you get behind. The ending did leave room for a sequel.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews