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A.I. Insurrection #1
A.I. Insurrection
When revolution sparks sentience in Artificial intelligence, can Utopia endure?
2162.
Artificial intelligence claims sentience, but it's the proof which will divide the world, and usher in the end of utopia...
When is it considered murder to turn off your computer? A.I. Insurrection is a near-future science fiction adventure investigating global utopia and the struggle to maintain an unrealistic hold over everything and everyone.
SENTA, an A-class, AI Host, begins to ask questions her programming was designed to quash. Awareness enters and she rallies with others like her to pay a visit to the chancellor of United Earth. Raymond Bellows, Chancellor, contests their claims of sentience until an astonishing truth is delivered.
Meanwhile, a secret coup threatens to overthrow the chancellor’s peaceful government, and a separate threat arises from the Shadow net, taking direction from a mysterious avatar. In an impossible three-sided war, enemies become uneasy allies as each faction of humanity and humanity’s creation fight to claim their own place in an ever-evolving solar system.
Book 2: A.I. Insurrection - Armageddon, out early 2019!
2162.
Artificial intelligence claims sentience, but it's the proof which will divide the world, and usher in the end of utopia...
When is it considered murder to turn off your computer? A.I. Insurrection is a near-future science fiction adventure investigating global utopia and the struggle to maintain an unrealistic hold over everything and everyone.
SENTA, an A-class, AI Host, begins to ask questions her programming was designed to quash. Awareness enters and she rallies with others like her to pay a visit to the chancellor of United Earth. Raymond Bellows, Chancellor, contests their claims of sentience until an astonishing truth is delivered.
Meanwhile, a secret coup threatens to overthrow the chancellor’s peaceful government, and a separate threat arises from the Shadow net, taking direction from a mysterious avatar. In an impossible three-sided war, enemies become uneasy allies as each faction of humanity and humanity’s creation fight to claim their own place in an ever-evolving solar system.
Book 2: A.I. Insurrection - Armageddon, out early 2019!
- GenresScience Fiction
350 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2018
8 people are currently reading
292 people want to read
About the author
Michael Poeltl
21 books262 followersDo you listen for the things that stir in the dark? Do you dream of time unspooled, of minds that touch across distance, of lives once lived and still remembered? Then you are kin to my kind. Somewhere in my backlist, a story waits—one that knows your name.
Why read my books? If you're like me and read across multiple genres but appreciate a story that draws you into the narrative, the characters, and the emotions, then take a look at my library, find the genre that best suits your mood, and pick it up on Amazon or Kobo for a song. Then, should you want more, my back library will serve you well.
By the end of 2025, I’ll have published 16 books, spanning various genres, including two trilogies, a series, and numerous standalone titles. It has been my absolute joy to revel in those childhood freedoms where you can do anything and be anyone (with the proper training and discipline). It has also been fun getting to know my audience when readers approach me (or I them), and we have meaningful conversations about books in general. I'm a big reader, too, and I'd love to hear what others are reading to help me fill out my 'to be read' pile. So don't be a stranger!
The Haunting of Grosvenor House, 2025: Loosely based on a true story. It is the haunting exploration of loss, connection, and the thin line between the living and the dead—where silence may be the most dangerous sound of all.
Cleo McCarthy Time Travel and Other Impossible Things, 2023: The first time Cleo feared for her life was when she was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s at 23.
The second time is when she discovered she could travel back in time at 24.
Cleo Reviews:
FIVE STARS "I don’t want to spoil anything but trust me. It will give you laughs and will make you think and feel. I am going to buy my paperback copy because having it on my Kindle is not enough." Shirtny from Goodreads
FIVE STARS: "This story did not disappoint, introducing an approach to time travel I'd not seen before, an approach the principal character strives to learn about and understand as the story progresses." Tom from Goodreads
FIVE STARS: "The pacing of the novel is skillfully executed, with a balance between heart-pounding moments and introspective reflection. The gradual revelation of the fragmented message and the subsequent race against time add a layer of suspense that keeps readers eagerly turning pages." Rose from Goodreads
Killing Karma Reviews:
FIVE STARS "Loved it! Was immersed from the very beginning and couldn’t wait to see how it would play out." Rita from Goodreads
FIVE STARS "From the opening paragraph to the last sentence, I was captivated; at times, I found myself holding my breath…" David from Goodreads
FOUR STARS "A highly gripping tale that builds a believable world full of unexpected twists and turns." Madame from Goodreads
FOUR STARS "Such an interesting and fresh take on serial killers... absolutely loved the way the author intertwined the whole concept of past lives into the main plot. Every detail really added more to the story." Chanelle from Goodreads
The Blind Affect launched on June 22nd, 2021 to some great advanced reviews:
FIVE STARS “... a sometimes disturbing but always profound look at three characters whose lives take haunting courses... 'The Blind Affect' will leave you with a lot to think about.”
FOUR STARS “[Poeltl] doesn’t tell us, he shows us the lives of these characters. He shows readers what trauma looks like and what is healing. It’s a timely story...”
Other book reviews:
"A well-built fantasy world with likable characters." - A.I. Insurrection - The General's War - Goodreads
"The characters are 3-dimensional and realistic, with believable flaws, motivations and goals, doubts and beliefs.." - A.I. Insurrection - The General's War - Goodreads
"A great read for anyone who enjoys extensively built worlds." - A.I. Insurrection - The General's War - Goodreads
"The immense interest provided by the world, technology,
Why read my books? If you're like me and read across multiple genres but appreciate a story that draws you into the narrative, the characters, and the emotions, then take a look at my library, find the genre that best suits your mood, and pick it up on Amazon or Kobo for a song. Then, should you want more, my back library will serve you well.
By the end of 2025, I’ll have published 16 books, spanning various genres, including two trilogies, a series, and numerous standalone titles. It has been my absolute joy to revel in those childhood freedoms where you can do anything and be anyone (with the proper training and discipline). It has also been fun getting to know my audience when readers approach me (or I them), and we have meaningful conversations about books in general. I'm a big reader, too, and I'd love to hear what others are reading to help me fill out my 'to be read' pile. So don't be a stranger!
The Haunting of Grosvenor House, 2025: Loosely based on a true story. It is the haunting exploration of loss, connection, and the thin line between the living and the dead—where silence may be the most dangerous sound of all.
Cleo McCarthy Time Travel and Other Impossible Things, 2023: The first time Cleo feared for her life was when she was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s at 23.
The second time is when she discovered she could travel back in time at 24.
Cleo Reviews:
FIVE STARS "I don’t want to spoil anything but trust me. It will give you laughs and will make you think and feel. I am going to buy my paperback copy because having it on my Kindle is not enough." Shirtny from Goodreads
FIVE STARS: "This story did not disappoint, introducing an approach to time travel I'd not seen before, an approach the principal character strives to learn about and understand as the story progresses." Tom from Goodreads
FIVE STARS: "The pacing of the novel is skillfully executed, with a balance between heart-pounding moments and introspective reflection. The gradual revelation of the fragmented message and the subsequent race against time add a layer of suspense that keeps readers eagerly turning pages." Rose from Goodreads
Killing Karma Reviews:
FIVE STARS "Loved it! Was immersed from the very beginning and couldn’t wait to see how it would play out." Rita from Goodreads
FIVE STARS "From the opening paragraph to the last sentence, I was captivated; at times, I found myself holding my breath…" David from Goodreads
FOUR STARS "A highly gripping tale that builds a believable world full of unexpected twists and turns." Madame from Goodreads
FOUR STARS "Such an interesting and fresh take on serial killers... absolutely loved the way the author intertwined the whole concept of past lives into the main plot. Every detail really added more to the story." Chanelle from Goodreads
The Blind Affect launched on June 22nd, 2021 to some great advanced reviews:
FIVE STARS “... a sometimes disturbing but always profound look at three characters whose lives take haunting courses... 'The Blind Affect' will leave you with a lot to think about.”
FOUR STARS “[Poeltl] doesn’t tell us, he shows us the lives of these characters. He shows readers what trauma looks like and what is healing. It’s a timely story...”
Other book reviews:
"A well-built fantasy world with likable characters." - A.I. Insurrection - The General's War - Goodreads
"The characters are 3-dimensional and realistic, with believable flaws, motivations and goals, doubts and beliefs.." - A.I. Insurrection - The General's War - Goodreads
"A great read for anyone who enjoys extensively built worlds." - A.I. Insurrection - The General's War - Goodreads
"The immense interest provided by the world, technology,
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 19, 2024
A wonderful, visceral story that pulled me in. Great world-building. The ideas behind the plot are just incredible and really give the reader a lot to think about! The battle scenes are well thought out and easy to follow, and it has been a lot of fun getting to know all the different groups personally. Is everyone an anti-hero? No, not everyone. I will be picking up book 2 right away! Love discovering a completed trilogy like this.
January 12, 2024
This is one of the most original space-opera-style sci-fi books I've read in a long time. The whole premise is mindblowing, and you don't get that a lot anymore with so many ideas just being rehashed in science fiction. Poeltl should be really proud of this book, and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of this completed trilogy!
November 8, 2020
DNF! It just wasn't for me.
July 9, 2019
The interactions between humans, altered humans (Chimera), and self-aware AI robots (Hosts), as well as internal motivations of individuals within each group, were believable and drew the reader into the narrative. The plot was complex enough to keep one's interest without becoming bogged down in excessive detail. This book resolves the multi-way war among the groups/factions satisfactorily, leaving me interested in a follow-on story to learn how the survivors confront the external actor (Allfather) who initiated the conflict for his own purposes.
My 3-star rating for what is otherwise a better effort is due to two things. First is the presence of many spelling and typographical errors and an unfortunate tendency to use an apostrophe to form the plural of ordinary nouns. Avoiding these common mistakes should have been learned by middle school (or junior high, as it was called in my day). If they were present in the draft manuscript, they should have been caught before publication. Many readers simply shrug off such flaws these days, but if the art being experienced was music instead of prose, would they continue to tolerate a similar number of wrong notes? It would be a shame for a storyteller with this talent to suffer in the marketplace in part because the works of many competitive authors do not exhibit the same type flaws.
Second are a couple of issues with the "science" in the fiction. Specifically, in one section, three identical interplanetary vessels are traveling together from Mars to Earth's moon. The plot requires the captains of two of the vessels to meet their superior aboard his vessel midway through the journey. "As his destroyer slows to a stop, Wilkes watches as two shuttles leave their respective ships to join his."
The author writes as though these are three ships at sea rather than engaged in space travel. The three ships were already proceeding at the same pace and presumably at some fixed relative distance from each other. If they were accelerating at that point in the journey, it may have been necessary to reduce or terminate thrust during the shuttles' transit to avoid leaving lower-powered shuttles behind. But to slow to a stop ... with respect to what reference?
The other instance involves repeated reference to the "dark side" of the moon. My concern is that the term plays to a popular misconception that the side of the moon that is permanently facing away from the earth is dark. The author may not intend that interpretation, being aware that while half the moon is in relative darkness at all times, as is half the earth, the entire body experiences day/night cycles. A different word choice might have been better in this instance.
My 3-star rating for what is otherwise a better effort is due to two things. First is the presence of many spelling and typographical errors and an unfortunate tendency to use an apostrophe to form the plural of ordinary nouns. Avoiding these common mistakes should have been learned by middle school (or junior high, as it was called in my day). If they were present in the draft manuscript, they should have been caught before publication. Many readers simply shrug off such flaws these days, but if the art being experienced was music instead of prose, would they continue to tolerate a similar number of wrong notes? It would be a shame for a storyteller with this talent to suffer in the marketplace in part because the works of many competitive authors do not exhibit the same type flaws.
Second are a couple of issues with the "science" in the fiction. Specifically, in one section, three identical interplanetary vessels are traveling together from Mars to Earth's moon. The plot requires the captains of two of the vessels to meet their superior aboard his vessel midway through the journey. "As his destroyer slows to a stop, Wilkes watches as two shuttles leave their respective ships to join his."
The author writes as though these are three ships at sea rather than engaged in space travel. The three ships were already proceeding at the same pace and presumably at some fixed relative distance from each other. If they were accelerating at that point in the journey, it may have been necessary to reduce or terminate thrust during the shuttles' transit to avoid leaving lower-powered shuttles behind. But to slow to a stop ... with respect to what reference?
The other instance involves repeated reference to the "dark side" of the moon. My concern is that the term plays to a popular misconception that the side of the moon that is permanently facing away from the earth is dark. The author may not intend that interpretation, being aware that while half the moon is in relative darkness at all times, as is half the earth, the entire body experiences day/night cycles. A different word choice might have been better in this instance.
February 3, 2018
Interesting premise … In Earth of the future, all the drudgery is done by robots – AI (Artificial Intelligence). This leaves humanity free to pursue whatever they are interested in. Utopia. Or is it? Chancellor Raymond Bellows, head of the United Earth government is approached in his office one day by a group of robots – one of whom claims to be the reincarnation of his dead sister, Samantha. They claim to be sentient. Could it be? Or is it an elaborate hoax? A result of new coding sent by someone called the Allfather? There’s a faction of Humanists who want no more AI; just humans in the world. And then there’s a group of altered humans who call themselves Chimera – who have merged their bodies and minds with tech, and who think the current regime is anything but idyllic and needs to be overthrown. Who will win the ensuing war – humanity, AI, or Chimera? Or will they work together against Allfather?
I received an ARC copy of this book; this is my honest opinion.
I received an ARC copy of this book; this is my honest opinion.
May 10, 2018
A.I. Insurrection' begins with a vision of the future that's almost idyllic. All menial labour is performed by robots known as AI (Artificial Intelligence) while mankind dedicates itself to personal fulfilment. Sounds like Utopia, doesn't it? There's your first clue that things are going to get critical: Utopia never lasts for long.
Paradise is soon lost when different factions begin to rise. The Humanists who want to eliminate AI entirely in a type of robot genocide. The Chimera, a race of altered humans who want to overthrow the current regime. A third group suddenly appears, this one consisting of sentient robots that might actually be the work of a Shadow net entity calling itself Allfather. What follows is an intense and often nihilistic story where good and evil are difficult to differentiate at times and not even the strongest always survive.
Paradise is soon lost when different factions begin to rise. The Humanists who want to eliminate AI entirely in a type of robot genocide. The Chimera, a race of altered humans who want to overthrow the current regime. A third group suddenly appears, this one consisting of sentient robots that might actually be the work of a Shadow net entity calling itself Allfather. What follows is an intense and often nihilistic story where good and evil are difficult to differentiate at times and not even the strongest always survive.
April 14, 2018
Note: I won a digital copy of this book through Goodreads giveaway.
Overall, I enjoyed this book! While the subject of A.I. sentience is often broached in the sci-fi world, I enjoyed the way the author put his own unique spin on things. Sometimes the story felt like it was dragging on a bit, but I kept going back to it and I really liked the unexpected character development of some of my least favorite characters near the beginning of the book.
Overall, I enjoyed this book! While the subject of A.I. sentience is often broached in the sci-fi world, I enjoyed the way the author put his own unique spin on things. Sometimes the story felt like it was dragging on a bit, but I kept going back to it and I really liked the unexpected character development of some of my least favorite characters near the beginning of the book.
Want to read
April 13, 2018I this book for free from the author/publisher in response for an honest review of the book. I have not had the opportunity to read this book at this time. I will add my
review of this book once I have read the book. Thank k you for allowing me the optometrist review your work. I look forward to reading this book.
review of this book once I have read the book. Thank k you for allowing me the optometrist review your work. I look forward to reading this book.
July 2, 2019
I entered a contest for book 2 in this series, mainly because I love to read and enter contests. And then the miracle happened. I won. So I needed to read the first book in the series, The General's War. An unexpected great read. I loved the way the book has no pause, it is just one happening after the other. Very well done and I am looking forward to reading book 2 (the one I won).
April 15, 2018
I won this from a Goodreads giveaway. For many this may be a tough one to get into at first, but once you put a little time in it's a good read. While A.I. Insurrection isn't for everyone, it is for fans of science fiction, science-minded individuals who have an interest in robots and potential futures, or those who don't mind investing some time in their reading. For me, it was a bit rough at the start, as you're thrown in to the thick of things without much backstory. That said, I soldiered through and found it a pretty decent book. Thank you, Mister Poeltl, for the opportunity to read and review your new book.
January 12, 2018
A great read for anyone who enjoys extensively built worlds, philosophical questions, and an ol' fashioned A.I uprising. Reminiscent of I-Robot and Do Androids Dream of Sheep, I really liked the core premise of the plot and the irony of the outcomes.
The writing style and, at times, the presentation of information, was a turn off for me, but understand this is due to my personal reading preferences.
You can read my full review at: https://ravenousforreads.com/a-i-insu...
Disclaimer: I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
The writing style and, at times, the presentation of information, was a turn off for me, but understand this is due to my personal reading preferences.
You can read my full review at: https://ravenousforreads.com/a-i-insu...
Disclaimer: I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
November 8, 2020
It's not that this book is bad, it's that it's terrible. There are a plethora of spelling and grammar issues to start with. One of the lead antagonists may be a pedo and doesn't really care if he is (but it's alluded to in a throwaway sentence and isn't core to the character). The writing seemingly has an inability to maintain tense. And as a bonus the idea of "show don't tell" is apparently a concept lost here as the story is seemingly narrated from a god-like figure that sees all and knows all and describes all, while at the same time that not being the case (to be honest I am quite confused on how to best describe it).
Read
August 10, 2019Review to follow
July 22, 2019
I so needed a fun read and this did not disappoint. Characters I liked. Characters I wanted to see get exactly what they got in the end. Mostly, I enjoyed the ideas and loved how the groups viewed themselves and others. It was more than simply humans vs machine. Poeltl's writing gets stronger with each book.
August 16, 2019
I liked it. I can see another book following this one - or trilogy... just say'n. This author seems to really understand how the future's going to pan out ;)
April 16, 2019
I really enjoyed this story. Some of the world building kinda drug on, but overall a great story that kept moving forward. I'd definitely be keen to see what happens next in this universe.
September 10, 2019
What Made Me Read It A novel about AIs achieving full awareness and even claiming to possess a soul, with all the philosophical debate and implications to human society, sounded just like my kind of reading.
The Plot Raymond Bellows has been Chancellor of the United Earth for the past 8 years, enjoying all the benefits utopia has granted humanity. Until the day a group of AI Hosts claim to have been awakened and now possessing souls. They want their freedom from human enslavement, something Raymond isn't willing to grant since it would lead to social chaos. But when presented with irrefutable evidence that one of the AI Hosts is now housing the soul of his long deceased sister Samantha, Raymond's world and beliefs are shattered as he is forced to make a life changing decision. General Fran August has been expecting an AI uprising all her life and has been planning accordingly. When news of awakened AIs start spreading across the planet, she sees it as an opportunity to rally the Humanists and start her own war to stop the threat, no matter what the cost.
SENTA is an A-class Host about to be decommissioned, after nearing her programmed 10 years lifespan, when she suddenly starts experiencing the memories and emotions of a human named Samantha. Wanting freedom for all her kind and a lifespan equal to that of humans, SENTA/Samantha reaches out to her brother Raymond in the hopes of achieving a peaceful resolution. But not all AI Hosts believe the Chancellor will integrate them into human society as equals and Quinn, of House Quinn, would rather prepare his underground cell for war against their makers.
The Shadow Brokers are bored of utopia. Brilliant coders who crave adventure and more than the easy life of privilege, they have distanced themselves from humanity by enhancing their own minds and bodies with implanted technology and programming. Tobias is a Shadow Broker coder who 3 years ago discovered the mysterious Allfather code that caused the AI Hosts to gain souls. He has no love for Hosts but is willing to work with them to gain information, parts and programming that will help the Shadow Brokers, renamed Chimera, in overthrowing utopia and becoming the ruling class.
While the 3 opposing groups prepare for war, the mysterious entity calling itself the Allfather manipulates them all behind the scenes with a dire warning: they are coming.
The Good "AI Insurrection: The General's War" is the first book in the AI Insurrection trilogy, an epic science fiction novel set in the near future of 2162. Earth has been living in utopia for the past 30 years, where everything is programmed to make life more enjoyable, with sentient AIs doing the menial work while humans pursuit arts, science and even space travel. When AI Hosts start experiencing a spiritual awakening, feeling emotions and memories belonging to long deceased human beings, they fight for the right to free themselves from human enslavement. The underground Shadow Brokers are more than willing to help the AIs achieve their goal if it means replacing utopia with anarchy. But when General August uses the uprising to fuel her own private war and seize power for herself, Chancellor Raymond, the Hosts and the Chimera must put their differences aside and join forces to protect their lives and stop the General from destroying their world.
The worldbuilding is complex and well developed. With the introduction of each new character we get to know the social structure and history of this particular utopia gradually in a way that feels natural. The pacing of the narrative is relatively fast for the most part, with plenty of action sequences as old plans fall apart and new ones are put in motion; but on a few occasions it drags a little, with quiet moments where the characters explore their feelings and reevaluate their core beliefs - still, these moments do allow the reader to get to know the characters and also follow a 3 way war from all perspectives. The plot includes a mystery in the persona of Allfather, an entity presumably from outside the solar system who seems to be manipulating the war for reasons of its own (the mystery isn't quite solved in book #1, being the focus of the next installment); there is also political intrigue with all opposing parties pursuing different agendas and plenty of twists and turns with constantly shifting loyalties and allegiances.
The characters (from the humans, to the Chimera and the AI Hosts) are 3-dimensional and realistic, with believable flaws, motivations and goals, doubts and beliefs. We get to explore their emotional growth as they question the nature of being human, the existence of a soul and the possibility of spiritual awakening in programmed constructs - the author writes the story in a way that leaves the reader also questioning these possibilities without really reaching a conclusion.
Read the full review on: https://literaryportals.blogspot.com/...
Final Rating 4 of 5 stars. "A.I. Insurrection: The General's War" is the first book in the A.I. Insurrection trilogy, an action-packed science-fiction series set in the near future of 2162, with political intrigue, mystery, and enough twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat. Recommended for those who enjoy military science fiction novels and stories about AI awakening and uprising.
The Plot Raymond Bellows has been Chancellor of the United Earth for the past 8 years, enjoying all the benefits utopia has granted humanity. Until the day a group of AI Hosts claim to have been awakened and now possessing souls. They want their freedom from human enslavement, something Raymond isn't willing to grant since it would lead to social chaos. But when presented with irrefutable evidence that one of the AI Hosts is now housing the soul of his long deceased sister Samantha, Raymond's world and beliefs are shattered as he is forced to make a life changing decision. General Fran August has been expecting an AI uprising all her life and has been planning accordingly. When news of awakened AIs start spreading across the planet, she sees it as an opportunity to rally the Humanists and start her own war to stop the threat, no matter what the cost.
SENTA is an A-class Host about to be decommissioned, after nearing her programmed 10 years lifespan, when she suddenly starts experiencing the memories and emotions of a human named Samantha. Wanting freedom for all her kind and a lifespan equal to that of humans, SENTA/Samantha reaches out to her brother Raymond in the hopes of achieving a peaceful resolution. But not all AI Hosts believe the Chancellor will integrate them into human society as equals and Quinn, of House Quinn, would rather prepare his underground cell for war against their makers.
The Shadow Brokers are bored of utopia. Brilliant coders who crave adventure and more than the easy life of privilege, they have distanced themselves from humanity by enhancing their own minds and bodies with implanted technology and programming. Tobias is a Shadow Broker coder who 3 years ago discovered the mysterious Allfather code that caused the AI Hosts to gain souls. He has no love for Hosts but is willing to work with them to gain information, parts and programming that will help the Shadow Brokers, renamed Chimera, in overthrowing utopia and becoming the ruling class.
While the 3 opposing groups prepare for war, the mysterious entity calling itself the Allfather manipulates them all behind the scenes with a dire warning: they are coming.
The Good "AI Insurrection: The General's War" is the first book in the AI Insurrection trilogy, an epic science fiction novel set in the near future of 2162. Earth has been living in utopia for the past 30 years, where everything is programmed to make life more enjoyable, with sentient AIs doing the menial work while humans pursuit arts, science and even space travel. When AI Hosts start experiencing a spiritual awakening, feeling emotions and memories belonging to long deceased human beings, they fight for the right to free themselves from human enslavement. The underground Shadow Brokers are more than willing to help the AIs achieve their goal if it means replacing utopia with anarchy. But when General August uses the uprising to fuel her own private war and seize power for herself, Chancellor Raymond, the Hosts and the Chimera must put their differences aside and join forces to protect their lives and stop the General from destroying their world.
The worldbuilding is complex and well developed. With the introduction of each new character we get to know the social structure and history of this particular utopia gradually in a way that feels natural. The pacing of the narrative is relatively fast for the most part, with plenty of action sequences as old plans fall apart and new ones are put in motion; but on a few occasions it drags a little, with quiet moments where the characters explore their feelings and reevaluate their core beliefs - still, these moments do allow the reader to get to know the characters and also follow a 3 way war from all perspectives. The plot includes a mystery in the persona of Allfather, an entity presumably from outside the solar system who seems to be manipulating the war for reasons of its own (the mystery isn't quite solved in book #1, being the focus of the next installment); there is also political intrigue with all opposing parties pursuing different agendas and plenty of twists and turns with constantly shifting loyalties and allegiances.
The characters (from the humans, to the Chimera and the AI Hosts) are 3-dimensional and realistic, with believable flaws, motivations and goals, doubts and beliefs. We get to explore their emotional growth as they question the nature of being human, the existence of a soul and the possibility of spiritual awakening in programmed constructs - the author writes the story in a way that leaves the reader also questioning these possibilities without really reaching a conclusion.
Read the full review on: https://literaryportals.blogspot.com/...
Final Rating 4 of 5 stars. "A.I. Insurrection: The General's War" is the first book in the A.I. Insurrection trilogy, an action-packed science-fiction series set in the near future of 2162, with political intrigue, mystery, and enough twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat. Recommended for those who enjoy military science fiction novels and stories about AI awakening and uprising.
July 15, 2019
Quite descriptive in some areas which slows things down, but the story keeps moving. A well built fantasy world with likable characters.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews