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Today I Am Carey
REMARKABLE DEBUT NOVEL FROM CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED AUTHOR MARTIN L. SHOEMAKER. Shoemaker proves why he has consitently been praised as one of the best story writers in SF today with this touching, thoughtful, action-packed debut novel, based on his award-winning short story Today I am Paul.
TODAY
Mildred has Alzheimer's. As memories fade, she acquires the aid of a full-time android to assist her in everyday life. Carey. Carey takes care of Mildred, but its true mission is to fill in the gaps in Mildred’s past. To bring yesterday into today by becoming a copy. But not merely a copy of a physical person. A copy from the inside out.
I AM
After Mildred passes, Carey must find a new purpose. For a time, that purpose is Mildred’s family. To keep them safe from harm. To be of service. There is Paul Owens, the overworked scientist and business leader. Susan Owens, the dedicated teacher. And Millie, a curious little girl who will grow up alongside her android best friend. And Carey will grow up with her. Carey cannot age. But Carey can change.
CAREY
Carey struggles. Carey seeks to understand life’s challenges. Carey makes its own path. Carey must learn to live. To grow. To care. To survive. To be.
Advance praise for Today I Am Carey:
"Kindness, love, and compassion make Carey an empathetic character through which to view Shoemaker's complex, beautiful world."—Publishers Weekly
"Martin Shoemaker proves conclusively that while a science fiction novel must have the trappings of science fiction, it is at its strongest when it is about people, even an artificial (but emotional) person named Carey."—Mike Resnick
“A dazzling ride through the near future. I enjoyed it thoroughly. I’ve never seen anything remotely like it.”—Jack McDevitt
“Martin Shoemaker is a rare writer who can handle the challenges of dealing with future technology while touching the human heart. This is a must-read!"—David Farland, New York Times Best-selling Author
Praise for the work of Martin L. Shoemaker:
"Martin Shoemaker’s ‘Black Orbit’ is a more conventional Analog adventure, and a very good example of such . . . a really solid story." — Rich Horton, Locus Online
"['Bookmark'] is an exceptional example of how to discuss deep moral and philosophical issues while maintaining a tight narrative that brings the reader along. This story will be added to the required readings for my SF classes. – Robert L Turner III, Tangent Online
TODAY
Mildred has Alzheimer's. As memories fade, she acquires the aid of a full-time android to assist her in everyday life. Carey. Carey takes care of Mildred, but its true mission is to fill in the gaps in Mildred’s past. To bring yesterday into today by becoming a copy. But not merely a copy of a physical person. A copy from the inside out.
I AM
After Mildred passes, Carey must find a new purpose. For a time, that purpose is Mildred’s family. To keep them safe from harm. To be of service. There is Paul Owens, the overworked scientist and business leader. Susan Owens, the dedicated teacher. And Millie, a curious little girl who will grow up alongside her android best friend. And Carey will grow up with her. Carey cannot age. But Carey can change.
CAREY
Carey struggles. Carey seeks to understand life’s challenges. Carey makes its own path. Carey must learn to live. To grow. To care. To survive. To be.
Advance praise for Today I Am Carey:
"Kindness, love, and compassion make Carey an empathetic character through which to view Shoemaker's complex, beautiful world."—Publishers Weekly
"Martin Shoemaker proves conclusively that while a science fiction novel must have the trappings of science fiction, it is at its strongest when it is about people, even an artificial (but emotional) person named Carey."—Mike Resnick
“A dazzling ride through the near future. I enjoyed it thoroughly. I’ve never seen anything remotely like it.”—Jack McDevitt
“Martin Shoemaker is a rare writer who can handle the challenges of dealing with future technology while touching the human heart. This is a must-read!"—David Farland, New York Times Best-selling Author
Praise for the work of Martin L. Shoemaker:
"Martin Shoemaker’s ‘Black Orbit’ is a more conventional Analog adventure, and a very good example of such . . . a really solid story." — Rich Horton, Locus Online
"['Bookmark'] is an exceptional example of how to discuss deep moral and philosophical issues while maintaining a tight narrative that brings the reader along. This story will be added to the required readings for my SF classes. – Robert L Turner III, Tangent Online
336 pages, Paperback
First published March 5, 2019
27 people are currently reading
517 people want to read
About the author
Martin L. Shoemaker
114 books89 followersMartin L. Shoemaker has dual careers as a software programmer and as an acclaimed, award-winning short story writer. He’s also the author of two novels, The Last Dance and The Last Campaign, installments in the Near Earth Mysteries science fiction series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
December 12, 2018
"Today I Am Carey" is told in short diary-like chapters from an android's point of view. But not just any android. Carey is a special unique android designed as a caretaker (get it -Carey), and more particularly an empath who is designed to caretake the elderly suffering from Alzheimer's and dementia and to emulate the people they think they are seeing. Carey understands human emotions and empathizes. He's really closer to a sentient being than a mechanical man and is eventually accepted as a part of the family - except when he's in the laundry closet recharging.
This novel is a bold tribute to Asimov's three laws of robotics. You can hear those immutable laws and echoing throughout the narrative as Carey figures out how to help his family and take care of them. Amazingly, this warm, touching heartfelt novel stays interesting throughout without any sex or violence. And, along the way, it addresses not only the difficulties of being the one empathic robot on Earth but the human condition as well. Despite his programming, Carey is often a stranger in a strange land trying to negotiate a treacherous world of human emotion, not all of which is fully logical or sensible. If you thought this was going to be just another story about a mission from starfleet command, you are in for a surprise.
Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy for review.
This novel is a bold tribute to Asimov's three laws of robotics. You can hear those immutable laws and echoing throughout the narrative as Carey figures out how to help his family and take care of them. Amazingly, this warm, touching heartfelt novel stays interesting throughout without any sex or violence. And, along the way, it addresses not only the difficulties of being the one empathic robot on Earth but the human condition as well. Despite his programming, Carey is often a stranger in a strange land trying to negotiate a treacherous world of human emotion, not all of which is fully logical or sensible. If you thought this was going to be just another story about a mission from starfleet command, you are in for a surprise.
Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy for review.
June 19, 2021
5 Stars for Today I am Carey (audiobook) by Martin L. Shoemaker read by John Shelley.
This a very hopeful depiction of AI. The story is about an android healthcare provider who’s speciality is people with memory issues. This was a really interesting look at end of life and was it is to be human.
This a very hopeful depiction of AI. The story is about an android healthcare provider who’s speciality is people with memory issues. This was a really interesting look at end of life and was it is to be human.
April 2, 2021
3.5 stars
Although officially science fiction, this is really a family story. A caretaker android is assigned to watch Mildred, an elderly woman suffering from Alzheimer’s. The android can simulate people from her life to comfort her. After she passes, the android goes into the care of Mildred’s son’s family. They name it Carey, and it watches over the family for years to come.
It sort of reminded me of “The Electric Grandmother,” a show I watched many times as a kid that was based on a Bradbury story, I think. Some parts are rather suspenseful, others poignant. I liked seeing the years pass. It’s not an action-packed science fiction; it’s an examination of the human experience.
The book does have the cliche of a woman going into labor in a stressful situation. I would like to dispel this myth: stressful situations do not trigger labor! They actually delay it, just like stress can delay a menstrual cycle.
Language: None
Sexual Content: None
Violence: Attempted armed robbery
Harm to Animals:
Harm to Children:
Other (Triggers):
Although officially science fiction, this is really a family story. A caretaker android is assigned to watch Mildred, an elderly woman suffering from Alzheimer’s. The android can simulate people from her life to comfort her. After she passes, the android goes into the care of Mildred’s son’s family. They name it Carey, and it watches over the family for years to come.
It sort of reminded me of “The Electric Grandmother,” a show I watched many times as a kid that was based on a Bradbury story, I think. Some parts are rather suspenseful, others poignant. I liked seeing the years pass. It’s not an action-packed science fiction; it’s an examination of the human experience.
The book does have the cliche of a woman going into labor in a stressful situation. I would like to dispel this myth: stressful situations do not trigger labor! They actually delay it, just like stress can delay a menstrual cycle.
Language: None
Sexual Content: None
Violence: Attempted armed robbery
Harm to Animals:
Harm to Children:
Other (Triggers):
November 10, 2019
I enjoyed the short story "Today I am Paul" so I picked this up—and it was interesting for the first third.
But the pace was quite slow—I wasn't quite as interested in all the minutiae of the android's daily life/interactions, no matter how realistically rendered. Could've trimmed a lot out for the sake of story :)
Plus the writing was that very straightforward clear style, which, yeah, is clear but not the most engrossing reading—I'm guessing the author is some sort of engineer—we might expound the best but we don't make the best novelists :P
But the pace was quite slow—I wasn't quite as interested in all the minutiae of the android's daily life/interactions, no matter how realistically rendered. Could've trimmed a lot out for the sake of story :)
Plus the writing was that very straightforward clear style, which, yeah, is clear but not the most engrossing reading—I'm guessing the author is some sort of engineer—we might expound the best but we don't make the best novelists :P
September 12, 2019
Cool concept and great narrative voice. I really liked Carey and enjoyed its POV.
I'd read that this was a short story named "Today I am Paul" that got expanded out. I can see that, as the first act did read like a stand-alone story focused on Carey's assignment with Mildred.
I liked the exploration of the android staying with the family after the assignment and becoming part of the family. It reminded me of Star Trek: The Next Generation and the character of Data, trying to understand feelings. Can a computer simulate empathy? Can an android feel emotions?
I liked the continued focus on the one family, but I felt the timeframe was dragged out a little too long. This story arc could have been wrapped up in probably 2/3 of the length of the full book. There were parts in the middle that were soggy filler.
And, then there was Millie. We first met her as a 5-year-old, who became quite spoiled when her over-indulgent parents pretty much "gave" Carey to be her personal plaything. And she took forever to mature. Really, I'm not sure she ever did. It made the last third of the book nearly painful. Maybe less Millie would have been a good thing. Carey deserved better.
I'd read that this was a short story named "Today I am Paul" that got expanded out. I can see that, as the first act did read like a stand-alone story focused on Carey's assignment with Mildred.
I liked the exploration of the android staying with the family after the assignment and becoming part of the family. It reminded me of Star Trek: The Next Generation and the character of Data, trying to understand feelings. Can a computer simulate empathy? Can an android feel emotions?
I liked the continued focus on the one family, but I felt the timeframe was dragged out a little too long. This story arc could have been wrapped up in probably 2/3 of the length of the full book. There were parts in the middle that were soggy filler.
And, then there was Millie. We first met her as a 5-year-old, who became quite spoiled when her over-indulgent parents pretty much "gave" Carey to be her personal plaything. And she took forever to mature. Really, I'm not sure she ever did. It made the last third of the book nearly painful. Maybe less Millie would have been a good thing. Carey deserved better.
January 25, 2020
I have mixed feelings about this rewrite of the devastatingly good novella ‘Today, I Am Paul’. The subject matter alone is sufficient to leave me in bits, but I felt it lacked urgency in the middle, feeling increasingly saccharine. Then in the final act Shoemaker pulled the rug from under me to reveal himself as the heartless monster he really is*.
The book interrogates artificial vs human emotional intelligence: whether an android can truly be said to love. It doesn’t leave much to the imagination, but it’s unfailingly kind - episodic demonstrations of programmed intuition and compassion. Brilliant if you’re looking for a hug of a read.
*This may be hyperbolic licence. There were just a lot of FEELINGS okay?
Content warning: dementia, loss of loved ones
3.5 stars
Full review
I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The book interrogates artificial vs human emotional intelligence: whether an android can truly be said to love. It doesn’t leave much to the imagination, but it’s unfailingly kind - episodic demonstrations of programmed intuition and compassion. Brilliant if you’re looking for a hug of a read.
*This may be hyperbolic licence. There were just a lot of FEELINGS okay?
Content warning: dementia, loss of loved ones
3.5 stars
Full review
I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
April 13, 2019
An android caretaker becomes more human through the years as it cares for first a grandmother with Alzheimer's, and then the children of the family.
Wow! This is one of the best books I've read so far this year. Carey spends its time taking care of the people around it, including emulating (through voice, mannerisms, and the ability to quickly modify its appearance) those they want to see again. Carey is a new type of android and gradually its emulation nets tip him over into humanity.
That I've read before. What I hadn't read before is the slice-of-life aspect of caretaking by an android. This book isn't focused on grandiose jumps in computer programming, or futures run by robots. It's about one gentle soul (yes, an android) who tries to hold his new-found family together through the rough times (people passing) and the good (attending weddings, births of the younger generation). While the book isn't a deep philosophical morass, Carey does think over the years - does it really care? does it really love?
In the end, things wrap around nicely to a satisfying spot. Carey is really an example of the best of what humanity could be. We could all use some Careys in our life. I will definitely be looking for more books by this author.
Wow! This is one of the best books I've read so far this year. Carey spends its time taking care of the people around it, including emulating (through voice, mannerisms, and the ability to quickly modify its appearance) those they want to see again. Carey is a new type of android and gradually its emulation nets tip him over into humanity.
That I've read before. What I hadn't read before is the slice-of-life aspect of caretaking by an android. This book isn't focused on grandiose jumps in computer programming, or futures run by robots. It's about one gentle soul (yes, an android) who tries to hold his new-found family together through the rough times (people passing) and the good (attending weddings, births of the younger generation). While the book isn't a deep philosophical morass, Carey does think over the years - does it really care? does it really love?
In the end, things wrap around nicely to a satisfying spot. Carey is really an example of the best of what humanity could be. We could all use some Careys in our life. I will definitely be looking for more books by this author.
May 17, 2019
I must preface this review by confession that I am NOT a fan of science fiction. Well, except for Star Wars because that is...Star Wars. However, if "Today I Am Carey" is an example of science fiction that's out there today, then sign me up!
This story had me riveted from the beginning! Carey is an android that cares for the Owens family through four generations. Martin's characters are engaging and he moves them seamlessly through time.
Being from West Michigan, I enjoyed Martin's descriptions of local sites. At Frederick Meijer Gardens, for instance, he described one work of art with a biblical connotation. Being a student of the Bible I can tell you that his explanation was spot-on!
I highly recommend this book for all readers!
This story had me riveted from the beginning! Carey is an android that cares for the Owens family through four generations. Martin's characters are engaging and he moves them seamlessly through time.
Being from West Michigan, I enjoyed Martin's descriptions of local sites. At Frederick Meijer Gardens, for instance, he described one work of art with a biblical connotation. Being a student of the Bible I can tell you that his explanation was spot-on!
I highly recommend this book for all readers!
April 14, 2019
A wonderful roller coaster of emotions.
I felt the strength of this novel was in the characters. Seeing life through Carey's eyes was an interesting take on human life. I found the book to be about the joys of life and the pain of loss. Good read.
I felt the strength of this novel was in the characters. Seeing life through Carey's eyes was an interesting take on human life. I found the book to be about the joys of life and the pain of loss. Good read.
June 18, 2025
Unique and interesting. Was a bit slow in parts but a very endearing story.
March 6, 2019
Martin Shoemaker's TODAY I AM CAREY is a triumph of science-fictional ideas that packs an emotional wallop worthy of comparison to FLOWERS FOR ALGERNON.
Shoemaker tackles what some observers have said is the core question science fiction asks -- what does it mean to be human? The android who comes to be known as Carey undertakes what longtime SF readers may see as a familiar journey, but Shoemaker provides an unusual depth of character development and emotion to his tale.
Carey tends to generations of a human family and helps them cope with the changes life brings, from strained emotional relationships to money problems to aging and death. As he helps others, he, in turn, forms connections within his brain that begin as objective insights into human emotions and behavior and, increasingly, become indistinguishable from caring and, eventually, love.
Shoemaker places the emotional content of his story up front throughout, but it's always earned, and comes from a deep understanding of his characters. For me, this is the first Hugo and Nebula-worthy SF novel of 2019.
Shoemaker tackles what some observers have said is the core question science fiction asks -- what does it mean to be human? The android who comes to be known as Carey undertakes what longtime SF readers may see as a familiar journey, but Shoemaker provides an unusual depth of character development and emotion to his tale.
Carey tends to generations of a human family and helps them cope with the changes life brings, from strained emotional relationships to money problems to aging and death. As he helps others, he, in turn, forms connections within his brain that begin as objective insights into human emotions and behavior and, increasingly, become indistinguishable from caring and, eventually, love.
Shoemaker places the emotional content of his story up front throughout, but it's always earned, and comes from a deep understanding of his characters. For me, this is the first Hugo and Nebula-worthy SF novel of 2019.
April 1, 2019
This is a brilliant book that makes the reader look at what it means to be human. Carey, a Medical Care Android, becomes as human as the humans in the Owens family. From his humble beginnings as Mildred's care giver, he evolves as he cares for Mildred's children and grandchildren. In between, in his own search for purpose, he volunteers to help others at Creekside Home. The medical thread through all this is memory loss and Alzheimer's Disease. Mildred's. Susan's. The residents at Creekside. And eventually his own.
More important, is the human thread. Not only what it means to be human, how we become our own unique selves, but how we share that with others. Carey becomes as human a character as any, complete with his own inner conflicts.
Mr. Shoemaker stated in his acknowledgement. "They tell us to write what we know; so I wrote love." He did that beautifully, with a grace that tugged at my heartstrings every step of the way.
More important, is the human thread. Not only what it means to be human, how we become our own unique selves, but how we share that with others. Carey becomes as human a character as any, complete with his own inner conflicts.
Mr. Shoemaker stated in his acknowledgement. "They tell us to write what we know; so I wrote love." He did that beautifully, with a grace that tugged at my heartstrings every step of the way.
August 24, 2019
This is not a novel so much as an experience, one which absolutely gutted me. It is completely different from what I was expecting, incredibly immersive and thought-provoking. At times it was difficult for me to pick up, because I knew I was about to experience a flood of too-real emotions. But once I did pick it up, I could not put it down again (other than to grab more tissues).
It's a shame that a book this unique and incredible has probably the most terrifying cover I have ever laid my eyes on. It is truly the stuff nightmares are made of.
It's a shame that a book this unique and incredible has probably the most terrifying cover I have ever laid my eyes on. It is truly the stuff nightmares are made of.
February 7, 2019
I love the concept and the character of Carey itself, but... nothing happens, and the human characters are cardboard cutouts with cardboard dialogue. I so wanted to love it :(
(I received an ARC via my employer, #indigoemployee)
(I received an ARC via my employer, #indigoemployee)
March 18, 2020
This was an amazing novel! What an ending!
July 13, 2019
First of all, I devoured this book in one day. While it is not a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat thrill ride, the story of a family told by the artificial personality growing inside its' healthcare android was as enthralling as the best new experiences in my life: flying in an airplane for the first time. Unpacking in a new mega-city and hearing its unending rattle and roar as a constant electrical hum invading my attempts at sleep. Seeing my first solar eclipse.
I wax lyrical because this story completely upends previous fictions about robots, androids, cyborgs, and artificial humans in a way that displaces existential fear with curiosity. By considering that empathy may be the primary factor that distinguishes thinking machines from thinking humans, and the AI-as-narrator device (although used before), Shoemaker pulls the reader into an investigation of how an empathetic machine with the ability to access a number of historically accurate personalities could serve to assist humans to live better, healthier lives.
I'm still buzzing from this right now...highly recommended!
I wax lyrical because this story completely upends previous fictions about robots, androids, cyborgs, and artificial humans in a way that displaces existential fear with curiosity. By considering that empathy may be the primary factor that distinguishes thinking machines from thinking humans, and the AI-as-narrator device (although used before), Shoemaker pulls the reader into an investigation of how an empathetic machine with the ability to access a number of historically accurate personalities could serve to assist humans to live better, healthier lives.
I'm still buzzing from this right now...highly recommended!
October 12, 2021
Very enjoyable story....likable, believable characters especially the android of the title, Carey. Quick, sometimes emotional read. I would recommend it to everyone, even if science fiction isn't your usual genre. This deals with family, love, dementia and some death...what it is to be human and to love and care for others. Really well written and flows so well.
January 30, 2025
Sort of a fluffy book but still a page-turner. It was about a robot that developed human-like emotions and became part of a family. Very simple story and a quick read. Nothing super special. Definitely confirms my fears that robots will take over the world but this makes it seem more of an amicable takeover.
The best character was this girl who loved frogs. Ribbit.
The best character was this girl who loved frogs. Ribbit.
October 21, 2019
Interesting and thought provoking, but overly slow; most reviewers don't mention this so I seem to be in the minority.
I like slice of life books, but Shoemaker made each journal entry more wordy than it needed to be and that reduced the book's power for me.
I like slice of life books, but Shoemaker made each journal entry more wordy than it needed to be and that reduced the book's power for me.
April 20, 2023
I’m sure I’d have never found this book if not for spotting it at Goodwill. A surprisingly heartfelt read, and further proof that science fiction (specifically near-future) may just be my favorite genre.
April 19, 2020
Follows a robot and their life with a family. A quick heartwarming soft sci-fi feel good book.
July 7, 2022
This book is beautiful
I lost track of how many times I teared up in this book, but it was well written and beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. I'm very glad I tried this book on a friend's recommendation.
I lost track of how many times I teared up in this book, but it was well written and beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. I'm very glad I tried this book on a friend's recommendation.
May 10, 2019
Today I am Carey is a novel worthy of Hugos and Nebulas. I was utterly blown away by how much I loved this book.
I'm a huge fan of classic SFF, and this book delivers like nothing I've ever seen before! The last book I ended up enjoying this much, was Walter M. Miller Jr.'s A Canticle For Leibowitz. Let me just say: that is a tough feat because I adored that book.
If you liked Baymax from Big Hero 6, and enjoy a calm slice of life story, you will adore Today I Am Carey just as I did. Carey was a real insight into the human condition, constantly talking like you'd expect a robot to. But over time, Carey changes. It (because Carey is a robot and doesn't have a gender, which I especially appreciate Shoemaker's effort to keep politics of that to a minimum) changes the way it talks in order to better care for people. It will lie to people in order to make them feel better, but it will only lie when the situation absolutely calls for it.
From here, I honestly think I should just stop talking. This book speaks for itself. It should be used in classrooms everywhere as a prime example of how to write a first-person story. You are doing yourself a terrible disservice by not believing me and just reading for yourself.
For about a million other reasons, this look into the near future was more than enough to earn my gold star. Not that that means anything in the SFF community, but it does mean I will praise this book in many of my SFF-enjoying friend groups.
Well done, Martin L. Shoemaker. Well freakin' done.
Other stories to earn my gold star:
Ender's Game, Orson Scott Card
A Canticle for Leibowitz, Walter M. Miller Jr.
Legion: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds, Brandon Sanderson
Shadow of the Giant, Orson Scott Card
The illuminae Files (Trilogy), Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
I'm a huge fan of classic SFF, and this book delivers like nothing I've ever seen before! The last book I ended up enjoying this much, was Walter M. Miller Jr.'s A Canticle For Leibowitz. Let me just say: that is a tough feat because I adored that book.
If you liked Baymax from Big Hero 6, and enjoy a calm slice of life story, you will adore Today I Am Carey just as I did. Carey was a real insight into the human condition, constantly talking like you'd expect a robot to. But over time, Carey changes. It (because Carey is a robot and doesn't have a gender, which I especially appreciate Shoemaker's effort to keep politics of that to a minimum) changes the way it talks in order to better care for people. It will lie to people in order to make them feel better, but it will only lie when the situation absolutely calls for it.
From here, I honestly think I should just stop talking. This book speaks for itself. It should be used in classrooms everywhere as a prime example of how to write a first-person story. You are doing yourself a terrible disservice by not believing me and just reading for yourself.
For about a million other reasons, this look into the near future was more than enough to earn my gold star. Not that that means anything in the SFF community, but it does mean I will praise this book in many of my SFF-enjoying friend groups.
Well done, Martin L. Shoemaker. Well freakin' done.
Other stories to earn my gold star:
Ender's Game, Orson Scott Card
A Canticle for Leibowitz, Walter M. Miller Jr.
Legion: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds, Brandon Sanderson
Shadow of the Giant, Orson Scott Card
The illuminae Files (Trilogy), Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
August 16, 2022
A pretty good example of why you don't need to expand every short story into a full novel. Today I Am Carey is stronger at the beginning and at the end when it's most like its short story origin Today I Am Paul. I feel like the book never really finds its footing when it gets past the main premise. Shoemaker had a strong idea full of emotion but the further reaches of A.I. fiction seems a bit too much for him. Also, his writing style isn't great and can come across as rather basic at times, something that wasn't on display in the short story. For new readers, I would just direct them to Today I Am Paul and not mention the full novel.
December 31, 2021
Oh wow, I really enjoyed this, the expansion of Today I Am Paul. It reminded me quite a bit of the Murderbot books, such as All Systems Red, without the violence. It's also got a lot in common with Bicentennial Man, imo, and I do believe anyone who likes any one should read the others. ;)
I really didn't want it to be over. It just hit all my buttons. I will investigate for more by the author.
Now I have a discussion question. I'll hide it in spoiler tags, but it's *very* mild and has nothing to do with the end of the book, so please click through. If you
I really didn't want it to be over. It just hit all my buttons. I will investigate for more by the author.
Now I have a discussion question. I'll hide it in spoiler tags, but it's *very* mild and has nothing to do with the end of the book, so please click through. If you
April 17, 2019
Set some distance in the future, this book is told from the perspective of medical care android BRKCX-01932-217JH-98862 assigned to provide comfort and care to a woman who has advanced alzheimer's disease. As the story progresses, the android grows into the persona of Carey. We get to witness the development of Carey as it learns from the humans around it generation by generation.
Carey exemplifies selflessness and compassion in a way that feels refreshing. It is like taking the laws of robotics from Asimov, mixing in the self aware SecUnit from the Murderbot Diaries which acts from a sense of practical protective empathy, and adding enough sugar that the result reads like it was written for the Hallmark channel. This is a feel-good story that faces aging, relationships, and the emotional wreckage we humans tend to get swept up in. All of this is seen from the perspective of an android that can emulate but not feel. The end result is that Carey ends up making those around it better for its presence and attitude, something we could all learn to be better at ourselves.
The end of the book is immensely satisfying. I'd recommend the book for the ending alone if the book were not as fun and wholesome a read as it is. Highly recommended for when you need a pick-me-up read.
Carey exemplifies selflessness and compassion in a way that feels refreshing. It is like taking the laws of robotics from Asimov, mixing in the self aware SecUnit from the Murderbot Diaries which acts from a sense of practical protective empathy, and adding enough sugar that the result reads like it was written for the Hallmark channel. This is a feel-good story that faces aging, relationships, and the emotional wreckage we humans tend to get swept up in. All of this is seen from the perspective of an android that can emulate but not feel. The end result is that Carey ends up making those around it better for its presence and attitude, something we could all learn to be better at ourselves.
The end of the book is immensely satisfying. I'd recommend the book for the ending alone if the book were not as fun and wholesome a read as it is. Highly recommended for when you need a pick-me-up read.
October 22, 2019
I hit the library shelves looking for something in the tone of a classic sci-fi or fantasy. After pacing half the fiction section, I landed on this.
Today I Am. The sticker covered the rest. Blue and silver. Sets the right tone, more or less. Something with an Alzheimer patient, an android with shifting identity. Sound perfect.
Once in, I almost pulled an all-nighter to read it, but practicality stretched it over two days. It was every bit as good as I was hoping to find.
Loved the way the evolution of self was drawn, and the insightful human interactions (much more so than I'd expect to find in a first novel, definitely!) Plus he seems to have excellent taste in art, from what I see here. It was very, very easy to slip into the mind- no, the neural networks- of 98662, and lose the real world entirely for a time. Perfect escapist fiction, thoroughly hypnotic.
The writing was a little soft around the edges, not quite enough kick or drive to bring a fifth star, but it really works from the perspective of an artificial intelligence.
Certainly the most memorable book of its genre I've seen recently. Ribbit!
Today I Am. The sticker covered the rest. Blue and silver. Sets the right tone, more or less. Something with an Alzheimer patient, an android with shifting identity. Sound perfect.
Once in, I almost pulled an all-nighter to read it, but practicality stretched it over two days. It was every bit as good as I was hoping to find.
Loved the way the evolution of self was drawn, and the insightful human interactions (much more so than I'd expect to find in a first novel, definitely!) Plus he seems to have excellent taste in art, from what I see here. It was very, very easy to slip into the mind- no, the neural networks- of 98662, and lose the real world entirely for a time. Perfect escapist fiction, thoroughly hypnotic.
The writing was a little soft around the edges, not quite enough kick or drive to bring a fifth star, but it really works from the perspective of an artificial intelligence.
Certainly the most memorable book of its genre I've seen recently. Ribbit!
June 3, 2019
This near-future scifi story is bit outside my usual grimdark/action-adventure preferences, but Mr Shoemaker gives his android protagonist such a heartfelt voice (no easy task, I'm sure, writing from the POV of a robot who doesn't feel emotions the way people do) that Carey... ahem, carried me through the book.
This, at its heart, is a Pinocchio story about an artificial creation seeking to be human. Like those episodes of Star Trek: TNG that focus on Data (several of which are in the top-ten best episodes of series, IMO) the story hinges on our ability to empathize with the android, and I am happy to say that this is where Today I am Carey shines. Shoemaker's caretaker android, tasked with assisting an elderly Alzheimer's patient, is pure heart. Carey is just so GOOD, and so unaware of it, that as we follow Carey trying to understand and emulate the people in its life, I can't help but wish I was as decent a person as Shoemaker's creation. A truly brilliant character, and a wonderful debut novel.
This, at its heart, is a Pinocchio story about an artificial creation seeking to be human. Like those episodes of Star Trek: TNG that focus on Data (several of which are in the top-ten best episodes of series, IMO) the story hinges on our ability to empathize with the android, and I am happy to say that this is where Today I am Carey shines. Shoemaker's caretaker android, tasked with assisting an elderly Alzheimer's patient, is pure heart. Carey is just so GOOD, and so unaware of it, that as we follow Carey trying to understand and emulate the people in its life, I can't help but wish I was as decent a person as Shoemaker's creation. A truly brilliant character, and a wonderful debut novel.
July 30, 2019
Surprisingly touching story of an unusual android whose unique combination of "emulation and empathy nets" results in a machine that learns and experiences what it is to feel human. We expect this to be a typical tale of android-gone-wrong or androids-take-over-the-world, but no -- instead we get a sympathetic first-person view of an android becoming humanoid. The author elides over the technical details of emulation, and even glosses over what Carey's "normal" body looks like (those appear to have been wisely and carefully edited out), so that we can focus on the emotional underpinnings of a plausible near-future with androids and competitive corporations and a typical wealthy family. There's no EVIL to cope with, merely the normal human foibles of jealousy and fear and lack of trust. This book is an expansion of the author's earlier short stories about the character, and some of it is verbal padding; yet by the end we feel a full life's circle has been rounded, and we feel more optimistic about the human race and our own petty failings.
May 17, 2020
This is Shoemaker's debut novel, based on a short story, and I was very impressed. This is not your usual android/AI/computer gone sentient sci fi story. It is, instead, full of small human moments centered around a caretaker android whose function, at first, is to assist an Alzheimer's patient with her physical, medical, and emotional needs. Carey turns out to be a break-through, in terms of the Turing Test. He was built to be capable of 'emulating' the people his patient needs to help her deal with a fragmented memory and the absence of those she loves. But he's more than that. Carey can fill in Mildred's gaps. He can be whoever she needs him to be, but he can also learn from all this and grow, and become ever more human. He's not just copying people - he is becoming one. This book is the thematic opposite of The Terminator in every way, and I found it charming, as well as deeply interesting, following Carey through change after change, all of them centered around doing the humane thing, the right thing, the useful thing. Highly recommended.
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