Lexi

by Heidi J. Hewett

John Michael Kirkpatrick is anxious to make his mark with his work on his father’s university research project, LX8000, a female robot built to mimic humans. But LX8000, or “Lexi,” as John Michael calls the playful, insatiably curious bot, has a mind of her own, and when she unexpectedly turns up on his doorstep in the middle of the night, she sets them both on a journey from the glittering city to the last outpost of human habitation. As time runs out, he must make a choice that will determine his own hand Lexi over for reprogramming, or help her escape from the people who bought her. Could he really be falling in love . . . with a machine?

272 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 28, 2018

Reviews

[Misty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lexi is a romantic sci-fi about a young engineer who falls in love with his own creation: a super sophisticated and incredibly beautiful artificially intelligent bot. This story captured my interest with it’s believable world and futuristic tech. Once the story explodes into action it doesn’t stop until the very end. I’m not sure why but as I read this I couldn’t help but imagine it as an 80’s movie, it just sort of had that vibe for me and I can’t really explain why. Highly enjoyable read!

[Siobhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heidi J. Hewett’s Lexi is one of those books that surprised me. I expected an interesting read, I was ready to be entertained, but I was not ready to be as addicted to this one as I was. Once I started Lexi, I found I could not put the book down. I was sucked in, gripped, and unable to turn my attention away from the story playing out before me. With so much to enjoy with this one, I was a goner from the start.

I love a good science fiction romance and was instantly intrigued by the notion of Lexi. It’s one of those science fiction notions where there are other options out there, but you know you’re going to get something original – although these kinds of books exist, they’re not as popular as other science fiction romance books. After all, it is very much a case of aliens over robots in the genre. Thus, there was a lot of room for where this one could go.

From the very start, I knew this was going to be the most unique of all the books I have read in the genre. I cannot give a specific thing that shouted out ‘this is unique’, instead it was an amalgamation of all the different elements that hooked me. Each element that was introduced sucked me in deeper, demonstrating just how unique this story was.

As I said, I was hooked to this one throughout. The first page pulled me in deep and left me curious to see how all the elements would play out. We’re thrown straight into the story, and plenty occurs throughout. With great characters, well written science, plenty of action, plenty of emotion, and all kinds of twists, this one will have you gripped on so many levels.

In fact, this is one of those books where I could sit and make a bullet point list of all the ways in which the book wowed me, but to do so would be to take away the shock factor of things being introduced. Just know, once you start Lexi you will be unable to put the book down.

All in all, Lexi was a strong four-point-five-star rating. The reason I opted to round down instead of up is because the romance wasn’t quite what I had expected. I’d been expecting a bit more, went in expecting to be given a heavier romance than I was, and was a bit surprised by what I was given. If I had not been expecting more in the realm of the romance, I probably would have opted to round up. This, of course, is a reflection of the way in which I rate books rather than a reflection of the book – anyone who follows my reviews will know I look for reasons not to give a five-star rating rather than a reason to give it, as I only hand out my five-star ratings to the absolute very best (hence why I have given so few five-star ratings).

Nevertheless, I adored this one, and am certainly going to be looking at other Heidi J. Hewett books, as I need more of the wonderful storytelling I was introduced to here.

[Sally Brandle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweeter version of a Blade Runner-style tale. Heidi interspersed thought-provoking questions about our future as humans into a love story rich with humor, electronic gadgetry, and profound settings. LEXI kept me curious and engaged page after page.

[Cindy Tomamichel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an interesting book, where clearly the author has put great effort and research into imagining a near future world. It is quite a dark, dystopian world where today’s problems with pollution and over population have accelerated to extreme levels. There are many little bits of emerging technology, agricultural and crop developments, and science breakthroughs worked into the plot in a neatly done fashion.
So how does one build a romance in a world seemingly without hope? The author has worked hard to develop two characters that grow and mature throughout the novel. That one is an advanced robot becomes less of an issue as they solve problems and survive. They both have to overcome preconceptions about the other, and see the situation - and their hearts - for what they are. Their actions and decisions drive the story forward.
I found the ending to be very satisfactory. It tied up all loose ends, and also incorporated a few hints from earlier in the book, providing a sense of completeness.
An interesting and thought provoking book, full of ideas and themes that go deeper and well beyond the usual in romance, into a well imagined dystopian scifi novel.

[Alex McGilvery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lexi begins in a garage in an outlaw town in the desert. It is a promising start, action, danger, regret.

Then we go back to fill in how the narrator got to that place. This is a common enough trick. Show the character at a point of desperation, then use that knowledge to build tension in the reader. How will our hero get from here to there? Unfortunately, it can also backfire by lowering the immediate tension of the story’s progression. Like a kid wanting to skip the meal to get to dessert, the reader wants to get to the good stuff.

In Lexi’s case the otherwise engaging story of the events which result in the hero being on the run with a billion dollar prototype android were, for me, overshadowed by the opening. It’s a pity, because I wonder if we had started in the lab instead of the desert, my attention would have been held by the more subtle plot needed to set up the first chapter.

The narrator is an engineer at the lab where his father’s people have been working on the human-like AI to run their prototype. John is in an irregular position, not being quite a student, nor an employee. When that status is resolved and he’s made a full employee, things look like they are going to fall into place for him.

That’s when Lexi escapes her box, both literally and figuratively. It’s all interesting, but I kept thinking it dragged. I don’t think it does, it is just it can’t live up to the first chapter fast enough. Once the dominoes start falling it takes off, but that’s a substantial way into the book.

So, I’m going to recommend the book, but I’m also going to recommend the reader start at chapter two, not in the first chapter.

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

It feels as if I flew through this book! The social circles that John Michael Kirkpatrick has to hang hang around appear to be judgmental as well as very conscious of social hierarchy, there were also some people that treated robots like disposable instruments; and found it quite fascinating that a robot was frustrated with being stuck in a lab.
I was satisfied with how the story ended, though I was also curious as to what would have happened if John had chosen to go with his other choice. I got a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Julie Cohen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an unconventional and slow-building romance between a human and an AI set in a dystopian Earth of the future. The main character, John Michael, doesn't fool himself into thinking the AI, known as Lexi, is a real person, but he appreciates her for who she is... which is more than a complex series of programs. The book (Sci-Fi Romance genre) entails deep/rich world-building that pulls the reader in. All of the characters have depth and clear voices and the writing is very well-done, easy to read with great description that sets the scene. Stellar debut novel!

[MKM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lexi was a masterful surprise. I haven’t always been a huge fan of sci fi, usually avoiding judging it for writing contests but this book is exceptional. The author educates and immerses the reader and before you know it—you can’t put it down. Well-written, suspenseful, great characters and educational. I cannot imagine the amount of research that went into this book. Loved it and I look forward to reading more by Ms. Hewett.