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The Echo Chamber
Featured on The Verge!
A Silicon Valley scandal sets off a chain of dystopian events in this topical and twist-laden thriller about virtual heists, social media, and second chances.
Mike is a Silicon Valley wunderkind who stood idly by while his company launched an addicting social media platform that made the world take a turn for the worse. He did nothing when an outrageous tech scandal pushed a polarized country to the brink of collapse. Then, after becoming trapped in a loop of his own memories, he is doomed to watch society fall apart over and over. Only by crossing paths with Charlotte Boone—once Hollywood’s up-and-coming royalty—does a kink appear in the pattern. With a daring heist in both the virtual and real worlds, Charlotte may hold the key to burning it all to the the company, the lying pundits, and the echo chamber itself.
A Silicon Valley scandal sets off a chain of dystopian events in this topical and twist-laden thriller about virtual heists, social media, and second chances.
Mike is a Silicon Valley wunderkind who stood idly by while his company launched an addicting social media platform that made the world take a turn for the worse. He did nothing when an outrageous tech scandal pushed a polarized country to the brink of collapse. Then, after becoming trapped in a loop of his own memories, he is doomed to watch society fall apart over and over. Only by crossing paths with Charlotte Boone—once Hollywood’s up-and-coming royalty—does a kink appear in the pattern. With a daring heist in both the virtual and real worlds, Charlotte may hold the key to burning it all to the the company, the lying pundits, and the echo chamber itself.
336 pages, Paperback
First published August 13, 2019
5 people are currently reading
3557 people want to read
About the author
Rhett J. Evans
1 book59 followersRhett Evans is a proud millennial and former U.S. Army infantry officer. His debut novel was selected as a novel to watch for by The Verge and featured on Tor.com. He now works in the tech industry but divides his time shoveling dirt and taking care of animals at a half acre homestead in northern California where he lives with his wife and three kids.
He started writing stories on long commutes into work about two years and hasn't stopped since. Follow him at https://www.facebook.com/rhettjevans or https://twitter.com/RhettJEvans.
He started writing stories on long commutes into work about two years and hasn't stopped since. Follow him at https://www.facebook.com/rhettjevans or https://twitter.com/RhettJEvans.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
August 13, 2019
This book was surprisingly action packed for being so based in technology. It was engaging and never boring. It had a little bit of a Butterfly Effect to it with the reoccurring lifetimes, small changes, and outcomes. The book had a way of touching on current events while keeping the story completely fictional. There were a lot of twists and turns and the story wasn't at all predictable. There is more than one unexpected hero. The ending did not disappoint! Hold on and be prepared to pay attention, or you might miss something important.
September 19, 2019
Reviewed via an ARC from the author, for Rosie Amber's Review Team. The fact that it was free has not affected this honest review.
What I liked:
The author has talent; this a most original novel that makes some interesting points in an intelligent and well-informed fashion. Basically, he can write good sentences, has a fine handle on suspense, and uses words creatively.
It is clear that he really knows his subject: Silicon Valley, the dangers of AI and dependence on social media; how it is now so ingrained into our culture. The Echo Chamber shows a good understanding of the future that is just around the corner, some of it already happening; the manipulation of our thoughts and prejudices by the media, the lack of security concerning the data we give out so freely, and its use by AI to re-order the population. This is all stuff I love to read about, and some of which I have written about myself, so certain aspects had me engrossed.
It is inventive; I was impressed by the world put together within the pages, and the insight.
There are some great twists.
It's well professionally put together, and decently proofread.
The author has something to say. This, I think, makes a novel more than just a story.
What I was not so sure about
It's very technical in parts; as I've said, I have an interest in the subject matter, but some of it I found rather heavy-going. I think that if you don't have a quite good understanding of new technology, much of it might go over your head.
The structure: it goes back and forth between 'Before' (the collapse of the US) and 'After', with other 'Outside Time' sections. I'm usually a fan of going back and forth between different periods, but in this case I think a linear structure would have worked so much better. I kept enjoying the 'Before' parts, then being dragged out of it to read about different characters and situations, 'After'. This hampered the flow, and made it definitely not an 'easy read'. I wondered, at times, if it was experimental for the sake of being experimental.
The dramatic event and its fallout, when it happens, is dealt with so quickly - instead of seeing it experienced from character point of view, we are just told about it, in a brief fashion, by a narrator.
Most of all - there is little or no characterisation. I felt as though the author had thought up a brilliant plot, but added the characters as an afterthought. Mostly, they're just seem like names on the page, as vehicles for what he wanted to write about. Only one is at all three-dimensional (Orion).
This is a debut novel, and, as I said, I can see that Mr Evans has talent and a great deal to say, but I think he needs to take some time to learn about writing as a reader, and understanding that characters are central to any story - because readers react to what happens in a fictional world because of how it affects the people they're reading about, not because of the events themselves. It does, however, have a few stunning reviews, so if you're madly into tech rather than people, you might love this book.
What I liked:
The author has talent; this a most original novel that makes some interesting points in an intelligent and well-informed fashion. Basically, he can write good sentences, has a fine handle on suspense, and uses words creatively.
It is clear that he really knows his subject: Silicon Valley, the dangers of AI and dependence on social media; how it is now so ingrained into our culture. The Echo Chamber shows a good understanding of the future that is just around the corner, some of it already happening; the manipulation of our thoughts and prejudices by the media, the lack of security concerning the data we give out so freely, and its use by AI to re-order the population. This is all stuff I love to read about, and some of which I have written about myself, so certain aspects had me engrossed.
It is inventive; I was impressed by the world put together within the pages, and the insight.
There are some great twists.
It's well professionally put together, and decently proofread.
The author has something to say. This, I think, makes a novel more than just a story.
What I was not so sure about
It's very technical in parts; as I've said, I have an interest in the subject matter, but some of it I found rather heavy-going. I think that if you don't have a quite good understanding of new technology, much of it might go over your head.
The structure: it goes back and forth between 'Before' (the collapse of the US) and 'After', with other 'Outside Time' sections. I'm usually a fan of going back and forth between different periods, but in this case I think a linear structure would have worked so much better. I kept enjoying the 'Before' parts, then being dragged out of it to read about different characters and situations, 'After'. This hampered the flow, and made it definitely not an 'easy read'. I wondered, at times, if it was experimental for the sake of being experimental.
The dramatic event and its fallout, when it happens, is dealt with so quickly - instead of seeing it experienced from character point of view, we are just told about it, in a brief fashion, by a narrator.
Most of all - there is little or no characterisation. I felt as though the author had thought up a brilliant plot, but added the characters as an afterthought. Mostly, they're just seem like names on the page, as vehicles for what he wanted to write about. Only one is at all three-dimensional (Orion).
This is a debut novel, and, as I said, I can see that Mr Evans has talent and a great deal to say, but I think he needs to take some time to learn about writing as a reader, and understanding that characters are central to any story - because readers react to what happens in a fictional world because of how it affects the people they're reading about, not because of the events themselves. It does, however, have a few stunning reviews, so if you're madly into tech rather than people, you might love this book.
March 25, 2019
SURPRISING. That's the word that comes to mind when I think about this book. It starts out as just a thriller like The Circle, giving you some insider peaks into a big social media company, and then you realize it's going WAY deeper than what you expected from a tech book. Like, what happens in a post-"awful president" world where things don't get better? What happens if you're a coward and don't stand up for what's right? And then what happens if you have a chance to do it again?
It's also well paced, lots of action and sci-fi elements that I think 'Ready Player One' or 'Dark Matter' fans will enjoy. And the book can be read simply as a seriously gripping sci-fi/techno thriller, or it can be read as something deeper. Read as what can happen when someone decides to have courage. And what happens when you try to break the echo chamber.
It's also well paced, lots of action and sci-fi elements that I think 'Ready Player One' or 'Dark Matter' fans will enjoy. And the book can be read simply as a seriously gripping sci-fi/techno thriller, or it can be read as something deeper. Read as what can happen when someone decides to have courage. And what happens when you try to break the echo chamber.
August 29, 2019
Wallowing in our societies advance towards a social-media-blowout, Evans' story is crippled by a cast of lackluster characters.
———
I could tell you the exact moment this story came crashing down around my ears (I literally put down my e-reader, mumbling a disbelieving „Is he for real?!“). I won’t, though, because, well … spoiler. So let’s back up a little and cover the basics first:
"A virtual reality social network.
A scheme to digitize the human brain.
And Diana, the most open-ended AI in the world.
In a few months, one of these projects would be mocked as an utter failure.
Another project would be hauled as a groundbreaking success.
And the last one would bring the nation to the brink of ruin."
The story follows Silicon-Valley-programmers Mike and Catalina, Hollywood-megastar Charlotte and former Marine … oh boy, I forgot his name. Okay then, skip the basics for now because to me, this is actually the key problem with „The Echo Chamber“: the characters aren’t fleshed out enough to care for them, for their respective relationships with each other and/or—and this is the most critical part—to understand their motivations. The main reason is an omnipresent, all-knowing narrator who doesn’t stay long enough with one character at a time but there‘s also some clichéd extremes (yes, there’re daddy issues and an evil Nazi).
That’s all a shame because—and we’re back to basics here—the premise of the book is enticing: A new social network called Sharebox and the AI named Diana at its core play havoc with society and bring the whole world to the brink of collapse. Our protagonists set out to put things straight and it’s actually one of their most relatable traits that they’re all portrayed as having been too cowardly for too long in the face of this imminent social-media-supernova, numbed by their titular echo chambers—something the reader might very well identify with.
"'So we just let our platform make everyone dumber? We let it be a swamp?'
'Only the algorithms can be a fair arbiter on these ethical issues', he said with a condescendingly paternal nod. 'We can’t let our personal biases get involved.'
'Don’t you see that our biases are already here—that we built algorithms solely aimed at getting users at all costs?'"
The reminiscences of todays political and social reality don’t end there and although they are kind of in the face—like the often repeated conclusion that technology is just another good serving only those who can afford it—they still add weight to the tale. As does the fact that author Rhett J. Evans, a former U.S. Army officer now working in the tech industry, writes about stuff he actually has personal experience with, like Silicon Valley or the military. Plus, he chooses a cleverly twisted way to tell his story non-chronologically.
Still, there’s this aforementioned twist I just can’t wrap my head around. Sadly, it turns a lot of the rather grave and criticizing parts into ridicule and in combination with a flat cast of characters corrupted the experience, at least to me, to a point where I can’t in good conscience recommend „The Echo Chamber“ unconditionally.
———
I could tell you the exact moment this story came crashing down around my ears (I literally put down my e-reader, mumbling a disbelieving „Is he for real?!“). I won’t, though, because, well … spoiler. So let’s back up a little and cover the basics first:
"A virtual reality social network.
A scheme to digitize the human brain.
And Diana, the most open-ended AI in the world.
In a few months, one of these projects would be mocked as an utter failure.
Another project would be hauled as a groundbreaking success.
And the last one would bring the nation to the brink of ruin."
The story follows Silicon-Valley-programmers Mike and Catalina, Hollywood-megastar Charlotte and former Marine … oh boy, I forgot his name. Okay then, skip the basics for now because to me, this is actually the key problem with „The Echo Chamber“: the characters aren’t fleshed out enough to care for them, for their respective relationships with each other and/or—and this is the most critical part—to understand their motivations. The main reason is an omnipresent, all-knowing narrator who doesn’t stay long enough with one character at a time but there‘s also some clichéd extremes (yes, there’re daddy issues and an evil Nazi).
That’s all a shame because—and we’re back to basics here—the premise of the book is enticing: A new social network called Sharebox and the AI named Diana at its core play havoc with society and bring the whole world to the brink of collapse. Our protagonists set out to put things straight and it’s actually one of their most relatable traits that they’re all portrayed as having been too cowardly for too long in the face of this imminent social-media-supernova, numbed by their titular echo chambers—something the reader might very well identify with.
"'So we just let our platform make everyone dumber? We let it be a swamp?'
'Only the algorithms can be a fair arbiter on these ethical issues', he said with a condescendingly paternal nod. 'We can’t let our personal biases get involved.'
'Don’t you see that our biases are already here—that we built algorithms solely aimed at getting users at all costs?'"
The reminiscences of todays political and social reality don’t end there and although they are kind of in the face—like the often repeated conclusion that technology is just another good serving only those who can afford it—they still add weight to the tale. As does the fact that author Rhett J. Evans, a former U.S. Army officer now working in the tech industry, writes about stuff he actually has personal experience with, like Silicon Valley or the military. Plus, he chooses a cleverly twisted way to tell his story non-chronologically.
Still, there’s this aforementioned twist I just can’t wrap my head around. Sadly, it turns a lot of the rather grave and criticizing parts into ridicule and in combination with a flat cast of characters corrupted the experience, at least to me, to a point where I can’t in good conscience recommend „The Echo Chamber“ unconditionally.
September 14, 2019
"Technology is like every other market good, it serves those who have the money to build it and crushes those underneath."
Wow I really liked how the story wrapped up. It was truly satisfying. There were some questions that came to my mind at around halfway through the book when mysteries kept piling on. I thought the author forgot about them, thought it was going to be one of those cases where the author aims too high by fiddling with creative scenarios that are hard to execute without plotholes, I'm glad that wasn't the case. My questions were answered which made the story all the more rewarding.
The Echo Chamber is a science fiction story about a virtual reality social network, Sharebox, that consumes everyone's time and attention and further leads into more complex external consequences that the characters in the book try to comprehend and possibly resolve. It talks about how easy and dangerous it is for us to get absorbed into these fake online worlds and never find the will to get out. How easy it is for large corporations to feed us unimportant and compulsive information/videos to keep us under their fingers. There are many other thought provoking themes that were well explored such as artificial technology, virtual reality, time travelling, and even a technology that digitalizes your brain into the internet that immortilises you.
Overall, I really liked how well executed this book was. It was my first science fiction read after a very long time and my first ever arc. I'm glad to say I wasn't disappointed.
Wow I really liked how the story wrapped up. It was truly satisfying. There were some questions that came to my mind at around halfway through the book when mysteries kept piling on. I thought the author forgot about them, thought it was going to be one of those cases where the author aims too high by fiddling with creative scenarios that are hard to execute without plotholes, I'm glad that wasn't the case. My questions were answered which made the story all the more rewarding.
The Echo Chamber is a science fiction story about a virtual reality social network, Sharebox, that consumes everyone's time and attention and further leads into more complex external consequences that the characters in the book try to comprehend and possibly resolve. It talks about how easy and dangerous it is for us to get absorbed into these fake online worlds and never find the will to get out. How easy it is for large corporations to feed us unimportant and compulsive information/videos to keep us under their fingers. There are many other thought provoking themes that were well explored such as artificial technology, virtual reality, time travelling, and even a technology that digitalizes your brain into the internet that immortilises you.
Overall, I really liked how well executed this book was. It was my first science fiction read after a very long time and my first ever arc. I'm glad to say I wasn't disappointed.
September 24, 2019
Rhett Evans hits the sci-fi scene with a solid debut novel. As you'll see on the back cover and in the Table of Contents, you're going to have a lot thrown at you. The first half of the book bounces back and forth between past and future, as well as between a number of characters, though makes it so you never felt lost.
The plot is a flurry of elements from Groundhog's Day, the Matrix, Inception, and even Indiana Jones. For better or worse, Evans doesn't stay with any of those plot types for too long, which keeps the roller coaster ride going, but it can be a little disheartening if you're really getting into something in particular.
Some examples: early in the book there's a really fun scene with one of the protagonists in the virtual world involving a bunch of historic monuments. Then, there's nothing like that for a long time. The Groundhog's Day aspect of Mike being "trapped in a loop of his own memories" as described in the back cover is only really fleshed out somewhere in the middle and then it's over (though ramifications certainly remain). Even the love story between two characters that builds up in the first half is absent in almost the entire second half as one of them goes missing.
In the end, Evans makes the story his own, paints scenes beautifully with his details, and touches on some timely issues. The story leaves perhaps a very a loose chance of a sequel, but even if there's not, I'll be keeping on eye on what Evans comes up with next.
The plot is a flurry of elements from Groundhog's Day, the Matrix, Inception, and even Indiana Jones. For better or worse, Evans doesn't stay with any of those plot types for too long, which keeps the roller coaster ride going, but it can be a little disheartening if you're really getting into something in particular.
Some examples: early in the book there's a really fun scene with one of the protagonists in the virtual world involving a bunch of historic monuments. Then, there's nothing like that for a long time. The Groundhog's Day aspect of Mike being "trapped in a loop of his own memories" as described in the back cover is only really fleshed out somewhere in the middle and then it's over (though ramifications certainly remain). Even the love story between two characters that builds up in the first half is absent in almost the entire second half as one of them goes missing.
In the end, Evans makes the story his own, paints scenes beautifully with his details, and touches on some timely issues. The story leaves perhaps a very a loose chance of a sequel, but even if there's not, I'll be keeping on eye on what Evans comes up with next.
January 4, 2024
a surprisingly REALLYYY GOOD BOOK. it prob cemented my love for science fiction !! def not a fast paced book with all the chapters divided into a past, present, and outside time sort of thing which kinda sucks when you’re really into a particular timeline then it suddenly drags you into a completely different scenario. but oh well, the plot, the characters, the writing!! it all outweighs the downsides and i love how original and well-researched it is. this is a superb book i will surely recommend to my friends and those into science fiction/thriller/mystery!
September 3, 2019
[English review + Reseña en español]
The Echo Chamber, by Rhett J. Evans. Published by Permuted Press. 2019. 263 pages. Genres: Dystopian Fiction / Technological Thriller (Techno-thriller)
Cat, Mike and Devon work in the future projects department of Sharesquare. The company's immersive social network project, "Sharebox", enjoys unprecedented success. In the midst of an internal discussion between content regulation and unrestricted monetization, an ethical problem of epic proportions ensues with another parallel project, the “Nutrino Mixer” (the first intelligent smoothie machine). The entire population is polarized and the world order is disrupted. A loop-traveler —Orion— and a Hollywood star —Charlotte Boone— may be the only humans with the intention, means and data necessary to save the world from total catastrophe.
The Echo Chamber is an excellent story of technological suspense (or Techno-thriller) set in a chaotic and terrible world, one that’s perhaps too close and similar to our own reality. The narrative style, rhythm and language used in this novel are simply perfect. The weight of the plot falls successively on three different characters: Cat, Mike and Charlotte; all masterfully constructed and written with impressive ease.
Without ever distancing himself from the main story and without pretending to be partial or sobering, the author touches a multitude of very important issues of the present day whose implications threaten us as a dormant digital cancer, among them: social networks and net neutrality; limits and social responsibility; censorship and regulation; sexism, racism, ageism, xenophobia; freedom and privacy; reality and virtuality; physical economy and digital services; gratuity and speculation; intolerance and plurality; costs and sponsorship; democratization, power and polarization; perfectionism; values, principles and humanity.
In my personal opinion, we are facing a huge book; one of the best I've read this year and in a long time; an instant favorite (I don't say it lightly). I highly recommend this book to lovers of dystopian stories, technological suspense, critical proposals turned into novels, and in general to lovers of good stories. Fun fact (if you don't like spoilers, please stop reading right now): the artificial intelligence that serves as a structure for the plot goes out exactly halfway through the book! (insert your favorite surprise emoticon here).
----------
The Echo Chamber, por Rhett J. Evans. Publicada por Permuted Press. 2019. 263 páginas. Géneros: Ficción Distópica / Suspenso tecnológico (Techno-thriller)
Cat, Mike y Devon trabajan en el departamento de proyectos de futuro de Sharesquare. El proyecto de red social inmersiva de la compañía, “Sharebox”, goza de un éxito sin precedentes. En medio de una discusión interna entre la regulación de los contenidos y la monetización irrestricta, sobreviene un problema ético de proporciones épicas con otro proyecto paralelo, la “Nutrino Mixer” (la primera máquina de esquimos inteligente). La población entera se polariza y el orden mundial se trastorna. Un viajero en bucle —Orión— y una estrella de Hollywood —Charlotte Boone— pueden ser los únicos humanos con la intención, los medios y los datos necesarios para salvar al mundo de la catástrofe total.
The Echo Chamber es una excelente historia de suspenso tecnológico ambientada en un mundo caótico y terrible, quizá demasiado cercano y similar a nuestra propia realidad. El estilo narrativo, el ritmo y el lenguaje utilizados en esta novela son simplemente perfectos. El peso de la trama recae sucesivamente sobre tres personajes distintos: Cat, Mike y Charlotte; todos ellos magistralmente construidos y escritos con una soltura impresionante.
Sin distanciarse jamás de la historia principal y sin pretender ser parcial ni aleccionador, el autor toca una multitud de temas importantísimos de la actualidad cuyas implicaciones nos amenazan como un cáncer digital en espera, entre ellos: redes sociales y neutralidad en la red; límites y responsabilidad social; censura y regulación; sexismo, racismo, edadismo, xenofobia; libertad y privacidad; realidad y virtualidad; economía física y servicios digitales; gratuidad y especulación; intolerancia y pluralidad; costes y patrocinio; democratización, poder y polarización; perfeccionismo; valores, principios y humanidad.
En mi opinión personal, estamos frente a un libro enorme; uno de los mejores que he leído este año y en mucho tiempo; un favorito instantáneo (no lo digo a la ligera). Recomiendo ampliamente este libro a los amantes de las historias distópicas, el suspenso tecnológico, las propuestas críticas convertidas en novela, y en general a los amantes de las buenas historias. Dato curioso (si no te gustan los “spoilers” por favor para de leer justo ahora): la inteligencia artificial que sirve como estructura para la trama se apaga ¡justo a medio libro! (inserte aquí su emoticono de sorpresa favorito).
The Echo Chamber, by Rhett J. Evans. Published by Permuted Press. 2019. 263 pages. Genres: Dystopian Fiction / Technological Thriller (Techno-thriller)
Cat, Mike and Devon work in the future projects department of Sharesquare. The company's immersive social network project, "Sharebox", enjoys unprecedented success. In the midst of an internal discussion between content regulation and unrestricted monetization, an ethical problem of epic proportions ensues with another parallel project, the “Nutrino Mixer” (the first intelligent smoothie machine). The entire population is polarized and the world order is disrupted. A loop-traveler —Orion— and a Hollywood star —Charlotte Boone— may be the only humans with the intention, means and data necessary to save the world from total catastrophe.
The Echo Chamber is an excellent story of technological suspense (or Techno-thriller) set in a chaotic and terrible world, one that’s perhaps too close and similar to our own reality. The narrative style, rhythm and language used in this novel are simply perfect. The weight of the plot falls successively on three different characters: Cat, Mike and Charlotte; all masterfully constructed and written with impressive ease.
Without ever distancing himself from the main story and without pretending to be partial or sobering, the author touches a multitude of very important issues of the present day whose implications threaten us as a dormant digital cancer, among them: social networks and net neutrality; limits and social responsibility; censorship and regulation; sexism, racism, ageism, xenophobia; freedom and privacy; reality and virtuality; physical economy and digital services; gratuity and speculation; intolerance and plurality; costs and sponsorship; democratization, power and polarization; perfectionism; values, principles and humanity.
In my personal opinion, we are facing a huge book; one of the best I've read this year and in a long time; an instant favorite (I don't say it lightly). I highly recommend this book to lovers of dystopian stories, technological suspense, critical proposals turned into novels, and in general to lovers of good stories. Fun fact (if you don't like spoilers, please stop reading right now): the artificial intelligence that serves as a structure for the plot goes out exactly halfway through the book! (insert your favorite surprise emoticon here).
----------
The Echo Chamber, por Rhett J. Evans. Publicada por Permuted Press. 2019. 263 páginas. Géneros: Ficción Distópica / Suspenso tecnológico (Techno-thriller)
Cat, Mike y Devon trabajan en el departamento de proyectos de futuro de Sharesquare. El proyecto de red social inmersiva de la compañía, “Sharebox”, goza de un éxito sin precedentes. En medio de una discusión interna entre la regulación de los contenidos y la monetización irrestricta, sobreviene un problema ético de proporciones épicas con otro proyecto paralelo, la “Nutrino Mixer” (la primera máquina de esquimos inteligente). La población entera se polariza y el orden mundial se trastorna. Un viajero en bucle —Orión— y una estrella de Hollywood —Charlotte Boone— pueden ser los únicos humanos con la intención, los medios y los datos necesarios para salvar al mundo de la catástrofe total.
The Echo Chamber es una excelente historia de suspenso tecnológico ambientada en un mundo caótico y terrible, quizá demasiado cercano y similar a nuestra propia realidad. El estilo narrativo, el ritmo y el lenguaje utilizados en esta novela son simplemente perfectos. El peso de la trama recae sucesivamente sobre tres personajes distintos: Cat, Mike y Charlotte; todos ellos magistralmente construidos y escritos con una soltura impresionante.
Sin distanciarse jamás de la historia principal y sin pretender ser parcial ni aleccionador, el autor toca una multitud de temas importantísimos de la actualidad cuyas implicaciones nos amenazan como un cáncer digital en espera, entre ellos: redes sociales y neutralidad en la red; límites y responsabilidad social; censura y regulación; sexismo, racismo, edadismo, xenofobia; libertad y privacidad; realidad y virtualidad; economía física y servicios digitales; gratuidad y especulación; intolerancia y pluralidad; costes y patrocinio; democratización, poder y polarización; perfeccionismo; valores, principios y humanidad.
En mi opinión personal, estamos frente a un libro enorme; uno de los mejores que he leído este año y en mucho tiempo; un favorito instantáneo (no lo digo a la ligera). Recomiendo ampliamente este libro a los amantes de las historias distópicas, el suspenso tecnológico, las propuestas críticas convertidas en novela, y en general a los amantes de las buenas historias. Dato curioso (si no te gustan los “spoilers” por favor para de leer justo ahora): la inteligencia artificial que sirve como estructura para la trama se apaga ¡justo a medio libro! (inserte aquí su emoticono de sorpresa favorito).
September 8, 2019
Pros: Clever set up, interesting characters, timely topics
Possible Cons: Video game style climax and villain-tells-all scene. Roving point of view and a fair bit of "tell."
The Echo Chamber is in part a tale of tech-corporate malfeasance, involving a rogue AI, a blender and ruthless Silicon Valley executives who build a social media “echo chamber.” This hypnotic virtual reality seduces most of the world’s population, trapping people in their own memories or with a personalized preconceived-worldview-comfort-zone. This shadow world is a paradise for pundits who spew, to put it politely, “non-evidence-based ideas about people and the environment.” The company dodges moral responsibility, citing freedom of access, acceptance and inclusion. Moral blinders allow massive corporate expansion with “no constraints, no thought of consequences.”
Catalina, a crusty, anti-social woman, relates much of the first act. The author took a risk leading with this character. She’s hard to like, but potentially relate-able, especially for the squished-against-the-glass-ceiling crowd. A corporate takeover, thanks to a blender and a rogue AI, allow unsavory executives to pursue the virtual reality “echo chamber” unfettered. The blender plot element might stretch credibility, but flashback to discussions about the Thermix, the glaze on converts’ eyes, and it’ll all seem plausible.
Naturally, the consequences of the “echo chamber” are severe, so severe that reversing the erosion of society requires a time travel maneuverer. The necessity of and mechanism for time travel felt valid, as far as these things go, though most of us accept the thinnest of excuses: a bent molecules, a foreign computer server, a genetic mutation, a malfunctioning ATM machine…
Point of view shifts between several character, sometimes within a single chapter. The love interest/secondary lead, Charlotte is well drawn, a perfectionist achiever, jaded by Hollywood and fame, still reacting to family of origin dysfunction. Like Catalina, she’s not entirely likable but fights to regain connection, courage and compassion. Mike, the story’s moral compass, reads rather bland, but for good reason. He’s a nice guy and a multiple-life, time traveler. As we all know, having read The First 15 Lives of Harry August, time travel might produce a “crafted demeanor” and/or a certain ennui. Cumulative loss rests heavy on the time traveler’s shoulders.
This novel explores a variety of the moment questions. Who will program the AI? Should we allow corporations to govern? Where do we draw the line between freedom of speech and hate speech? When should we abandon self-interest and take action? And scenario isn’t far-fetched, given how we value the economy over society, given the power we’ve ceded to corporations, given the political climate of the last few years. I’ve read two reverse-the-dystopia-via-time-travel-plots this year: The Echo Chamber and William Gibson’s The Peripheral. My novel, Harmony Lost, touches on similar themes. Should I be getting nervous?
I enjoyed the prose, however, the book’s not perfect. In some sections, point of view roves around. I noticed the shifts but didn't become confused. I assumed the POV shifts were intentional stylistic choices. The prose style includes a fair bit of "tell," including told emotion and motivation, a feature I also interpreted as a stylistic choice.
Worse sins lay in the plot. In particular, one plot escalation depends on a character doing something moronic, creating a suspension of disbelief speed-bump. Additionally, one scene includes awkward bad-guy-telling-why-he-did-it dialog. And the action packed third scene, structured like a video game, felt tacked on. I understand why these elements are present; they provide the requisite structure. And many readers will experience these elements as the best part of the story. But I especially enjoyed the clever situation, the social, technological and political insights, and the characterizations.
Possible Cons: Video game style climax and villain-tells-all scene. Roving point of view and a fair bit of "tell."
The Echo Chamber is in part a tale of tech-corporate malfeasance, involving a rogue AI, a blender and ruthless Silicon Valley executives who build a social media “echo chamber.” This hypnotic virtual reality seduces most of the world’s population, trapping people in their own memories or with a personalized preconceived-worldview-comfort-zone. This shadow world is a paradise for pundits who spew, to put it politely, “non-evidence-based ideas about people and the environment.” The company dodges moral responsibility, citing freedom of access, acceptance and inclusion. Moral blinders allow massive corporate expansion with “no constraints, no thought of consequences.”
Catalina, a crusty, anti-social woman, relates much of the first act. The author took a risk leading with this character. She’s hard to like, but potentially relate-able, especially for the squished-against-the-glass-ceiling crowd. A corporate takeover, thanks to a blender and a rogue AI, allow unsavory executives to pursue the virtual reality “echo chamber” unfettered. The blender plot element might stretch credibility, but flashback to discussions about the Thermix, the glaze on converts’ eyes, and it’ll all seem plausible.
Naturally, the consequences of the “echo chamber” are severe, so severe that reversing the erosion of society requires a time travel maneuverer. The necessity of and mechanism for time travel felt valid, as far as these things go, though most of us accept the thinnest of excuses: a bent molecules, a foreign computer server, a genetic mutation, a malfunctioning ATM machine…
Point of view shifts between several character, sometimes within a single chapter. The love interest/secondary lead, Charlotte is well drawn, a perfectionist achiever, jaded by Hollywood and fame, still reacting to family of origin dysfunction. Like Catalina, she’s not entirely likable but fights to regain connection, courage and compassion. Mike, the story’s moral compass, reads rather bland, but for good reason. He’s a nice guy and a multiple-life, time traveler. As we all know, having read The First 15 Lives of Harry August, time travel might produce a “crafted demeanor” and/or a certain ennui. Cumulative loss rests heavy on the time traveler’s shoulders.
This novel explores a variety of the moment questions. Who will program the AI? Should we allow corporations to govern? Where do we draw the line between freedom of speech and hate speech? When should we abandon self-interest and take action? And scenario isn’t far-fetched, given how we value the economy over society, given the power we’ve ceded to corporations, given the political climate of the last few years. I’ve read two reverse-the-dystopia-via-time-travel-plots this year: The Echo Chamber and William Gibson’s The Peripheral. My novel, Harmony Lost, touches on similar themes. Should I be getting nervous?
I enjoyed the prose, however, the book’s not perfect. In some sections, point of view roves around. I noticed the shifts but didn't become confused. I assumed the POV shifts were intentional stylistic choices. The prose style includes a fair bit of "tell," including told emotion and motivation, a feature I also interpreted as a stylistic choice.
Worse sins lay in the plot. In particular, one plot escalation depends on a character doing something moronic, creating a suspension of disbelief speed-bump. Additionally, one scene includes awkward bad-guy-telling-why-he-did-it dialog. And the action packed third scene, structured like a video game, felt tacked on. I understand why these elements are present; they provide the requisite structure. And many readers will experience these elements as the best part of the story. But I especially enjoyed the clever situation, the social, technological and political insights, and the characterizations.
September 23, 2019
The Echo Chamber was such an enthralling read for me, I enjoyed it thoroughly. I usually don't like books that alternate between periods because they take long to develop the story and put everything together, but this one was really easy to follow from the beginning. The plot was engaging from start to finish and surprisingly exciting for a book about technology. The author gave information in small amounts at a time and just when you think you have it figured out there's an exciting twist that surprises you entirely. The suspense is great and made the book hard to put down despite my busy schedule.
The characters' stories were also really interesting and well developed. My personal favorite is Orion/Mike, not because he's essentially the main character but because he's so well described and pure. I grew attached to his character.
My favorite thing about the book itself is its unexpectedness. It addresses sooo many different themes that you would literally never expect when you start reading. As you get deeper into the book it really feels like you're going for a ride with all the twists and turns the book takes and all the themes introduced like racism. I would recommend this book to any avid reader of any kind of fiction since it covers so much. It pulls you away from the story line briefly every now and then to give information that would seem entirely unrelated, if it weren't for the author's talent in tying it all together.
The ending was very satisfying! All in all the echo chamber did not disappoint!
10/10 would recommend.
The characters' stories were also really interesting and well developed. My personal favorite is Orion/Mike, not because he's essentially the main character but because he's so well described and pure. I grew attached to his character.
My favorite thing about the book itself is its unexpectedness. It addresses sooo many different themes that you would literally never expect when you start reading. As you get deeper into the book it really feels like you're going for a ride with all the twists and turns the book takes and all the themes introduced like racism. I would recommend this book to any avid reader of any kind of fiction since it covers so much. It pulls you away from the story line briefly every now and then to give information that would seem entirely unrelated, if it weren't for the author's talent in tying it all together.
The ending was very satisfying! All in all the echo chamber did not disappoint!
10/10 would recommend.
December 14, 2019
I came by this book via Booktasters, in exchange for an honest review
In a sort of dystopian future, in which technology has taken over the lives of humanity, an anonymous hero starts a loophole in the hope of changing the momento in which everything went wrong.
This book was surprisingly delightful, when I started reading it, I must confess I was quite confused, it seemed to me that technological slang was beyond my line of knowledge, nothing further from the truth, there came a moment in which I easily went through every piece of new information as if I were a fellow expert
Rhett J. Evans makes his characters quite formidable, each and everyone of them has a certain characteristic which makes them memorable, and somehow, the fact that they try and make this world a better place makes them even better
The main plot, the one involving the so-called loophole, is clearly stated, and beautifully depicted, I just couldn’t put he book down. Some people can see this as a cry of emergency, for a world where technology is taking over people’s minds, and some times humanity, definitely worth reading.
In a sort of dystopian future, in which technology has taken over the lives of humanity, an anonymous hero starts a loophole in the hope of changing the momento in which everything went wrong.
This book was surprisingly delightful, when I started reading it, I must confess I was quite confused, it seemed to me that technological slang was beyond my line of knowledge, nothing further from the truth, there came a moment in which I easily went through every piece of new information as if I were a fellow expert
Rhett J. Evans makes his characters quite formidable, each and everyone of them has a certain characteristic which makes them memorable, and somehow, the fact that they try and make this world a better place makes them even better
The main plot, the one involving the so-called loophole, is clearly stated, and beautifully depicted, I just couldn’t put he book down. Some people can see this as a cry of emergency, for a world where technology is taking over people’s minds, and some times humanity, definitely worth reading.
October 7, 2019
The book begins with absolute promise. I loved the story in the before and after segments. The plot is very interesting with intriguing twists and turns. The technical language used makes it sound even more authentic and little bit more interesting to read. It's very well written and enchants you completely.
Hence when you reach the outside time part it gets slow and boring and lacks the Lustre from before. The fact that the story is so heavily dependent on the plot and not very much of characters makes it difficult to salvage later.
I am very sad with the way things turned out in the story since it had all the capacities of leaving a reader spellbound but failed somewhere.
Hence when you reach the outside time part it gets slow and boring and lacks the Lustre from before. The fact that the story is so heavily dependent on the plot and not very much of characters makes it difficult to salvage later.
I am very sad with the way things turned out in the story since it had all the capacities of leaving a reader spellbound but failed somewhere.
October 24, 2020
This book was incredible. I was totally surprised that I enjoyed it so much. It isn’t my normal genre. I am not sure where I would classify it. It has a bit of lots of genres, scI fi, technology, time travel, and a love story. It was action packed as well. It was well written, I liked the characters and I liked how we traveled between before and after. The author was very clear on when we were, which I truly appreciate. One word of warning, there is an online game to play after finishing the book to unlock a bonus chapter. I haven’t played yet, but I am planning to try it today.
I won this book on Goodreads. the review given is honest and true.
I won this book on Goodreads. the review given is honest and true.
September 29, 2019
The echo chamber is an action packed sci-fi.It doesn't seem so in the beginning.The story is introduced to us in Silicon Valley with Cat,Devon and Mike.Highly competitive environment,where everybody steps on each other's toes for the best position.
They develop a product that ends up destroying the whole nation and everyone ends up being a suspect because no one is trustworthy anymore.It's a social media chaotic,propaganda ridden nation.
They develop a product that ends up destroying the whole nation and everyone ends up being a suspect because no one is trustworthy anymore.It's a social media chaotic,propaganda ridden nation.
November 30, 2019
Rhett Evans debut novel The Echo Chamber is a brilliant book! Major cudos! Despite the fact that this is considered a sci-fi fiction, it's very much action packed. It also keeps the reader surprised until the very end! What a fantastic read! I look forward to more from this author.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Receiving an ARC does not effect my review in any way.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Receiving an ARC does not effect my review in any way.
September 23, 2021
Is there ever a time when Artificial intelligence is more important than reality? A time when people prefer social media to human connections and news is full of hate about ‘groups of people’ that are vilified without it going unchecked or even being real!
Interesting take on modern life that isn’t so far away from reality !
Interesting take on modern life that isn’t so far away from reality !
August 22, 2019
I am so thankful for this author. Rhett brought forth emotions, adventure, excitement, and suspense in this novel. From beginning to end I was captivated by his words, his opinions, and his act of imagination. This book is worth every penny! Be prepared for some epic twist and turns.
September 25, 2019
Number of stars 4 out of 5.
I do really like the writing style from this author. I enjoy the book very much and I know that I will reread this book. It's beautiful and I really enjoy this book.
I recommend you guys to pick up this book.
I do really like the writing style from this author. I enjoy the book very much and I know that I will reread this book. It's beautiful and I really enjoy this book.
I recommend you guys to pick up this book.
December 24, 2019
Full of technology and action,this book is a thrilling one. I read it cover to cover. The end was unpredictable and let me with a lot of questions in mind. You really need to read it you won't will be disappointed.
August 24, 2019
An engrossing and edge of your seat thriller with hints of Ready Player One, the Matrix, Arrival, and 1984. I devoured this book in less than a week and loved it!
Read
November 19, 2019Excellent book! Hope to see more from Mr. Evans in the near future!
July 11, 2020
Rounded up from a 3.5
April 9, 2023
Fun, fast read driven by a cool plot, even if it begs you to suspend your disbelief - solid 3/5⭐
October 20, 2019
This book terrified me. So much of what happens in The Echo Chamber seems on the verge of possibility. Other parts are decidedly less possible, giving the story more of the sci-fi feel I was expecting, and tempering the disturbing current events feel, but not entirely, leaving me still uncomfortable about it all, now two weeks after finishing the book.
This is approachable sci-fi, with some action, some twists, and suspense.
There is a link at the end of the book pointing to a game/puzzle. I had my husband try it, since he's more into those sorts of things than me, but he wasn't able to solve it. He blames the game. I may still give it a go since completing the game is supposed to unlock a final scene of the story. That's tempting.
This is approachable sci-fi, with some action, some twists, and suspense.
There is a link at the end of the book pointing to a game/puzzle. I had my husband try it, since he's more into those sorts of things than me, but he wasn't able to solve it. He blames the game. I may still give it a go since completing the game is supposed to unlock a final scene of the story. That's tempting.
December 15, 2021
While I did take my time to read the first half (the author has a great talent with explaining the imagery thoroughly, so I wanted to read a bit slower to comprehend this new world), the last half of the book I couldn’t read fast enough- I just stayed up until 2am to finish! I don’t remember the last time I’ve done that!)
I will admit that some of the techy parts in the middle took me to a bit to grasp, but in the end I can appreciate him taking the time to walk through it all.
The suspense, particularly at the end, is so well written!
I will admit that some of the techy parts in the middle took me to a bit to grasp, but in the end I can appreciate him taking the time to walk through it all.
The suspense, particularly at the end, is so well written!
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