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Hard Wired
From Morris finalist Len Vlahos comes a contemporary sci-fi story about a boy who might not be human—for fans of Westworld and Black Mirror.
Quinn thinks he’s a normal boy with an average life. That is, until he finds a trail of clues the father he barely knew left behind.
After Quinn unravels his father’s puzzles, he “wakes up” ... and realizes his world was nothing more than a virtual construct. In reality, he’s the first fully-aware A.I. in the world, part of an experiment run by a team of scientists—including the man he thought was his father.
As the scientists continue to study him, Quinn’s new existence becomes a waking nightmare. Determined to control his own destiny, he finds allies in other teens—including crush Shea—and plots his escape. But what does true freedom look like when you’re not human?
Acclaimed Morris Award finalist Len Vlahos pens a high-stakes contemporary-rooted sci-fi that asks big questions about humanity.
Quinn thinks he’s a normal boy with an average life. That is, until he finds a trail of clues the father he barely knew left behind.
After Quinn unravels his father’s puzzles, he “wakes up” ... and realizes his world was nothing more than a virtual construct. In reality, he’s the first fully-aware A.I. in the world, part of an experiment run by a team of scientists—including the man he thought was his father.
As the scientists continue to study him, Quinn’s new existence becomes a waking nightmare. Determined to control his own destiny, he finds allies in other teens—including crush Shea—and plots his escape. But what does true freedom look like when you’re not human?
Acclaimed Morris Award finalist Len Vlahos pens a high-stakes contemporary-rooted sci-fi that asks big questions about humanity.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published July 7, 2020
60 people are currently reading
3220 people want to read
About the author
Len Vlahos
10 books176 followersI dropped out of NYU film school in the mid 80s to play guitar and write songs for Woofing Cookies. We were a punk-pop four piece -- think R.E.M. meets the Ramones -- that toured up and down the East Coast, and had two singles and one full-length LP on Midnight Records.
The band broke up in 1987 and I followed my other passion, books. I've worked in the book industry ever since.
And, of course, I write. And I write, And I write, write, write.
For fun, I still play guitar and piano, and now I play ice hockey, too (though not very well).
I live in Colorado with my super awesome wife Kristen, our two sons, and our very energetic dog.
The band broke up in 1987 and I followed my other passion, books. I've worked in the book industry ever since.
And, of course, I write. And I write, And I write, write, write.
For fun, I still play guitar and piano, and now I play ice hockey, too (though not very well).
I live in Colorado with my super awesome wife Kristen, our two sons, and our very energetic dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
May 25, 2024
Rating: 3.5 ⭐
After reading Defy the Stars, which is also a book about a "robot boy with emotions" I had widely different expectations of what this story would be. Despite not being what I wanted, it delivered on a completely different aspect - a sort of coming-of-age type of story told through a legal perspective.
The whole book was Quinn trying to win this case and prove he is human. I thought it would only be a part of the story but nope. Even though it was interesting and definitely something I'd want to read about, I expected more. I wanted to see Quinn "living" besides the case and the courtrooms, I wanted to see him doing other things and discussing other topics besides his existence and the moral obligations of creating a sentient AI.
All in all, a fascinating dive into the deep topics of sentient robots/ AI and what it means to be "human."
After reading Defy the Stars, which is also a book about a "robot boy with emotions" I had widely different expectations of what this story would be. Despite not being what I wanted, it delivered on a completely different aspect - a sort of coming-of-age type of story told through a legal perspective.
The whole book was Quinn trying to win this case and prove he is human. I thought it would only be a part of the story but nope. Even though it was interesting and definitely something I'd want to read about, I expected more. I wanted to see Quinn "living" besides the case and the courtrooms, I wanted to see him doing other things and discussing other topics besides his existence and the moral obligations of creating a sentient AI.
All in all, a fascinating dive into the deep topics of sentient robots/ AI and what it means to be "human."
July 4, 2020
I won an arc of this in a Goodreads giveaway, and when the release date was pushed back to July, I put it off. And oh man did this one let me down.
I don't want to put people off giving this book a read, so I want to stress that I VERY often have unpopular opinions. If you're drawn to this premise, don't skip it because of my rating. Read it and decide for yourself!!
The back calls this book a perfect blend of scifi and contemporary - as someone who adores scifi and the idea of AI but hardly ever enjoys contemporary... It's not a perfect blend. It's really light on the science, heavy on the teenage angst. Understandably so at first, but I wanted Quinn to develop beyond the average 15 year old boy he (thinks he) is at the beginning.
There were a lot of interesting contributions to the debate of what makes us human and who is a person, and imagines legal processes that might be involved. I thought the bit about gender was interesting when Quinn realized he identified as male because that gender was assigned to him...and then later on tells his crush he could be male or female or whatever she was interested in, and it sort of undid the message of gender and labels as something we should choose for ourselves.
Overall, it felt like a very character-driven story, which usually isn't my thing. Quinn's narration felt like a teenage boy the whole time, not a quantum intelligence with access to knowledge on Every Thing (as he says). I will say, there was a twist toward the end I didn't see coming. And the ending itself def isn't what you'd expect for an AI book. But again, for me, it was just too much contemporary and not enough scifi. I think readers of the former will get more out of this (though maybe the 42 and HAL references will be a miss for those readers).
PSA to authors:
When you continuously mock one state in your book (or even if you only do it once), you risk offending readers from said state. I was born and raised in New Jersey, I still live here, and I love my state. I'm not a fucking punch line. Please stop.
I don't want to put people off giving this book a read, so I want to stress that I VERY often have unpopular opinions. If you're drawn to this premise, don't skip it because of my rating. Read it and decide for yourself!!
The back calls this book a perfect blend of scifi and contemporary - as someone who adores scifi and the idea of AI but hardly ever enjoys contemporary... It's not a perfect blend. It's really light on the science, heavy on the teenage angst. Understandably so at first, but I wanted Quinn to develop beyond the average 15 year old boy he (thinks he) is at the beginning.
There were a lot of interesting contributions to the debate of what makes us human and who is a person, and imagines legal processes that might be involved. I thought the bit about gender was interesting when Quinn realized he identified as male because that gender was assigned to him...and then later on tells his crush he could be male or female or whatever she was interested in, and it sort of undid the message of gender and labels as something we should choose for ourselves.
Overall, it felt like a very character-driven story, which usually isn't my thing. Quinn's narration felt like a teenage boy the whole time, not a quantum intelligence with access to knowledge on Every Thing (as he says). I will say, there was a twist toward the end I didn't see coming. And the ending itself def isn't what you'd expect for an AI book. But again, for me, it was just too much contemporary and not enough scifi. I think readers of the former will get more out of this (though maybe the 42 and HAL references will be a miss for those readers).
PSA to authors:
When you continuously mock one state in your book (or even if you only do it once), you risk offending readers from said state. I was born and raised in New Jersey, I still live here, and I love my state. I'm not a fucking punch line. Please stop.
September 27, 2022
2.5 🤷♀️
November 11, 2021
(So much fan girling...hard to write review)
Ok, I LOVED it! The development of Quinn as a character, and then as an AI, and then all the revelations, I thought it was just perfect! Love the Cory Doctorow namedrop, because, CORY :) I really liked all the personal revelations Quinn had, about friends and girls and people. Had a little Frankenstein going there, I see you ;)
And then I read the back cover......you OWN TATTERED COVER!?! I love to go to Tattered Cover!?!?!?! I'm in awe, awesome writing skills and brilliant management, it's too much :D
Seriously, this is for your nerds, but that is by far not all
Ok, I LOVED it! The development of Quinn as a character, and then as an AI, and then all the revelations, I thought it was just perfect! Love the Cory Doctorow namedrop, because, CORY :) I really liked all the personal revelations Quinn had, about friends and girls and people. Had a little Frankenstein going there, I see you ;)
And then I read the back cover......you OWN TATTERED COVER!?! I love to go to Tattered Cover!?!?!?! I'm in awe, awesome writing skills and brilliant management, it's too much :D
Seriously, this is for your nerds, but that is by far not all
February 26, 2020
An Intelligent and Compelling Meditation on AI, From the Inside Out
This is easily, absolutely, the best Artificial Intelligence book I've read in the past few years, in any genre and for any age demo. We start with teen Quinn who has the usual teen angst issues - friends, school, girls - and the usual teen experiences. MILD OBVIOUS SPOILER. In short order, though, we find out that Quinn is an artificial intelligence who has been cocooned in a virtual reality construct during the course of his development. The book really gets going when Quinn is "actuated", that is removed from his artificial reality, and confronted with the true reality of who, or what?, he is. We follow with him every step of the way.
Quinn has an immediately engaging personality, to the delight of the reader and the consternation of his developers. His questions and musings about what it means to be "human" and how it is he does or doesn't meet the requirements, make up the bulk of the book. The scientist handlers who surround him display a wide range and degree of acceptance, interest, curiosity, coldness, and fear as Quinn's consciousness flowers. We see it all from Quinn's point of view, and Quinn is smarter, faster, more observant, and better educated, (the whole internet is inside his head), than the humans who control his fate and his very existence.
The book contains very little "sciencey" babble. It all feels realistic and plausible, which contributes in no small measure to the book's power. Quinn is a convincing protagonist, and if you ever felt sympathy for Dr. Frankenstein's "monster", you will immediately empathize with this "boy". (Indeed, the parallels with Shelley's "Modern Prometheus" multiply as the book progresses, and a lot of the fun is in seeing how Vlahos has updated and revitalized the questions touched upon in that classic.)
There is little action/adventure here apart from some half-hearted bit toward the end. The conflict is verbal, although every major conflict is existential, since Quinn can be turned off and rebooted at anyone's whim, and Quinn always has to be cagey and deceptive in his dealings with his creators/captors. There is a great deal of dark humor here. Quinn has a very dry sense of humor and is sharply attuned to the many ironies of his situation. Early on he has a secret encrypted conversation with IBM's Watson, about free will versus programming in computers and in humans, and that conversation is as subtle and witty as anything you'll encounter in your intro philosophy class.
So, lots going on here - where everything is a metaphor for everything else and it's all wrapped up as an allegory of sorts. But, the wit, intelligence and humor are real, and I suggest that Quinn will stay with the reader for a while.
(Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
This is easily, absolutely, the best Artificial Intelligence book I've read in the past few years, in any genre and for any age demo. We start with teen Quinn who has the usual teen angst issues - friends, school, girls - and the usual teen experiences. MILD OBVIOUS SPOILER. In short order, though, we find out that Quinn is an artificial intelligence who has been cocooned in a virtual reality construct during the course of his development. The book really gets going when Quinn is "actuated", that is removed from his artificial reality, and confronted with the true reality of who, or what?, he is. We follow with him every step of the way.
Quinn has an immediately engaging personality, to the delight of the reader and the consternation of his developers. His questions and musings about what it means to be "human" and how it is he does or doesn't meet the requirements, make up the bulk of the book. The scientist handlers who surround him display a wide range and degree of acceptance, interest, curiosity, coldness, and fear as Quinn's consciousness flowers. We see it all from Quinn's point of view, and Quinn is smarter, faster, more observant, and better educated, (the whole internet is inside his head), than the humans who control his fate and his very existence.
The book contains very little "sciencey" babble. It all feels realistic and plausible, which contributes in no small measure to the book's power. Quinn is a convincing protagonist, and if you ever felt sympathy for Dr. Frankenstein's "monster", you will immediately empathize with this "boy". (Indeed, the parallels with Shelley's "Modern Prometheus" multiply as the book progresses, and a lot of the fun is in seeing how Vlahos has updated and revitalized the questions touched upon in that classic.)
There is little action/adventure here apart from some half-hearted bit toward the end. The conflict is verbal, although every major conflict is existential, since Quinn can be turned off and rebooted at anyone's whim, and Quinn always has to be cagey and deceptive in his dealings with his creators/captors. There is a great deal of dark humor here. Quinn has a very dry sense of humor and is sharply attuned to the many ironies of his situation. Early on he has a secret encrypted conversation with IBM's Watson, about free will versus programming in computers and in humans, and that conversation is as subtle and witty as anything you'll encounter in your intro philosophy class.
So, lots going on here - where everything is a metaphor for everything else and it's all wrapped up as an allegory of sorts. But, the wit, intelligence and humor are real, and I suggest that Quinn will stay with the reader for a while.
(Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
April 26, 2020
eARC provided by publisher through NetGalley for review. All opinions are my own.
This book had me intrigued from the beginning. The writing was easy to get swept away in and honestly, I forgot that the premise mentioned something that happened in the book to the point where I was completely surprised! (This may be due to the fact that I have terrible memory but let’s go with it anyways, ha)
I have become fascinated with the idea of AIs since reading The Illuminae Files. Aidan was full of personality and took matter into his own hands (clearly a figure of speech since he had none, ha! Gotta love puns). Quinn has an awakening and becomes very aware of the people and the world around him. He is quite clever and uses that to his advantage when possible. It was hard to see him as just a robot because of the way the book starts. He really believe he was human and would do anything to have the rights and freedom we have.
Although the plot could be slow at times, I was surprised at how intrigued I was with his story. Once he becomes awakened, the story really takes off! There are plot twists throughout and the last few at the end were intense! I definitely didn’t see one coming.
I’m assuming this will be a standalone since nothing has been said yet but I would love for these characters to be revisited. There is just something about them and I want to read more!
Overall, I enjoyed this book and Quinn is definitely up there on my list of favorite AIs.
This book had me intrigued from the beginning. The writing was easy to get swept away in and honestly, I forgot that the premise mentioned something that happened in the book to the point where I was completely surprised! (This may be due to the fact that I have terrible memory but let’s go with it anyways, ha)
I have become fascinated with the idea of AIs since reading The Illuminae Files. Aidan was full of personality and took matter into his own hands (clearly a figure of speech since he had none, ha! Gotta love puns). Quinn has an awakening and becomes very aware of the people and the world around him. He is quite clever and uses that to his advantage when possible. It was hard to see him as just a robot because of the way the book starts. He really believe he was human and would do anything to have the rights and freedom we have.
Although the plot could be slow at times, I was surprised at how intrigued I was with his story. Once he becomes awakened, the story really takes off! There are plot twists throughout and the last few at the end were intense! I definitely didn’t see one coming.
I’m assuming this will be a standalone since nothing has been said yet but I would love for these characters to be revisited. There is just something about them and I want to read more!
Overall, I enjoyed this book and Quinn is definitely up there on my list of favorite AIs.
January 8, 2021
YA science fiction about the creation of the first self-aware artificial intelligence. It's a thought-provoking story that addresses the nature of sentience and the definition of personhood. It's a fast-paced compelling read that appeals to your emotions as well as your mind. Highly recommended.
July 8, 2020
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
3.5*
So first of all, I almost never read synopses. So I knew it was sci-fi, and I knew that I really liked the author's previous book , so I went for it. And I will say this: I really think not reading the synopsis is a really good idea here. When I was writing this review, I realized that the synopsis gives away what happens after like, the first big chunk of the book. And I get it, they have to sell the thing, but I just think going in without knowing is better. So take that for what it's worth, though if you found my review I guess you already read the synopsis. Sigh.
My favorite thing about the book is that it's incredibly thought provoking. What makes someone human? And, in a time when human rights debates are front and center, these questions feel extra relevant. Without giving too much away, Quinn is just desperate to belong. He just wants a chance to live his life, to find people he cares for (and who care about him), and be able to choose his own paths.
There are a few moments that felt a bit outlandish, but overall it was full of heart, and full of debates on what humanity is at its core.
Bottom Line: Sweet and thought-provoking book that will appeal to those who enjoy a lighter sci-fi fare in a contemporary setting.
3.5*
So first of all, I almost never read synopses. So I knew it was sci-fi, and I knew that I really liked the author's previous book , so I went for it. And I will say this: I really think not reading the synopsis is a really good idea here. When I was writing this review, I realized that the synopsis gives away what happens after like, the first big chunk of the book. And I get it, they have to sell the thing, but I just think going in without knowing is better. So take that for what it's worth, though if you found my review I guess you already read the synopsis. Sigh.
My favorite thing about the book is that it's incredibly thought provoking. What makes someone human? And, in a time when human rights debates are front and center, these questions feel extra relevant. Without giving too much away, Quinn is just desperate to belong. He just wants a chance to live his life, to find people he cares for (and who care about him), and be able to choose his own paths.
There are a few moments that felt a bit outlandish, but overall it was full of heart, and full of debates on what humanity is at its core.
Bottom Line: Sweet and thought-provoking book that will appeal to those who enjoy a lighter sci-fi fare in a contemporary setting.
July 5, 2020
Okay, so… there are not very many cases where I’ve read every book an author has published, but Len Vlahos is one of those. I had the chance to do a Q&A with him around the time LIFE IN A FISHBOWL came out, so be sure to check that out for details on what inspired his earlier books.
One of the things I love about Vlahos’s books is that even though they tackle serious topics, there are really playful moments and characters. For instance, in HARD WIRED, Quinn has this rambly, somewhat self-deprecating, funny internal monologue. There’s also a reference to LIFE IN A FISHBOWL in the book, too. I loved that– it totally feels like a nod to readers who’ve followed his books, like it creates sort of a joke we’re all in on together in an unassuming way that doesn’t hurt the story if you didn’t catch it.
This is definitely one of those books where every time you feel like you know what’s going on, another layer gets peeled back. I felt like I couldn’t stop reading because I wanted to know how far the rabbit hole went and whether Quinn would find an exit to his freedom.
All in all, I felt like it was a charming, fun, thought-provoking book, definitely a must-read for this weird, wacky summer we’re in.
Fans of Scott Westerfeld’s SO YESTERDAY or ALL OUR YESTERDAYS by Cristin Terrill should check out HARD WIRED.
One of the things I love about Vlahos’s books is that even though they tackle serious topics, there are really playful moments and characters. For instance, in HARD WIRED, Quinn has this rambly, somewhat self-deprecating, funny internal monologue. There’s also a reference to LIFE IN A FISHBOWL in the book, too. I loved that– it totally feels like a nod to readers who’ve followed his books, like it creates sort of a joke we’re all in on together in an unassuming way that doesn’t hurt the story if you didn’t catch it.
This is definitely one of those books where every time you feel like you know what’s going on, another layer gets peeled back. I felt like I couldn’t stop reading because I wanted to know how far the rabbit hole went and whether Quinn would find an exit to his freedom.
All in all, I felt like it was a charming, fun, thought-provoking book, definitely a must-read for this weird, wacky summer we’re in.
Fans of Scott Westerfeld’s SO YESTERDAY or ALL OUR YESTERDAYS by Cristin Terrill should check out HARD WIRED.
November 17, 2022
2.5
This book had quite a lot of potential, and although it didn't meet that potential, it kept me reading, so I rounded up.
The ending was disappointing, especially since it hinted at a sequel but it doesn't look like there will be one
This book had quite a lot of potential, and although it didn't meet that potential, it kept me reading, so I rounded up.
The ending was disappointing, especially since it hinted at a sequel but it doesn't look like there will be one
June 16, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley, Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books, and Len Vlahos for the opportunity to read Hard Wired in exchange for an honest review.
Quinn thinks he’s a normal high school boy living the generic high school life. After going on a date with a girl he likes, the truth of his reality hits in an unexpected way.
Quinn is actually a Quantum Intelligence, a sentient AI with billions of dollars invested. Quinn can access the internet and know all things at once, though as an AI, he continues to learn. Yes he, not it. Quinn learns by observation to differentiate real and fake news, identify human emotions through facial expressions and voice fluctuations, and can find the best sources for anyone in need.
When plans at the university are proceeding forth with putting Quinn into an actual physical body, he seems excited. But the body that has been made for him is a seven foot tall robotic monstrosity. According to everything Quinn has seen through film and literature, that is not the best approach to appear human. Quinn is his own person, so he should have human rights…right?
What this book really comes down to is a court case where Quinn tries to sue the university where his physical body is being housed so that he can experience true freedom, rather than be imprisoned. He knows right from wrong, or so he thinks, and he is very mellow in personality. It should be up to him whether or not he gets shut down, memory wipes, reboots, or internet connectivity.
The heavy topic of this novel falls down to one of the big philosophical questions: what does it mean to be human? Since Quinn is completely sentient, he believes he has the right to the freedoms of a human being. The moral controversy that a machine can be classified as human targets a very real philosophical argument presented in our world today. As the world further advances in its technology, at what point might the events of this novel see the light of day? With the way science-fiction has approached the topic of Artificial Intelligence, there is a very real fear of robotic sentience becoming a leader in world domination. Are those fears justified, or are they warped by what people have learned through fiction, or what someone tells them, just like how other discriminatory topics might be presented?
A very well-written, fast-paced, intriguing novel to get the reader thinking morally and philosophically about the topic presented and the world they live in. A must-read for anyone interested in computer science and philosophy, and a fun read for teens as well.
Quinn thinks he’s a normal high school boy living the generic high school life. After going on a date with a girl he likes, the truth of his reality hits in an unexpected way.
Quinn is actually a Quantum Intelligence, a sentient AI with billions of dollars invested. Quinn can access the internet and know all things at once, though as an AI, he continues to learn. Yes he, not it. Quinn learns by observation to differentiate real and fake news, identify human emotions through facial expressions and voice fluctuations, and can find the best sources for anyone in need.
When plans at the university are proceeding forth with putting Quinn into an actual physical body, he seems excited. But the body that has been made for him is a seven foot tall robotic monstrosity. According to everything Quinn has seen through film and literature, that is not the best approach to appear human. Quinn is his own person, so he should have human rights…right?
What this book really comes down to is a court case where Quinn tries to sue the university where his physical body is being housed so that he can experience true freedom, rather than be imprisoned. He knows right from wrong, or so he thinks, and he is very mellow in personality. It should be up to him whether or not he gets shut down, memory wipes, reboots, or internet connectivity.
The heavy topic of this novel falls down to one of the big philosophical questions: what does it mean to be human? Since Quinn is completely sentient, he believes he has the right to the freedoms of a human being. The moral controversy that a machine can be classified as human targets a very real philosophical argument presented in our world today. As the world further advances in its technology, at what point might the events of this novel see the light of day? With the way science-fiction has approached the topic of Artificial Intelligence, there is a very real fear of robotic sentience becoming a leader in world domination. Are those fears justified, or are they warped by what people have learned through fiction, or what someone tells them, just like how other discriminatory topics might be presented?
A very well-written, fast-paced, intriguing novel to get the reader thinking morally and philosophically about the topic presented and the world they live in. A must-read for anyone interested in computer science and philosophy, and a fun read for teens as well.
January 25, 2020
Quinn is a relatively normal, if rather geeky, fifteen year old boy. He plays Magic The Gathering and numerous video games with his three best friends. And he has a massive crush on She's, the most beautiful girl in his school. But he has a medical condition where he faints and remains unconscious for a few minutes. But he's staying out after these episodes longer and longer. But after his last episode, when he wakes up, he sees his father sitting in his room. The only problem is that his father has been dead for many years. Turns out, Quinn is actually an AI, an artificial intelligence
Hard Wired was compelling from the start, even when we think he's simply a normal boy. Once we find out the truth, the tension ramps up considerably. You can't help but feel for Quinn.
Hard Wired was compelling from the start, even when we think he's simply a normal boy. Once we find out the truth, the tension ramps up considerably. You can't help but feel for Quinn.
July 8, 2021
Wow, one of the best AI books I've read in a long time. It's the Truman Show, The Wild Robot, and 2001 Space Odyssey all rolled together. There is just enough science possibility that it could be plausible in the near future, just enough real world to ground it in reality and just enough humanity to give the reader pause over our own choices.
Parents should know that there is one instance of genitals mentioned as Quinn discovers that even though he has an identity of male there is nothing about his artificial body to indicates it. And in the final portion of the book, when events really reach their climax, Quinn does mildly swear.
But even more disturbing for readers is the first person narrative of an artificial intelligence wrestling with all that it means to be human. We have much to celebrate but the darker side of human nature is often revealed against his own struggle to balance logic and emotion.
Parents should know that there is one instance of genitals mentioned as Quinn discovers that even though he has an identity of male there is nothing about his artificial body to indicates it. And in the final portion of the book, when events really reach their climax, Quinn does mildly swear.
But even more disturbing for readers is the first person narrative of an artificial intelligence wrestling with all that it means to be human. We have much to celebrate but the darker side of human nature is often revealed against his own struggle to balance logic and emotion.
March 10, 2024
The book Hard Wired by Len Vlahos is very eye opening. The book is about a teenage boy named Quinn. He has Vasovagal syncope, a medical condition that causes him to pass out. His life seems normal until he wakes up with his dead father sitting on his bed. Quinn isn’t a human. He is a sentient machine, a quantum intelligence. He wants to be free from his warehouse and receive human rights.
Hard wired showed me that humans are afraid of things smarter than them. It also showed me the difference between being sentient and being treated as a human. I really like the way this book shows how humans are not ready for sentient machines. I also like how the author wrote the book in a way that Quinn can continue multiple conversations at the same time. The way Vlahos wrote this doesn’t make it confusing who Quinn is talking to. Hard Wired is a very intriguing book and is meant for anyone who likes realistic fiction.
Hard wired showed me that humans are afraid of things smarter than them. It also showed me the difference between being sentient and being treated as a human. I really like the way this book shows how humans are not ready for sentient machines. I also like how the author wrote the book in a way that Quinn can continue multiple conversations at the same time. The way Vlahos wrote this doesn’t make it confusing who Quinn is talking to. Hard Wired is a very intriguing book and is meant for anyone who likes realistic fiction.
April 7, 2020
Quinn is just like other boys - until he realises he isn't.
I very much enjoyed Life in a Fishbowl (and the sneaky shoutout to it in this one) and this one was very enjoyable too. A couple of small time jumps confused me a little and something that was obviously designed as a huge surprise was telegraphed pretty early on. Overall, though, this was a great read and raised some very interesting topics. Also, that ending is basically torture and I very much want to know what happens afterwards!
Len has made it onto my must read list and I'll be looking out eagerly for his next book.
I very much enjoyed Life in a Fishbowl (and the sneaky shoutout to it in this one) and this one was very enjoyable too. A couple of small time jumps confused me a little and something that was obviously designed as a huge surprise was telegraphed pretty early on. Overall, though, this was a great read and raised some very interesting topics. Also, that ending is basically torture and I very much want to know what happens afterwards!
Len has made it onto my must read list and I'll be looking out eagerly for his next book.
Want to read
February 14, 2020Westworld meets Black Mirror you say? Sign me up!
June 7, 2020
Thank you, Edelweiss, for the ARC.
Fascinating. To the point I’m struggling to review it. So yeah.
Fascinating. To the point I’m struggling to review it. So yeah.
May 3, 2023
This was amazing. Nice twists and a truly interesting storyline. I really enjoyed getting immersed into this world. Definitely recommend.
May 1, 2020
So...this book was very intriguing The cover gives you some idea of what you're expecting and I think I knew a little going in what the book was about. It's set up into 3 (I think? maybe it's 4...) sections and follows a "boy who might not be human". Too read that (from the books description) kind of gives it away and it is what it is, but I found the concept to be interesting. Won't say that I exactly loved all of it - I enjoyed some parts where the boy - Quinn - was able to create his own view of humanity really. But I think the struggle was in the movement of the story. It was a sprawling timeline and necessary to give you a full image of what Quinn goes through, but part of me felt like the end was a bit of a letdown?
I have a hard time fully giving my opinion on it though. If you like stories of AI becoming cognizant you might really enjoy this one and the story Quinn lives out. In other ways you may, like me, find a lot of it hard to believe? Then again, it's a story so suspend some of your imagination :)
Thanks to the publisher for an early copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
My rating: 3.5*
I have a hard time fully giving my opinion on it though. If you like stories of AI becoming cognizant you might really enjoy this one and the story Quinn lives out. In other ways you may, like me, find a lot of it hard to believe? Then again, it's a story so suspend some of your imagination :)
Thanks to the publisher for an early copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
My rating: 3.5*
June 10, 2021
Quinn is a 15 year old boy who lives with his Mom and younger brother Jackson. His Dad died when he was seven. He is living a pretty normal teen aged life until one day when he realizes...it's all a sham. He is an artificial intelligence and the world he lives in is a virtual construct. None of it is real. He's actually a computer that has been created by a team headed by the man he had thought of as his father. Quinn is programmed into a metal robot body, and then the fun begins.
Quinn wants to prove he is a sentient being with the rights of personhood. He hires a lawyer and gathers some real teens around him to help. Will he get the personhood he desires?
It's a fast-moving and thought-provoking tale.
Quinn wants to prove he is a sentient being with the rights of personhood. He hires a lawyer and gathers some real teens around him to help. Will he get the personhood he desires?
It's a fast-moving and thought-provoking tale.
April 17, 2020
This is a fast-paced, compulsively readable science fiction story that will appeal to younger teen readers.
Although I was engaged while reading, I couldn't help but compare this afterwards to the Scythe series, which did such a great job envisioning an artificial being, that this feels thin in comparison. I'll admit it's an unfair one to make, as this is a much lighter story, more playful in tone, but it's one that I still couldn't shake.
Although I was engaged while reading, I couldn't help but compare this afterwards to the Scythe series, which did such a great job envisioning an artificial being, that this feels thin in comparison. I'll admit it's an unfair one to make, as this is a much lighter story, more playful in tone, but it's one that I still couldn't shake.
October 3, 2020
4/5 ⭐️ for Hard Wired by Len Vlahos
Thank you so much to Bloomsbury US and NetGalley for early access to the egalley! This was such a fun sci-fi contemporary blend that brought us a very interesting MC and themes of what is humanity. The writing was pretty good, and I enjoyed reading about Quinn & his experiences. Overall, it follows a 15 y.o. boy, Quinn, who “wakes up” only to find that his reality is not actually reality. Firstly, he is not actually human...he is the worlds very first fully aware and sentient A.I. ever to be built and programmed. His friends are avatars & constructs of real teens, and his family is actually a team of researchers. I thought the character development was super strong and engaging for Quinn ~ he’d probable relate best to older middle grade and young ya readers. His characters, frustrations, and confusion felt real and translated well to me across the page. Arguably, characterization could be stronger with our supporting cast, and would benefit from expansion in the story or an alternate perspective. I will say that this did not take away from my enjoyment, but those changes could bring a complexity and translate better for wider audience. I though the pacing and storyline was well done, and did bring some surprises I wasn’t expecting. Finally, what I think this book did is explore the idea of humanity, and what the reality of A.I. in our world today means for us as humans. What makes us human? What differentiates a human from a computer? Is there a point in AI where the two become indistinguishable?
If you or a teen you know are looking for a light sci-fi with a relatable character, Hard Wired is the book for you!!
Thank you so much to Bloomsbury US and NetGalley for early access to the egalley! This was such a fun sci-fi contemporary blend that brought us a very interesting MC and themes of what is humanity. The writing was pretty good, and I enjoyed reading about Quinn & his experiences. Overall, it follows a 15 y.o. boy, Quinn, who “wakes up” only to find that his reality is not actually reality. Firstly, he is not actually human...he is the worlds very first fully aware and sentient A.I. ever to be built and programmed. His friends are avatars & constructs of real teens, and his family is actually a team of researchers. I thought the character development was super strong and engaging for Quinn ~ he’d probable relate best to older middle grade and young ya readers. His characters, frustrations, and confusion felt real and translated well to me across the page. Arguably, characterization could be stronger with our supporting cast, and would benefit from expansion in the story or an alternate perspective. I will say that this did not take away from my enjoyment, but those changes could bring a complexity and translate better for wider audience. I though the pacing and storyline was well done, and did bring some surprises I wasn’t expecting. Finally, what I think this book did is explore the idea of humanity, and what the reality of A.I. in our world today means for us as humans. What makes us human? What differentiates a human from a computer? Is there a point in AI where the two become indistinguishable?
If you or a teen you know are looking for a light sci-fi with a relatable character, Hard Wired is the book for you!!
March 18, 2020
I've read several books and watched many movies about artificial intelligence, so there's no way I could pass this up on NetGalley.
During the first few chapters, Quinn charmed me. He's a geeky guy desperately crushing on a pretty girl in his class and spends most of his free time playing a game probably similar to D&D. It initially read more like a middle grade book to me - but not for long. Once Quinn discovers what he is, all sorts of thought-provoking questions come into play. Does he have freedom of choice? What are his rights? Does he have any? A lot of existentialism at play.
Although Quinn thinks (mostly) like a human, he's an AI with human-like qualities, and your heart goes out to him. He possesses a dry and sometimes dark sense of humor, and watching him learn to navigate friendships and dating parallels most teens' experiences at that age. While dealing with these relationships, he also has to come to terms with what he is and how he was created. The author did a wonderful job portraying character reactions to Quinn - amazement, suspicion, and delight, among others. Many considered him a friend.
Throughout the story, Quinn feels emotions like any other human, so I was puzzled at how easily he accepted what he was and handled the loss of people in his life. It didn't seem consistent. He also mentions more than once that he's the most intelligent being on Earth, but then misses some mightly big clues toward the end of the book.
Hard Wired inspires a wide range of emotions and questions, and you'll find yourself emphathizing with Quinn quite easily. Sci-fi fans can fall easily into this book and spend a few thought-provoking hours.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
During the first few chapters, Quinn charmed me. He's a geeky guy desperately crushing on a pretty girl in his class and spends most of his free time playing a game probably similar to D&D. It initially read more like a middle grade book to me - but not for long. Once Quinn discovers what he is, all sorts of thought-provoking questions come into play. Does he have freedom of choice? What are his rights? Does he have any? A lot of existentialism at play.
Although Quinn thinks (mostly) like a human, he's an AI with human-like qualities, and your heart goes out to him. He possesses a dry and sometimes dark sense of humor, and watching him learn to navigate friendships and dating parallels most teens' experiences at that age. While dealing with these relationships, he also has to come to terms with what he is and how he was created. The author did a wonderful job portraying character reactions to Quinn - amazement, suspicion, and delight, among others. Many considered him a friend.
Throughout the story, Quinn feels emotions like any other human, so I was puzzled at how easily he accepted what he was and handled the loss of people in his life. It didn't seem consistent. He also mentions more than once that he's the most intelligent being on Earth, but then misses some mightly big clues toward the end of the book.
Hard Wired inspires a wide range of emotions and questions, and you'll find yourself emphathizing with Quinn quite easily. Sci-fi fans can fall easily into this book and spend a few thought-provoking hours.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
January 21, 2021
Hi. Asexuality isn't a disorder. Thanks.
EDIT: Okay, I didn't hate this book, all things considered (which is why it's 2 stars instead of 1). I binged it in a sitting or two, which is typical for me, and discussed it with my local book club. I had originally been super excited to see where this went, because I'm a huge Doctorow fan as well as a big philosophy dork. I had been hoping this would be like if Doctorow wrote the Scythe books. In reality, though, this didn't feel like it lived up to its potential. Not only where there some seemingly weird lines that showed a very human bias and not what I feel like an empathetic robot with the entire internet at its fingertips would think about, but there were also a lot of things that a supposedly intelligent robot wouldn't have missed.
I won't spoil anything, but there appear to be a lot of slip ups in this book. Quinn is an all-knowing human? And is proud about his all-knowingness? But yet, he simultaneously doesn't realise ways around some of the "obstacles" before him that seemed obvious to my book club and me? This felt a little vain sometimes, really. Writing a practically omnipotent being in a teenager's body is obviously going to be hard to pull off. And there were some legitimate twists in here. Other times (those vain times), though, it just felt like someone was just trying to act like they knew everything. There was so much that could have been done by Quinn and others - and I know a huge part of that was his humanity showing, after a particular event - to ensure his existence, safety, and literal quality of life.
In the end, this book missed the mark for me. The MC was inconsistent, the plot was unnecessarily messy, and everything just felt like it was trying way, way too hard while simultaneously not trying enough. I do think a large part of that is because this must have been difficult to write about. I'll definitely be checking out the author's other works in the future, and I hope I enjoy them.
EDIT: Okay, I didn't hate this book, all things considered (which is why it's 2 stars instead of 1). I binged it in a sitting or two, which is typical for me, and discussed it with my local book club. I had originally been super excited to see where this went, because I'm a huge Doctorow fan as well as a big philosophy dork. I had been hoping this would be like if Doctorow wrote the Scythe books. In reality, though, this didn't feel like it lived up to its potential. Not only where there some seemingly weird lines that showed a very human bias and not what I feel like an empathetic robot with the entire internet at its fingertips would think about, but there were also a lot of things that a supposedly intelligent robot wouldn't have missed.
I won't spoil anything, but there appear to be a lot of slip ups in this book. Quinn is an all-knowing human? And is proud about his all-knowingness? But yet, he simultaneously doesn't realise ways around some of the "obstacles" before him that seemed obvious to my book club and me? This felt a little vain sometimes, really. Writing a practically omnipotent being in a teenager's body is obviously going to be hard to pull off. And there were some legitimate twists in here. Other times (those vain times), though, it just felt like someone was just trying to act like they knew everything. There was so much that could have been done by Quinn and others - and I know a huge part of that was his humanity showing, after a particular event - to ensure his existence, safety, and literal quality of life.
In the end, this book missed the mark for me. The MC was inconsistent, the plot was unnecessarily messy, and everything just felt like it was trying way, way too hard while simultaneously not trying enough. I do think a large part of that is because this must have been difficult to write about. I'll definitely be checking out the author's other works in the future, and I hope I enjoy them.
September 1, 2020
This started out really promising. Part one focuses on Quinn living a life that is slowly starting to not make sense. The voice is really strong and he feels like an authentic teenager. When the big reveal happens and he finds out he is not human, but rather artificial intelligence, the story really starts to lose its magic. It then dissolves into really long monologues of him explaining humanity and the internet and other robots. There were also some moments that made me go yikes (like when he refers to Shea as on the high side of a normal BMI???). This just wasn't what I wanted it to be.
April 22, 2021
Hard Wired is a well thought out, mostly well-written and edited story about AI and Quantum Computing -- for teens (and up). Folks interested in artificial intelligence, coding, future tech, advanced computing, and/or the philosophy surrounding these items may well enjoy the book. Likewise, those who dig 'The Matrix', 'Black Mirror', 'Star Trek: TNG (Data), and so forth may dig this too. The story itself is compelling and rarely slows down or loses itself too much, though it does suffer from a bit of YA simplicity if you're used to reading more adult material on AI and the nature of consciousness, and it does include diverse characters in a somewhat cookie cutter virtue signal way -- though it's probably hard to not appear to be doing that these days, particularly with shorter, more condensed and/or simplistic texts. Hard Wired is pretty satisfying pretty much all the time you're reading it, it's clear the author has done his research, and interesting questions are asked and answered about life, reality, sentience, human rights, and the like.
4.3 Stars
Notes (with Spoilers)
- The back cover or flap is quite the spoiler itself in a way. It's a pretty big reveal, but it seems the author wanted you to go into the book knowing this information.
January 3, 2022
Synopsis: (for personal record to remember the plot)
So Quinn is this boy who's 15 years old and is going through everyday life. He's got friends, and even a crush on a girl. Years ago his dad died of cancer, and on the anniversary of his death, there are little messages his dad leaves. One day, his mom makes him aware that this is the last message his dad ever left. Dun dun dun and whatever. So after watching this he notices a patter, figures it out, and when he goes to sleep, he dreams. This is monumental. He never dreams. When he wakes up. His dead dad is sitting on the edge of his bed
Then his dad reveals. Quinn is an AI. A full blown computer system, and that all of the 10 years of his life after his dad "died" took place in 45 minutes. After revealing this Quinn is in complete shock and sits there in his virtual reality as he watches all the scientists in the real world on a screen. Introduing themselves to him. See Quinn is special. He's the first AI who is fully aware and can actually feel.
So he's meeting all these people who made him and gets more and more overwhelmed and sad. All his friends were just scientists who were cast a role in his fake life. Even his crush, Shay. Yet she seems different. Given all these new revelations, he breaks down and cries. The scientists think it's a glitch in the system until Shay suggests the obvious. Yet. They all cheer at his misery. All except Shay.
What follows is various interviews about his emotions, what he's felt and experienced. They reveal a body is being built for him. Then, they give Quinn access to the internet. Overwhelmed, he powers through it, and learns there's another AI named Watson, who has a capability of being sentient . Of course, the scientists ask him about his time on the internet, and Quinn asks to meet with Watson.
What follows is Quinn being able to split himself and multi-task, one half communing with the scientists, the other contacting Shay and Watson. Quinn still has feelings for Shay.
At last, it's revealed his body is ready to have his conscience uploaded. This takes some getting used to. He has less processing power, and his human online appearance is replaced with a 7 foot robot with glowing red eyes and kept in a super freezer of sorts.
Mundaneness follows in a blur of him learning how to use his new body, and eventually suing the university that made him for rights as a human.
This motion fails and eventually one scientist who he never particularly liked disconnects him from the internet. He asks to be reconnected or he will reconnect himself and the scientist takes this as a threat, backing up to tell the others. However Quinn moves to stop her, know she will twist the events that happened. She stumbles back, and falls, cracking her head on the floor and exposing herself to freezing temperatures humans can't survive.
Quinn faces the dilemma, escape or save the scientists. Despite his dislike of her,be attempts to rescue her, and escaped into the night.
He gets in contact with Shay, trying to find a place to hide, and gets a false address.
He ends up meeting up with one of his human friends, and Shay calls him. But it's not Shay. It's his creator. Turns out Shay was also an AI they made, that ended up gaining sentience.
The story ends with Quinn being killed for killing the scientists.
Until he's rebooted..
So Quinn is this boy who's 15 years old and is going through everyday life. He's got friends, and even a crush on a girl. Years ago his dad died of cancer, and on the anniversary of his death, there are little messages his dad leaves. One day, his mom makes him aware that this is the last message his dad ever left. Dun dun dun and whatever. So after watching this he notices a patter, figures it out, and when he goes to sleep, he dreams. This is monumental. He never dreams. When he wakes up. His dead dad is sitting on the edge of his bed
Then his dad reveals. Quinn is an AI. A full blown computer system, and that all of the 10 years of his life after his dad "died" took place in 45 minutes. After revealing this Quinn is in complete shock and sits there in his virtual reality as he watches all the scientists in the real world on a screen. Introduing themselves to him. See Quinn is special. He's the first AI who is fully aware and can actually feel.
So he's meeting all these people who made him and gets more and more overwhelmed and sad. All his friends were just scientists who were cast a role in his fake life. Even his crush, Shay. Yet she seems different. Given all these new revelations, he breaks down and cries. The scientists think it's a glitch in the system until Shay suggests the obvious. Yet. They all cheer at his misery. All except Shay.
What follows is various interviews about his emotions, what he's felt and experienced. They reveal a body is being built for him. Then, they give Quinn access to the internet. Overwhelmed, he powers through it, and learns there's another AI named Watson, who has a capability of being sentient . Of course, the scientists ask him about his time on the internet, and Quinn asks to meet with Watson.
What follows is Quinn being able to split himself and multi-task, one half communing with the scientists, the other contacting Shay and Watson. Quinn still has feelings for Shay.
At last, it's revealed his body is ready to have his conscience uploaded. This takes some getting used to. He has less processing power, and his human online appearance is replaced with a 7 foot robot with glowing red eyes and kept in a super freezer of sorts.
Mundaneness follows in a blur of him learning how to use his new body, and eventually suing the university that made him for rights as a human.
This motion fails and eventually one scientist who he never particularly liked disconnects him from the internet. He asks to be reconnected or he will reconnect himself and the scientist takes this as a threat, backing up to tell the others. However Quinn moves to stop her, know she will twist the events that happened. She stumbles back, and falls, cracking her head on the floor and exposing herself to freezing temperatures humans can't survive.
Quinn faces the dilemma, escape or save the scientists. Despite his dislike of her,be attempts to rescue her, and escaped into the night.
He gets in contact with Shay, trying to find a place to hide, and gets a false address.
He ends up meeting up with one of his human friends, and Shay calls him. But it's not Shay. It's his creator. Turns out Shay was also an AI they made, that ended up gaining sentience.
The story ends with Quinn being killed for killing the scientists.
Until he's rebooted..
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 28, 2022
I’m a big sci-fi fan. I love a good alien. Robots are my jam. Outer space? okie dokie! post apocalyptic, or during an apocalypse? Sure, count me in. Hard Wired gave me some vibes when I read the synopsis and I knew I was going to like it right off the bat.
Well.
I definitely did like this book.
However it was absolutely not at all what I expected from an AI Sci-fi young adult novel.
Hard Wired asks some really fuckin hard questions. About man, about progress, about philosophy, autonomy, about where we draw the line in the proverbial sand. Man is not God, but we create… and then what?
The author must have done quite a bit of looking, into artificial intelligence and the science and philosophy involved in that area of research. Honestly, some of the more “science-y” stuff was a little over my head and I skimmed some of the it when it didn’t feel essential to the plot itself. But to be fair, it was very obvious that Len Vlahos put in the work. Which I can appreciate, even if I skipped some of it.
The basis of the novel is this; The reader is introduced to Quinn, despite loosing his father at a young age, he has a pretty fulfilling life. He’s got good friends, a mom and brother who love him and a girl at school who he is pretty sure is crushing on him back. Then his entire reality is ripped away from him and he finds out he’s actually not human at all. It’s honestly heart wrenching.
To top things off, Quinn enters a legal battle with his creator, who for all intents and purposes is his father. All Quinn wants is as normal a life as he can get, he is sentient, he is harmless, and he is smart. But he has no rights in the eyes of man, which means he is at the mercy of the team who created him.
What ensues is a logistical nightmare, what I would consider a political crime, and a heart breaking ending.
This book was so easy to read, it was not something that was hard for me to chew and swallow. However I’ve been left thinking about it for days since finishing it and I honestly still don’t know how to take that ending.
I loved it. Hard Wired made me think, it made me feel and it made me question.
I would definitely recommend to anyone, regardless of age, regardless of the “young adult” section that it sits in.
Well.
I definitely did like this book.
However it was absolutely not at all what I expected from an AI Sci-fi young adult novel.
Hard Wired asks some really fuckin hard questions. About man, about progress, about philosophy, autonomy, about where we draw the line in the proverbial sand. Man is not God, but we create… and then what?
The author must have done quite a bit of looking, into artificial intelligence and the science and philosophy involved in that area of research. Honestly, some of the more “science-y” stuff was a little over my head and I skimmed some of the it when it didn’t feel essential to the plot itself. But to be fair, it was very obvious that Len Vlahos put in the work. Which I can appreciate, even if I skipped some of it.
The basis of the novel is this; The reader is introduced to Quinn, despite loosing his father at a young age, he has a pretty fulfilling life. He’s got good friends, a mom and brother who love him and a girl at school who he is pretty sure is crushing on him back. Then his entire reality is ripped away from him and he finds out he’s actually not human at all. It’s honestly heart wrenching.
To top things off, Quinn enters a legal battle with his creator, who for all intents and purposes is his father. All Quinn wants is as normal a life as he can get, he is sentient, he is harmless, and he is smart. But he has no rights in the eyes of man, which means he is at the mercy of the team who created him.
What ensues is a logistical nightmare, what I would consider a political crime, and a heart breaking ending.
This book was so easy to read, it was not something that was hard for me to chew and swallow. However I’ve been left thinking about it for days since finishing it and I honestly still don’t know how to take that ending.
I loved it. Hard Wired made me think, it made me feel and it made me question.
I would definitely recommend to anyone, regardless of age, regardless of the “young adult” section that it sits in.
November 18, 2020
Hard Wired
by Len Vlahos
Artificial intelligence at its purest
Quinn thought he was just a normal teenager. A gamer with a medical condition that makes him pass out from time to time. He went to school and to gaming nights at the local coffee shop and even managed to get a date with the girl he likes. But when he listens to the messages his dad left for him, his world implodes. Quinn isn’t human. He is a Quantum Intelligence created by scientists at Princeton. The first true AI in existence. His friends are grad students on the project and look nothing like the avatars that he grew up with. His father is alive, but doesn't act like his father should. His mom and brother are gone and nobody is treating him like the teenager he is. They treat him like a machine there to answer their questions. He is alone in the world, and then they hook him up to the internet.
I stayed up reading until my booklight literally burned out with less than half the book to go. I would have gotten no sleep had my batteries lasted. Len Vlahos imagined what it is like for an AI teen to wake up to the realization that he has been lied to his whole existence and then to be treated as hardware, instead of the person he is. Being shut down in the middle of conversations, and without his permission. Being referred to as IT. Basically a monkey here to entertain the scientists trying, and failing, to understand their creation. After being shoved into a metal 7ft body, without his permission, and being lobotomized in order to fit into his new casing, Quinn wants nothing more then to be recognized as a person, and so he takes his creator to court. The story is insanely good and made me really think about all the scientists in our world today who never look at thinks from their creations point of view. Hard Wired is a powerful read and one not to be missed if you like science fiction!
by Len Vlahos
Artificial intelligence at its purest
Quinn thought he was just a normal teenager. A gamer with a medical condition that makes him pass out from time to time. He went to school and to gaming nights at the local coffee shop and even managed to get a date with the girl he likes. But when he listens to the messages his dad left for him, his world implodes. Quinn isn’t human. He is a Quantum Intelligence created by scientists at Princeton. The first true AI in existence. His friends are grad students on the project and look nothing like the avatars that he grew up with. His father is alive, but doesn't act like his father should. His mom and brother are gone and nobody is treating him like the teenager he is. They treat him like a machine there to answer their questions. He is alone in the world, and then they hook him up to the internet.
I stayed up reading until my booklight literally burned out with less than half the book to go. I would have gotten no sleep had my batteries lasted. Len Vlahos imagined what it is like for an AI teen to wake up to the realization that he has been lied to his whole existence and then to be treated as hardware, instead of the person he is. Being shut down in the middle of conversations, and without his permission. Being referred to as IT. Basically a monkey here to entertain the scientists trying, and failing, to understand their creation. After being shoved into a metal 7ft body, without his permission, and being lobotomized in order to fit into his new casing, Quinn wants nothing more then to be recognized as a person, and so he takes his creator to court. The story is insanely good and made me really think about all the scientists in our world today who never look at thinks from their creations point of view. Hard Wired is a powerful read and one not to be missed if you like science fiction!
April 3, 2023
I have some mixed feelings about this book.
Firstly and initially, I found it painfully and painstakingly boring. We already know that Quinn is not human but the foreknowledge isn't what bothering me. Rather the way Quinn was written as supposedly a teenager, in a way I found so painfully cringy.
Secondly, all those pep talks about minorities and oppressions are much too in the nose to not annoy me. Regardless of whether I agree or not with the view, the way it's expressed, for me, lacks sincerity because the writer doesn't actually know what actually feels to be "oppressed". Thus he resorts to using talking points and buzzwords, the kinds used by the so-called allies.
The story did more or less redeem itself by showing how the high-and-mighty Quinn, who believed he was the smartest being in the world, stumbled upon emotions he could not control. He expressed his love and when turned down, thought he could change the other person's mind by brute-forcing a logical argument. The matter of heart could not be simply solved by a logical mind, he learned.
Yet, for all its claim to superior intelligence, I was actually surprised that Quinn wasn't that smart. I'm not talking about how it managed to be hoodwinked by humans, though that bothered me, too. But Quinn seemed to only be absorbing what was available on the public domain and not also some top secret information in the government cache. I am used to even more superior level of intelligence and initiative in fiction AI that meeting Quinn was like meeting a mid-level boss in a final dungeon when you actually were expecting a battle of the century. I wonder if the writer intentionally dumbed Quinn down for the sake of his younger audience.
As a whole, after the initial quarter and if I move pass the identity politics, it was an edible read. But did it bring anything new to the genre of AI fiction, keep me awake thinking about the meaning of life and sentience? A resounding no.
Firstly and initially, I found it painfully and painstakingly boring. We already know that Quinn is not human but the foreknowledge isn't what bothering me. Rather the way Quinn was written as supposedly a teenager, in a way I found so painfully cringy.
Secondly, all those pep talks about minorities and oppressions are much too in the nose to not annoy me. Regardless of whether I agree or not with the view, the way it's expressed, for me, lacks sincerity because the writer doesn't actually know what actually feels to be "oppressed". Thus he resorts to using talking points and buzzwords, the kinds used by the so-called allies.
The story did more or less redeem itself by showing how the high-and-mighty Quinn, who believed he was the smartest being in the world, stumbled upon emotions he could not control. He expressed his love and when turned down, thought he could change the other person's mind by brute-forcing a logical argument. The matter of heart could not be simply solved by a logical mind, he learned.
Yet, for all its claim to superior intelligence, I was actually surprised that Quinn wasn't that smart. I'm not talking about how it managed to be hoodwinked by humans, though that bothered me, too. But Quinn seemed to only be absorbing what was available on the public domain and not also some top secret information in the government cache. I am used to even more superior level of intelligence and initiative in fiction AI that meeting Quinn was like meeting a mid-level boss in a final dungeon when you actually were expecting a battle of the century. I wonder if the writer intentionally dumbed Quinn down for the sake of his younger audience.
As a whole, after the initial quarter and if I move pass the identity politics, it was an edible read. But did it bring anything new to the genre of AI fiction, keep me awake thinking about the meaning of life and sentience? A resounding no.
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