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Kotov Syndrome
Erika Edens is panicking. Behind on her bills and stuck in a crappy job, she's blindsided when ex-love-of-her-life Abby shows up needing a place to stay. This is the perfect situation for a second chance...
...except that Abby is a computer simulation in the body of an android. Battling the rising hostility of her world and the demons in her head, Erika struggles to come to terms with living in a country increasingly hostile to non-human entities. Can Erika adapt to life with her new roommate? Or will her troubles end any chance at reconciliation before it gets started?
Trigger warnings: Alcoholism, anxiety, bigotry, car accident, death, hate crimes, homophobia, intrusive thoughts, mental illness, racism, sexism, strong language, trauma/PTSD, violence
...except that Abby is a computer simulation in the body of an android. Battling the rising hostility of her world and the demons in her head, Erika struggles to come to terms with living in a country increasingly hostile to non-human entities. Can Erika adapt to life with her new roommate? Or will her troubles end any chance at reconciliation before it gets started?
Trigger warnings: Alcoholism, anxiety, bigotry, car accident, death, hate crimes, homophobia, intrusive thoughts, mental illness, racism, sexism, strong language, trauma/PTSD, violence
246 pages, ebook
First published January 23, 2021
7 people are currently reading
574 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
December 30, 2020
Hi. I'm the author of this book. If you're reading this, you're likely very confused why an author wrote a review of their own book. Truth is, I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to check out my book on Goodreads. I'd love for you to read Kotov Syndrome, as I've put a ton of time, effort, energy, and heart into this book over the past 3+ years. My hope is that enjoy the book as much as I enjoyed writing it. Regardless, thank you for caring enough about my work to come look at this page. I appreciate you.
February 7, 2021
I'm always a fan of queer sci-fi, so when the author offered me a review copy of this one I was happy to accept!
Admittedly, I was a little nervous reading a wlw romance written by a man, but it was thankfully very nuanced and not fetishized. It might have actually felt a bit... too chaste at times, but you could attribute that to the fact they're ex-lovers with all the awkwardness that implies. The dynamic between Erika and Abby is still interesting and feels like a genuine relationship. They have believable hang ups that feel like barriers, albeit not insurmountable ones.
There are some fairly powerful moments in the story (content warnings for suicide ideation and anxiety induced self-hate thoughts) that make Erika a darkly interesting character, even if she isn't a very likeable one for the majority of the story. I should note that I'm not a reader that requires a character to be interesting in order to be interested in reading about them, so that's not a deterrent for me.
There were a couple issues I had with the book. The pacing felt choppy and the time skips would come so abruptly, it almost felt like scenes were accidentally deleted. For example, Erika and Abbey had a fight at a restaurant. Erika states her intention to apologize when Abbey returns to the table... and then it's right on to a time skip, with the resolution happening off the page. Or when a named character dies in a way that is major to the plot, it's only brought up in a mention after a time skip. And when things kick off, it feels like the big moments come out of nowhere. It needed some more gradual build up, filled with more little moments, before graduating to the big stuff.
There were times it felt like the narrative was talking down to the reader and spelling out the analogy unnecessarily. Sci-fi has always used groups like aliens or androids as stand-ins for real world groups facing persecution. But the narrative has characters explicitly stating "They're treating the conscienta like they treat Black and LGBT people." It's such a common story structure in speculative fiction, I doubt the majority of readers would need it stated directly. It's also a bit clunky of an analogy, trying to have the conscienta be a stand in for every oppressed minority group in real life. Most of the time, these kinds of analogies stick to one real world group, to better explore the specific and unique forms of persecution they face (District 9 being an analogy for immigrants, for example). Personally, I would have liked the analogy to follow the wlw romance's lead and be an analogy for homophobia.
While the pacing was off, once the action properly picked up, there was a decent amount of action to be had and some genuinely heartbreaking moments at the climax. And while there may have been a few too many characters introduced at once, the ones that you get to know are intriguing and interesting.
When reviewing sci-fi, I also like to rate it's accessibility for new readers to the genre and this one is fairly accessible. There's definitely futuristic science, but what's there is mostly comprehensible at first read and even if some of the specific aspects of androids goes over your head, it wont detract from the emotion of the plot. A great read if you're just dipping your toe into the genre.
Admittedly, I was a little nervous reading a wlw romance written by a man, but it was thankfully very nuanced and not fetishized. It might have actually felt a bit... too chaste at times, but you could attribute that to the fact they're ex-lovers with all the awkwardness that implies. The dynamic between Erika and Abby is still interesting and feels like a genuine relationship. They have believable hang ups that feel like barriers, albeit not insurmountable ones.
There are some fairly powerful moments in the story (content warnings for suicide ideation and anxiety induced self-hate thoughts) that make Erika a darkly interesting character, even if she isn't a very likeable one for the majority of the story. I should note that I'm not a reader that requires a character to be interesting in order to be interested in reading about them, so that's not a deterrent for me.
There were a couple issues I had with the book. The pacing felt choppy and the time skips would come so abruptly, it almost felt like scenes were accidentally deleted. For example, Erika and Abbey had a fight at a restaurant. Erika states her intention to apologize when Abbey returns to the table... and then it's right on to a time skip, with the resolution happening off the page. Or when a named character dies in a way that is major to the plot, it's only brought up in a mention after a time skip. And when things kick off, it feels like the big moments come out of nowhere. It needed some more gradual build up, filled with more little moments, before graduating to the big stuff.
There were times it felt like the narrative was talking down to the reader and spelling out the analogy unnecessarily. Sci-fi has always used groups like aliens or androids as stand-ins for real world groups facing persecution. But the narrative has characters explicitly stating "They're treating the conscienta like they treat Black and LGBT people." It's such a common story structure in speculative fiction, I doubt the majority of readers would need it stated directly. It's also a bit clunky of an analogy, trying to have the conscienta be a stand in for every oppressed minority group in real life. Most of the time, these kinds of analogies stick to one real world group, to better explore the specific and unique forms of persecution they face (District 9 being an analogy for immigrants, for example). Personally, I would have liked the analogy to follow the wlw romance's lead and be an analogy for homophobia.
While the pacing was off, once the action properly picked up, there was a decent amount of action to be had and some genuinely heartbreaking moments at the climax. And while there may have been a few too many characters introduced at once, the ones that you get to know are intriguing and interesting.
When reviewing sci-fi, I also like to rate it's accessibility for new readers to the genre and this one is fairly accessible. There's definitely futuristic science, but what's there is mostly comprehensible at first read and even if some of the specific aspects of androids goes over your head, it wont detract from the emotion of the plot. A great read if you're just dipping your toe into the genre.
July 13, 2023
I finished this book last night/this morning and I'll be honest I'm having trouble finding what to say about it. I've owned this book for a while (two years at least according to GR) and I'm almost glad it took me this long to get to it, because ooooh boy are these interesting times to be reading this. I caught myself thinking a few times throughout how eerily realistic this book feels, I caught myself thinking of it as quietly dystopic because of how over-the-top it isn't. And then I realized a quiet dystopia isn't a terrible descriptor for the current state of the world either.
There's a lot of ways this book should feel dissonant but doesn't. It's existential in a way that's grounded. It poses questions that we should be asking and doesn't provide any answers because we don't have them. It's humorous but it's bleak. Erika is a sad clown of a character and I say this lovingly. Her dry humor and selfish nature would be utterly unlikable if not for how humanized she is right from the beginning. She's not a strong person. She's terrified and weak and that's okay because let's be honest you would be too.
I love Abby immensely. She is a perfect balance between saintly patience and "I'm not putting up with your shit". I love her independence and her personality. Right off the bat when she orders Erika's favorite flowers and then says they're not for her, she ordered them because she wants to understand why Erika likes them, it's cemented that Abby isn't just a source of conflict in Erika's story, she is her own character, she has her own story.
Grace is also a very important character in this, but I think Grace needs to be experienced and not talked about. Just trust me she's... Something alright.
Kotov Syndrome is a quiet dystopia. And a quiet sci-fi. It depicts a future close enough to our reality that it doesn't feel over-the-top or fantastical. There's also nothing too extraordinary about the story until the very end. The focus is a lot more on the ways society responds to change and the depiction is hauntingly real. Whether or not you're a fan of sci-fi, and admittedly I'm not huge on it, I urge you to give this book a chance because in my opinion it's an underrated gem.
There's a lot of ways this book should feel dissonant but doesn't. It's existential in a way that's grounded. It poses questions that we should be asking and doesn't provide any answers because we don't have them. It's humorous but it's bleak. Erika is a sad clown of a character and I say this lovingly. Her dry humor and selfish nature would be utterly unlikable if not for how humanized she is right from the beginning. She's not a strong person. She's terrified and weak and that's okay because let's be honest you would be too.
I love Abby immensely. She is a perfect balance between saintly patience and "I'm not putting up with your shit". I love her independence and her personality. Right off the bat when she orders Erika's favorite flowers and then says they're not for her, she ordered them because she wants to understand why Erika likes them, it's cemented that Abby isn't just a source of conflict in Erika's story, she is her own character, she has her own story.
Grace is also a very important character in this, but I think Grace needs to be experienced and not talked about. Just trust me she's... Something alright.
Kotov Syndrome is a quiet dystopia. And a quiet sci-fi. It depicts a future close enough to our reality that it doesn't feel over-the-top or fantastical. There's also nothing too extraordinary about the story until the very end. The focus is a lot more on the ways society responds to change and the depiction is hauntingly real. Whether or not you're a fan of sci-fi, and admittedly I'm not huge on it, I urge you to give this book a chance because in my opinion it's an underrated gem.
May 30, 2022
The first in this series by Baughman Jr., Kotov Syndrome was definitely a great start into this futuristic sci-fi about androids, humans, and addressing bigotry and division.
Having had the pleasure of providing feedback to the author while he was writing it, it's interesting to see how some of the political commentary the story serves as allegory for became even that much more apt and accurate by the time the book released.
If you're a gaming fan, the story has strong Detroit: Become Human vibes, which is part of what sold me in the first place.
One of my favourite things about the main character, Erika, is that she is very real. Not in a 'she's real but somehow everyone is obsessed with and adores immediately' trope that is overdone. No, Erika is real in every sense of a character. She's flawed, she isn't spectacular. She's average. Maybe, in some respects, slightly below average. And the people around her interact with her the way one would when encountering someone of her demeanour. She's not disliked by some of the characters just for the sake of creating fictional strife—these characters that dislike her do so because they are the kind of people who, in real life, would dislike someone like her.
Now, onto the summary. It could be easy to write this story off as the 'androids becoming human' story has been overdone. But in reality, hasn't everything? At this point, there are rarely ever entirely new concepts—the real factor that determines whether something is done well or not is in HOW they present that story. In the way they tell it, in the plot and their characters.
Baughman Jr. absolutely succeeds in that. His story takes a different angle—instead of sharing from the perspective of the android who just wants to be seen as human, it is from the human who is struggling with their acceptance of the android because of their own personal issues and journey. It's about the one who has to find that drive to be more than just a shadow blending into the street, and fight for what is right.
It is about the status quo learning that in life, lines are already drawn—you have to choose whether to stand on the side of right or the side of those only concerned about themselves.
And that is perhaps what I love most about this book. I don't know if the author set out to create a story that challenges the reader to examine themselves as they follow Erika and Abby's journey, but it is absolutely a book that does that. All the while maintaining the fantastical element of drawing you away from the real world, as any book should.
I gave Kotov Syndrome 5 Stars because for me, this hit everything I would want in a book. This is one Indie author worth keeping an eye on.
Having had the pleasure of providing feedback to the author while he was writing it, it's interesting to see how some of the political commentary the story serves as allegory for became even that much more apt and accurate by the time the book released.
If you're a gaming fan, the story has strong Detroit: Become Human vibes, which is part of what sold me in the first place.
One of my favourite things about the main character, Erika, is that she is very real. Not in a 'she's real but somehow everyone is obsessed with and adores immediately' trope that is overdone. No, Erika is real in every sense of a character. She's flawed, she isn't spectacular. She's average. Maybe, in some respects, slightly below average. And the people around her interact with her the way one would when encountering someone of her demeanour. She's not disliked by some of the characters just for the sake of creating fictional strife—these characters that dislike her do so because they are the kind of people who, in real life, would dislike someone like her.
Now, onto the summary. It could be easy to write this story off as the 'androids becoming human' story has been overdone. But in reality, hasn't everything? At this point, there are rarely ever entirely new concepts—the real factor that determines whether something is done well or not is in HOW they present that story. In the way they tell it, in the plot and their characters.
Baughman Jr. absolutely succeeds in that. His story takes a different angle—instead of sharing from the perspective of the android who just wants to be seen as human, it is from the human who is struggling with their acceptance of the android because of their own personal issues and journey. It's about the one who has to find that drive to be more than just a shadow blending into the street, and fight for what is right.
It is about the status quo learning that in life, lines are already drawn—you have to choose whether to stand on the side of right or the side of those only concerned about themselves.
And that is perhaps what I love most about this book. I don't know if the author set out to create a story that challenges the reader to examine themselves as they follow Erika and Abby's journey, but it is absolutely a book that does that. All the while maintaining the fantastical element of drawing you away from the real world, as any book should.
I gave Kotov Syndrome 5 Stars because for me, this hit everything I would want in a book. This is one Indie author worth keeping an eye on.
June 6, 2021
Right off the bat I'll say I'm not usually a romance fan, but I AM a sci-fi fan, so I gave this book a chance and I am so glad I did. It's got incredibly well-rounded and real-feeling characters (even the non-human ones!) who draw you in and immediately make you care about their journeys. Unlike a lot of stories of this nature, I find the conflict isn't forced--it is actually very organic and believable, and therefore much more compelling, heartbreaking, and easy to get invested in.
I also just...LIKE the characters?? I've picked up books before where I just can't stand some of the main cast but despite being earnestly messy and damaged, Erika is easy to love and Abby is just charming as hell. The secondary characters are also a lot of fun, and you get more attached than you expect to.
I loved this book. I loved the characters, I loved the journey we went on together, and I loved the end--actually I kinda hated it, but ONLY because it left me itching for book two and that's not out yet.
A beautiful romance full of comedy, tragedy, and very badass sci-fi coolness. Absolutely recommended to anyone looking for a lovely read.
I also just...LIKE the characters?? I've picked up books before where I just can't stand some of the main cast but despite being earnestly messy and damaged, Erika is easy to love and Abby is just charming as hell. The secondary characters are also a lot of fun, and you get more attached than you expect to.
I loved this book. I loved the characters, I loved the journey we went on together, and I loved the end--actually I kinda hated it, but ONLY because it left me itching for book two and that's not out yet.
A beautiful romance full of comedy, tragedy, and very badass sci-fi coolness. Absolutely recommended to anyone looking for a lovely read.
November 4, 2021
Right off the bat I'll say I'm not usually a romance fan, but I AM a sci-fi fan, so I gave this book a chance and I am so glad I did. It's got incredibly well-rounded and real-feeling characters (even the non-human ones!) who draw you in and immediately make you care about their journeys. Unlike a lot of stories of this nature, I find the conflict isn't forced--it is actually very organic and believable, and therefore much more compelling, heartbreaking, and easy to get invested in.
I also just...LIKE the characters?? I've picked up books before where I just can't stand some of the main cast but despite being earnestly messy and damaged, Erika is easy to love and Abby is just charming as hell. The secondary characters are also a lot of fun, and you get more attached than you expect to.
I loved this book. I loved the characters, I loved the journey we went on together, and I loved the end--actually I kinda hated it, but ONLY because it left me itching for book two and that's not out yet.
A beautiful romance full of comedy, tragedy, and very badass sci-fi coolness. Absolutely recommended to anyone looking for a lovely read.
I also just...LIKE the characters?? I've picked up books before where I just can't stand some of the main cast but despite being earnestly messy and damaged, Erika is easy to love and Abby is just charming as hell. The secondary characters are also a lot of fun, and you get more attached than you expect to.
I loved this book. I loved the characters, I loved the journey we went on together, and I loved the end--actually I kinda hated it, but ONLY because it left me itching for book two and that's not out yet.
A beautiful romance full of comedy, tragedy, and very badass sci-fi coolness. Absolutely recommended to anyone looking for a lovely read.
April 8, 2021
Finally got a chance to jump into this book and I’m so glad I did! The relationship between Erica and Abby is so powerful and compelling, I got lost and flew through half a dozen chapters my first night. The way everything starts is really thought out, and the world around the story seems exactly like something I could see happening in the near future--IA designed to emotionally support humans, some humans accidentally falling in love, society sneering and disparaging them for it). There’s also a lot of twists I didn’t see coming too! Erica is the perfect main character for this story too--smart, relatable and crushingly honest.
Conclusion: definitely worth checking out!
Conclusion: definitely worth checking out!
February 3, 2021
4.5/5 stars, rounded up
I am not typically a person who enjoys sci-fi. My favorite type of book is one that is rooted in gritty reality and features strong characters going through real life situations and transformations. I’m much more drawn to a simple world with complex people than a complex world that is outside of the realm of believability. So, I admit that I was a bit skeptical going into this book. I thought it might not be my “thing.”
Little did I know that this book, while featuring sci-fi elements, ticks basically all of the boxes that I just described as being my jam. This book is basically about relationships, including a character’s relationship with herself and her mental health.
The story takes place on Earth in the not-too-distant future of 2033. In many ways, the world does not seem so different than the one we currently inhabit. The biggest change is that there are highly developed AI beings called “conscientia” who live among humanity. Many of these conscientia live in android bodies that look and behave very much like humans. In fact, it can be hard to distinguish a conscientia from a human. These androids have taken over many of the “menial” jobs in society. It’s a mutually beneficial situation in many ways, but there are vocal groups (both politically and socially) who find the conscientia to be abominations and are actively working against their right to life.
Our story revolves around Erika. Erika is a human who, when she was a teenager, had been romantically involved with an AI named Abby. Abby is a simulation created for a dating website, so Erika could video chat with Abby from her computer, but Abby was not at that time in an android body. After years of being “together” without being able to be physically together, Erika broke things off with Abby. She buckled under the pressure she placed upon herself knowing that not everyone (including her own mother) would approve of her dating a computer simulation.
One night, Erika receives a message from Abby out of the blue. They haven’t talked in years, so Erika knows that something big must have happened for her ex to reach out now. It turns out that Abby’s program is being shut down and the only way for her to exist is if she can be transitioned into an android body. In order for this to happen, a human must agree to basically act as a chaperone as Abby adjusts to life in the outside world. Fortunately or unfortunately, Erika is the only person who can do this.
This leads to Erika and Abby living together after having been apart for years, which leads to Erika having to address a lot of long buried emotions. I don’t want to go into more of the story than that, but this is just the tip of the iceberg.
There is a lot going on in this book beyond the dynamics between Erika and Abby. The two of them meet a lot of other people in similar situations to them along the way. There are laughs and there are heartbreaks. It’s a lot like real life in that way.
There are also a lot of interesting parallels to be drawn with regard to current social issues. In Kotov Syndrome, as I touched on earlier, there are political figures and groups of people who oppose the idea of allowing conscientia to live and work among humans. They especially have disgust at the idea that a human could be in any way romantically involved with what they consider a “lesser form.” This really mirrors a lot of what we see in the news these days and in years past -- such as the fight for equality for LGBTQ+ folks. The social commentary is subtle enough to be effective without being in-your-face and preachy. That is a hard tightrope to walk, but Baughman does it beautifully.
This book is an easy read. By that, I mean that the language is accessible and not overly wordy. As I said earlier, I am not typically a sci-fi person. The sci-fi in this book is easy to follow and not overdone. The technology is explained plainly and the way it is explained is woven into the story rather than the author info dumping everything into the beginning of the story.
Now, don’t take me saying that this book is an “easy read” to mean that it’s easy on the emotions. On the contrary! This book does deal with heavy subjects such as alcoholism, violence, mental health issues, among many others. So this isn’t exactly a fun beach read, though there are fun scenes throughout.
I very much enjoyed the way that Baughman uses dialogue to really hone in on his characters. Especially Abby. She came to life through her back and forths with Erika, and I really feel like I got to know this character very well.
Baughman also has a unique way of giving readers access to Erika's thoughts and feelings that go beyond just telling us how she's feeling.
If I had to complain about one thing, it would be that I think that some of the side characters could have been a bit more developed. A couple of them are done really well, but a couple others I never really got a sense of who they are as a person. However, this is going to be a series so I am confident that this will be something that will be built upon in the future installments. This book is likely laying the groundwork for a larger story.
I would definitely recommend this book for pretty much all readers, especially if you are into dystopian sci-fi OR just a good, character driven story.
I am not typically a person who enjoys sci-fi. My favorite type of book is one that is rooted in gritty reality and features strong characters going through real life situations and transformations. I’m much more drawn to a simple world with complex people than a complex world that is outside of the realm of believability. So, I admit that I was a bit skeptical going into this book. I thought it might not be my “thing.”
Little did I know that this book, while featuring sci-fi elements, ticks basically all of the boxes that I just described as being my jam. This book is basically about relationships, including a character’s relationship with herself and her mental health.
The story takes place on Earth in the not-too-distant future of 2033. In many ways, the world does not seem so different than the one we currently inhabit. The biggest change is that there are highly developed AI beings called “conscientia” who live among humanity. Many of these conscientia live in android bodies that look and behave very much like humans. In fact, it can be hard to distinguish a conscientia from a human. These androids have taken over many of the “menial” jobs in society. It’s a mutually beneficial situation in many ways, but there are vocal groups (both politically and socially) who find the conscientia to be abominations and are actively working against their right to life.
Our story revolves around Erika. Erika is a human who, when she was a teenager, had been romantically involved with an AI named Abby. Abby is a simulation created for a dating website, so Erika could video chat with Abby from her computer, but Abby was not at that time in an android body. After years of being “together” without being able to be physically together, Erika broke things off with Abby. She buckled under the pressure she placed upon herself knowing that not everyone (including her own mother) would approve of her dating a computer simulation.
One night, Erika receives a message from Abby out of the blue. They haven’t talked in years, so Erika knows that something big must have happened for her ex to reach out now. It turns out that Abby’s program is being shut down and the only way for her to exist is if she can be transitioned into an android body. In order for this to happen, a human must agree to basically act as a chaperone as Abby adjusts to life in the outside world. Fortunately or unfortunately, Erika is the only person who can do this.
This leads to Erika and Abby living together after having been apart for years, which leads to Erika having to address a lot of long buried emotions. I don’t want to go into more of the story than that, but this is just the tip of the iceberg.
There is a lot going on in this book beyond the dynamics between Erika and Abby. The two of them meet a lot of other people in similar situations to them along the way. There are laughs and there are heartbreaks. It’s a lot like real life in that way.
There are also a lot of interesting parallels to be drawn with regard to current social issues. In Kotov Syndrome, as I touched on earlier, there are political figures and groups of people who oppose the idea of allowing conscientia to live and work among humans. They especially have disgust at the idea that a human could be in any way romantically involved with what they consider a “lesser form.” This really mirrors a lot of what we see in the news these days and in years past -- such as the fight for equality for LGBTQ+ folks. The social commentary is subtle enough to be effective without being in-your-face and preachy. That is a hard tightrope to walk, but Baughman does it beautifully.
This book is an easy read. By that, I mean that the language is accessible and not overly wordy. As I said earlier, I am not typically a sci-fi person. The sci-fi in this book is easy to follow and not overdone. The technology is explained plainly and the way it is explained is woven into the story rather than the author info dumping everything into the beginning of the story.
Now, don’t take me saying that this book is an “easy read” to mean that it’s easy on the emotions. On the contrary! This book does deal with heavy subjects such as alcoholism, violence, mental health issues, among many others. So this isn’t exactly a fun beach read, though there are fun scenes throughout.
I very much enjoyed the way that Baughman uses dialogue to really hone in on his characters. Especially Abby. She came to life through her back and forths with Erika, and I really feel like I got to know this character very well.
Baughman also has a unique way of giving readers access to Erika's thoughts and feelings that go beyond just telling us how she's feeling.
If I had to complain about one thing, it would be that I think that some of the side characters could have been a bit more developed. A couple of them are done really well, but a couple others I never really got a sense of who they are as a person. However, this is going to be a series so I am confident that this will be something that will be built upon in the future installments. This book is likely laying the groundwork for a larger story.
I would definitely recommend this book for pretty much all readers, especially if you are into dystopian sci-fi OR just a good, character driven story.
February 3, 2022
This book wasn't entirely for me but might be enjoyable to someone who enjoys light romance mixed with some current affair parallels.
It had a great premise with programmed personalities meant to support humans, and I was excited to see how it would affect the characters' world. Ultimately, I feel like it fell short.
It had a great premise with programmed personalities meant to support humans, and I was excited to see how it would affect the characters' world. Ultimately, I feel like it fell short.
November 19, 2022
Wow this was a great book to read in one sitting. I loved the characterization of each character, they felt very lived in and the tragedy of living as they have been was incredibly evident. Bravo. Interested to see where this world goes next.
March 4, 2025
An excellent story that I loved, even if some of the content made me cry and feel physically ill.
It deals with some heavy topics that cut a little too close to home, but I'm still really glad I read it.
It deals with some heavy topics that cut a little too close to home, but I'm still really glad I read it.
January 23, 2021
Kotov Syndrome is an introspective book that follows in the grand tradition of science fiction. Set in the near future with haunting parallels to our recent history and the LGBTQ community’s struggles: We watch Erika and Abbey stumble through a messy emotional connection between human and AI. A connection from which Erika suffers no small amount of trauma, as the social backlash of having loved an AI still weighs intensely on her mind. It’s been about a week since I’ve finished reading it, and I simply must commend the subtle way it weighs on you after the fact. Kotov Syndrome is likely to leave you reflecting on its story for days or weeks to come.
November 29, 2023
Kotov Syndrome by Tim Baughman Jr is a unique blend of dystopian science fiction with more than a hint of romance.
I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up this book, but I was not expecting to find characters as strangely relatable for their flaws as well as their feelings, and this last is particularly notable because one of the central characters in this story is not even human.
Erika is definitely not living her best life, struggling in a low paid job to pay of the debts of her reckless youth, largely estranged from her family and stubbornly single. The last thing she expected was to hear from her first love, Abby, who contacts her desperately seeking help. Theirs is a complicated story, for starters Abbey is a computer simulation and the unconventional nature of their relationship is what led to Erika's falling out with her family, as her mother in particular could not accept the relationship. It has been years, but now Abby desperately needs Erika's help to find an android body before her code is erased. Finding a body is also just the start, Abby will need somewhere to stay and someone to help her navigate the real world, and Erika is really not sure that she is up for the job, especially since she has never really gotten over her feelings. The world may have moved on but there are still plenty of people who are hostile to androids, and the danger is getting closer every day.
I really found myself invested in these characters, precisely because of how grounded and well fleshed out they were. I did not always like them - Erika I am looking at you, but I still cared about them and found myself rooting for them. Obviously the prejudice and intolerance faced by the characters reflects that faced by many people today, particularly those in what some might consider "unconventional" relationships, and I thought the author did a wonderful job of tackling a potentially difficult subject in a sensitive yet thought provoking way.
I found the book so compelling that I read it in about 24 hours, and consider yourself warned- if you do not like a cliff hanger ending make sure you have a copy of the next book in the series on hand, because you will not want to wait to find out what happens next.
I read a review copy provided by the author, all opinions are my own.
I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up this book, but I was not expecting to find characters as strangely relatable for their flaws as well as their feelings, and this last is particularly notable because one of the central characters in this story is not even human.
Erika is definitely not living her best life, struggling in a low paid job to pay of the debts of her reckless youth, largely estranged from her family and stubbornly single. The last thing she expected was to hear from her first love, Abby, who contacts her desperately seeking help. Theirs is a complicated story, for starters Abbey is a computer simulation and the unconventional nature of their relationship is what led to Erika's falling out with her family, as her mother in particular could not accept the relationship. It has been years, but now Abby desperately needs Erika's help to find an android body before her code is erased. Finding a body is also just the start, Abby will need somewhere to stay and someone to help her navigate the real world, and Erika is really not sure that she is up for the job, especially since she has never really gotten over her feelings. The world may have moved on but there are still plenty of people who are hostile to androids, and the danger is getting closer every day.
I really found myself invested in these characters, precisely because of how grounded and well fleshed out they were. I did not always like them - Erika I am looking at you, but I still cared about them and found myself rooting for them. Obviously the prejudice and intolerance faced by the characters reflects that faced by many people today, particularly those in what some might consider "unconventional" relationships, and I thought the author did a wonderful job of tackling a potentially difficult subject in a sensitive yet thought provoking way.
I found the book so compelling that I read it in about 24 hours, and consider yourself warned- if you do not like a cliff hanger ending make sure you have a copy of the next book in the series on hand, because you will not want to wait to find out what happens next.
I read a review copy provided by the author, all opinions are my own.
July 25, 2025
This is a heavy book, and quite possibly in more ways than the author had originally intended, with the state of the world at the moment, and the rise of LLMs, and the impact that they are having on peoples lives. And that's ignoring the issues that Erika has, the trauma and guilt from her actions that she carries, and how she's been trying to deal with it.
The world in this book is not pleasant. Bigotry, racism and hatred towards AI in android bodies is on the rise, and it's not hard to see the parallels to other minorities that are getting picked on and hated.
Erika ended up falling in love with one, Abby, but broke things off. 8 Years later, Abby comes back into her life, and it's like being thrown into the fire unprepared.
There are some tender moments here, and part of the focus of the book is Erika's attempts at healing (Abby is an angel, really). But there are also a lot of dark ones, with some brutal events taking place during the course of the story - the content warnings are there, and they are accurate. There are also some strange events that happen near the end that set up for the sequel, though the events themselves only leave hints as to what it could be, the synopsis for the second book providing a clearer idea of what might be going on.
It's an interesting read, that's for sure, and one that will leave you thinking, and hurting for the characters. Lots and lots of hurt. There's hope and light for some, not so much others.
Irrespective, I am curious to see exactly what'll happen in Woodpecker. 3.5*
The world in this book is not pleasant. Bigotry, racism and hatred towards AI in android bodies is on the rise, and it's not hard to see the parallels to other minorities that are getting picked on and hated.
Erika ended up falling in love with one, Abby, but broke things off. 8 Years later, Abby comes back into her life, and it's like being thrown into the fire unprepared.
There are some tender moments here, and part of the focus of the book is Erika's attempts at healing (Abby is an angel, really). But there are also a lot of dark ones, with some brutal events taking place during the course of the story - the content warnings are there, and they are accurate. There are also some strange events that happen near the end that set up for the sequel, though the events themselves only leave hints as to what it could be, the synopsis for the second book providing a clearer idea of what might be going on.
It's an interesting read, that's for sure, and one that will leave you thinking, and hurting for the characters. Lots and lots of hurt. There's hope and light for some, not so much others.
Irrespective, I am curious to see exactly what'll happen in Woodpecker. 3.5*
August 29, 2025
3.5, rounded up for GR. Not sure how to file this one, maybe: indie near future sci-fi queer light romance (no spice)? Basically, young woman falls in love with an AI simulation as a teenager, is messed up by the experience, then encounters the AI again ten years later and drama ensues. This is set in 2033, but was written back in 2020, so the author was not prepared for quite how far US society has fallen in the year of our lord 2025, otherwise this novel would have been written in a much more dystopian manner, I think! The story does raise some interesting ethical questions, namely should a sentient AI be treated as a person, and these questions should really be addressed quickly, given how rapidly the tech is evolving and the complete lack of any safeguards the companies are using or laws any governments are implementing to hold them back. I personally think it would be a mistake to make the AIs sentient (but just in case they are, I welcome our new robot overlords, and I am always polite to technology just in case :) ). I really didn't connect with either of the two main characters, especially not the unpleasant human one, but that may be because I'm older than the target audience. There is a sequel to this book, and it does end on a rather abrupt cliffhanger, so I may have to read the next one to see what that was all about.
February 25, 2024
Tore through this in 2 days a long time ago but somehow forgot to review, which is a shame because it's a great book. Interesting premise, esp. the extended analogy between the book-world's treatment of "conscientia"/AI and real-world treatment of trans people. The characters are compelling with realistic strengths and flaws. A bit more "telling" than "showing" in the worldbuilding for my personal taste, but the dialog slams and the action is easy to follow. It's an emotionally wrought book that comes across as intensely personal, which makes some scenes difficult to read (in a good way!). There's hints of something *more* toward the end that's leading to a sequel, and I only wish those hints would've been introduced earlier and throughout instead of backloaded into the last 20 pages.
Looking forward to the next book in this series!
Looking forward to the next book in this series!
January 5, 2025
Strong debut from S Morgan Burbank about Erika, who is very troubled with self-destructive talk and alcoholism finding love with Abby, an AI cybernetic (Conscienta) woman. Fortunately, they are not alone in their struggle. They have a larger community of conscienta and their creator, who face the hatred and violence of a culture where many hate the existence of AI people. With a character so traumatized and wounded, it would be a long time to learn to trust and accept others, and Erika does struggle extensively in her journey, at times bordering on abusive toward Abby. They struggle with hatred and violence in society and have to negotiate staying in place or moving, something that is a big concern for trans people today. Although this is the first in a series, it feels complete. I enjoyed this romance by Burbank and look forward to seeing more from her.
August 17, 2023
This is a great book with an amazing cast of very real feeling characters. A very intense, and at times devastating, story with a lot of emotion and heart. I found Erika’s inner dialogue incredibly relatable. And the ending definitely caught me off guard! I can’t wait for the sequel, an excellent read!
September 14, 2023
I received a copy of this ebook in a Goodreads giveaway. I really enjoyed the world of this book as well as the characters but I wished there was a little more plot.
January 12, 2024
Phenomenal
This book will break your heart, over and over, but that does not mean it is not worth reading, because it most definitely is.
Just get ready to cry, a lot.
This book will break your heart, over and over, but that does not mean it is not worth reading, because it most definitely is.
Just get ready to cry, a lot.
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