The Humane Algorithm

by Trevor Wynyard

Empathy or algorithms? What should decide between life and death?

In a near future, the world is struggling with resource scarcity. Losing his father, Matt Turner has provided for his mother and younger brother since he was a teenager. But a cold-hearted government continues to force consumption limits upon the nation, monitoring every bit of electricity used.

As his mother becomes gravely ill, Matt is determined not to let her grim prognosis ruin the family’s one shot at the streetlights—the coveted enclaves for citizens worthy of investment. Seeking medical treatment, he plummets into a dark web of family lies, treachery, and political intrigue reaching far into his past—with staggering implications for his own future.

Can Matt find a way through the government’s system in time to save his mother’s life?

The Humane Algorithm is the ominous first book in Trevor Wynyard’s dystopian trilogy The Streetlighters, a powerful series exploring dark, gritty impulses at the root of human nature itself.

326 pages, ebook

Published August 1, 2021

About the author

Trevor Wynyard writes dystopian fiction for an adult audience. From the egotism of oppressive regimes to the intricacies of everyday peer pressure, he has always speculated about the darker sides of humanity. He believes the only way to mitigate an ever-encroaching dystopian future of our own is through an understanding of the underlying, basic emotions and behaviors at play between human beings from all walks of life—themes he explores tirelessly in his writing.

Trevor lives in Denmark, where he eagerly awaits a utopia chock-full of craft beer, indie rock and pistachio ice cream.

Reviews

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Humane Algorithm is told from the perspective of Matt Turner, an older brother and father figure to Kevin. Matt lives with Kevin and his mother in a society where the government strictly regulates electricity and controls who has access to medical care. The family finds themselves in desperate need of that medical care when Matt discovers that their mother is gravely ill.

The premise of this book was interesting to me, and I liked that it centered on a family of three. With his oldest child syndrome and deep love for his mother, Matt was a relatable protagonist. Wynyard does a good job with world-building in this book. I also appreciated his descriptions of scenes, like when Matt and Kevin, try to get their mother admitted to the government-run hospital. He gives enough detail for you to envision what’s happening without being too sparse or overly descriptive.

My quibbles with this book were minor. I would have liked more background about how society evolved to be the way that it is described in the book. I also had a little bit of trouble following some of the family timelines -- I couldn’t really figure out how much older Matt was than Kevin. The ending also felt a little unresolved, though that’s likely because the reader is being set up for a sequel.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read.

I received an ARC for free through BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Tabatha Asbury · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting theoretical future.

The general concept of the storyline is interesting. As details are revealed, it becomes more interesting. I look forward to readinging other books in the series.

[Dee Hough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant.
Trevor is a new author to me and so is the genre.
The story is so very clever. The narrative is seamless. The characters are a Motley Crew, such differing personalities. They all work so well together. Evolving into a great read. So great I read it in one day.
When people need help in the darkest of times, they only wish to see a light at the end of the tunnel.
Very Highly Recommend

[Amy Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the world that Wynyard has created. It's a wonderfully realistic dystopia with believable reactions from the humans who live in it. From the get-go, Wynyard demonstrates the ability to ask the hard questions. He really doesn't shy away from any social commentary through out the story. You've got the very personal age-old trolley problem (save the one or save the many), which is one of my favorite issues to read about, and then you've got larger societal issues like "Who gets to decide who lives and who dies?" What I also enjoyed was that the answers weren't always spelled out for you! Wynyard leaves a little room for you to figure it out for yourself.

The characters, while I mentioned above that they have believable reactions to the world they live in, fell a little bit flat for me. In the beginning, I had no issues. The "older brother taking care of the younger one" gave me very strong Hunger Games feelings, reminding me of Katniss and Primrose, and it sat a very high standard for the rest of the novel. As I continued reading, though, I found myself struggling to justify the actions (specifically Kevin's) of the characters. More than once, I was surprised, and not in a good way, by the things they were doing. I wasn't convinced that they had rhyme or reason or even the personality to act the way they were acting. That's not to say that I wasn't interested or connected to them. I just felt as though I knew them better than that.

Overall, this was definitely a fascinating and engaging read. I have no regrets about picking it up, even though I had some issues with the characters actions. Readers of the dystopian genre, or even lovers of intense social commentary, will enjoy this book.

[Seema M. Fazil · Rating 2 out of 5]

Trevor Wynyard's The Humane Algorithm takes place in a world where the government limits the usage of electricity and controls who has access to treatment. So what happens when Matt Turner's mother becomes really ill and he finds himself in really bad need of that treatment? I was impressed with how it almost depicts the world we are living in today; control, control, control.
Unfortunately, though, I didn't really enjoy this book as much as I hoped I would. I don't know if it was just me, but I felt like it was more of a plot-based book, which means, I felt like the author didn't dive much into the characters for me to care much about them.

Full review @ My Blog

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very intriguing and disturbingly realistic setting of how the world could look like. Especially when I also consider the exceeding use of fx AI to help determine results and conclusions.
Author seems young but the ideas and story is there.