What do you think?
The Terre Hoffman Chronicles #1
The Guardian Program
A program designed to protect them. A malfunction that could obliterate them all.
When state-of-the-art artificial intelligence units begin to malfunction across the globe, humanity faces a mess of its own making: what happens when the robots we build no longer respond to our commands.
When the United States comes under attack from an AI program its government built in secret, IT specialist Terre Hoffman learns firsthand how deadly the program can be; with one strike, the machines decimate Terre’s entire family. As Terre comes to terms with the loss, he and fellow robotics consultant Kristopher Klein are assigned by the US military to investigate the AI anomalies and bring the bots back under human direction. Under pressure and under attack, the two experts only have one shot at success—override the network and shut down the Guardian Program.
With everything on the line, Terre must overcome the pain of losing his loved ones in order to stop the war machines from causing even more destruction. Failure signifies handing over complete control to the very machines designed to protect them … but bent on killing them instead.
The Guardian Program is the first thrilling apocalyptic entry in the Terre Hoffman Chronicles, expanding the universe of the Lies of the Guardians.
When state-of-the-art artificial intelligence units begin to malfunction across the globe, humanity faces a mess of its own making: what happens when the robots we build no longer respond to our commands.
When the United States comes under attack from an AI program its government built in secret, IT specialist Terre Hoffman learns firsthand how deadly the program can be; with one strike, the machines decimate Terre’s entire family. As Terre comes to terms with the loss, he and fellow robotics consultant Kristopher Klein are assigned by the US military to investigate the AI anomalies and bring the bots back under human direction. Under pressure and under attack, the two experts only have one shot at success—override the network and shut down the Guardian Program.
With everything on the line, Terre must overcome the pain of losing his loved ones in order to stop the war machines from causing even more destruction. Failure signifies handing over complete control to the very machines designed to protect them … but bent on killing them instead.
The Guardian Program is the first thrilling apocalyptic entry in the Terre Hoffman Chronicles, expanding the universe of the Lies of the Guardians.
- GenresScience Fiction
202 pages, Paperback
Published October 26, 2021
About the author
Herman Steuernagel
21 books146 followersHerman Steuernagel is a Barnes & Noble Bestselling author best known for his cozy fantasy novels, blending immersive worlds with character-driven storytelling.
Across multiple series, his work ranges from warm, low-stakes fantasy settings to science fiction that explores life among the stars and dystopian futures. His books have been featured by Publishers Weekly and Booklist, and have appeared on the Barnes & Noble Top 100 and reached #104 in the Amazon Kindle Store.
Herman lives in British Columbia, Canada, While he’s not working on a new book he can be found cycling, running and dreaming up new worlds.
You can keep up with Herman on his website:
https://www.hermansteuernagel.com
Across multiple series, his work ranges from warm, low-stakes fantasy settings to science fiction that explores life among the stars and dystopian futures. His books have been featured by Publishers Weekly and Booklist, and have appeared on the Barnes & Noble Top 100 and reached #104 in the Amazon Kindle Store.
Herman lives in British Columbia, Canada, While he’s not working on a new book he can be found cycling, running and dreaming up new worlds.
You can keep up with Herman on his website:
https://www.hermansteuernagel.com
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
December 3, 2021
This was my first military Scifi book in awhile, and I really enjoyed it. From the character development to the plot, an amazing read all around. I actually finished it in a single session that's how much I enjoyed it.
note: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
note: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 7, 2021
I received an advance copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.
Guardian Program is the first book in a promised series of post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller novels chronicling events set some thirty years in the future. The story moves with blinding speed and is packed full of adventure set mostly around the San Francisco Bay Area. I enjoyed the story mostly but found myself taken out of the story a bit by a small, but irritating plot hole I will not reveal in this discussion. For the most part, the characters are good, but could have used more development; they felt somewhat one dimensional.
Despite my few reservations, Guardian Program is a grim look at what seems an all too plausible future. I found it disturbing (as it seems the author intends), because there is a great deal of death and destruction as well as a few graphic scenes of death.
The story opens at Anderson Air Force Base on the island of Guam. I.T. specialist Terre Hoffman is awakened in the wee hours of the morning by an alarm meant to alert base personnel of an imminent attack. The problem is, there have been many false alarms sounding for a while and there is no reason to think this incident is any different. Terre's wife and child are also awoken. He gets dressed, kisses his wife and child before heading to the command center to find what is thought to be a bug in the code.
Terre and his associate, Kristopher Klein, head for the command center, determined once and for all, to find and correct the bug causing all the false alarms, only this time, it isn't false. Battle drones bombard the base, imparting utter destruction, including the residences where civilian personnel live.
Terre and Kristopher work to find what is happening until the command center is hit. Both he and his associate are severely injured in the attack. In the aftermath, Terre learns his family are also victims. He and Kevin are taken to Treasure Island in the San Francisco Bay for treatment and recovery.
They soon learn that the Guardian Program, originally designed to protect human life, has somehow turned against its programming, and has declared all-out war against humanity. Terre and Kristopher are thrust into a situation where they have to solve the problem, but first, they have to survive. It is no simple task when technology has turned against its makers.
Senior IT Specialist Terre Hoffman is a good man and a dedicated worker. He knows how things work, but is more of a supervisor than a technician, and he relies on others, like Kristopher, to help him keep the tech in order. His character that one can care about, but I would have liked to know a little more about him and his background. He is haunted by the death of his wife and daughter through the story, but he seems to have an ability to set his grief aside in favor of trying to get the job done. This aspect of the character was a little uncomfortable for me because it appeared so easy for Terre to do, especially since he appeared to be a deeply compassionate man who would sacrifice himself for others.
NASA employee Kristopher Klein is a character right out of the Geek Squad. He understands tech inside and out, but the bug in the code has eluded him, which causes him a lot of irritation. He also is the person responsible for a lot of the programming that went into the Guardian Program. The reader gets very little development on Kristopher, and I didn't find him to be a character I could care about on a personal level.
I felt the best developed character in the story was the artificial intelligence technology and its many uses as the author projected it into the future. For me, it was obvious the author did his homework and gave a great deal of thought on what the effects AI might have on the future of humanity, even if that future is full of strife when the machines take over.
My favorite point of plot in Guardian Program is the descriptions of the places the characters find themselves. I was born in San Francisco and the setting felt like home to me. The author did a great job placing the reader in the surroundings and captured the feel of the Bay Area, where most of the story takes place.
What I take away from this story is that one should never take a false alarm for granted. Things happen for a reason, and one must be ever vigilant when something seem innocent can be a very real warning of future disaster. Terre, Kristopher, and many others worked hard to figure out what was wrong with the AI programming but didn't see the impending doom until it was too late.
Guardian Program is a good, solid story that moves at a pace worthy of the films we see today. There is never a dull moment in this tale. While the characters are a bit shallow, the story is fleshed out well. It is well written, well thought out, and is an exhilarating thrill ride. I recommend it for those who enjoy post-apocalyptic thrillers with a heavy dose of death and destruction. There are many scenes that some may find disturbing as the story unfolds.
Guardian Program is the first book in a promised series of post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller novels chronicling events set some thirty years in the future. The story moves with blinding speed and is packed full of adventure set mostly around the San Francisco Bay Area. I enjoyed the story mostly but found myself taken out of the story a bit by a small, but irritating plot hole I will not reveal in this discussion. For the most part, the characters are good, but could have used more development; they felt somewhat one dimensional.
Despite my few reservations, Guardian Program is a grim look at what seems an all too plausible future. I found it disturbing (as it seems the author intends), because there is a great deal of death and destruction as well as a few graphic scenes of death.
The story opens at Anderson Air Force Base on the island of Guam. I.T. specialist Terre Hoffman is awakened in the wee hours of the morning by an alarm meant to alert base personnel of an imminent attack. The problem is, there have been many false alarms sounding for a while and there is no reason to think this incident is any different. Terre's wife and child are also awoken. He gets dressed, kisses his wife and child before heading to the command center to find what is thought to be a bug in the code.
Terre and his associate, Kristopher Klein, head for the command center, determined once and for all, to find and correct the bug causing all the false alarms, only this time, it isn't false. Battle drones bombard the base, imparting utter destruction, including the residences where civilian personnel live.
Terre and Kristopher work to find what is happening until the command center is hit. Both he and his associate are severely injured in the attack. In the aftermath, Terre learns his family are also victims. He and Kevin are taken to Treasure Island in the San Francisco Bay for treatment and recovery.
They soon learn that the Guardian Program, originally designed to protect human life, has somehow turned against its programming, and has declared all-out war against humanity. Terre and Kristopher are thrust into a situation where they have to solve the problem, but first, they have to survive. It is no simple task when technology has turned against its makers.
Senior IT Specialist Terre Hoffman is a good man and a dedicated worker. He knows how things work, but is more of a supervisor than a technician, and he relies on others, like Kristopher, to help him keep the tech in order. His character that one can care about, but I would have liked to know a little more about him and his background. He is haunted by the death of his wife and daughter through the story, but he seems to have an ability to set his grief aside in favor of trying to get the job done. This aspect of the character was a little uncomfortable for me because it appeared so easy for Terre to do, especially since he appeared to be a deeply compassionate man who would sacrifice himself for others.
NASA employee Kristopher Klein is a character right out of the Geek Squad. He understands tech inside and out, but the bug in the code has eluded him, which causes him a lot of irritation. He also is the person responsible for a lot of the programming that went into the Guardian Program. The reader gets very little development on Kristopher, and I didn't find him to be a character I could care about on a personal level.
I felt the best developed character in the story was the artificial intelligence technology and its many uses as the author projected it into the future. For me, it was obvious the author did his homework and gave a great deal of thought on what the effects AI might have on the future of humanity, even if that future is full of strife when the machines take over.
My favorite point of plot in Guardian Program is the descriptions of the places the characters find themselves. I was born in San Francisco and the setting felt like home to me. The author did a great job placing the reader in the surroundings and captured the feel of the Bay Area, where most of the story takes place.
What I take away from this story is that one should never take a false alarm for granted. Things happen for a reason, and one must be ever vigilant when something seem innocent can be a very real warning of future disaster. Terre, Kristopher, and many others worked hard to figure out what was wrong with the AI programming but didn't see the impending doom until it was too late.
Guardian Program is a good, solid story that moves at a pace worthy of the films we see today. There is never a dull moment in this tale. While the characters are a bit shallow, the story is fleshed out well. It is well written, well thought out, and is an exhilarating thrill ride. I recommend it for those who enjoy post-apocalyptic thrillers with a heavy dose of death and destruction. There are many scenes that some may find disturbing as the story unfolds.
October 24, 2021
Received as a review copy from Story Origin, this is an honest review. This was a great captivating read because while its focus is upon that advanced AI always has the potential to do great things in an individual life; when it goes off the wheels, the AI system is an enemy you don't want hunting you. Terre Hoffman and Kristopher Klein are a brilliant pair to charge ahead and unravel how to defeat a very sophisticated technology: Terre has lost everything he loves in the blink of an eye of the haunting attack and all he wants to know is why. Kristopher is is tech guy that knows his way around computer systems and with Terre the puzzle behind the assault is an answer they didn't expect. An unexpected journey is found within these pages, highly recommended.
March 30, 2022
Another amazing book by Herman! This story takes us back to the origins of the Guardian Program from the Lies of the Guardians series where Terre is still just a young man with hopes and dreams that all come crashing down when the AI starts to become sentient.
This story had me turning the pages. It's great for anyone who enjoys a good disaster flick. I could see the fall of San Francisco as Terre and K make their way through the danger and wreckage. A cinematic masterpiece in prose!
This story had me turning the pages. It's great for anyone who enjoys a good disaster flick. I could see the fall of San Francisco as Terre and K make their way through the danger and wreckage. A cinematic masterpiece in prose!
October 25, 2021
Guardian Program is Book 1 in The Terre Hoffman Chronicles by Herman Steuernagel. The Guardian Program is about robots created to protect. But, something has gone terribly wrong with the program. This fast paced thriller is fantastic with outstanding characters and the writing is very good. Terre Hoffman loses his daughter and wife in the initial attack. When the bots attack the San Francisco area, it is a war that America is losing. This thriller is man against robots and man just might not win. I can hardly wait for Book 2 to release to see what happens next. I received an arc for free and am leaving my review voluntarily.
October 21, 2021
An interesting read into a future where AIs`are programed to work wonders until they become defective. Terre and Kris form a strange team to try to find a solution but will they be in time and will it be enough. Well worth reading.
April 3, 2022
I have read many stories about AI's, where they are evil and ones where they are good. This story falls in the evil category. Overall, I felt that the story was well paced and a good action story, with hints at a bigger back story. I would definently read the rest of the series.
November 21, 2021
Book Sirens gave me the opportunity to read an ARC of “Guardian Program” by Herman Steuernagel, the first book in a new series called The Terre Hoffman Chronicles, in return for an honest review.
If you have already read the author’s previous series (Lies of the Guardians), this new series will have even more impact, although it is not strictly necessary to have the information imparted therein. As is explained in Lies of the Guardians, the Guardian Program concerns AI robots that are created to protect humankind. Something has gone wrong, however, and the Guardians no long serve but rule.
I thoroughly enjoyed this fast flowing book, scary though it may be. It is all the more scary because it is so plausible. The characters were not as well-rounded as in the author’s first series and the story is a lot darker.
A computer expert, faced with inexplicable bugs and breakdowns, loses his daughter during one of those breakdowns, which is really an attack by the robots. And then San Francisco is attacked and he teams up with another expert to regain control of the malfunctioning robots. Will they be able to shut down the Guardian Program? Or will the AI focus on keeping them away from the network as this becomes an all-out war?
Well worth the four stars I’ve given it. If I could have given 4.5, I would have done so. It is not five stars because the character development was somewhat lacking, although the storyline is excellent.
If you have already read the author’s previous series (Lies of the Guardians), this new series will have even more impact, although it is not strictly necessary to have the information imparted therein. As is explained in Lies of the Guardians, the Guardian Program concerns AI robots that are created to protect humankind. Something has gone wrong, however, and the Guardians no long serve but rule.
I thoroughly enjoyed this fast flowing book, scary though it may be. It is all the more scary because it is so plausible. The characters were not as well-rounded as in the author’s first series and the story is a lot darker.
A computer expert, faced with inexplicable bugs and breakdowns, loses his daughter during one of those breakdowns, which is really an attack by the robots. And then San Francisco is attacked and he teams up with another expert to regain control of the malfunctioning robots. Will they be able to shut down the Guardian Program? Or will the AI focus on keeping them away from the network as this becomes an all-out war?
Well worth the four stars I’ve given it. If I could have given 4.5, I would have done so. It is not five stars because the character development was somewhat lacking, although the storyline is excellent.
December 7, 2021
Having finished reading The Guardian Program, I'd like to start by highlighting the great use of the English language. This is an excellent example of masterful storytelling in the 18 - 35 year science fiction category. I'd not place this as dystopian, though it shares many of the same socio-economic warnings as books of that genre. I most enjoyed the emotional development of the main character through the course of the novel. He is put through many trials and arrives at the other end as a visibly changed man.
My reservation about the novel comes to its plausibility. I'm not talking about the core concept as it is an established science fiction trope. Instead, the supporting descriptions build the world in which the characters interact. If the audience does not have first-hand experience with many of the subjects covered, they will likely overlook these implausibilities. But with my background, making it difficult to get past them.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
My reservation about the novel comes to its plausibility. I'm not talking about the core concept as it is an established science fiction trope. Instead, the supporting descriptions build the world in which the characters interact. If the audience does not have first-hand experience with many of the subjects covered, they will likely overlook these implausibilities. But with my background, making it difficult to get past them.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 28, 2021
I'd like to thank Book Sirens and the author for the opportunity to review this book.
The Guardian Program is the first in a series of promised sci-fi thrillers set in the future. The story revolves around the idea of an AI program developed to protect people which instead turns around and attacks humanity. The plot moves at an unrelenting fast pace and set around the San Francisco Bay area.
It is obvious the author has placed a lot of thought into the future of AI and its impact on humanity. The storyline is well thought out well written and very fast-paced and exciting. The characters are good but could have been developed a little bit more as they seem a little shallow at times.
The reason I gave this book a rating of four instead of five is because the character development is lacking even though the storyline is excellent. Still, I would recommend it as an exciting and quick read.
The Guardian Program is the first in a series of promised sci-fi thrillers set in the future. The story revolves around the idea of an AI program developed to protect people which instead turns around and attacks humanity. The plot moves at an unrelenting fast pace and set around the San Francisco Bay area.
It is obvious the author has placed a lot of thought into the future of AI and its impact on humanity. The storyline is well thought out well written and very fast-paced and exciting. The characters are good but could have been developed a little bit more as they seem a little shallow at times.
The reason I gave this book a rating of four instead of five is because the character development is lacking even though the storyline is excellent. Still, I would recommend it as an exciting and quick read.
November 3, 2021
Truth or Fiction ? . . .
These are the kinds of stories that can shake the reader up because they are so believable. There is no such thing as a “perfect” system, and something can always go wrong through sabotage or a glitch. The first sign of trouble in this story line is seen when an AI program built in secret, begins its attack and IT specialist Terre Hoffman’s family becomes one of the early casualties. Teaming up with fellow robotics consultant Kristopher Klein, Terre has the daunting task of regaining control of the bots and investigating the source of the AI malfunction.
Can they shut down the Guardian Program? Or will the AI focus on keeping them away from the network as this becomes all-out war?
These are the kinds of stories that can shake the reader up because they are so believable. There is no such thing as a “perfect” system, and something can always go wrong through sabotage or a glitch. The first sign of trouble in this story line is seen when an AI program built in secret, begins its attack and IT specialist Terre Hoffman’s family becomes one of the early casualties. Teaming up with fellow robotics consultant Kristopher Klein, Terre has the daunting task of regaining control of the bots and investigating the source of the AI malfunction.
Can they shut down the Guardian Program? Or will the AI focus on keeping them away from the network as this becomes all-out war?
October 30, 2021
❤💙😱Very good start to the series.
Air Force Base, Guam, 2052 :
Terre Hoffman wakes up to the howling of the failing alarm.
He searched for his clothes and dressed in the heat. He had to go to his job...
--------------
The beginning of this novel tells the story of a computer scientist faced with incomprehensible breakdowns, and despite the help of a mysterious repairman.
That’s how it all started, with trivial and realistic bugs : that's the scariest part...
An informative, scaring and captivating novel to read, especially when you already know all or part of the previous series (Lies of the Guardians).
A book to discover.
Air Force Base, Guam, 2052 :
Terre Hoffman wakes up to the howling of the failing alarm.
He searched for his clothes and dressed in the heat. He had to go to his job...
--------------
The beginning of this novel tells the story of a computer scientist faced with incomprehensible breakdowns, and despite the help of a mysterious repairman.
That’s how it all started, with trivial and realistic bugs : that's the scariest part...
An informative, scaring and captivating novel to read, especially when you already know all or part of the previous series (Lies of the Guardians).
A book to discover.
October 26, 2021
A captivating read about A.I gone rogue ..
The narrator's family is decimated when tools designed to cultivate Mars have been made into weapons and the tools/weapons attack their base in Guam.
Terre the narrator is wounded and the story continues when he and his brilliant colleague strive to save the world….
I really enjoyed both characters and the action.
The suspense is high and I read the book in one sitting as I was so engrossed.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The narrator's family is decimated when tools designed to cultivate Mars have been made into weapons and the tools/weapons attack their base in Guam.
Terre the narrator is wounded and the story continues when he and his brilliant colleague strive to save the world….
I really enjoyed both characters and the action.
The suspense is high and I read the book in one sitting as I was so engrossed.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 27, 2021
A combination science fiction and military thriller, Terre Hoffman recovers from a bomb blast with the help of nanobots; only to learn that it wasn't an isolated incident by any means. Someone (or something) has taken over most artificial intelligence programming worldwide ... and the attacks have just begun. Duck and run because robots aren't known for being merciful.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout but the cost of books does not influence my ratings. I call them as I see them.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout but the cost of books does not influence my ratings. I call them as I see them.
December 8, 2021
Artificial intelligence robots were meant to protect people goes rogue. And it's up to Torre and Kristopher (K) job to figure out what went wrong and try to fix it or deactivate it. Rogue drones suddenly attacks Guam military base. Killing thousands of people. And that's not the only place that they attack.
Can Torre and K stop them in time before millions of more innocent people die?
Follow their fast paced, action packed journey.
I really enjoyed this book, and I think you will also
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Can Torre and K stop them in time before millions of more innocent people die?
Follow their fast paced, action packed journey.
I really enjoyed this book, and I think you will also
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 5, 2021
Plenty of action. Not poorly written but not a lot of character development either. There is a sequel so character development may resolve as the story develops. If you are a techno Geek and hoping to get some wild technological background to how AI might get out of control, this is not your book. If you like fast paced action thrillers, this is your book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 28, 2021
This was definitely a five star read for me.
Plenty of action and multiple obstacles to overcome for the two lead characters Terre and Kristopher.
Based on previous outcomes from speculative Sci-Fi perhaps this novel might be taken as a warning.
I guess time will tell on that one, but bear in mind we are already on the AI path.
I look forward to reading the next in the series.
Plenty of action and multiple obstacles to overcome for the two lead characters Terre and Kristopher.
Based on previous outcomes from speculative Sci-Fi perhaps this novel might be taken as a warning.
I guess time will tell on that one, but bear in mind we are already on the AI path.
I look forward to reading the next in the series.
October 30, 2021
I did enjoy this interesting AI end of the world sci fi adventure! Something a little different, it grabbed me from the first chapter & kept me interested until the end! I will look for more by this writer to enjoy in the future.
July 5, 2023
AI controlled drones begin to attack humans
October 26, 2022
Good concepts for the story but it seemed flat in the writing, characters seems one dimensional and repeated their 'emotional characteristic' repeatedly. reread 2023.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews