BLOG TOUR: The Age of the Artificial Person - Alastair Waterman

Could this be the last book written solely by a human? The Age of the Artificial Person by Alastair Waterman redefines the boundary between the natural and artificial, offering a fresh perspective on human evolution and AI. Far from suggesting AI will replace us or that humans are outdated, this book celebrates humanity as a technology that has shaped itself through culture for millennia. AI is our next step— not a replacement, but a partner in crafting our destiny beyond biological limits.

Explore five eras of cultural evolution, ponder if machines can feel, and discover 'Dark Science'—AI’s potential to transcend human bias. From digital immortality to rethinking consciousness, this thought-provoking read invites tech enthusiasts, philosophers, and futurists to embrace our role as architects of the future. Grab your copy to join the conversation!

 

What did I think?

I really enjoyed learning more about AI in Alistair Waterman's The Age of the Artificial Person.  I was quite suspicious of it beforehand but I feel more comfortable now, after considering how much it can improve our lives.

There is a lot of information in the book and I have to say that the large font size made it much easier to read; not just because it's easier on the eyes but because it slows the pace and allows the information to seep into your brain.

I have only really heard of AI being misused, such as writing a 'review' of a book that really just regurgitates the synopsis as the AI hasn't read it, so it was good to see the wider picture.  I was actually quite surprised how much AI had crept into my life without really standing back to consider it: predictive text for example.

To move forward as a species, we do need to embrace AI as it could make our lives easier.  I don't think it will ever fully replace a person but rather than being negative towards AI it is worth thinking about what you could be doing while AI is doing any mundane tasks.

The Age of the Artificial Person is an informative and thought-provoking book to debate and discuss.  I'm glad that I have read The Age of the Artificial Person as it has made me so much more receptive to AI.  It's coming whether we like it or not anyway!  

I received a gifted ARC from Literally PR to read and review for the blog tour and this is my (not AI) honest and unbiased opinion.

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BLOG TOUR: The Voodoo Series - J.L. Hancock

Voodoo, a gifted military technician, struggles with harrowing memories of war and the emptiness that comes with loss. To cope, he’s thrown himself into his work for a secretive military research organization, purposefully leaving little time for anything else. Until one night, a familiar voice from Voodoo’s past interrupts his recurring nightmares with a cryptic prophecy.

At the same time, across the ocean in Japan, two world-renowned scientists go missing along with the secrets behind a powerful form of artificial intelligence called the “God Algorithm.”

To Voodoo’s surprise, he soon finds himself on the front lines of an A.I. arms race with the future of freedom at stake. Will Voodoo find the scientists in time? Or will the “God Algorithm,” a piece of code so terrifying it has the potential to shift global power, fall into the wrong hands. Find out in this mind-bending, relentlessly paced techno thriller sure to please fans of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan and Jack Carr’s James Reece.

What did I think?

I really enjoyed The Hawk Enigma.  It's not one of my usual genres so it took me a little while to get into it but once I did I couldn't put it down. 

As it's a technothriller with a military slant, there are a lot of acronyms in the book but they are explained straight away so you don't even have to look them up yourself.   I even learned the meaning of some common acronyms that I had heard before but had never really thought about what the letters actually stand for (such as RHIB - rigid-hulled inflatable boat).

There are some very intriguing flashbacks in the book and I loved the way it all came together with a number of shocks and surprises along the way.  The action never stops and the characters are brought to life via J.L. Hancock's wonderfully vivid and descriptive prose.  I really enjoyed the banter between the characters and the humorous way they referred to certain situations and items.

Grisly, evocative and action-packed, if The Hawk Enigma isn't made into a film it will be an absolute travesty.  It's a very well-written and accomplished debut novel and I would highly recommend giving it a read.

I received a gifted paperback to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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An escaped prisoner. A lab hidden in western China develops an AI weapon. A Russian special operator investigates a heinous crime scene.

In the stunning sequel to The Hawk Enigma, Voodoo and his team of special operators are thrust back into the heart of a global conflict. The stakes have never been higher as China’s Belt and Road Initiative pushes into Central Asia, exposing dark ambitions and a secret lab advancing AI warfare.

Set against the vast steppes of Kazakhstan, this story unfolds in the shadow of the former Soviet Union. Tensions rise as Voodoo’s team embarks on a covert mission. New team members add to the friction as more troubles from Voodoo’s past return to the present.

They soon find themselves on the brink of a perilous future the Western world is unwilling to face: a world where AI reigns supreme, and there's no turning back. Fans of Jack Ryan, Tom Clancy, and Clive Cussler will snatch this thriller and refuse to let go.

Will Voodoo’s team succeed? Or has his luck finally run out?

 

What did I think?

Voodoo is back!  Having read The Hawk Enigma, I raced straight onto the sequel, The Spear and the Sentinel.  Whilst I have read the books in order, you could pick up The Spear and the Sentinel as a standalone as the author includes a quick recap of The Hawk Enigma for anyone who hasn't read it.

The reader is plunged straight into the action and the pacing never lets up as the story progresses at an impressive rate of knots.  There are a lot of close shaves that had me holding my breath in anticipation as I have really come to care about Voodoo and his team.

Some of the technology went way over my head but I still enjoyed the book and I really appreciated the way the author explained the myriad acronyms so quickly after they were mentioned.  

The Spear and the Sentinel is a cracking sequel that is filled with tension, suspense and action.  A highly recommended read that is unmissable if you love a military thriller and/or technothriller.

I received a gifted paperback to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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Don't Stir the Goldfish - Eileen Wharton

Meet Amy, who’s juggling a bustling household with five children, a job organising historical re-enactments, and a broken heart caused by her husband’s betrayal and abandonment.

As she navigates the emotional rollercoaster of the break-up, Amy finds solace and guidance in her unique bond with Gupta, her AI confidante. Is artificial intelligence the answer? Can a woman really fall in love with a robot? Or will her manny steal her heart?

 

What did I think?

I love Eileen Wharton's books and, having had a cousin who did actually stir the goldfish with a wooden spoon, I just knew that I would love Don't Stir the Goldfish and indeed I did.  What I didn't expect was to feel such a wealth of emotions for Amy and her brood as I laughed, cried and felt everything in between while I was reading this fabulous book.

Single mother Amy's life is a bit like the circus as she juggles all of her commitments and tries to tame her five children.  Thank goodness she has Gupta (her AI assistant) to add a sense of calm to her busy life.  Amy is approaching her 40th birthday and the book is set out as a sort of diary as she counts down to the big day.  A lot can happen in a year and it certainly does for Amy.

This is easily the funniest book I have read this year but it's also the most poignant.  I totally expected to laugh out loud (and I did many times) but I didn't expect to cry too.  I know this is a book I will read again as I loved all of the characters and I was thoroughly entertained by all of their shenanigans.

Laugh out loud hilarious and tearjerkingly poignant, Don't Stir the Goldfish is a book I will be recommending for a long time.  It's completely unmissable and it's an easy five stars from me.

I chose to read a digital ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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BLOG TOUR: Anticipation - Neil Taylor

You are being played.

Your every move is being watched by businesses hoping to manipulate your behaviour. Every picture, every post, every like, every follow, every purchase, every search.

When 17-year-old Riya Sudame inherits her father’s secret AI algorithm, she and a handful of carefully selected Keyholders hold the power to predict people’s futures using their online data. But with great power comes great responsibility, and they must safeguard it from falling into the wrong hands.

Enter Jim Booker, a powerful social media tycoon, who will stop at nothing to steal the technology for himself. Soon Riya faces a critical choice. Fighting ruthless tech giants seems like an impossible task—wouldn’t it be easier to relinquish her father’s creation in exchange for a normal teenage life?

But if she does, she will have to live with the knowledge that she is the reason that, like everyone, you are being played.

Neil Taylor marks his debut in this dark, twisty AI thriller.

 

What did I think?

WOW!  What a cracking debut novel.  Anticipation by Neil Taylor is easily one of the best debut novels I have read this year.  It hooked me from the start and I read way past my bedtime which, as every reader knows, is a sign of a good book.  "Good" doesn't really cover it in Anticipation's case; it's outstanding, exceptional and magnificent all rolled into one.

With a teenage protagonist, Anticipation fits in the YA genre but it is a hugely enjoyable novel for adults too.  It has quite a shocking start which sees the reader introduced to 17-year-old Riya who has become a target for the people who are desperate to get their hands on an algorithm that can predict the future.

The future prediction is a fascinating element of the plot and you can just imagine how valuable (and dangerous) something like this would be.  It also poses a huge moral dilemma as it could be completely devastating if it fell into the wrong hands.  

Social media advertising is also put under the microscope and it really made me think about how we are manipulated by adverts that just happen to be about something we have looked at or even discussed lately.  If people are vulnerable, they could quite easily be gently pushed in a particular direction that may not be beneficial to their health but would certainly be lucrative to the advertisers.

With a razor-sharp plot and blisteringly fast pacing, Anticipation is an edge-of-your-seat rollercoaster of a book that I simply couldn't put down.  I am delighted to see that it is the first book in the Anticipation series and I can't wait to read more.

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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About the author:

Neil Taylor is a software industry professional whose career has spanned Europe, Japan, and the USA. Now based in Durham, England, Neil works remotely for a leading cloud-based software and services company. With more than two decades of software experience, Neil possesses a deep understanding of how company motivations influence customers and users. Fascinated by the convergence of big data and behavioural science in the tech industry, Neil's debut YA book, "Anticipation," delves into the perilous implications of unchecked social media and AI development.

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BLOG TOUR: Artificial Wisdom - Thomas R. Weaver

SALVATION HAS A PRICE.

An enthralling murder mystery with a vividly realised future world, forcing readers to grapple hard hitting questions about the climate crisis, our relationship with Artificial Intelligence and the price we would be willing to pay, as a species, to be saved. Perfect for fans of Blake Crouch, Neal Stephenson, Philip K Dick, Kim Stanley Robinson and RR Haywood.

It's 2050, a decade after a heatwave that killed four hundred million across the Persian Gulf, including journalist Marcus Tully's wife. Now he must uncover the truth: was the disaster natural? Or is the weather now a weapon of genocide?

A whistleblower pulls Tully into a murder investigation at the centre of an election battle for a global dictator, with a mandate to prevent a climate apocalypse. A former US President campaigns against the first AI politician of the position, but someone is trying to sway the outcome.

Tully must convince the world to face the truth and make hard choices about the future of the species. But will humanity ultimately choose salvation over freedom, whatever the cost?

 

What did I think?

Mind-officially-blown!  Wow, just wow, what an outstanding and completely mind-blowing debut from Thomas R. Weaver!  I didn't think I would ever find a book that could hold a candle to Orwell's 1984 but Artificial Wisdom is 1984 for a new generation and it's an instant classic.

Journalist Marcus Tully is in mourning for his wife and unborn child who were killed in the tabkhir, a devastating climate event in the Middle East that raised humidity to such a level that no one could survive.  With an upcoming election to appoint a dictator, a whistleblower sends Tully information about the tabkhir and how it may not have been the accident that everyone thinks.

The thing that takes Artificial Wisdom up to the next level is that one of the candidates in the election isn't human, Solomon is AI.  When Tully uncovers disturbing information about the human candidate's decision making, Solomon may be the only one who can save humankind.  I just have to share a quote from Solomon that really resonated with me and made me sit up and take notice:

"But if there's one thing I have learned about humankind, it's how bad you are at living in the now.  People seem to live in both the past and in the future, two big overlapping circles, but rarely focus on the intersection and enjoy the moments given to them right now."

Vote Solomon!  

It was interesting that while I was reading Artificial Wisdom, I heard about an AI version of Tom Hanks being used in an advert without the actor's permission.  I was initially thinking that Artificial Wisdom was futuristic but AI is here now and it gives me goose bumps now that I have read this fantastic book.

Intelligent, imaginative and scarily realistic, Artificial Wisdom had me so hooked that when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it and I was so completely immersed in the story that I even dreamt about it.  Completely unmissable and very highly recommended.

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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