The year is 2050 and climate change has devastated the Earth.
Droves of climate refugees have been fleeing their homes for more hospitable regions, and the immigrants are almost always unwelcome.
The refugee crisis isn't the planet's biggest problem however, because the entire human race is in danger of becoming extinct.
Dire straits require dire solutions, and all the nations on Earth have agreed to elect a 'dictator' with absolute power - an individual who will make the hard decisions to save the planet. A series of referendums have yielded two candidates for dictator: former U.S. President Lockwood and an Artificial Intelligence (artilect) called Solomon, who's currently governor of the Floating States (man-made landmasses that roam the seas to avoid bad weather).
Solomon (left) and Lockwood (right)
Floating State
Solomon was created 11 years ago by a tech genius called Martha Chandra, who imbued the artilect with an imperative to save the human race. Now, the election for dictator is weeks away, and the stakes are high.
A British investigative reporter named Marcus Tully finds himself in the middle of this drama.
Tully's pregnant wife Zainab died in a tabkhir (a deadly humid heat wave) in Kuwait City ten years ago, a climate disaster that killed half-a-billion people. Tully was devastated by the loss of his beloved wife and baby, and he continues to mourn a decade later.
Now, an anonymous informer called 'Whistle' tells Tully that one of Lockwood's political advisors badly mistreated climate immigrants; and that the tabkhir wasn't meant to hit the Persian Gulf a decade ago.
According to the tipster, then President Lockwood learned a tabkhir was approaching the United States. Fearing massive loss of life, Lockwood decided to use unproven technology to push the tabkhir into the ocean. Instead, the tabkhir made its way to the Persian Gulf and caused a catastrophe there.
Tully publishes a scathing article about Lockwood's associate harming immigrants, but the journalist needs more proof of the tabkhir story. In any case, Lockwood's followers stick up for him; scream FAKE NEWS; protest; make threats; and throw fire bombs.
When Tully's London office burns down, he and his team make their way to the floating state of New Carthage, where Martha Chandra resides and Governor Solomon has his headquarters. Here Tully tries to get confirmation about Lockwood re-directing the tabkhir, but getting verification is easier said than done.
Before long, a murder occurs in New Carthage, and the state's head of security, a woman called Commander October, asks Tully to her help track down the killer.
October and Tully make important discoveries, additional deaths occur, and there are plenty of surprises and plot twists. There's also philosophizing about whether an artilect should be dictator of the Earth.
The novel has an interesting array of characters, including Tully's team, comprised of his best friend, writing associate, research assistant, and bodyguard. Wealthy residents of New Carthage, like a business mogul, a fashion model, and a perfume manufacturer. Politicians looking to attain and retain power. Police and forensic specialists. And miscellaneous others.
The sci-fi elements of the book revolve around advanced technology. For example:
⦿ There are floating TV images instead of screens.
⦿ There are cleaning bots that tidy up 24/7.
⦿ There's neural-reality: virtual reality places where a person can project their avatar, either for personal reflection or to have meetings with others.
Tully's 'egospace' (just for himself) has the fragrance of orange blossoms, has a stone mosaic floor, contains an image of Zainab, and feels peaceful.
Tully's 'meeting place' (to speak with others) looks like the lobby of a five-star hotel, with a marble floor, sofa chairs, marble tables, and aquarium tanks.
⦿ There's a panopticon surveillance system into which people can project themselves and walk around to see past events. And more.
The book's finale is something of an enigma, but I wouldn't call it a cliffhanger. In any case, I look forward to the second book of the duology, Artificial Wisdom II: Attack Of The Drones....to see what happens next.
The novel addresses important issues about AIs and their abilities; would we want them controlling our lives? (Seems very iffy to me.)
I enjoyed the book but am bothered by the fact that the survival of ONLY ONE SPECIES is discussed - human beings. There's no mention of saving plants, animals, fungi, microbes, whatever. Surely a viable planet needs more than just people, right?
Still, I'm sure many readers would enjoy this novel.
Thanks to Netgalley, Thomas R. Weaver, and Del Ray for a copy of the book.
Rating: 3.5 stars
No comments:
Post a Comment