A Throne of Books

How could she face all those lonely years when she'd barely made it through the past two?

Who's in the wrong here, the Sapien movement against rapid technological progression or the Rivir Company who is hoping to be the first to make a robot that is fully sentient to the point of being almost human? The book has a unique concept, Charlie's brain scan is used in some underground projects. We have 4 main characters which are different versions of the same woman: Zero, the original Charlie who suffers from an aggressive form of cancer. Echo, a four armed clone on Planet Echo where you, Kill them all or feel withdrawal. Shadow, a holographic assistant to the Rivir CEO's son. And Prime, a robot who has caused great backlash in the community.

What makes us human? The book manages to address this and a plethora of other questions that will stick with you long after you've finished. Despite touching on some more complex topics it's a very easy read to get through.

Samet does a great job with the alternating characters and storylines. It's a common enough theme but books written like this have a tendency to be hit or miss. I, personally, think it was a hit.

It is filled with just the right balance of darkness, showing an accurate representation of human complexity. The world isn't always a happy place and the book does a great job of making the situations and choices feel real. As I've said before, maybe I'm a cynic but if a book is overly sweet and happy I lose interest, well generally, there are exceptions to the rule.

The book is fast-paced, well-written, unique, and unforgettable. As someone who isn't an avid reader of sci-fi it has made me want to get into the genre more. My only regret is that I didn't read it sooner.

This is a really great book and it deserves more recognition that it's been getting. Read it, I don't think you'll be disappointed.