I was a big fan of The Mountain In The Sea, and rated it as one of the most interesting debuts to come along in a while. This one also deals with non-human intelligence, but one closer to today’s headlines. Yes, it’s an AI novel. But what’s most interesting here is the form. It’s told from many different viewpoints, all of whom of have different levels of access to what’s really going on, and it ends up reading like a classic twisty espionage story. More than anything, I was put in mind of Dave Hutchinson’s fantastic Fractured Europe books. And like those, be prepared to be left scratching your head at the end, as you piece together what was really going on. A reread will, I think, throw lots of new perspectives on the novel, but even after a single read through it’s clear Ray Nayler is a hugely promising talent.

First off: I love a book with a good relevant title.

This is the first of Nayler's work that I've read, and I'll definitely be visiting more in the future. Yes, we've read authoritarian. Yes, we know AI. Yes, we love an innovative scientist. But Naylar manages to bring a spark to these "tropes" that casts them in a new light.

Favorite part: The President and his doctor. I won't say more for now.

Especially with the current state of the world, it's a timely story, and one I enjoyed reading.