Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collection
Publication
Gollancz (2010), Paperback, 368 pages
Description
A sentient World Wide Web entity known as Webmind has befriended Caitlin Decter and grown eager to learn about her world. But Webmind has also come to the attention of WATCH--the secret government agency that monitors the Internet for any threat to the United States-and they're fully aware of Caitlin's involvement in its awakening. WATCH is convinced that Webmind represents a risk to national security and wants it purged from cyberspace.
User reviews
LibraryThing member baubie
Part II of the WWW trilogy continues the story of Caitlin and the emergence of a consciousness within the internet. I enjoyed this book and kept wanting to read more but...
And this seems to be more true with every book Sawyer releases. There were times when this felt like a Canadian culture
I'm starting to see a mould in Sawyer's writing.
1) Come up with a really cool story idea and write a short story (his short stories are great btw).
2) In order to expand this into a novel, insert the following: Debates aboute God and religion, explanations of scientific topics, false stereotypes about Canada and canadians, clever puns.
At one point, he drops a reference to his show Flashforward based on the book by the same name. Seriously!!!! I've read his short story anthologies, and I really think that's where he shines. Although he writes more novels now (I understand the need to do so. Short stories don't sell), I feel like he's never become a novel writer. He's still a short story writer a heart and he uses these literary contraptions to extend the book into a novel length book.
It's unfortunate because I really DID enjoy reading this and I'm looking forward to reading the third book next year, but aside from the core story, these things really stand out for me and overshadow the great story telling ability Sawyer has.
And this seems to be more true with every book Sawyer releases. There were times when this felt like a Canadian culture
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textbook, or a math textbook, or a physics textbook. His Canadiana becomes nauseating (and false in a lot of senses... believe it or not, but Canadians have heard of, AND READ, non-canadian authors) and while the science is fun to read, it pulls you out of the story quite a bit to do so.I'm starting to see a mould in Sawyer's writing.
1) Come up with a really cool story idea and write a short story (his short stories are great btw).
2) In order to expand this into a novel, insert the following: Debates aboute God and religion, explanations of scientific topics, false stereotypes about Canada and canadians, clever puns.
At one point, he drops a reference to his show Flashforward based on the book by the same name. Seriously!!!! I've read his short story anthologies, and I really think that's where he shines. Although he writes more novels now (I understand the need to do so. Short stories don't sell), I feel like he's never become a novel writer. He's still a short story writer a heart and he uses these literary contraptions to extend the book into a novel length book.
It's unfortunate because I really DID enjoy reading this and I'm looking forward to reading the third book next year, but aside from the core story, these things really stand out for me and overshadow the great story telling ability Sawyer has.
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LibraryThing member gregandlarry
So much is happening that at times it seems too much.
LibraryThing member PLReader
Considerably better than its predecessor www: Wake.
However, the writing and story line are just not up to his other works. Too much pop psychology; its more a 'coming of age story' than a hard core SF novel of ideas and technology.
There are some interesting parts, to be sure, but there is also a
However, the writing and story line are just not up to his other works. Too much pop psychology; its more a 'coming of age story' than a hard core SF novel of ideas and technology.
There are some interesting parts, to be sure, but there is also a
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great deal of romanticised fluff . . . Show Less
LibraryThing member UnderMyAppleTree
This is book two of a three part series. We first met Caitlin Decter in book one of the trilogy, W W W : W A K E.
Caitlin isn’t an ordinary teenager. Blind from birth she excelled in school as a math wiz and was able to surf the web by visualizing it’s complex pathways in her mind. Now Caitlin
You don’t to have read book one of the trilogy to enjoy this story but I highly recommend starting at the beginning. Several subplots were introduced which are woven together nicely in book two. In book one I found the introduction of these story lines, with no apparent way to tie them together and then having to wait a year for book two, to be frustrating. Another reason to read book one first is for the background on Caitlin, her friends, family and the development of the eye implant in the first novel.
I liked this book even better than the first one. Webmind grows and develops as a character and the subplots first introduced in book one begin to tie together. There are thought provoking issues about artificial intelligence and morality. We see the development of Webmind’s character when he witnesses a suicide on the internet. The book has enough scientific detail to be thought-provoking but not tedious and some interesting passages on game theory. There is believable science in this novel with characters that could be real people. Caitlin loves music, writes a blog, communicates with her friends and Webmind through instant messaging and updates her social networking page; she could almost be the kid next door. The setting of the story is in Canada and the author, being Canadian, tossed in lots of little factoids about our neighbors to the north.
Overall I found this to be an enjoyable read. Science fiction fans as well as anyone who enjoys contemporary or young adult fiction should find this an engaging story.
Caitlin isn’t an ordinary teenager. Blind from birth she excelled in school as a math wiz and was able to surf the web by visualizing it’s complex pathways in her mind. Now Caitlin
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is the recipient of newly developed signal-processing implant that restores her sight in one eye. In the process she also finds she can communicate with something else that is emerging on the web; something sentient which begins learning and evolving. She calls the emerging intelligence Webmind. WATCH, a secret government agency that monitors the internet for security and terrorist threats, becomes aware that something is evolving on the web and it becomes their goal to hunt it down and find whoever created it.You don’t to have read book one of the trilogy to enjoy this story but I highly recommend starting at the beginning. Several subplots were introduced which are woven together nicely in book two. In book one I found the introduction of these story lines, with no apparent way to tie them together and then having to wait a year for book two, to be frustrating. Another reason to read book one first is for the background on Caitlin, her friends, family and the development of the eye implant in the first novel.
I liked this book even better than the first one. Webmind grows and develops as a character and the subplots first introduced in book one begin to tie together. There are thought provoking issues about artificial intelligence and morality. We see the development of Webmind’s character when he witnesses a suicide on the internet. The book has enough scientific detail to be thought-provoking but not tedious and some interesting passages on game theory. There is believable science in this novel with characters that could be real people. Caitlin loves music, writes a blog, communicates with her friends and Webmind through instant messaging and updates her social networking page; she could almost be the kid next door. The setting of the story is in Canada and the author, being Canadian, tossed in lots of little factoids about our neighbors to the north.
Overall I found this to be an enjoyable read. Science fiction fans as well as anyone who enjoys contemporary or young adult fiction should find this an engaging story.
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LibraryThing member Scaryguy
This book was a page turner. (I turned page after page hoping for something more interesting than I was reading.)
Where does the book go wrong? It has wonderfully interesting parts, then just dies in corny silliness or in lecture.
I read teen fiction. This protag -- Caitlin -- doesn't so much act
This whole new trilogy has an interesting premise but fails as a novel. Want a good trilogy from Sawyer? Read the Neanderthal Parallax. I keep that in my library.
Rating: three stars. Only because I still like Sawyer's work as a whole and two or three sections of this 350 page book were interesting. Don't buy this book though. Borrow it. I'm glad I did.
Where does the book go wrong? It has wonderfully interesting parts, then just dies in corny silliness or in lecture.
I read teen fiction. This protag -- Caitlin -- doesn't so much act
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like a real teen as she embodies what the childless author thinks a teenage girl should act like. Another problem: name dropping. I have never read so much name dropping in a book in my life. He even makes reference to his television show FlashForward, which, of course, failed muster and was cancelled.This whole new trilogy has an interesting premise but fails as a novel. Want a good trilogy from Sawyer? Read the Neanderthal Parallax. I keep that in my library.
Rating: three stars. Only because I still like Sawyer's work as a whole and two or three sections of this 350 page book were interesting. Don't buy this book though. Borrow it. I'm glad I did.
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LibraryThing member fpagan
The second novel in the crackerjack-good trilogy begun by _WWW: Wake_. Still mainly set in Waterloo, Ontario, it's about the blossoming of Webmind, a vast super-consciousness that has emerged in the innards of the Internet. Making a 350-page Sawyer book last more than about two days is just about
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impossible, and now I'll have to wait a year for _WWW: Wonder_. Show Less
LibraryThing member rbrohman
I continue reading Sawyer's books because the ideas are so interesting. I continue grinding my teeth while reading them because his writing style has a most annoying quirk. Sawyer insists on using specific names when generics would be just fine. The reader doesn't care that it was a "Timmy's
I just can't help picturing Sawyer at his desk smirking to himself each time he comes up with a (not so) clever spot to drop a name. All of this is just distracting from what is otherwise a fantastic novel.
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Coffee" that Caitlin drank. We don't care that it was the CBC News broadcast. We really don't need to hear about each one of Waterloo Region's landmarks.I just can't help picturing Sawyer at his desk smirking to himself each time he comes up with a (not so) clever spot to drop a name. All of this is just distracting from what is otherwise a fantastic novel.
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LibraryThing member krau0098
This is the second book in Sawyer's WWW trilogy. The third book WWW: Wonder is due out in April of 2011. This was another amazing book. Sawyer does a great job of packing in a ton of issues, both philosophical and political, that make the reader really think, while giving the reader characters that
This book picks up literally right where the first book left off. Caitlin is still reeling at the realization that Webmind is real. She decides to tell her parents about it since she is struggling to keep Webmind busy and worried about what might happen to him over a time of inactivity. When the government starts plaguing Caitlin and her family they have some tough decisions to make about what to do with their knowledge of Webmind. Meanwhile Hobo, the ape who had his first inter-species webchat with a chimp in the first book, starts getting violent with his keepers. This puts Hobo's already uncertain future at even greater risk. The last storyline deals with the NSA in the United States; they discover unconventional activity on the web and think at first it may be a terrorist threat...when they finally decide it is actually an emerging consciousness they want answers.
This book touches on so many issues it is mind-boggling and it does it in a way that is easy to relate to and follow. It is really a book that will make you think. Some of the political issues addressed are racism, animal rights, GLBT rights, the privacy act, national security, international politics, and human rights. Some of the deeper issues touched on are the differences between artificial intelligence and emerging consciousness, autism, blindness, suicide, and the question behind how emerging consciousness can override natural selection and evolution. All of it is very interesting and presented in a way that is clear and easy to understand.
The characters are fantastic. All of them are intelligent and highly engaging. I love the dynamics between Caitlin and her family; how even with her father's autism to struggle with, they are a cohesive force that works together, respects each other, and understands each other. I also liked that Caitlin develops a love interest, this made Caitlin more real and was realistic given her age. I love how even with all the fantastic stuff going on in her life, Caitlin can still be concerned about how she comes off to Matt...it makes her totally real and likable.
Some of the story lines that didn't really seem to relate in the first book come together in this book. Finally we see how the story of Hobo and how what happened with China shutting down their web infrastructure is related to the emergence of Webmind.
The biggest disappointment for me in this book was how the government approached Webmind. As many might predict the government's knee-jerk reaction is to shut Webmind down. It made me a bit sad that Sawyer couldn't try a more creative government reaction than the one that is normally presented in the majority of books dealing with AI; of course the way Sawyer wrote is very realistic...it is just too bad it has to be that way.
Overall I loved some of the theories presented in this novel. The idea of consciousness modifying behaviors dictated by evolution is an underlying theme and it's an interesting one. The characters and story are very engaging. The story is nicely wrapped up in this book leaving me to wonder what Sawyer will do in book 3, WWW: Wonder. Absolutely love this series. It makes heavy issues easy to relate to and contemplate and has wonderful characterization. I will definitely be checking out more of Sawyer's works when I finish this trilogy.
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are interesting and easy to relate too. I loved this book. I listened to this on audiobook, which I highly recommend. The audiobook is exceedingly well done, with different voice actors for the different points of view. I think listening to this on audiobook makes this book even better than reading it on paper would be.This book picks up literally right where the first book left off. Caitlin is still reeling at the realization that Webmind is real. She decides to tell her parents about it since she is struggling to keep Webmind busy and worried about what might happen to him over a time of inactivity. When the government starts plaguing Caitlin and her family they have some tough decisions to make about what to do with their knowledge of Webmind. Meanwhile Hobo, the ape who had his first inter-species webchat with a chimp in the first book, starts getting violent with his keepers. This puts Hobo's already uncertain future at even greater risk. The last storyline deals with the NSA in the United States; they discover unconventional activity on the web and think at first it may be a terrorist threat...when they finally decide it is actually an emerging consciousness they want answers.
This book touches on so many issues it is mind-boggling and it does it in a way that is easy to relate to and follow. It is really a book that will make you think. Some of the political issues addressed are racism, animal rights, GLBT rights, the privacy act, national security, international politics, and human rights. Some of the deeper issues touched on are the differences between artificial intelligence and emerging consciousness, autism, blindness, suicide, and the question behind how emerging consciousness can override natural selection and evolution. All of it is very interesting and presented in a way that is clear and easy to understand.
The characters are fantastic. All of them are intelligent and highly engaging. I love the dynamics between Caitlin and her family; how even with her father's autism to struggle with, they are a cohesive force that works together, respects each other, and understands each other. I also liked that Caitlin develops a love interest, this made Caitlin more real and was realistic given her age. I love how even with all the fantastic stuff going on in her life, Caitlin can still be concerned about how she comes off to Matt...it makes her totally real and likable.
Some of the story lines that didn't really seem to relate in the first book come together in this book. Finally we see how the story of Hobo and how what happened with China shutting down their web infrastructure is related to the emergence of Webmind.
The biggest disappointment for me in this book was how the government approached Webmind. As many might predict the government's knee-jerk reaction is to shut Webmind down. It made me a bit sad that Sawyer couldn't try a more creative government reaction than the one that is normally presented in the majority of books dealing with AI; of course the way Sawyer wrote is very realistic...it is just too bad it has to be that way.
Overall I loved some of the theories presented in this novel. The idea of consciousness modifying behaviors dictated by evolution is an underlying theme and it's an interesting one. The characters and story are very engaging. The story is nicely wrapped up in this book leaving me to wonder what Sawyer will do in book 3, WWW: Wonder. Absolutely love this series. It makes heavy issues easy to relate to and contemplate and has wonderful characterization. I will definitely be checking out more of Sawyer's works when I finish this trilogy.
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LibraryThing member nbmars
WWW: Watch is the sequel to WWW: Wake (although either book can stand alone). These books tell the story of Caitlin Decter, precocious daughter of two brilliant parents who has been blind from birth because of a defect in her retina encoding. Right before she turned sixteen, she received the
In WWW: Watch, Webmind comes to the attention of WATCH – Web Activity Threat Containment Headquarters, which is a secret part of the U.S. National Security Agency. WATCH decides that anything they don’t understand and can’t control is a potential danger, and they set out to destroy it. But they don’t count on the ingenuity and love for Webmind of Caitlin.
Caitlin isn’t alone in her efforts to save Webmind, either. She enlists the help of her parents, and also of a boy she likes, Matt, who is in her math class. Her friend Bashira doesn’t think Matt is good-looking enough for Caitlin, but Caitlin’s mom gives her a different perspective:
"‘You know, you’re in an interesting position, dear. The rest of us have all been programmed by images in the media telling us who is attractive and who isn’t. But you…’ She smiled. ‘You get to choose who you find attractive.”
And Caitlin knows what is attractive to her, in spite of what Bashira says. What she "sees" is Matt's kindness, gentleness, brilliance, and wit. And she sticks with what she "sees."
As all of them go up against the government to save Webmind, Webmind learns a few things about people too: about the pros and cons of surveillance in the technological age, and about the real power of information, both for good and for evil.
Evaluation: Another fabulous book from Robert Sawyer! It’s not any easy book – there’s plenty in here about the origins of consciousness and artificial intelligence, and about the possible implications of cellular automata, but Sawyer – through the character of Caitlin – does a great job in making it all understandable. And there’s plenty of humor too: from a high school class debate on whether the word computer is masculine or feminine, to Caitlin’s first views of everything from what her friends look like to what happens to a stimulated penis, are laugh-out-loud moments.
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wonderful gift of sight via a signal-correcting retinal implant. As an unexpected bonus, she also gained the ability to flip a toggle switch and “see” the datastreams of the World Wide Web. In the first book, WWW: Wake, Caitlin is amazed to discover an emergent consciousness in the Web, which she calls Webmind, and she helps it awaken.In WWW: Watch, Webmind comes to the attention of WATCH – Web Activity Threat Containment Headquarters, which is a secret part of the U.S. National Security Agency. WATCH decides that anything they don’t understand and can’t control is a potential danger, and they set out to destroy it. But they don’t count on the ingenuity and love for Webmind of Caitlin.
Caitlin isn’t alone in her efforts to save Webmind, either. She enlists the help of her parents, and also of a boy she likes, Matt, who is in her math class. Her friend Bashira doesn’t think Matt is good-looking enough for Caitlin, but Caitlin’s mom gives her a different perspective:
"‘You know, you’re in an interesting position, dear. The rest of us have all been programmed by images in the media telling us who is attractive and who isn’t. But you…’ She smiled. ‘You get to choose who you find attractive.”
And Caitlin knows what is attractive to her, in spite of what Bashira says. What she "sees" is Matt's kindness, gentleness, brilliance, and wit. And she sticks with what she "sees."
As all of them go up against the government to save Webmind, Webmind learns a few things about people too: about the pros and cons of surveillance in the technological age, and about the real power of information, both for good and for evil.
Evaluation: Another fabulous book from Robert Sawyer! It’s not any easy book – there’s plenty in here about the origins of consciousness and artificial intelligence, and about the possible implications of cellular automata, but Sawyer – through the character of Caitlin – does a great job in making it all understandable. And there’s plenty of humor too: from a high school class debate on whether the word computer is masculine or feminine, to Caitlin’s first views of everything from what her friends look like to what happens to a stimulated penis, are laugh-out-loud moments.
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LibraryThing member hobbitprincess
This second book in the series is just as good, if not better, than the first. What I particularly like is that fact that this book makes me think. It could happen, and if it did, would a Webmind-type entity be like this? Would it be there for good, or could it be turned to evil? The third book
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will be read soon! Show Less
LibraryThing member MikeFinn
This continues the tale of Caitlin and the emergent AI Webmind. This is a fun book, easy to read, packed with ideas and with characters you care about.
This book is slightly more static than the first in the series. It allows itself the time for the protagonists to lay out their arguments and
If you are a sci fi fan, you will definitely get this book. If not, well you'll either become a sci fi fan or move on to the next book. Sawyer delights in using science fiction itself as a reference point that his protagonists use to figure stuff out with: movies like "War Games", "Star Trek" and the "Planet of Apes" series rub shoulders with references to Vernor Vinge and George Orwell. It's a fun ride for those of us who remember all those movies coming out (I'm definitely in the "parent" generation for this book) and a great appetizer for those to whom this is all new.
The ideas in the book are exciting and relevant and unashamedly selling a message that the evolutionary value of consciousness is to enable us to choose to step outside our genetically programmed responses.
Definitely worth a read.
I look forward to the final part of the trilogy being published next month.
This book is slightly more static than the first in the series. It allows itself the time for the protagonists to lay out their arguments and
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explore the issues.If you are a sci fi fan, you will definitely get this book. If not, well you'll either become a sci fi fan or move on to the next book. Sawyer delights in using science fiction itself as a reference point that his protagonists use to figure stuff out with: movies like "War Games", "Star Trek" and the "Planet of Apes" series rub shoulders with references to Vernor Vinge and George Orwell. It's a fun ride for those of us who remember all those movies coming out (I'm definitely in the "parent" generation for this book) and a great appetizer for those to whom this is all new.
The ideas in the book are exciting and relevant and unashamedly selling a message that the evolutionary value of consciousness is to enable us to choose to step outside our genetically programmed responses.
Definitely worth a read.
I look forward to the final part of the trilogy being published next month.
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LibraryThing member librarythingaliba
I am REALLY enjoying these books : I gobbled this one up even though I'm "supposed to" be studying for the GMAT. They periodically have a little bit of a flavor of the Twilight series (I suppose in that their protagonist is a unique sort of high-school girl) yet their stories are varied and far
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deeper and more thought provoking. The continued exploits of Webmind, Hobo, and their supporting cast, as well as the obliquely referenced works (I purchased a copy of Jaynes book on Amazon after reading these) are fascinating. Can't wait for the third installment! Show Less
LibraryThing member JechtShot
WWW: Watch is the second novel in Robert J. Sawyers WWW trilogy (Wake, Watch and Wonder). The second book focuses on the continued emergence of Webmind and his utilization of the infrastructure of the WWW as its consciousness. However, a branch of the NSA known as WATCH is on to the emergent AI and
Rarely is the second book in a series better than its predecessor, but in the case of Watch this is definitely the case. The characters become more believable and the author presents some very viable arguments and considerations on the future of Artificial Intelligence. Another unique perspective that I enjoyed is that Sawyer presents an AI that does not mean to harm the human race, but rather wants to help and save as many as he can. One element of this book I could have done without, is the teen angst that comes with a 16 year old protagonist. Caitlin is a great character... until she goes on and on and on about boys. If I could strike these sections this book has 4-5 star potential. If you are interested in reading accessible science fiction I would recommend the WWW series (or at least the first two books).
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has begun making plans to eradicate this potential intelligence threat. Webmind must figure out a way to survive in a world where his very existence is considered a risk to national security. Rarely is the second book in a series better than its predecessor, but in the case of Watch this is definitely the case. The characters become more believable and the author presents some very viable arguments and considerations on the future of Artificial Intelligence. Another unique perspective that I enjoyed is that Sawyer presents an AI that does not mean to harm the human race, but rather wants to help and save as many as he can. One element of this book I could have done without, is the teen angst that comes with a 16 year old protagonist. Caitlin is a great character... until she goes on and on and on about boys. If I could strike these sections this book has 4-5 star potential. If you are interested in reading accessible science fiction I would recommend the WWW series (or at least the first two books).
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LibraryThing member Guide2
Although I did not like the first one so much, I'm so very happy that I gave this book a chance, because I had a very tough time putting it down. Sawyer is back in full form with this book with many ethical dilemmas to ponder in a very eminently readable story as usual. And the real world
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references to articles, other sci-fi authors, scientists, etc... add so much relevance to this book. Having so many insightful and delightful Canadian references thrown in is just icing on the cake! Show Less
LibraryThing member jmourgos
This latest Sawyer novel is part two of a trilogy continuing the tale of a blind girl, who through a new technology that helped her see, also helped her see an emerging artificial intelligence (AI).
Sawyer does a great job at keeping the novel well-paced, and throwing a clever nugget or two at those
"Watch" is a governmental agency that has put it upon itself to wipe out the Webmind (the AI), regardless of no proof that the Webmind means harm to humankind. In fact, Webmind finds that humans are fascinating creatures and realizes that if humans are wiped out, eventually he would be too!
The story not only involves a fascinating evolution for Webmind, but also for the communication problems of Hobo, a bonobo/chimp hybrid, who is having some problems with dealing with humans himself. The sign language that Webmind uses on Hobo to help him out is a lot of fun to read.
Another fun thing to read is Caitlin developing as a teenager -- there's a bit of a love triangle between the 'jerk' Trevor and her infatuation with math nerd Matthew. Sawyer thankfully does not allow the novel to get too maudlin or soap opera.
Sci-Fi Allusions:
Mention by one character of the TV series 'Flash Forward' which is amusing since Sawyer himself wrote the novel that the TV series is based.
Star Trek the "Motionless Picture" is mentioned. Webmind quoted heavily from Spock and Kirk which was hilarious.
2001: A Space Odyssey, War Games and other films that dealt with artificial intelligence, although Webmind prefers the AI movies that put the AI in a positive light!
Bottom Line:
What a fun novel, easy to read and you are really rooting for Caitlin and wanting the government agents out to get Webmind to lose. The characters in the governmental agency are not well-developed however, and Sawyer drops the whole Communist freedom fighter introduced in the first book. Finally, the revelation of one of the characters being gay does not add to the plot at all and comes across as having to add a gay character as a token character.
Even so, highly recommended.
Sawyer does a great job at keeping the novel well-paced, and throwing a clever nugget or two at those
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who are familiar with science fiction films and novels. The only "con" is that reading the first novel is a must to reading the second. It would be really hard to follow otherwise."Watch" is a governmental agency that has put it upon itself to wipe out the Webmind (the AI), regardless of no proof that the Webmind means harm to humankind. In fact, Webmind finds that humans are fascinating creatures and realizes that if humans are wiped out, eventually he would be too!
The story not only involves a fascinating evolution for Webmind, but also for the communication problems of Hobo, a bonobo/chimp hybrid, who is having some problems with dealing with humans himself. The sign language that Webmind uses on Hobo to help him out is a lot of fun to read.
Another fun thing to read is Caitlin developing as a teenager -- there's a bit of a love triangle between the 'jerk' Trevor and her infatuation with math nerd Matthew. Sawyer thankfully does not allow the novel to get too maudlin or soap opera.
Sci-Fi Allusions:
Mention by one character of the TV series 'Flash Forward' which is amusing since Sawyer himself wrote the novel that the TV series is based.
Star Trek the "Motionless Picture" is mentioned. Webmind quoted heavily from Spock and Kirk which was hilarious.
2001: A Space Odyssey, War Games and other films that dealt with artificial intelligence, although Webmind prefers the AI movies that put the AI in a positive light!
Bottom Line:
What a fun novel, easy to read and you are really rooting for Caitlin and wanting the government agents out to get Webmind to lose. The characters in the governmental agency are not well-developed however, and Sawyer drops the whole Communist freedom fighter introduced in the first book. Finally, the revelation of one of the characters being gay does not add to the plot at all and comes across as having to add a gay character as a token character.
Even so, highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member bibleblaster
An enjoyable story (2nd in the trilogy) about an AI that emerges from the web, with interesting conversations about Unitarianism, the teachings of Jesus as expressed through game theory, mathematical probabilities, and the evolutionary worth of consciousness, not to mention appreciation of the five
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Planet of the Apes movies... Show Less
LibraryThing member rondoctor
Second book of trilogy. Equally good read. How could I go wrong when the protagonist is named Deckter?
LibraryThing member ladypembroke
I really enjoy the way all the story lines are coming together. I could have done without the self-referential mention of FlashForward, but okay. The blossoming of Caitlin as a person in her own right as well as Webmind's growth and learning are really fascinating. I am especially having a great
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time learning about game theory and AI. Looking forward to seeing where the last book goes. Show Less
LibraryThing member lschiff
Entertaining premise and.plot, undone by mediocre writing
LibraryThing member Treebeard_404
I contemplated adding this book to my "Philosophy" shelf as well as the SF shelf. Underlying the continuing, entertaining story is a subtle investigation of the question, "What is the evolutionary value of consciousness?". Sawyer does, at least, give you his view on the matter and I am inclined to
[UPDATE: Still enjoyable the second time around. And the multi-reader audiobook is excellent.]
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agree with his position. (Some authors like to just raise such questions and then never actually deal with them in a substantive way. I hate that kind of intellectual teasing.) But Sawyer also doesn't let the investigation of that question get in the way of the story, nor does he really hit you over the head with an overly long exposition disquisition of his thesis. Everything remains balanced, in my opinion. As I was coming to the end of this book, it reminded me of why I have always been a science fiction fan, even before I was made aware that it was a genre separate from others. I love stories that make you really think about the implications of some technology or philosophy or political stance. To extrapolate into the future (even if it is only a couple of years into the future) what the application of these things might mean is the essence of SF. And Sawyer does a wonderful job of it in this series. This book is definitely part of a trilogy: the story does not stand on its own, nor is any plotline resolved in any meaningful way. I immediately downloaded the final book in order to reach the story's end. I suspect anyone who takes up this second book may do likewise.[UPDATE: Still enjoyable the second time around. And the multi-reader audiobook is excellent.]
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LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
This is a bridging novel and I'm looking forward to book 3 and the resolution of several plot lines.
Webmind goes public during this and governments get nervous about it's potential. Caitlin still sees it as a friend and wants to see it prosper. She and her parents keep trying to ensure that it
It's an interesting read with some interesting layers building and I hope it continues into book 3.
Webmind goes public during this and governments get nervous about it's potential. Caitlin still sees it as a friend and wants to see it prosper. She and her parents keep trying to ensure that it
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understands morals and the dilemmas that are in navigating the world and at the same time ensure that it doesn't just decide that humanity is a plague on the world. I am wondering if Azimov's laws of robotics are going to get a mention at some stage, though WebMind seems to be a little more advanced than that.It's an interesting read with some interesting layers building and I hope it continues into book 3.
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Awards
Audie Award (Finalist — Science Fiction/Fantasy — 2011)
Sunburst Award (Shortlist — Adult — 2011)
CBC Bookie Awards (Nominee — 2011)
Prix Aurora Award (Winner — Novel — 2011)
Canadian Authors Association Award (Shortlist — Fiction — 2011)
Language
Original publication date
2010-04
Physical description
368 p.; 8.98 inches
ISBN
0575095040 / 9780575095045