Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Gallery / Saga Press (2021), 416 pages
Description
"Welga Ramirez, executive bodyguard and ex-special forces, is about to retire early when her client is killed in front of her. It's 2095 and people don't usually die from violence. Humanity is entirely dependent on pills that not only help them stay alive, but allow them to compete with artificial intelligence in an increasingly competitive gig economy. Daily doses protect against designer diseases, flow enhances focus, zips and buffs enhance physical strength and speed, and juvers speed the healing process. All that changes when Welga's client is killed by The Machinehood, a new and mysterious terrorist group that has simultaneously attacked several major pill funders. The Machinehood operatives seem to be part human, part machine, something the world has never seen. They issue an ultimatum: stop all pill production in one week. Global panic ensues as pill production slows and many become ill. Thousands destroy their bots in fear of a strong AI takeover. But the US government believes the Machinehood is a cover for an old enemy. One that Welga is uniquely qualified to fight. Welga, determined to take down the Machinehood, is pulled back into intelligence work by the government that betrayed her. But who are the Machinehood and what do they really want? A thrilling and thought-provoking novel that asks: if we won't see machines as human, will we instead see humans as machines?"--… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member jfe16
Review of eGalley
In the world of 2095, technology has progressed to the point that basic chores are nonexistent, furniture reforms itself into various pieces as needed, the kitchen cooks the food, and Artificial Intelligence thrives. People take a variety of pills to keep various illnesses at bay,
Social media rules. Everything [yes, EVERYTHING] is live-streamed, thanks to network constellations, microdrones, and swarms of tiny cameras surrounding everyone. Tip jars help with finances; if the watchers like what they see, they drop coin into your tip jar.
Into this seemingly utopian existence comes Machinehood with its Manifesto requiring the cessation of all pill production and recognition of the sentience of Artificial Intelligence as equal with humanity. Attacks by Machinehood operatives who seem to be part human, part machine, kill several pill funders; they believe in using force to gain their objectives.
Bodyguard Welga Ramirez finds herself pulled back into intelligence work for the government. Despite her desire to dismantle the Machinehood, she finds herself caught up in an unexpected dilemma that threatens her life. Is the Machinehood hiding in the caliphate of the al-Muwahhidun empire? Is it threatening the way of life of earth from one of the orbiting space colonies?
As global panic takes hold, people destroy their bots in hopes of staving off an AI takeover. Can Welga find the answers before Machinehood destroys their world?
The complex world-building throughout this narrative is impressive, but there’s a LOT crammed into this narrative where, at times, the technology threatens to overwhelm the storytelling. Welga is sure to earn the reader’s empathy; however, despite the intimacy in the telling of the tale, the reader often feels like an observer standing on the sidelines watching the unfolding story. Nevertheless, there’s much to consider in this thought-provoking tale.
Recommended.
I received a free copy of this eBook from Gallery Books / Saga Press and NetGalley
#Machinehood #NetGalley
In the world of 2095, technology has progressed to the point that basic chores are nonexistent, furniture reforms itself into various pieces as needed, the kitchen cooks the food, and Artificial Intelligence thrives. People take a variety of pills to keep various illnesses at bay,
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to enhance their capabilities, to compete with artificial intelligence. They no longer have permanent jobs; they supervise the bots and the gig economy keeps them working at short-term projects and then searching for a new project. Social media rules. Everything [yes, EVERYTHING] is live-streamed, thanks to network constellations, microdrones, and swarms of tiny cameras surrounding everyone. Tip jars help with finances; if the watchers like what they see, they drop coin into your tip jar.
Into this seemingly utopian existence comes Machinehood with its Manifesto requiring the cessation of all pill production and recognition of the sentience of Artificial Intelligence as equal with humanity. Attacks by Machinehood operatives who seem to be part human, part machine, kill several pill funders; they believe in using force to gain their objectives.
Bodyguard Welga Ramirez finds herself pulled back into intelligence work for the government. Despite her desire to dismantle the Machinehood, she finds herself caught up in an unexpected dilemma that threatens her life. Is the Machinehood hiding in the caliphate of the al-Muwahhidun empire? Is it threatening the way of life of earth from one of the orbiting space colonies?
As global panic takes hold, people destroy their bots in hopes of staving off an AI takeover. Can Welga find the answers before Machinehood destroys their world?
The complex world-building throughout this narrative is impressive, but there’s a LOT crammed into this narrative where, at times, the technology threatens to overwhelm the storytelling. Welga is sure to earn the reader’s empathy; however, despite the intimacy in the telling of the tale, the reader often feels like an observer standing on the sidelines watching the unfolding story. Nevertheless, there’s much to consider in this thought-provoking tale.
Recommended.
I received a free copy of this eBook from Gallery Books / Saga Press and NetGalley
#Machinehood #NetGalley
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LibraryThing member ladycato
I received an advanced copy of this book via Netgalley.
The year 2021 has just started, but I already know this is one of the best new science fiction books I will read this year. It's that good. Divya has created an utterly immersive future that is plausible and spooky all at once.
Welcome to a
Some scifi books with advanced tech this deep are so full of jargon they lose me within the first chapter. This book didn't. Divya builds details at the right pace. This isn't a book just about hard scifi, though. It's packed with genuine heart. Every character feels complex and realistic, as does the incredible diversity of ethnicities, religions, and genders. With the stakes so high and the plot so deep, I wondered if everything could pull together in the end--it did. The ending is satisfying and strong, and left me a little sad that it was all done.
Truly a stellar work, and the first one to go on my novel award nominee list for 2021.
The year 2021 has just started, but I already know this is one of the best new science fiction books I will read this year. It's that good. Divya has created an utterly immersive future that is plausible and spooky all at once.
Welcome to a
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future Earth where designer drugs help people work and think faster in order to keep them competitive with advanced machines. Everyone has personal drone clouds that broadcast their activities to the world, with strangers casting money into their tip jar for deeds done well. Welga is a tough woman working in higher echelons of security when a client is killed by a new terrorist group. The Machinehood is demanding rights for bots--or else they'll shut down the pill trade and tech networks, essentially ending modern civilization. Welga tries to find out who and what the Machinehood really is, even as her own health begins to shatter. This is a read that ponders some very deep philosophical questions: what is a machine? what is sentient life?Some scifi books with advanced tech this deep are so full of jargon they lose me within the first chapter. This book didn't. Divya builds details at the right pace. This isn't a book just about hard scifi, though. It's packed with genuine heart. Every character feels complex and realistic, as does the incredible diversity of ethnicities, religions, and genders. With the stakes so high and the plot so deep, I wondered if everything could pull together in the end--it did. The ending is satisfying and strong, and left me a little sad that it was all done.
Truly a stellar work, and the first one to go on my novel award nominee list for 2021.
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LibraryThing member Cats57
1401819
Dianne Socci-Tetro's reviewFeb 22, 2021 · edit
it was ok
bookshelves: attl, dnf, edelweiss, galleys-arcs
I'm truly sorry that I could not make it past 25% of this book. The synopsis pulled me in but the execution just wasn't for me. This is a dense complicated novel that gives us a flimsy back
I understand that the biggest issue is should/could artificial intelligence be considered human (I think that's what it was!) Should AI not be treated as slaves, pets, or unpaid labor. I think the story goes deeper than that but I just don't have the intelligence or patience to dig deeper; read more.
What I will say is that if this is what the coming decades have in store for us (and somehow I don't doubt it) I'm glad I won't be around for it. For example, everything you do is a live feed and I do mean EVERYTHING! You make your own drugs and you use them for everything...well think of a meth lab in your kitchen only making things that keep you healthy or moving when you want to crash etc.
Acronyms abound so keep a pad a pencil handy!
*ARC supplied by the publisher, the author, and ATTL.
Dianne Socci-Tetro's reviewFeb 22, 2021 · edit
it was ok
bookshelves: attl, dnf, edelweiss, galleys-arcs
I'm truly sorry that I could not make it past 25% of this book. The synopsis pulled me in but the execution just wasn't for me. This is a dense complicated novel that gives us a flimsy back
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story, shallow characters, and a glimpse at what could be.I understand that the biggest issue is should/could artificial intelligence be considered human (I think that's what it was!) Should AI not be treated as slaves, pets, or unpaid labor. I think the story goes deeper than that but I just don't have the intelligence or patience to dig deeper; read more.
What I will say is that if this is what the coming decades have in store for us (and somehow I don't doubt it) I'm glad I won't be around for it. For example, everything you do is a live feed and I do mean EVERYTHING! You make your own drugs and you use them for everything...well think of a meth lab in your kitchen only making things that keep you healthy or moving when you want to crash etc.
Acronyms abound so keep a pad a pencil handy!
*ARC supplied by the publisher, the author, and ATTL.
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LibraryThing member Strider66
Pros: brilliant worldbuilding, interesting characters, thought-provoking, international setting
Cons:
Olga (Welga) Ramirez only has a few months of shield work left before she ages out of it, which is why she’s ready to ignore the tremors her zips (enhancement drugs) seem to be causing. To placate
Protecting drug manufacturing funders from protesters as a shield is a semi-dangerous but rewarding and steady job in a world where most people can only find gig work. When a new protest group, the Machinehood, ignores the established ‘rules’ and kills the funder, leaving a manifesto behind, Ramirez realizes the world is about to change.
I really liked the two main point of view characters. Welga’s a bad ass former soldier who loves to cook. Her side of the story deals with the physical aspects of modifications. Nithya is the primary wage earner in her family which makes things a challenge when she discovers she’s pregnant and has to stop using the drugs that allow her to work. Her story is about juggling family and work. Her story also deals more with ethical problems. The book also has a minor non-binary character which was cool to see. And while the story shows that racism isn’t dead, this character faces no in text negativity, so maybe humanity in this future has progressed in that respect.
The worldbuilding was incredible. The amount of history the author created is mind boggling, especially given its detail with regards to politics, conflict, ethics, and most importantly science (with the development of mech technology, then bots, then zips and veemods). I also appreciated the differences in attitude shown by people of various ages with regards to the technology (as it changed) and privacy issues. Also the mixing of technologies - static and moldable items - was really cool, and showed that people adapt new technologies at different speeds depending on their wealth and rural vs urban positioning.
There’s a large emphasis on the gig economy and how having machines take over most physical work makes employment difficult for humans. Global warming also shows up in the form of climactic shifts in regions of the world (like Arizona being subject to repeated dust storms).
I loved that the book had an international setting with one major point of view character in India, major mentions of North Africa and Singapore, nods to China and Europe in addition to a fair amount of action taking place in the United States.
This book would be fantastic for book club meetings as there are a lot of interesting discussion possibilities, specifically around ethics, but also with regards to technological advancements and how things like privacy and the gig economy will change in the future.
I noticed in a few places the author gave the same information twice, in one case using almost the same language both times. This isn’t really a problem beyond the fact that the repetition was unnecessary and therefore a little distracting.
The ending felt a little simplistic given the complexity of the problems the characters are dealing with, but it did wrap things up well.
This is a fantastic book, alternating fast paced action scenes with slower paced visions of life. There’s a lot to think about in this complex possible future.
Cons:
Olga (Welga) Ramirez only has a few months of shield work left before she ages out of it, which is why she’s ready to ignore the tremors her zips (enhancement drugs) seem to be causing. To placate
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her boyfriend, she asks her sister-in-law, Nithya, a biogeneticist, to look into it.Protecting drug manufacturing funders from protesters as a shield is a semi-dangerous but rewarding and steady job in a world where most people can only find gig work. When a new protest group, the Machinehood, ignores the established ‘rules’ and kills the funder, leaving a manifesto behind, Ramirez realizes the world is about to change.
I really liked the two main point of view characters. Welga’s a bad ass former soldier who loves to cook. Her side of the story deals with the physical aspects of modifications. Nithya is the primary wage earner in her family which makes things a challenge when she discovers she’s pregnant and has to stop using the drugs that allow her to work. Her story is about juggling family and work. Her story also deals more with ethical problems. The book also has a minor non-binary character which was cool to see. And while the story shows that racism isn’t dead, this character faces no in text negativity, so maybe humanity in this future has progressed in that respect.
The worldbuilding was incredible. The amount of history the author created is mind boggling, especially given its detail with regards to politics, conflict, ethics, and most importantly science (with the development of mech technology, then bots, then zips and veemods). I also appreciated the differences in attitude shown by people of various ages with regards to the technology (as it changed) and privacy issues. Also the mixing of technologies - static and moldable items - was really cool, and showed that people adapt new technologies at different speeds depending on their wealth and rural vs urban positioning.
There’s a large emphasis on the gig economy and how having machines take over most physical work makes employment difficult for humans. Global warming also shows up in the form of climactic shifts in regions of the world (like Arizona being subject to repeated dust storms).
I loved that the book had an international setting with one major point of view character in India, major mentions of North Africa and Singapore, nods to China and Europe in addition to a fair amount of action taking place in the United States.
This book would be fantastic for book club meetings as there are a lot of interesting discussion possibilities, specifically around ethics, but also with regards to technological advancements and how things like privacy and the gig economy will change in the future.
I noticed in a few places the author gave the same information twice, in one case using almost the same language both times. This isn’t really a problem beyond the fact that the repetition was unnecessary and therefore a little distracting.
The ending felt a little simplistic given the complexity of the problems the characters are dealing with, but it did wrap things up well.
This is a fantastic book, alternating fast paced action scenes with slower paced visions of life. There’s a lot to think about in this complex possible future.
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LibraryThing member breic
Mostly enjoyable despite the usual SF weaknesses. The characters are very bland. Most disappointing, though, is that Divya skips writing the plot climax, and instead just writes a post-game summary.
LibraryThing member Gwendydd
This is set in a not-too-distant future where everyone struggles to work in a gig economy and a lot of people make money by live-streaming their entire lives and collecting tips from viewers. The Machinehood is a terrorist organization of half-human half-AI cyborgs who want the world to liberate
This was okay I guess? I kind of failed to form any opinion about it. I didn't particularly like or dislike any of the characters, I wasn't particularly invested in the storyline but I also wasn't annoyed by it so I read it all the way through. I dunno, sometimes a book just fails to make an impression one way or another. I also happened to get sick in the middle of reading it [vaccine side effects - whee] and didn't read for several days, so maybe I lost the flow.
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AIs from human control.This was okay I guess? I kind of failed to form any opinion about it. I didn't particularly like or dislike any of the characters, I wasn't particularly invested in the storyline but I also wasn't annoyed by it so I read it all the way through. I dunno, sometimes a book just fails to make an impression one way or another. I also happened to get sick in the middle of reading it [vaccine side effects - whee] and didn't read for several days, so maybe I lost the flow.
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LibraryThing member JJbooklvr
Set 75 yrs in the future the line between humans and machines has blurred in this look at a very real possible future for us. A not very good future. The science is spot on with some great action. Sure to please SciFi fans.
LibraryThing member kevn57
Sentient A.I., Venture Capitalists, pills needed to compete with weak A.I.'s, a gig economy that enslaves the masses along with designer pandemics. Lots of big ideas pulled right from today's news. I really enjoyed this fast paced book. I particularly like that a good part of the book follows
The only criticism would be only 1 1/2 characters are really fleshed out. The main character Welga is the one we get to know the most and also the most action packed chapters. Nithya the other characters who we follow in handful of chapters is more scientist and we see more of family life through her eyes.
The last true revolution brought power to the proletariat. It brought rights to workers and liberated women. What’s happened in the decades since then? We’ve allowed labor regulations to erode. We work all the time, multiple gigs, in exchange for basic social services. We’ve traded the security of a livelihood for the government safety net, one that is riddled with holes beyond repair.
Quote from the book, but you could pull that info from any news feed today.
This book has everything I love and then topped off with a secular Neo Buddhism, that's trying to save the world.
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Nithya who lives in India, I hate SF that just centers itself on the US.The only criticism would be only 1 1/2 characters are really fleshed out. The main character Welga is the one we get to know the most and also the most action packed chapters. Nithya the other characters who we follow in handful of chapters is more scientist and we see more of family life through her eyes.
The last true revolution brought power to the proletariat. It brought rights to workers and liberated women. What’s happened in the decades since then? We’ve allowed labor regulations to erode. We work all the time, multiple gigs, in exchange for basic social services. We’ve traded the security of a livelihood for the government safety net, one that is riddled with holes beyond repair.
Quote from the book, but you could pull that info from any news feed today.
This book has everything I love and then topped off with a secular Neo Buddhism, that's trying to save the world.
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LibraryThing member waldhaus1
Am imagined time when population growth has continued, climate change has caused havoc and technology has produced sentient artificial intelligence. The artificial intelligence is demanding human rights, to be considered human. Conflicts has become theater with warriors being paid with tips.
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Civilization is evolving to a new phase. The characters don’t seem As believable to me as I’d like but produce an engaging plot. Show Less
LibraryThing member quickmind
I read this as part of the New Voices Book Club over on R/Fantasy and as part of their Bingo challenge for 2022.
I didn't know anything about this book going into the challenge, and that made it more fun. I enjoyed many of the concepts in this book more than I enjoyed the story. In this version of
Like a lot of science fiction, this futuristic world isn't about the future, its about our world, now. Many of the problems this future world faces, are problems we are discussing now. Who can have access to medical care? How will it be paid for? What rights do people have when it comes to their bodies and what you put in them or how you change them? Who owns the technology you put into your body? How safe is it? What are the makers of these designer pills doing to ensure safety? What are governments doing about it? How can regular people make change in the world when the majority of the power rests in the hands of the few mega rich? The answer to this last question is a major them of this book. You can change the world by changing yourself, both literally and figuratively. You can change the world by working together. You can change it by not becoming complacent. You can change it through acts of courage, and acts of selflessness, and acts of compassion.
Overall, I enjoyed the book, but the ending left me with more questions. I don't feel like there was a big resolution. The main plot was resolved, but the underlying reasons for the machine revolution don't seem settled to me. I feel like the ending was a little rushed, but I appreciated the non-violent solution. But overall it was a good debut novel.
I didn't know anything about this book going into the challenge, and that made it more fun. I enjoyed many of the concepts in this book more than I enjoyed the story. In this version of
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Earth, in about 100 years, humans can manufacture medicines, vaccines, and nanomachines in their own kitchens to help regulate illnesses and health, but mostly to compete with the machines which may or may not have gained sentience. Humans can take pills to concentrate more, essentially achieving a high state of "flow" while working. They can take pills to move faster to compete with machines who are stronger, faster, and don't tire like humans do, in order to compete for work. But, much like our world, wealth is concentrated in the oligarchy, who control most of the economy, so people are all gig workers. Taking cues from social media, people utilize swarms of micro cameras to stream their entire lives and careers. Other people can tune in and give you tips if they appreciate what you're doing. Almost everyone has swarms of microdrones following them and privacy is non-existent. You can watch what your family is doing at almost all times. For me this made me question characters' behaviors. If you know that your tips depend on how entertaining you are, how often are you doing things to gain more cash, rather than genuinely doing something you like, even if you're not getting tips for it? In a world where anybody can watch what anybody else is doing, does it even matter? Does your behavior change regardless, or do you become desensitized to the constant eye in the sky?Like a lot of science fiction, this futuristic world isn't about the future, its about our world, now. Many of the problems this future world faces, are problems we are discussing now. Who can have access to medical care? How will it be paid for? What rights do people have when it comes to their bodies and what you put in them or how you change them? Who owns the technology you put into your body? How safe is it? What are the makers of these designer pills doing to ensure safety? What are governments doing about it? How can regular people make change in the world when the majority of the power rests in the hands of the few mega rich? The answer to this last question is a major them of this book. You can change the world by changing yourself, both literally and figuratively. You can change the world by working together. You can change it by not becoming complacent. You can change it through acts of courage, and acts of selflessness, and acts of compassion.
Overall, I enjoyed the book, but the ending left me with more questions. I don't feel like there was a big resolution. The main plot was resolved, but the underlying reasons for the machine revolution don't seem settled to me. I feel like the ending was a little rushed, but I appreciated the non-violent solution. But overall it was a good debut novel.
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LibraryThing member Shrike58
If I had ruthlessly followed the "50-page Rule" I probably would have set this book aside, on the grounds that I found the opening very clunky and not especially convincing. That I spent more time on it is a commentary on the author's rising reputation, that it picked up a "Nebula" nomination, and
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that my book group is reading it; we love to dissect highly-touted books that don't seem to live up the hype! Towards the end I started to appreciate the point of it all, and I will give Divya more opportunities to impress me in the future. Show Less
LibraryThing member CasSprout
Excellent book. The author writes extremely well, including the correct use of the non-binary they. In the future when humans are enhanced and robots do the menial work, not all are happy. There is exciting action and good characters. The plot is scarily real.
LibraryThing member SChant
In the 2090s are humans becoming more machine-like with their enhancements of pills and implants, and are robots/AI becoming more human with developing self-awareness and demands for rights? It's not a new theme, but very well done in this book with its exploration of how intelligence/thinking is
Initially I found the jargon a bit confusing, but it soon blended into the story, and the ending seemed a little hurried, but all in all an excellent read.
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defined, workers rights, narrow obsession and wider perspectives.Initially I found the jargon a bit confusing, but it soon blended into the story, and the ending seemed a little hurried, but all in all an excellent read.
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LibraryThing member Citizenjoyce
I was pretty disappointed by Machinehood. Written about the almost 30th century the Catholic church still has a stranglehold on its members' sexuality, patriarchy is still strong and respected, and the group's solution to the AI problem doesn't seem like a solution at all. But her description of
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the economy in which billionaires (or whatever the term would be at that time) ran the world and everyone else worked for tips is, unfortunately, possible and depressingly intriguing. Show Less
Awards
Nebula Award (Nominee — Novel — 2021)
Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year (Science Fiction and Fantasy — 2021)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2021
Physical description
416 p.; 9 inches
ISBN
1982148063 / 9781982148065