My Reviews Of. . .
Three Laws
Lethal
It’s been a long time since I
sat down to read a book, only to find myself going from cover to cover in two
days.
I did exactly that with
“Three Laws Lethal”, the latest offering from David Walton. And you might
appreciate why. The topic of Artificial Intelligence is not only current, but
it’s the subject of much controversy and conjecture.
A superb avenue, therefore,
to introduce us to the driving force behind our story.
Why? Think about it. We
already have cars that can park themselves and carry out all sorts of
complicated maneuvers unassisted. Some
can even project images of the road ahead onto a screen or heads-up display on
the windshield during conditions of reduced visibility. So, why not take that
one step further?
Walton does, and uses it as
the foundation on which to build his world:
It’s the very near future and
self-driving cars are now a reality. As you might expect, competition is
fierce, especially among the big-name car manufacturers. Two friends at college
have a dream to cut in on the market by developing a state-of-the-art
predictive system to beat everything else that’s available. And beat it they do
. . . only, not in the way you would expect.
The road to success is beset
by hazards, you see. Tragedy leads to heartbreak. Heartbreak to a fierce
rivalry that festers over the years into a deep abiding hatred. And behind it
all, an emerging intelligence begins to comprehend it can do more; much more,
that simply follow instructions.
Yes, what happens when the
real and virtual worlds collide?
Well, strap in and hang on!
You’re about to find out in a story that’s so believable, you’ll never want to turn
control of your safety over to a machine! And THAT’s what I particularly
enjoyed about this book. I’m something of a physics geek myself. The fact that
the science incorporated into the storyline already has a toehold in society
makes you forget you’re reading a sci-fi novel.
Kudos to David Walton.
“Three Laws Lethal” – a story
as immersive as the VR it portrays.
Stranger Things
3
As any discerning connoisseur
will affirm, you can have all the right ingredients at the ready, but unless
you mix them together in the right order, at the right time and in the right
way, you won’t produce a Michelin star class meal.
And when it comes to
producing a masterful recipe, Stranger Things 3 sets the bar.
This time around, the gang
are doing their best to settle into their lives after sealing the rift between
dimensions and the loss of someone close to them. A degree of normalcy returns,
so much so, that life might be said to be boring.
But fear not, pesky Russian
villains have infiltrated Hawkins, and they’re up to mischief. Somehow, they’ve
managed to set up a huge underground base beneath the town’s new shopping mall
where they’re working hard to reopen the rift. Of course, the malevolence
lurking on the other side doesn’t need an invitation to resume its dastardly
schemes, and in no time at all, local residents start acting strangely.
As the mind flayer
consolidates its hold, you could be forgiven for thinking revenge will be the
sweetest of dishes served with a garnish of dead bodies.
Not if the gang has anything
to do with it!
Once they learn what is
happening, they set out in their own unique ways to spoil the broth that is brewing
right under their feet: A touch of mood setting here; a dash of 1980’s kitsch
there; a liberal sprinkling of fast paced witty dialogue; all stirred into a
sound base of cast interaction that blends everything together into a
wonderfully enjoyable runaway extravaganza served with a cherry on top.
It really is great stuff, and
guaranteed to please the hundreds and thousands who are bound to binge on this
third serving of one of the best shows on TV at the moment.
Roll on series 4.
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