Hard Wired by Len Vlahos

Wow, one of the best AI books I've read in a long time. It's The Truman Show, The Wild Robot, and 2001 Space Odyssey all rolled together. There is just enough science possibility that it could be plausible in the near future, just enough real world to ground it in reality and just enough humanity to give the reader pause over our own choices.

Parents should know that there is one instance of genitals mentioned as Quinn discovers that even though he has an identity of male there is nothing about his artificial body to indicate it. And in the final portion of the book, when events really reach their climax, Quinn does mildly swear.

But even more disturbing for readers is the first person narrative of an artificial intelligence wrestling with all that it means to be human. We have much to celebrate but the darker side of human nature is often revealed against Quinn's own struggle to balance logic and emotion.

This review first appeared on Goodreads.