Artificial Wisdom by Thomas R.Weaver | Book Tour Review
This book was gifted to me by Literally PR in exchange for an honest review and a place on the book tour. This article contains an affiliate link.
Hello Readers,
It’s my turn on the book tour for Thomas Weaver’s Artificial Wisdom. The tour started on the 2nd of October and is running until the 31st ~ all the details are at the end of this article so you can check out the reviews of the other participants if you’d like.
As usual, before I get into my thoughts on this incredible book, let me share the synopsis with you:
“It’s 2050, a decade after a heatwave that killed four thousand million across the Persian Gulf, including journalist Marcus Tully’s wife. Now he must uncover the truth: was the disaster natural? Or is the weather now a weapon of genocide?
A whistleblower pulls Tully into a murder investigation at the centre of an election battle for a global dictator, with a mandate to prevent a climate apocalypse. A former US President campaigns against the first AI politician for the position, but someone is trying to sway the outcome.
Can Tully unravel the truth in time? Will humanity ultimately choose salvation over freedom?”
Artificial Wisdom is described as a “murder mystery, techno-thriller that takes you on a journey through a future too close for comfort” and what a journey it is! I was gripped from the beginning and the deeper I got into the story, the more the intrigue and mystery, the twists and reveals kept me reading! In fact, I read the majority of this book within a day ~ I followed along in the book while listening to the audiobook {available on Audible}, which was excellently narrated by Steven Pacey. What an incredible debut!
Once of the main reasons why I love reading books with elements of sci-fi is because I love to see how authors imagine the technology of the future and the impact it has on humanity {if the story is set on Earth} and Weaver’s future technology was very interesting because the future he has created is only around 30 years from our current year. You can really see how he’s built on the current day’s tech of VR and AI and created quite a realistic progression of them both.
Especially with AI becoming more prevalent in our world and its uses, the discussion around an AI politician and potential dictator was very thought-provoking to say the least. The VR side of the technology in the book was just as intriguing with all media consumption becoming virtual through the use of headsets, nanobots and ear pieces to share information and take calls and meetings. As someone who has read Ready Player One, it felt almost like Weaver’s VR space could be a stepping stone on the road to the Oasis that Ernest Cline created.
The cast of characters lead by Marcus Tully, were an interesting bunch and I didn’t feel like any character really fell flat, they all had some personality and element of depth to them. Amongst my favourites were Randall, Tully’s main tech guy, who was just so passionate and fascinated by how everything worked and was ready to share every detail to anyone who would listen! Juan Bolivar was another favourite of mine {#justiceforBolivar} as Tully’s friend/business partner/lawyer, he was the voice of reason that Tully needed but didn’t always heed and put poor Bolivar in impossible positions at times. I felt Livia, another of Tully’s team, was also a wonderful character. She had her flaws but I felt, out of all the characters, she had the most growth and it was wonderful to watch her gain confidence amid incredibly difficult circumstances, and take charge when she needed to.
“That was the thing about truth: it only came out when the cost of lying became too high.”
But those who I chat about books with, will know I love a good morally-grey character and for me, Marcus Tully was just that. His passion for telling the truth jumped off the page but his perception of what truth was changed throughout the book, because “that’s the thing about truth” it can often be perceived differently by different people, and depending on which side of the story you’re on, what knowledge you have, your belief system, the more your perception of truth can change. “That’s the thing about truth…” was a phrase repeated throughout the book, highlighting Tully’s changing view of truth and the responsibility he felt he had to share it with the world.
But the need for truth can also blind you to the consequences of knowing and sharing it and I felt Tully was at times very blinded because his underlying focus was uncovering the truth behind the events that caused his wife’s death ~ something that also made him very vulnerable to those around him with agendas of their own. His finally thoughts on truth are very interesting and quite different to his initial thoughts, but they’re far too much of a spoiler to share them here ~ you’ll just have to read the book to find them out for yourself.
A huge thank you to Literally PR for gifting me this book and for a place on the tour. Also a massive thank you to Thomas Weaver for sharing this story with the world; You’ve definitely earned a place on my favourite authors list and I’m excited to see what you write next!
Stay Safe. Read a Book.
L x
Artificial Wisdom Book Tour Details
If you’d like to find out more about this book and Thomas R. Weaver, you can do so via his social media handle ~ @tom_weaver
If you’d like to find out what everyone else on the tour thought of this book, below are all the dates and social media handles for all the book reviewers:
2nd October: Nicola ~ @bookish_nikki17 / Kayley ~ @kayleyisreading / Juliette ~ @bookstagramuk
3rd October: Kim ~ @stratospherekawaiigirl / Charlotte ~ GoodReads Review / Katie ~ @what.katie.reads
4th October: Heidi ~ @heidiandherbooks / Sian ~ @DSianB / Sara ~ @sarasbookclub
5th October: Karen ~ @un_lucky_clover / Kirsty ~ @kirstycatherine3
6th October: Jade ~ @mummyandmex2 / Pete ~ @EastHullPete / Lynsey ~ @monsoonofrandom
7th October: Melanie ~ MelanieToBeRead / Katherine ~ @ReadByKatherine
8th October: Lauren ~ @LdLoz / Kelly ~ @tbhonest_uk
9th October: Dean ~ @EmeraldReviews_ / Naomi ~ @naomis.bookcase
10th October: Kirsty ~ @kirstyes / Alice ~ @storiesbyalice
11th October: Maria ~ mariaafentakis.com / Michelle ~ @thebookmagnet
12th October: Shabana ~ @skbookwomfever / Carly ~ @yorkshirecarly
13th October: Martin ~ @Martin_Treanor / Beth ~ @bookishworld_
14th October: Lorenta ~ @lorenzalorentz / Faye ~ @booksbutterfly
15th October: Emma ~ @reviewstudiouk / Miranda ~ @mirandas_bookscape
16th October: Louise ~ @louiseslittlelife / Sarah ~ @thoughtsofthereader
17th October: Kelley ~ @KellyALacey / Maria ~ @Sweeet83
18th October: Natali ~ @talis.library / Jan ~ bluewolf-reviews.com
19th October: Paul ~ @DadventuresUK / Laura ~ @bookishhermit
20th October: Stacey ~ @staceywh_17 / Eden ~ GoodReads Review
21st October: Suzanne ~ @bookread2day / Crystal ~ @DisneyCrystal
22nd October: Jayne ~ @SMABLblog / Louis ~ @LiteraryLouis
23rd October: Rachel ~ @RachelBustin / Manisha ~ @manisbookcorner
24th October: Kitty ~ @Kellykaos / Jo ~ @books_from_the_shed
25th October: Dean ~ @BooksBoysPodca1 / Karen ~ catskidschaos.com
26th October: David ~ whatsgoodtoread.co.uk / Steph ~ @anxiouspages
27th October: Laura ~ @bookish_belfast / Amy ~ @allaboutamummy
28th October: Kayleigh ~ @bookwormescapes / Clo ~ @theseasidebookclub
29th October: Annie ~ @annies_book_thoughts / Bruna ~ @bruandthebooks
30th October: Sharon ~ @shazzierimmel / Jill ~ @JillGal91513266
31st October: Joanna ~ @thelibraryofimagination / Helen ~ @bookoclock_ / Clive ~ @gibbos_monkey_reviews
