Reviews of Artificial Absolutes
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Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"In this thrilling science fiction–adventure series launch, Fan (Tell Me My Name) introduces a society where interstellar travel is an everyday reality, computers infiltrate every aspect of human life, and the forbidden technology of artificial intelligence may be closer than most people suspect. When Jane Colt accidentally witnesses the kidnapping of her best friend, Adam, she calls on her big brother, Devin, hoping he’ll believe her even when all the records say that there’s no way she saw what she claims. Soon the two of them are on the run, targeted by what seems to be a vast and powerful conspiracy that is determined to see them silenced. From the outer colonies known as the Fringe to the depths of the Internet, these siblings face danger at every turn, recruit allies among the underworld, and strive to save themselves, Adam, and civilization. Jane and Devin go to desperate lengths to help each other, and the fast-paced action is balanced by thoughtful meditations on what it means to be human. Readers will zip through this exciting story and immediately hunt down the sequels."
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Kate Moretti, New York Times bestselling author of Thought I Knew You
"I really, truly enjoyed this book in a way I did not expect... I was surprised more than once with the all the twists and turns; Ms. Fan knows how to plot a novel. Definitely recommend!" Joe, blogger for Bookolio
"Ahh! I really-really-really enjoyed reading this book; there were so many emotions and so many page-turning happenings that made this book so enjoyable and fresh in the deep, dark refuge of the genre we call Sci-Fi." Click here to read the full review. Larry Eissler, author of Paranormal Theories: A Logical Approach
"To Ms. Fan, I loved your two main characters, Jane and Devin, and couldn't help but compare the complexities of their own lives to mine." Click here to read the full review. |
Abraham, blogger for Classic Book Reader
"I did not want to stop reading... I loved this book. I loved the writing. The description. Magical words. The plot, from its back story to its present actions, come together to create a memorable, and solid future world of a magical setting that seems so real, so vivid, and wonderful to the reader... I highly recommend this book. I loved it. It became a part of me. It was simply put, fantastic." Click here to read the full review. Paige Daniels, bestselling author of the Non-Compliance trilogy
"I liked Jane's no nonsense smart aleck ways, but I have to say, her brother, Devin really came shining through for me. He's kind of the bad boy gone good, but you know he's still got a lot of mischief in him. This book has nods to Asimov, Firefly, Gibson, and Stephenson. If you like any or all of these I highly recommend you give this book a try." |
Reviewed by Kayti Nika Raet for Readers Favorite
"Set in a far distant world in a far distant future where data is considered absolute and justice infallible, Artificial Absolutes is a tale that questions the realness of reality and what makes us truly human. Fast-paced and filled with loads of action, Artificial Absolutes grabs you from the first page and refuses to let go... The world building was very in-depth with no two planets being alike. The plot was just as detailed, filled with twists and turns that I totally didn't see coming. Both Jane and Devin made for very compelling characters with Jane being the more scrappy go-get-'em type while Devin has a mysterious past that is slowly but surely being revealed... A thoroughly enjoyable read." Click here to read the full review.
"Set in a far distant world in a far distant future where data is considered absolute and justice infallible, Artificial Absolutes is a tale that questions the realness of reality and what makes us truly human. Fast-paced and filled with loads of action, Artificial Absolutes grabs you from the first page and refuses to let go... The world building was very in-depth with no two planets being alike. The plot was just as detailed, filled with twists and turns that I totally didn't see coming. Both Jane and Devin made for very compelling characters with Jane being the more scrappy go-get-'em type while Devin has a mysterious past that is slowly but surely being revealed... A thoroughly enjoyable read." Click here to read the full review.
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Kelly Smith Reviews
"Sci-fi meets Veronica Mars in Mary Fan's Artificial Absolutes... This book has a little bit of everything: romance, mystery, conspiracy, and science fiction... The characters are all unique and each one has a particular part to play in the narrative. Jane is definitely my favorite, with her sharp wit and confidence....You, as a reader, never know what's coming next. For me, that's a big deal, because I can usually guess everything! You're given here a great novel that will transport you to a whole other world!" Click here to read the full review. |
Ivan Amberlake, author of the Beholder series
"What I appreciated in AA was that the characters’ thoughts and discussions are changed by breathtaking action, and you never know what to expect from the next page. I was deeply moved by the story of Devin and Jane’s mother’s death and the impact it had on Devin. I was immensely impressed by the author’s mature writing style. The characters, the plot, the setting – everything is so well done that it’s surprising that AA is a debut novel. I can’t wait to read the next book by this author!" Click here to read the full review. |
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Bibliophilic Book Blog
"I loved the juxtaposition of artificial intelligence and physical world. ARTIFICIAL ABSOLUTES will make you question the nature of reality. The characters, both main and secondary, were very well developed and the action takes you through the story seamlessly. ARTIFICIAL ABSOLUTES is a very enjoyable and thought-provoking story!" Click here to read the full review. |
Jennifer Reed, blogger for Book Junkiez
"ARTIFICIAL ABSOLUTES is a great story. It has well-developed story line and characters. The action is a page turner and you don’t know what could happen... I really loved this book and I give ARTIFICIAL ABSOLUTES 5/5 STARS. This is one author I will keep my eye on." Click here to read the full review. |
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Amber O, blogger for Book Geek Speaks
"The action never stops moving in the book once it starts. It was truly hard to put the book down. You are teased and prodded (and jumping to your own conclusions -which some of them I got right!) and just want to keep reading." Click here to read the full review. |
Moonlight Book Reviews
"I actually was caught up in the writing... The world building was done excellently... For hard core fans of sci-fi I definitely would give this book a read!" Click here to read the full review. |
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Mallory Heart Reviews (Amazon Top 1000 Reviewer)
"In our world today [artificial intelligence] simply signifies computers which can think for themselves; in the future, in this world, it means so much more. Of course, nothing is going to be as or what it seems, and both Jane and Devin will discover this, and then need to find the strength in themselves to break out of the mold their powerful father has chosen for them. Artificial Absolutes is a story of evolving consciousness, and evolution in personal growth." Click here to read the full review. |
Dew Pellucid, author of The Sound and the Echoes
"A fast-paced, easy read that envelopes you in an intricate sci-fi adventure; while at its core the story ponders the essence of human consciousness--what does it mean to be human... the language is rich and beautiful. Descriptions like the family estate of the Colt's are outstanding." |
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Mark Roman, author of The Ultimate Inferior Beings
"A cracking tale of fights and escapes and conspiracies, set in a wonderfully and intricately evoked future world. The story rattles along at a fine pace, twisting and turning its way to and fro across the galaxy, encountering mercenaries, shoot-on-sight robots, light-speed travel, hackers and a sinister corporation. A fun ride which takes a little time to get going but, once it does, there’s no getting off until the very end." |
N.M. Sotzek, author of Revealing the Revolution
"I could go on and on and describe every single aspect that I loved about the novel, but instead I'll say that 'Artificial Absolutes' is a well-rounded, unique, and clever novel." Click here to read the full review. BigAl's Books & Pals
"Engaging characters and a story with conflicts and struggles that are universal to all humans across time." Click here to read the full review. |
Eyal Mozes, essayest for Eyal Mozes on Objectivism
"A highly entertaining far-future space-opera, combined with exploration of profound philosophical themes… Artificial Absolutes takes an approach which is much more rare, and much harder to accomplish, than any of these three [approaches to themes of sentience often used in science fiction], and succeeds in it brilliantly; a fast-paced adventure story, in which philosophical themes are raised, and differing views presented thoughtfully, not as discussions interrupting the story, but as integral to the story, with many of the central events, and solutions to the central mysteries, moved by the themes... The tight integration of the plot of Artificial Absolutes with its philosophical themes is a great and rare virtue of the novel."
"A highly entertaining far-future space-opera, combined with exploration of profound philosophical themes… Artificial Absolutes takes an approach which is much more rare, and much harder to accomplish, than any of these three [approaches to themes of sentience often used in science fiction], and succeeds in it brilliantly; a fast-paced adventure story, in which philosophical themes are raised, and differing views presented thoughtfully, not as discussions interrupting the story, but as integral to the story, with many of the central events, and solutions to the central mysteries, moved by the themes... The tight integration of the plot of Artificial Absolutes with its philosophical themes is a great and rare virtue of the novel."
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Dean Lombardo, author of Vespa and Space Games
"Take one spunky yet irresistible heroine, a dangerous galaxy, killer robots, deceptive androids, and virtual worlds that would make Isaac Asimov, William Gibson and Philip K. Dick nod with approval and you have "Artificial Absolutes," the debut novel of Mary Fan, a young author on her way up... What a ride! Jane is a multidimensional character who ponders deep philosophical matters, smirks in the face of danger, handles a starship and a variety of weapons, and shows all of the skills, including compassion, needed to evade and overcome a galaxy of antagonistic forces on her quest to find the ultimate truth in a story where deception spares no part of the galaxy." |
Julie H. Hughs, blogger for Random Musings of a Curious Mind
"Having grown up with some of the best of the sci-fi genre, I am a huge fan... Artificial Absolutes is much more than spaceships and robots... It is a timeless exploration of the complexity of family dynamics, the conflicts between faith and non-belief, and what truly defines a human being... Another thing I loved about Artificial Absolutes was the thoroughly convincing, perfectly set up red herrings... the combination of youthful bravado and deeper philosophies made for a tremendous read. One can't help looking a little more closely at long-held beliefs. And, just perhaps, gaining a new perspective. I'm hoping for many more amazing stories from this talented young writer." |
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James M. Butler, author of the New Dawn series
"A roller coaster ride... This book combines some of the best robotic AI, like Asimov, yet without the complete destructiveness readers have grown to know and love/hate about their evil artificial intelligence...It is unlike anything I’ve read before on this subject...The story leads to a logical and successful conclusion when the killer is at last revealed and its plot exposed... A fantastic read, fully worth it by the time you finish." |
Linda Baker, blogger for Not a Book Snob
"Mary Fan succeeds brilliantly in drawing vivid characters... Artificial Absolutes delivered a 'cracking good read'." Diana, reviewer for Offbeat Vagabond
"One hell of a sci-fi ride... The mystery in this story was incredible and really kept me at the edge of my seat... If you love science fiction, I recommend this read to you. It really goes beyond the some other sci-fi reads." Click here to read the full review. |
Nancy Madore, bestselling author of the Enchanted series
Artificial Absolutes is skillfully crafted and artfully written, with convincing characters and plenty of action. I like when science fiction makes sense and this was completely believable. I especially enjoyed the philosophical undertones that were just there without being distracting... I am happy to add this to my five star collection. I thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful sci-fi, futuristic adventure by Mary Fan."
Artificial Absolutes is skillfully crafted and artfully written, with convincing characters and plenty of action. I like when science fiction makes sense and this was completely believable. I especially enjoyed the philosophical undertones that were just there without being distracting... I am happy to add this to my five star collection. I thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful sci-fi, futuristic adventure by Mary Fan."
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Dan Porter, blogger for The Chaotic Reader
"The struggles that Devin and Jane each face within themselves are very well depicted... Fan’s writing is easy to read and the world she’s created is easier to keep up with than are those of much science fiction. By raising one potential philosophical issue, she highlights the importance of holding science and its practitioners to a higher ethical standard." |
J. Ann, author of Tormented
"I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a sci-fi of a slightly different nature. It will get the reader thinking what does it truly mean to be human, is it only for Human Beings or can AI really be more humane?" Click here to read the full review. |
The Reader's Hollow
"The hacker world is well developed and brought forward unique characters that were just as, or more, entertaining than the main characters. The author paid close attention to her characters, which I liked. Quirks and situations were played out well...I think the characters stood out the most for me. They were unique and created well. The world was also great, and I enjoyed getting to know it." Click here to read the full review.
"The hacker world is well developed and brought forward unique characters that were just as, or more, entertaining than the main characters. The author paid close attention to her characters, which I liked. Quirks and situations were played out well...I think the characters stood out the most for me. They were unique and created well. The world was also great, and I enjoyed getting to know it." Click here to read the full review.
Thomas Gondolfi for Sci-Fi Monkeys
"Artificial Absolutes had me chasing my tail. I assure you that it is not not an easy thing to do to this jaded scifi geek...A new twist on AI that has some serious merit....I can’t remember the last book that kept me guessing as much as this one did...I appreciated that not only did each character had its own voice, but also their own motivations that didn’t always harmonize with that of everyone else. Many groups in books (traditional or indie) become only the extension of the leader. More than once in this indie effort someone did something unexpected and not necessarily in line with the overall aims of the group as a whole. YEA! Real people." Click here to read the full review.
"Artificial Absolutes had me chasing my tail. I assure you that it is not not an easy thing to do to this jaded scifi geek...A new twist on AI that has some serious merit....I can’t remember the last book that kept me guessing as much as this one did...I appreciated that not only did each character had its own voice, but also their own motivations that didn’t always harmonize with that of everyone else. Many groups in books (traditional or indie) become only the extension of the leader. More than once in this indie effort someone did something unexpected and not necessarily in line with the overall aims of the group as a whole. YEA! Real people." Click here to read the full review.