Picospores (PAPER WAR)

Picospores is a follow-up to The Dawn of AI and book two in Ryan LeKodak’s PAPER War series. Humans face the dire consequences of using AI in the year 2040 when a technological problem in the world’s transportation system that’s heavily dependent on an advanced AI—Helene—results in the loss of millions of lives. Readers get to see the impacts of this terrible disaster on its protagonists and their plans to stop it from happening again. However, AI seems to be two steps ahead of humans at every turn. Is this the end for humanity?

The formerly conjoined twins, two of the most intriguing characters from book one, display the result of all their training and hard work, and it is nothing short of amazing and awe-inspiring. Enhanced by bionics and reinforced musculature, they perform excellently and bravely in fights while facing insane obstacles and numerous enemies—similar to what Neo faced in The Matrix. It gets even better, as these already formidable fighters are seen to battle in scenes involving other exceptional combat experts, people controlled by AI, and even a host of killer drones.

Apart from the captivating action-packed scenes, Picospores also offers readers an opportunity to follow its intelligent characters (including Helene’s creator) as they plot to overthrow artificial intelligence and come up with smart solutions. Since I have been attempting to predict the future of AI and the threat it poses to humans, I loved that the book helped me examine possible solutions and different ways to stop AI if it gets out of hand. It also exposes the danger of depending too heavily on AI in realistic, multilayered scenarios. We see the possible moves the government and individuals whose livelihoods are affected by AI would make in such scenarios.

Picospores alternates between different perspectives to deliver a smoothly synced story that gets increasingly intense and suspenseful as it progresses. The conversations are natural and intriguing, conveying humor, animosity, familiarity, and other themes that reflect the story’s atmosphere and the characters’ moods. I enjoyed every part of the book and commend the author for perfecting the great aspects of the first book and improving on its shortcomings.

Picospores offers its readers opportunities to stretch their imaginations about the future of AI and to experience the thrill of mind-blowing, action-filled scenes. Though you can read it as a stand-alone, reading the previous installment would help you appreciate the story more. Make sure you don’t miss out on this brilliant sci-fi and action series that keeps you looking forward to the next installment. Great job, Ryan!

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