The Preserve: A novel

In a Blade Runner-meets-Westworld style world, Police Chief Jesse Laughton oversees the Preserve, one of the last remaining pieces of land where humankind can live. The rest of the world has been overtaken by AI robots after a plague wiped out most of the human population. For the most part, the two species are able to live without much conflict until a robot turns up dead on the Preserve. Jesse and his former robot partner, Kir, team up to solve the crime and prevent the rising tensions between humans and robots from spilling over before it’s too late.

I’ve been avoiding plague/dystopian-related reads these past few months—I usually read those books to escape reality, not relive it—but this one was too intriguing to pass up. The Preserve is a quick and enjoyable read that treats the AI concept with originality. It surpasses the tropes of typical dystopian novels by drawing readers into mystery rather than the hopelessness of the human race. And the easy, caring relationship between Jesse and Kir remains at the forefront of the story, adding a layer of complexity by evoking sympathy for both sides of the conflict. Even though the execution fell a bit flat toward the end, I relished my time reading The Preserve.