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Reviewed by Stephanie Chapman for Readers' Favorite
Brian Norman’s Against the Machine: Evolution is the third book in this series. BATL Commander Mellor has been recovering from an injury and is ready to return to his position. Li Na, an opera singer, has prepared for Mellor’s return home. After watching Li Na’s performance, he is surprised to receive an invitation to Zealand despite his lower caste rank. Meanwhile, CORPORATE has brought Ke Hui Feng to become an apprentice to Wei Qang Zhang. Ke Hui is given a tour of all the divisions she will lead in the future but is frustrated when she receives no answers. She hears rumors about ARC; however, she never receives answers to her questions. Unbeknownst to others, Ping Weng Min has learned that the AI that controls the operations in the MEG has gained self-awareness. Ping realizes that I & I wants revenge for humanity taking silicon androids for granted.
Brian Norman alternates the views of each character with smooth transitions. For instance, Mellor is experiencing his BATL competition, and then the following chapter shifts to what Feng is learning simultaneously. Their stories parallel each other until their paths cross. The vivid descriptions of the differences between the MASS and MEGs allowed me to understand how the elite control the privileges given to humanity. Otsi’tsa was an inspiring character with her bright personality and ability to face adversity without fear. She teaches the lesson that equality should be based on the actions of each individual and not on status. The plot was unpredictable, and it sparked my imagination into picturing the various living situations of each character. The action scenes were exciting, and the dialogue was engaging. The suspense builds as more questions come into focus. Against the Machine: Evolution will appeal to science fiction readers who like dystopian novels with AI possessing human qualities.
