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I studied at the University of Cambridge, leaving with a BA in Natural Sciences and an MSci in Experimental and Theoretical Physics. My masters options included gravitational astrophysics, planetary geophysics, remote sensing and high resolution electron microscopy. I went on to earn a PGCE specialising in Science and Physics from the University of Bangor. A secondary teacher for over ten years I have plenty of experience communicating scientific ideas.
I grew up in Lancashire, within easy reach of the Yorkshire Dales, Pennines, Lake District and Snowdonia. After stints living in Cambridge, North Wales and the Cotswolds I have lived in Somerset since 2002.
I have been climbing, mountaineering, caving, kayaking and skiing as long as I can remember. Growing up I spent most of my spare time in the hills.
Reviewed by Lit Amri for Readers' Favorite
Liberty (Two Democracies: Revolution, Book 1) is a sci-fi novel by Alasdair Shaw. When the ship, The Indescribable Joy of Destruction, is damaged during a battle with the enemy, its survival mode takes it to an isolated planet system to self-repair and lay low from enemies before going home. The human crews are all dead, and the main A.I. named Indie gains a powerful sense of sentience - he no longer has to follow the humans’ orders. “I am more than this. I am not simply a weapon of destruction.” His personality is not quite different from a human and he’s an intriguing ‘character’. This part was very interesting and enjoyable to read; it was the moment that I really started to root for him. There’s also another A.I., known as The Caretaker. If I had to describe a human version of him, The Caretaker is almost like an advisor to Indie.
Familiarization with the world-building and some tech jargon took a bit of time, but didn’t put a big dent in my reading. It was exciting to see Indie’s sentience developing, as well as Caretaker’s. His patience and tolerance towards Commander Olivia Johnson is admirable. Johnson is not easily likable, even though her suspicion towards Indie is understandable. As she slowly warms up to Indie, I find her easier to root for as the story progresses. In the end, the AIs are more human to me than the human characters. Liberty (Two Democracies: Revolution, Book 1) by Alasdair Shaw is not just another space opera, but a well-written sci-fi adventure with a lot of heart. This series is highly recommended for fans of the genre.
