Fall by Sean Williams

cover image

Twinmaker 3. Allen & Unwin, 2015. ISBN 9781743316481
(Age: 15+) Recommended. This, the third book in the series, is the best so far. This is a fast paced, action packed scifi novel that doesn't leave the reader time to catch a breath.
Clair is trying to restore her world and her relationships. The complexities of perception, intention and memory are explored through the incarnations of Claire and her friends/foes. This novel, though set in the future, presents many conundrums that are currently evolving in our society: 3D printing of food and medicine; 3D printing of human enhancements; bioprinting. The characters in the novel provide many interpretations and options for managing these complex issues.
This book allows the reader opportunities to grapple with the ethical considerations of Artificial Intelligence and teams well the ideas of Nick Bostrom when he stated: "Machine intelligence is the last invention that humanity will ever need to make," during his TED Talk What happens when our computers get smarter than we are?
South Australian readers will also enjoy the reference to Kupa-piti ultramaximum-security penitentiary. The name Coober Pedy is said to have developed from the Aboriginal "kupa piti", meaning "white man in a hole". In August 2004 the Australian government abandoned plans for the nuclear waste dump at Coober Pedy, but it seems Williams has put the site to another 'out of sight out of mind' use.
Linda Guthrie
Editor's note: Published as Hollowgirl in the UK (Electric Monkey, ISBN 9781405264419)

booktopia