Words and phrases like 'cybernetic,' and 'geopolitical espionage,' and even 'political intrigue' were used in the synopsis for Ray Nayler's Where the Axe Is Buried. Honestly, those are not normally descriptors that would cause me to pick up a book. But I was intrigued by the idea of one book being the catalyst for a revolution, to the point that even having a copy in your possession would be a punishable crime, and that the author would be exiled to a lonely wilderness. Meanwhile, the use of artificial intelligence has progressed to a point where only self-driving cars are allowed on the road, and entire governments are run by computers.
The Situation: When Lilia made the decision to return to The Federation to visit her father, she knew the risks. In London she had the freedom to go where she pleased, do what she wanted, even read what she wanted. In The Federation, activist Zoya Alekseyevna's book is banned, but when Lilia first made it to her new home across the ocean, she found the book for sale at the airport. Even so, Lilia had to visit her father one last time, and is immediately arrested after stepping off of the plane. Now, she wonders if she will ever make it back to London, and then a strange message reaches her in an even stranger way. Someone is offering her a way out, and it involves a project that made her a target in the first place.
The Problem: With The Federation currently under the rule of a President who has essentially found a way to stay in power forever, revolution and change seem nearly impossible. And in Europe, nearly every country is governed by AI Prime Ministers, and they are failing. When one continues to raise energy prices without any reason or caution, the citizens revolt, putting any remaining human officials in danger. And while Lilia is hard at work helping to potentially bring down the immortal Federation president, she fears she cannot trust the people she is working for, and wonders if this is yet another decision that will put herself and the people she loves in danger.
Genre, Themes, History: This is a science fiction novel set in a not-so-distant future where artificial intelligence has been allowed to replace top government officials, in-home robot caretakers are a real thing, and the ability to place ideas directly into someone's mind is no longer something found only in movies. With the advancement of AI, human beings have been replaced in many areas, except for those where having human labor is actually cheaper. And while The Federation is being ruled by a president who continues to download his mind into a new body, therefore maintaining his hold on power, Europe has come to rely on AI Prime Ministers, only for them to malfunction. There are plots within plots at work here, some to maintain things as they are, and others to create real and lasting change, and it is often difficult to distinguish between the two.
My Verdict: My fear with every science fiction book I pick up is that I will not be able to understand a thing, and that the technology used and introduce within the story will go over my head. And while that was the case some of the time while reading this book, the descriptions and contexts surrounding everything made it accessible to me, and it was all within a story that was interesting and thrilling. There are several characters whose stories are brought to the front, but each one is necessary and offers a perspective of the situation that not only adds a layer to the world, but provides a deeper understanding of our own.
Favorite Moment: Lilia is not entirely sure about who she can trust, and even though it is unclear what the consequences will be, I appreciate one moment where she takes a chance and breaks free of a group whose motivations are unclear, but are desperate for her skills and abilities.
Favorite Character: Nikolai is the Federation president's personal physician, and all he wants is to be able to return home to his family in Italy. He knows Federation officials would rather he stay with them and continue his work of taking care of the immortal president, but he keeps his head down and does his job, even though he hates it, if it means he will eventually get to go home.
Recommended Reading: George Orwell's 1984 came to mind pretty much immediately.
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