For Jake Sullivan, vice president at ASHORE, dealing with immortality is all in a day’s work. His company supports the transition of human minds into a digital platform, thus giving people a form of immortality. The Mindars, as they are called, get to live in a multiverse that can contain all their loved ones, the things they loved about their mortal lives, and experiences no humans can touch.
The technology has advanced so much that Mindars can even inhabit bioforms so they can interact with humans in the real world. It all sounds wonderful, except that the AI systems maintaining both the human and Mindar environments are beginning to act out against each other. The human population is also bearing the brunt of ASHORE expansion as they seek additional power to run their systems. Things aren’t what they seem and things are beginning to unravel.
Forever is Too Long takes a hard look at the potential of AI and the repercussions, both good and bad, of giving them too much control. When humans allow algorithms to make decisions, they may not always like where things end up. John Posner’s novel is densely layered with questions and scenarios that, with careful consideration, should make the reader pause and consider what our future holds.
Other issues Posner explores are the question of whether humans should transition to a digital consciousness, the ramifications of doing so, and the toll it may take on those still flesh and blood. One of the things I appreciated is how the Mindars basically have access to their wildest dreams in the AI-generated multiverse, yet so many of them choose to don bioforms so they can interact with living humans and walk in the world they left behind. Sometimes you really don’t know what you have until it’s gone.
Posner also touches on topics such as genetic enhancement, decisions about life and death, and the divide between the haves and the have-nots. There is a lot to unravel here and the story may warrant a second read to fully understand the philosophical threads that run through the various storylines.
Forever is Too Long is definitely a book for lovers of thoughtful science fiction and those who like to think about what they’re reading. The realistic characters, the hard decisions, and the underlying themes all make this a solid read.
This review was originally posted at Reader Views. For more book reviews and recommendations, check out my Reading List page.
RB
This sounds good, Richard! Lots of topics that speak to me here. Wonderful review of topics covered.
I appreciate it!
Richard, I loved your review of this complex topic and book. Good treatment of the pros and cons.
Thanks for the kind words, my friend!