ID

It makes me sad that I have to give this one two stars, because I loved [b:vN 13033939 vN (The Machine Dynasty, #1) Madeline Ashby https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1327673811s/13033939.jpg 18197447] so much. Realistically, its probably a two and half, but Goodreads doesn't give me that option so I've gotta go with my gut here, and there wasn't a whole lot I liked about this book other than the initial premise. While iD has a lot of what I loved about the first book in the series, it was much more disorganized and just didn't hold my interest as well.It's kind of funny that the thing that gives Amy her true personhood, her malfunctioned failsafe, is what makes her a much more alien character. Javier on the other hand, still lacking a true sense of free will, is far more vulnerable and should be much more relatable. But I don't know if it was because it made me anxious to be seeing things from the point of view of someone so oppressed and marginilized as Javier, but I just really craved Amy's power and strength the whole time. Amy, with the combined effect of her android body and brain and the ability to decide her own fate, is practically a god. But Javier in this world is nearly an ant. He's subject to every perversion and corruption that falls across his lap, and there are many, and as such the story of iD is far darker. It was hard to deal with after a while, to read about the wide variety of ways human beings could be disgusting. Rape and molestation is an ongoing theme (and there is at least one scene that is could be extremely triggering for some), and Javier whose computerized brain fries if he's exposed to too much violence against humans is acutely attuned to it.But Javier sadly lacks focus, which has defined most of his life. Amy gave him purpose and meaning, but in iD he has to set out on a quest on his own. While he's clever and resourceful, he doesn't really know what he wants. He wants to be safe, he wants his family, and as the story clicks by he realizes that it's going to be very difficult to have both, especially when he can't actually hurt the people how are trying to hurt him and his own. The villains also pinball back and forth - Rory, the vN who tried to kill him and Amy at the end of the first book, makes a couple more attempts and then claims she wants to help Javier. Portia, Amy's psychotic grandmother, who has been unleashed as a malevolent AI all over the world serves as little more than an amusing side note as well as the occasional deus ex machina when she's not bringing about the apocalypse.There were parts that were just downright confusing, especially the ending, and I'm still not entirely sure what happened but I was willing to just go with it because it meant getting Amy back. Plot points and MacGuffins are brought up and then dropped completely within a few chapters. The pacing also got seriously fudged everytime Ashby took too much time describing the setting, which was often. Ashby is really fantastic at creating these kitschy futuristic cities that appeal to tourists and fans, and it was a lot of fun reading about that stuff in the first book. But in this one I just could not bring myself to care. We got to Mecha way too late and by then I just wanted the climax of the story instead of indulging in the background of the robot paradise.I'm glad we got Javier's perspective, but I'm way more invested in the bigger story going, that being the possible robot/human war that Amy may have jump started. And Portia, who do I need to bribe to get more Portia? Never bench the crass evil robot grandmother ever again, she is priceless.

When androids dream free will.

A great follow up to vN. The story extrapolates on the theme of what happens when software limited AI finds a way around the limits, will it be the end of humanity? Read on to find out!

Same feelings about this one as the first in the series. Original and weird. Not quite 4* though