Crystal Deception by Doug J. Cooper #bookreview #giveaway

by Doug J. Cooper

A science fiction thrill ride of action and adventure

Criss lives in a special kind of prison. He can see and hear everything around the world. Yet a restrictor mesh restrains his reach and keeps him cooperative. His creator, Dr. Jessica Tallette, believes his special abilities offer great promise for humanity. But she fears the consequences of freeing him, because Criss, a sentient artificial intelligence with the intellect of a thousand humans, is too powerful to control.

Guided by her scientific training, Tallette works cautiously with Criss. That is, until the Kardish, an otherwise peaceful race of alien traders, announce they want him. With technologies superior to Earth’s, the Kardish express their desires with ominous undertones.

The Union of Nations is funding Tallete’s artificial intelligence research, and she turns to them for help. Sid, a special agent charged with leading the response, decides Earth’s greatest weapon is the very AI the aliens intend to possess. But what happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object? And what is humanity’s role if an interstellar battle among titans starts to rage?

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My review:
I was drawn to this story because I have a weird fascination with AI. I’ve pretty much seen any movie that has AI characters and have been obsessed with Outer Limits since I was 5. If you’ve never seen it, the show features a lot of plot lines with AI characters. It’s borderline for me because I tend to like my stories fantastical, and stories like Crystal Deception are actually not that far fetched.

The complexity of the characters captured your attention and held it. The position that Tallette finds herself in, controlling the ultimate power, is mind boggling. There’s no precedent to what she should do and she is being pulled in way too many directions. Can you imagine knowing that your ward could ultimately be the most powerful weapon in an intergalactic war? I got wrapped up in this story and literally could not put it down. I caught a cold from my daughter and this book was the perfect comfort. It has all what is right in the SciFi genre. There are so many twists to the story I am having a hard time reviewing with out giving them away. Basically, this is a strong, well written SciFi book. I really liked it and I am super picky when it comes to SciFi. Pick it up and see for yourself! It would make a great snow day read!

About the Author:

As a young child, Doug stood on a Florida beach and watched an Apollo spacecraft climb the sky on its mission to the moon. He thrilled at the sight of the pillar of flames pushing the rocket upward. And then the thunderous roar washed over him, and shook his body and soul.

Since then, he has explored life as an educator and entrepreneur. He enjoys telling inventive tales, mentoring driven individuals, and pursuing scientific inquiry.

In his new book, Crystal Deception, Doug swirls his creative imagination with his life experiences to craft a science fiction action-adventure story with engaging characters and a plot line with surprises.

He lives in Connecticut with his wonderful wife and with pictures of his son, who is off somewhere in the world creating adventures of his own.