Review: More than simply the sum of its parts
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 5, 2013
Set slightly in the future, `Auto' looks at a world in which digital media has been taken to extremes. Almost every aspect of people's lives is handled automatically and strict information handling laws have made it so difficult to lie online that most people trust digital representations implicitly. This means that on the rare occasions when technology goes array, it causes absolute havoc.`Auto' is a novel that brings together David Wailing's five previously published Auto short stories and novellas. But it's much more than simply a collection of shorts. The three additional stories link the existing fiction in a way that adds depth and intrigue to the original stories.I have to admit that this isn't really my kind of book but I love David Wailing's writing so much that I read it anyway. I loved the characterisation, social commentary and dialogue, but I felt it was a bit too technological for my personal taste.It was refreshing to see sci fi covered without aliens and biological diseases that give rise to zombie attacks. Sci fi fans will no doubt see this as a welcome return to the principles.I recommend this book for people who enjoy a good mystery thriller and are intrigued by emerging technologies.