Deep and mind blowing concepts

Artificial intelligence, the Interworld, telepathy, robots, virtual reality, and evolution -- for the serious sci-fi fan, Condition Book Three: The Final Correction, the third book of the dystopian trilogy by Alec Birri, THIS is your series (and you must start with book one).

As with the prior two books, The Final Correction wastes no time immersing readers into this not so distant world. Birri begins the book by telling one of Aesop’s fables, about the north wind and the sun, which focuses on man’s overconfidence and belief he is in control when he ultimately is not. That is the crux of the story, and the theme is good to keep in mind as readers make their way through this complex story.

A new setting and group of characters dominate part one of the book. Initially, it is difficult to tell whether it is past, present, or future. There’s an Islamic father and daughter making a trek (pilgrimage?) and their rituals and attitudes could place them a hundred years back. Soon, technologies begin to emerge, and it’s clear that we are in the world changed by Dr. Savage and sentient robots are the norm. However, some humans are clinging to the old ways and are resistant to the changes away from traditional teachings. As part one moves along, familiar characters are re-introduced and this seemingly new story line begins to get woven into the story lines set-up in the earlier books in the trilogy.

From the Middle East, readers transition into the western world and are reminded of how this world is defined. People with brain disorders can receive “the treatment” to cure any brain ailment. Not just medical problems like autism and dementia are now curable; also, the deviant behaviors of pedophiles and murderers can and are being corrected. As the medical and scientific advances and their applications seem to move humanity into a better world, the lines become blurred when leaders and powerful players differ in how they are defining deviant behaviors and “the treatment” is being taken too far.

Naturally, there are warring factions and people resistant to removing the humanity from humans. With the ability to have a hybrid existence of time in the real world and time in the virtual world, again, the lines are blurred as to where one ends and the other begins – or whether a real world exists at all for some. There are some deep, mind blowing concepts happening in this series, and especially in this final installment of the trilogy.

Birri has some excellent descriptions and depictions that will haunt readers long after the final words are read. The author also does a great job in making readers feel conflicted about their feelings for the various characters as each is more fully developed. Readers will love some of the big reveals, and there are satisfying twists and turns-of-events. Happily, there is some humor sprinkled about, and I got a real chuckle (of course) when a character spoke a clunker, and the doctor responded with "Maybe it was the Grammar Nazis I wanted to take over the world. Not the jack-booted ones."

Admittedly, I had some trouble with the last third of the book as it went heavily into the science fiction realm. I couldn’t keep all the sub-plots straight and at times had absolutely no idea what was happening. As much as I LOVE the narration by Jonathan Keeble, The Final Correction got too complicated for me to comprehend by reading with my ears. I need to get this series in print so that I can easily flip back and re-read and let things soak in.

Unfortunately, I don’t think I could honestly say how the book ended. Heaven, Hell, end of times, or a new beginning? Not sure. I think it was open-ended enough that there could be more stories to tell, so perhaps there will be another series. (Or perhaps not since it’s quite possible that I missed something huge in the chaos.)

A few words about the narration and narrator, Jonathan Keeble: Seriously – seek out anything voiced by this guy; he is amazing. I have nothing but the highest praise for how he handles this huge, international cast of characters. You can read my gushing about him in the prior book reviews. Top notch.

Thank you to the author and Audiobookworm Promotions for providing me an audio download in exchange for my honest opinion. This full review and other features on Hall Ways Blog.

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Birri's storytelling skills need more polishing

Although I found the first book in the series really intriguing, I started to lose interest with the second, finding it too confusing at times. With this one I was unable to relate at all. I think the fact that the second didn't move me should have been a signal about the third. It grew more confusing, I couldn't connect to the characters, and I didn't care about anything. Birri had finally lost me.

I think the story had great potential but Birri's storytelling skills need some more polishing. The characters didn't feel real enough, and the descriptions could have used some more work.

Jonathan Keeble's narration was very good though, setting the right atmosphere for the story and delivering great characters interpretations.

I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Alec Birri. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.

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Outstandingly Brilliant!

I. Am. Speechless.

I think I have been the most highly strung 18 year old in the country this month due to my job, and this book has been a haven for me when I need to kick back and think of something else, and my word did this book get me thinking. I guess I’m sort of a low-key conspiracy theorist (no tinfoil I promise!) and so any little detail I get in these books gets my brain racing like crazy! After the huge plot twist that Alec Birri wrote at the very end of The Curing Begins (no spoilers) my mind started making that whirring noise that old computers do. I didn’t know what to do with myself! My skin was crawling with anticipation at what was going to happen next! What could happen next?!

Apparently a lot of things could happen next.

The Final Correction begins with a father and daughter from Israel embarking on some sort of religion themed quest, and I was a bit stumped as to what year this was set in due to some of the views the father has. The appearance of futuristic technology however made it clear these chapters aren’t set in the past. There’s a huge theme of religion present in a lot of this book, and at the start I was quite confused again (apparently I’m quite good at being confused) with what this had to do with everything else! But once again Alec Birri’s talent at making it all tie together came shining through towards the middle of the book. Dr. M- , ahem, Dr. Savage boldly faces a lot of controversy to do with his ‘cure’ for seemingly everything and his AI inventions.

There are many points where lines were blurred – reality was blurred! The world created by Alec is given a choice to comply with the new rules or not.

The Final Correction goes very in-depth with science fiction and is the sort of book that may need reading/listening to twice to let everything set in (like the Matrix but a little bit more hardcore).

Jonathan Keeble’s voice acting skills continue to be beyond impressive, and the many voices he has faced in this book were incredible. His approach to the voices of AI characters were very well done, not seeming too robotic yet being distinct. This book was incredibly intense, and Keeble projected that intensity in every character and line. He’s an outstanding voice actor and is definitely one to look out for.

Alec Birri and Jonathan Keeble have once again created audiobook greatness, and I’m glad that I have had the opportunity to review this trilogy.

I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Alec Birri. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.

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Condition

The Story:
This final instalment to the Condition Trilogy was, I have to admit confusing at best, but boy did it suck me in. We are met with new characters in the first part of this book Isra and Faruk, and at first I wasn’t sure what part in time we were in – past, present or future, but as the story unfolds we discover they are very much in the future and Dr Savage and his AI are dominating the world – ok not fully but the AI interaction has stepped up a great deal. Humans are turning to the AI whist some are still clinging to the old ways and that is were the conflict comes into play. Can a world relying heavily on AI really co-exist or will the AI take over? And the red pill to cure not just dementia etc but more “deviant” behaviour like paedophilia and homosexuality and murderers? It is all another form of control, that just blew my mind. To think that this may or even actually happen is a scary prospect at best.

If you are a lover of Sci Fi and movies like “I am Legend” that focus on the AI then this series is definitely for you – this series really gave me food thought and I loved Birri’s way of sucking me into the story from book 1 and I couldn’t stop until the last page of book 3 when I finally let out a sigh of “wow”.

Sci-Fi is not my normal genre but Birri may have just changed my mind, and I can wait to read more from him.

The Narrator:
Once again Jonathan Keeble has done a brilliant job at narrating this book and I am glad he was there from book 1 and his voice was one that you instantly knew and fitted well with the story.

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A Stunning Conclusion to an Amazing Series!

Would you consider the audio edition of CONDITION Book Three to be better than the print version?

I have been an avid reader for decades now but the audiobook is relatively new to me, by comparison. What a wonderful job Keeble did, capturing the voices, emotions, and flow of each scene through the characters. It is better int hat it provides another way to get lost in the story.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I liked Keeble's portrayal of Savage. He's like a villian and a hero in one. He's not wholly evil just as he's not wholly good and I felt many emotions for him throughout the series. It's a good character when he can do that to you!

Have you listened to any of Jonathan Keeble’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not, but I plan to!

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The ending where Zara has her "revelation" of what Savage is up to. The idea of AI having feeling (ego, resentment, surprise, pining, anger) so much that it mirrored humanity-something that was to surpass it yet in the end it contributed to an end and rebirth. It begs the question of how different we really are from our own creations.

Any additional comments?

Just as in the other two installments, the audiobook, narrated by Keeble proves to deliver to the very end. Once again, we meet new characters and cultures, each conveyed with a clean and distinct voice. It is worth noting that Keeble did an expert job of capturing the multiple accents across several cultures and not once did I find trouble with distinguishing who was speaking. I believe this skill to be difficult to master and Keeble has done an award-winning job, allowing for the series to be fully enjoyed at the highest level.

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A mind boggling and very imaginitive book

A mind boggling and very imaginitive book. Narrator Jonathan Keeble is absolutely amazing throughout the series. Amazing plotline!

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Though provoking finale

Note: This is Book 3 in the series and you really need to experience Books 1 & 2 in order to get this book.

As with Book 2, we start with brand new characters in a different part of the world but it seems to be contemporary with Professor Savage (2028). In the Middle East, the world of Islam has changed, as has most things, with the advent of Savage’s latest technology. He gave the world two major things: the ability to modify your most basic behaviors even from conception and also the world of AI in both virtual worlds and in robots. Very exciting!

Isra and her dad Faruk are our new main characters. The first third of this book explores how the new technologies have affected the up & coming generation as well as the older generations with all their traditions. The world is moving on with or without the traditions of the Middle East and people have to choose. Faruk and Isra are great characters to get these complex themes across. Faruk believes in the old traditions; however, that means he’s easily offended by so many things. Isra doesn’t have a commitment to the old traditions. Also, being a woman, the old traditions limit her. The new technologies set her free. So, lots of great conflicts going on there that I enjoyed watching play out.

Eventually, we rejoin Professor Savage and Dr. Addams in prison. Maria and Emile (who I inadvertently called Emmanuel in my review of Book 2) put in a brief appearance as well. I was hoping for more of them since I really enjoyed their characters in Book 2. Nurse Tracy is now a mom and still devoted to Dr. Addams. So Tracy remains a sex object and a comforter; I had hoped more would be done with her character. It’s a good thing we have some very interesting new characters in this book.

Part of the plot plays out in the real world and part of it plays out in a virtual reality. Some humans are aware of the difference and some are not. Some of the AIs want to preserve humanity and some have become lost themselves and need help or to be put down. At some point I did lose track of what was taking place in the real world and what was happening in VR. Still, it was a very interesting plot.

At the end, there’s a twist and I think I got it… I’m pretty sure I got it… maybe. Or perhaps it was left a bit nebulous so each reader can make up their minds as to how the story ends. At any rate, it has been a wild, crazy, memorable, and entertaining tale. I recommend the series. 4.5/5 stars.

The Narration: Jonathan Keeble has done another great job. Each character was distinct and his female voices were believable. I liked his Middle Eastern accents and his Argentinian accents as well. There were plenty of emotions in this tale and he did a great job performing them all, subtle or big. 5/5 stars.

I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Alec Birri. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.

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The last piece of the tale

The year 2028 finds Faruk and Isra, his daughter, traveling through a Middle Eastern desert, en route to deliver Isra to The Prophet. The world has changed thanks to the scientific innovations brought about by Professor Savage and the traditional Faruk has a good deal of trouble blending his old ways with the new face of Islam. Isra, on the other hand, is finding a lot of freedom she never knew before as a young Muslim woman. This particular section of the story is very relevant today as we try, not always successfully, to accept and accommodate cultures and religions that vary widely.

Later, we re-encounter Professor Savage, Nurse Tracy and Dr. Addams as well as a host of new characters; in fact, I began to wish for a cast of characters, not that such a thing is very helpful with an audiobook. What began as an attempt to treat---or, rather, correct---brain disorders has morphed into a mishmash of real time and virtual reality as well as an evolution in the abilities of AI's to have the emotions of humans. Unfortunately, the question of who is to decide what is aberrant or deviant behavior in need of "correction" is a very heavy issue, as heavy as that of the anti-terror activities that may lead to a new world war.

There is no tidy end to this trilogy but much is left to the reader's own thoughts, not a bad way to conclude such a tale.

Jonathan Keeble has grown into one of my favorite narrators with his pleasant tones, vivid characterizations (including what seem to be accurate accents in a variety of cultures) and his ability to evoke all kinds of feelings about the story. I don't think Mr. Birri could have asked for a better voice for his tale.

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