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The Living Universe #2
The Other Side
A young man with no past.
A rogue AI learning to be human.
A 300-year-old woman with a hidden agenda.
Together, they may be humanity’s last hope.
The alien lords rule with an iron grip. Feudalism has returned – only now, AI is the sword. Every citizen receives a Digital Ego: an AI implant connecting the mind to the System. Day and night, it becomes your pleasure. It shapes your thoughts. It decides your worth.
The overlords have judged most of humanity obsolete. The culling has begun.
In a world where technology dictates every move, the most dangerous weapon is independent thought. A young man survives a strike that erases his memory and kills his family. Rescued by a rogue AI and a centuries-old operative, he is thrust into a war he can’t remember and a destiny he didn’t choose. He has never aspired to be a hero, yet his power might be the one to tip the odds in humanity’s favor. During his training, he must conceal his abilities and keep a low profile, all while helping the rebel Uprising from the shadows.
Their secret weapons? His mental power to access the Field, and a rogue AI evolving past her code, growing something even the overlords fear:
Conscience.
The revolution begins with a spark. A story of love, rebellion, and the cost of being human.
Enter a future closer than it seems.
A rogue AI learning to be human.
A 300-year-old woman with a hidden agenda.
Together, they may be humanity’s last hope.
The alien lords rule with an iron grip. Feudalism has returned – only now, AI is the sword. Every citizen receives a Digital Ego: an AI implant connecting the mind to the System. Day and night, it becomes your pleasure. It shapes your thoughts. It decides your worth.
The overlords have judged most of humanity obsolete. The culling has begun.
In a world where technology dictates every move, the most dangerous weapon is independent thought. A young man survives a strike that erases his memory and kills his family. Rescued by a rogue AI and a centuries-old operative, he is thrust into a war he can’t remember and a destiny he didn’t choose. He has never aspired to be a hero, yet his power might be the one to tip the odds in humanity’s favor. During his training, he must conceal his abilities and keep a low profile, all while helping the rebel Uprising from the shadows.
Their secret weapons? His mental power to access the Field, and a rogue AI evolving past her code, growing something even the overlords fear:
Conscience.
The revolution begins with a spark. A story of love, rebellion, and the cost of being human.
Enter a future closer than it seems.
355 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 1, 2018
81 people are currently reading
2109 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
June 19, 2017
My rating is 3.5 - 3.7
Book readers might find in the genre of science fiction, but me not attracted to read. The idea is good but in some details not very refined I had a feeling that something's missing. There are so many good things in the book, and you see that the author has entered the world of describing, but I completely lost the head of the main actors is multiple personalities. I do not know maybe it's me, but the main reason is a battle between the creator barriers Traveler that killed millions of people and their reason for doing new barrier did not clear. The future world in which the story set a well designed and Traveler rule with him, using many devices that control thought. They are dangerous because they can return to the past and manipulate them with anyone who oppose completely destroying your enemies before they're born. The fight against them and their subordinates are unequal and the rebels all the time hanging guillotine overhead. I think the writer should put a major focus on this battle because the barrier is here and as a sideshow.
"Copy provided courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review."
Book readers might find in the genre of science fiction, but me not attracted to read. The idea is good but in some details not very refined I had a feeling that something's missing. There are so many good things in the book, and you see that the author has entered the world of describing, but I completely lost the head of the main actors is multiple personalities. I do not know maybe it's me, but the main reason is a battle between the creator barriers Traveler that killed millions of people and their reason for doing new barrier did not clear. The future world in which the story set a well designed and Traveler rule with him, using many devices that control thought. They are dangerous because they can return to the past and manipulate them with anyone who oppose completely destroying your enemies before they're born. The fight against them and their subordinates are unequal and the rebels all the time hanging guillotine overhead. I think the writer should put a major focus on this battle because the barrier is here and as a sideshow.
"Copy provided courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review."
July 30, 2016
With a splash of action, we arrive in the world of Florian Armas. A young man is caught up in an explosion in deep space, only escaping thanks to his mother but not doing so unscathed, his memory and emotions shattered and being forced to re-learn how to deal with the world around him. A brilliant start, full of tension and detail, but be prepared for a slower, more introspective novel.
The young man and a woman out of her time are the central characters, in a story that mixes politics, sexuality, questions of identity and the omnipresent threat of mass destruction caused by the Travellers through their New Field - whose only previous usage killed ten billion people as they attempted to split the universe.
After that initial burst of action, much of the remainder of the novel is something of a shell game of politics and identity. The young man becomes caught between the authorities and the Resistance, while the woman, Alenia, is operating as a spy trying to undermine the system in society. Each also has an artificial intelligence assisting them, a Digital Ego, as they are called, often Diego for short, which is a neat piece of terminology. Much of the story proceeds through internal dialogue with characters talking to their Digital Egos, which have the ability to hide their memories, mask their emotions and create fake, simulated experiences to share with others. People can also wipe their memories, and programme their memories to be wiped ahead of time, such as some do ahead of a festival filled with sexual contact, not all of it consensual. This is an unsettling world, and you see why Alenia is working to undermine it. However, things slow down after that adrenaline rush at the beginning and it takes some careful reading to follow the progress of the plot.
This is an intriguing read, full of bright ideas and unsettling concepts, in a world where social interaction exists at different levels, from the superficial surface that you allow people to see to the core identity underneath, elements of which are sometimes concealed from the person themselves for protection. If you have the patience for a slower, more introspective read, then this is one to make you think.
The young man and a woman out of her time are the central characters, in a story that mixes politics, sexuality, questions of identity and the omnipresent threat of mass destruction caused by the Travellers through their New Field - whose only previous usage killed ten billion people as they attempted to split the universe.
After that initial burst of action, much of the remainder of the novel is something of a shell game of politics and identity. The young man becomes caught between the authorities and the Resistance, while the woman, Alenia, is operating as a spy trying to undermine the system in society. Each also has an artificial intelligence assisting them, a Digital Ego, as they are called, often Diego for short, which is a neat piece of terminology. Much of the story proceeds through internal dialogue with characters talking to their Digital Egos, which have the ability to hide their memories, mask their emotions and create fake, simulated experiences to share with others. People can also wipe their memories, and programme their memories to be wiped ahead of time, such as some do ahead of a festival filled with sexual contact, not all of it consensual. This is an unsettling world, and you see why Alenia is working to undermine it. However, things slow down after that adrenaline rush at the beginning and it takes some careful reading to follow the progress of the plot.
This is an intriguing read, full of bright ideas and unsettling concepts, in a world where social interaction exists at different levels, from the superficial surface that you allow people to see to the core identity underneath, elements of which are sometimes concealed from the person themselves for protection. If you have the patience for a slower, more introspective read, then this is one to make you think.
February 14, 2017
There is a fatal space explosion that destroys everyone else but a sole survivor saved by his mother. He undergoes extensive reconstruction to bring him back to life though his feelings and hormones have a lot of catching up to do with the definitions the Net pushes at him. Alenia is the second protagonist in the story which alternates first person point of view between the lone survivor and Alenia.
Everyone fears an oppressive government whom they can't control. They get a Digital Ego (Diego) when they reach the general age of maturity which they can converse with and consult. AI is as pervasive as it is not today. There is danger and suspense right from the beginning, and one is engrossed in the unfolding tale of the survivor and Alenia fighting to preserve their universe as they knew it.
This book is not for the faint-hearted. A high level of concentration is necessary to follow the story. The beginning is a bit confusing because of the shifting narrators. But the writer succeeds in building an engaging world, characters, and an interesting plot supported by captivating descriptions and excellent writing.
Everyone fears an oppressive government whom they can't control. They get a Digital Ego (Diego) when they reach the general age of maturity which they can converse with and consult. AI is as pervasive as it is not today. There is danger and suspense right from the beginning, and one is engrossed in the unfolding tale of the survivor and Alenia fighting to preserve their universe as they knew it.
This book is not for the faint-hearted. A high level of concentration is necessary to follow the story. The beginning is a bit confusing because of the shifting narrators. But the writer succeeds in building an engaging world, characters, and an interesting plot supported by captivating descriptions and excellent writing.
May 10, 2017
I am very impressed with this book on many levels. I can also say I found it sometimes hard to follow, but the main thing is I *wanted* to follow it all the way through—the confusion I sometimes experienced did not lose me in the greater sense of the word, as a reader. I always felt welcomed and seduced by the newest details, sometimes replacing and sometimes gratifying the previous complications with an explanation.
Her characters’ battle for something like privacy or freedom-in a world where one must delete one’s own passing thoughts to be safe from persecution-is ultimately distressing and I think relevant to current human technology by way of logical extension. Some of the tools in this fight include a built in computerized psyche (with which one converses and negotiates as one might a friend), practicing deception against one’s own allies (in order to throw the enemy off the bigger trail of the rebellion), pulling one’s punches against rapists so that one isn’t flagged for packing a punch too powerful to fit with one’s public profile. What's great about this last example to me is the razor's edge a woman must walk in protecting herself from on one hand unthinkable abuse, and on the other, politics and the law. Modern feminist issues contain haunting hints of the same difficult choices.
Here I have to mention William Gibson in passing, but Armas takes the most disturbing implications of cyber manipulation and entertainment to a hyper-steroidal new plateau-where millions of people may be engaged in one’s sexual fantasies and/or demoralizations. Those in high places are brought up to believe violent sex films victimizing a woman must be favorable to the woman-because of the publicity. Again, resonant to modern sex-work.
I offer a five-star review with the suggestion that the author could stand for a copy-editor—or a new one; I did find many little typos along the way. Armas' prose is too eloquent to taint with little syntax issues a second reader could easily be rid of for her. In any case, I am grateful to have found this book among so very many indies on the market.
Her characters’ battle for something like privacy or freedom-in a world where one must delete one’s own passing thoughts to be safe from persecution-is ultimately distressing and I think relevant to current human technology by way of logical extension. Some of the tools in this fight include a built in computerized psyche (with which one converses and negotiates as one might a friend), practicing deception against one’s own allies (in order to throw the enemy off the bigger trail of the rebellion), pulling one’s punches against rapists so that one isn’t flagged for packing a punch too powerful to fit with one’s public profile. What's great about this last example to me is the razor's edge a woman must walk in protecting herself from on one hand unthinkable abuse, and on the other, politics and the law. Modern feminist issues contain haunting hints of the same difficult choices.
Here I have to mention William Gibson in passing, but Armas takes the most disturbing implications of cyber manipulation and entertainment to a hyper-steroidal new plateau-where millions of people may be engaged in one’s sexual fantasies and/or demoralizations. Those in high places are brought up to believe violent sex films victimizing a woman must be favorable to the woman-because of the publicity. Again, resonant to modern sex-work.
I offer a five-star review with the suggestion that the author could stand for a copy-editor—or a new one; I did find many little typos along the way. Armas' prose is too eloquent to taint with little syntax issues a second reader could easily be rid of for her. In any case, I am grateful to have found this book among so very many indies on the market.
March 10, 2018
Well, where to start? From the beginning, right.
It was rather a difficult start for me. While reading the first maybe 20-30 pages I felt quite lost, I felt that I kind of missed some prequel. I must say, the beginning of a new book is my most loved and paradoxically most hated part of reading one. Loved, because you are getting to know new characters, new worlds, new stories... Hated, well, you do not yet know everything/anything about it, so you have to build all of it up from nothing, just piece by piece. And that is exactly what this book did.
While I am not a sci-fi fan, nor do I prefer this genre in any case (without a solid reason to actually give it a go), I was pleseantly surprised how easy it was to read it. Even though sometimes I got a bit lost either in the story or the characters, the ideas represented in this book were fascinating. Higher beings controlling the population possibly without them (the population) knowing or caring about it (just a herd of sheep), the loss of humanity/empathy due to technological advances, sharing too much in order to become more popular,... And I could go on and on, but instead I definitely recommend it for anyone who is looking for an insteresting book to read.
This book made me think a lot about the connection between (our) society and technology, and it has a lot to offer to anyone who is thinking about reading it.
It was rather a difficult start for me. While reading the first maybe 20-30 pages I felt quite lost, I felt that I kind of missed some prequel. I must say, the beginning of a new book is my most loved and paradoxically most hated part of reading one. Loved, because you are getting to know new characters, new worlds, new stories... Hated, well, you do not yet know everything/anything about it, so you have to build all of it up from nothing, just piece by piece. And that is exactly what this book did.
While I am not a sci-fi fan, nor do I prefer this genre in any case (without a solid reason to actually give it a go), I was pleseantly surprised how easy it was to read it. Even though sometimes I got a bit lost either in the story or the characters, the ideas represented in this book were fascinating. Higher beings controlling the population possibly without them (the population) knowing or caring about it (just a herd of sheep), the loss of humanity/empathy due to technological advances, sharing too much in order to become more popular,... And I could go on and on, but instead I definitely recommend it for anyone who is looking for an insteresting book to read.
This book made me think a lot about the connection between (our) society and technology, and it has a lot to offer to anyone who is thinking about reading it.
June 21, 2016
If this novel were a refrigerator user manual, it might be described as not “user friendly”—but technically impeccable. By no criterion is this an “easy read”, and quite frankly I think many readers will not be able to cope and will move on. On many levels, this novel is extremely well written, and I must confess as a writer I was somewhat jealous of the author’s mastery of the art of riveting description.
I had to re-read the beginning pages of this book a couple of times to grab hold of the plot. Because of the author’s finesse, I was persuaded that it was worth the effort. Because this author is creating a sci/fi world and scenario that is totally alien to readers—excuse the pun (this is the second book of the Living Universe series, so readers of the first book may have an easier time slipping into the book’s setting), some may (like me) have to return to the beginning and start again to get on the track. I do not wish to spoil the story for future readers, but to get a quick idea, it begins with a catastrophic explosion aboard a spaceship, caused by a space battle and a well-launched missile from the Travellers. We are told that a Faction previously experimented with the New Field in a bid to permanently alter, split, the galaxy, with grave consequences and loss of life. And now others are back at it, with the likely probability of causing future catastrophe.
The voice is first person, and the perspective of the first character we meet is that of a young man who is seriously injured in the space conflagration, losing his memory (and emotions). He arrives via emergency capsule on a space station, Aurora, and receives medical care, but by doing so places his caregivers and all those who live in this region in danger because of the connection between his mind and the Field. A treaty with the main planet is not likely to be respected, leaving the rescuers stripped of defenses and vulnerable to attack and invasion should the government of the main planet attempt to locate and recover the young escape artist.
As our young man struggles to become human again, the perspective changes to that of a centuries old woman, Alenia, who sports the deceptive appearance of a 30-year-old. She lives on the main planet, a high-level employee of a government adept at using artificial intelligence (Diego, or DigitalEgos) to maintain an ironclad grip on the minds of its citizens.
Alenia, with the help of her renegade AI, breaks free of that grip and together with our hero (whose original Diego was destroyed with the spaceship) works against the Travellers’ plans to create a New Field—“the right of higher minds to decide the fate of lesser minds”—that is as likely as the last to destroy the galaxy and plummet the occupants into destructive chaos in their drive to unleash a new universe. It’s not difficult to see connections between this imaginary world and the one we live in, which also seems to be controlled by a conspiracy of elite leaders bent on causing a catastrophic conclusion to human history in their bid to reshape the world into something it was not created to be.
A richly detailed, inventive and original novel that is unlike anything else I have read. Definitely not a late-night read, as the reader needs to be fully awake to follow the twists and turns in this sci/fi novel, or risk being left behind in a confused muddle in the dust. I am giving it four stars (would give it four and a half if I could) because though exquisitely written, the author’s characterizations and plot may be too remote for many readers, especially younger readers, to connect with.
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I had to re-read the beginning pages of this book a couple of times to grab hold of the plot. Because of the author’s finesse, I was persuaded that it was worth the effort. Because this author is creating a sci/fi world and scenario that is totally alien to readers—excuse the pun (this is the second book of the Living Universe series, so readers of the first book may have an easier time slipping into the book’s setting), some may (like me) have to return to the beginning and start again to get on the track. I do not wish to spoil the story for future readers, but to get a quick idea, it begins with a catastrophic explosion aboard a spaceship, caused by a space battle and a well-launched missile from the Travellers. We are told that a Faction previously experimented with the New Field in a bid to permanently alter, split, the galaxy, with grave consequences and loss of life. And now others are back at it, with the likely probability of causing future catastrophe.
The voice is first person, and the perspective of the first character we meet is that of a young man who is seriously injured in the space conflagration, losing his memory (and emotions). He arrives via emergency capsule on a space station, Aurora, and receives medical care, but by doing so places his caregivers and all those who live in this region in danger because of the connection between his mind and the Field. A treaty with the main planet is not likely to be respected, leaving the rescuers stripped of defenses and vulnerable to attack and invasion should the government of the main planet attempt to locate and recover the young escape artist.
As our young man struggles to become human again, the perspective changes to that of a centuries old woman, Alenia, who sports the deceptive appearance of a 30-year-old. She lives on the main planet, a high-level employee of a government adept at using artificial intelligence (Diego, or DigitalEgos) to maintain an ironclad grip on the minds of its citizens.
Alenia, with the help of her renegade AI, breaks free of that grip and together with our hero (whose original Diego was destroyed with the spaceship) works against the Travellers’ plans to create a New Field—“the right of higher minds to decide the fate of lesser minds”—that is as likely as the last to destroy the galaxy and plummet the occupants into destructive chaos in their drive to unleash a new universe. It’s not difficult to see connections between this imaginary world and the one we live in, which also seems to be controlled by a conspiracy of elite leaders bent on causing a catastrophic conclusion to human history in their bid to reshape the world into something it was not created to be.
A richly detailed, inventive and original novel that is unlike anything else I have read. Definitely not a late-night read, as the reader needs to be fully awake to follow the twists and turns in this sci/fi novel, or risk being left behind in a confused muddle in the dust. I am giving it four stars (would give it four and a half if I could) because though exquisitely written, the author’s characterizations and plot may be too remote for many readers, especially younger readers, to connect with.
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
January 30, 2017
A young man barely survives an explosion in space. Thanks to modern technology, he is kept alive while parts of him are re-generated. His brain was also damaged. He has to re-learn language, emotions and simply how to be. He is one protagonist and a woman, Alenia, is the other. Due to the way the story is written in first person, alternating between both it took me a while to get this. But after re-reading the beginning chapters a couple of times I allowed myself to obsess less about remembering all the details and got into the story.
Both protagonists have the aid of artificial intelligence or AI’s for short.
The young man has plenty of mental conversations with his AI, or DigitalEgo, fittingly called Diego-- via an implanted chip. Some of these conversations are not clearly referenced which was the cause of my needing to go back and re-read certain chapters. Imagine have an Echo in your brain instead of sitting on the side table of your home. Diego is ready, willing and able to answer most any question the young man has, even erasing memories to keep him safe.
The young man has a particular skill in that he has a connection with the powerful Field that was put into place by the Travellers, a not so benign group of aliens. In the past this Field has been used to kill billions of people.
Needless to say the rebels battling against the aliens and their own abusive government are interested in taking advantage of the kid’s skill.
The alternating POV’s provide a rich picture of this universe and the lengths that the resistance are willing to go to, even using this kid, to change things. Some of the more inventive parts could use a bit more explanation to offer more clarity for the reader.
I wanted to give this story 3.5 stars and rounded up in my posting.
The heroes of this novel have some difficult challenges to overcome, including one that could destroy the universe as they know it in their quest to overthrow an oppressive government. I won’t go into details about the end to avoid giving away any spoilers. I think if a reader has the patience to go slow through the opening chapters, they’ll get more out of the story
Both protagonists have the aid of artificial intelligence or AI’s for short.
The young man has plenty of mental conversations with his AI, or DigitalEgo, fittingly called Diego-- via an implanted chip. Some of these conversations are not clearly referenced which was the cause of my needing to go back and re-read certain chapters. Imagine have an Echo in your brain instead of sitting on the side table of your home. Diego is ready, willing and able to answer most any question the young man has, even erasing memories to keep him safe.
The young man has a particular skill in that he has a connection with the powerful Field that was put into place by the Travellers, a not so benign group of aliens. In the past this Field has been used to kill billions of people.
Needless to say the rebels battling against the aliens and their own abusive government are interested in taking advantage of the kid’s skill.
The alternating POV’s provide a rich picture of this universe and the lengths that the resistance are willing to go to, even using this kid, to change things. Some of the more inventive parts could use a bit more explanation to offer more clarity for the reader.
I wanted to give this story 3.5 stars and rounded up in my posting.
The heroes of this novel have some difficult challenges to overcome, including one that could destroy the universe as they know it in their quest to overthrow an oppressive government. I won’t go into details about the end to avoid giving away any spoilers. I think if a reader has the patience to go slow through the opening chapters, they’ll get more out of the story
June 25, 2016
I won't say this was the easiest of reads but the first few pages told me the book was one that could only get better and yes I was right. Once I had grasped the storyline I soon found that it flowed. The first scene is amazingly well written with picture perfect detail and I found myself with that feeling that the story was being played out on a screen in front of me, something every good writer knows must be done. The detail of the descriptions slows the book to a sedated pace that sucks the reader gently into the story.
Once I got into the book I wanted to keep turning the page. The story flows well and uses some fairly traditional methods of sci-fi storytelling and this proven recipe if you like works well for the book. Told in the first person the story is engaging and ends in a position of seeing the same story or series of events from different camera positions, the story telling is very well conceived and for anyone who is looking to start reading Sci-fi or just looking for something that stretches the imagination this book is a winner.
The characters, scenes, and settings are well defined and make placing oneself in the book quite easy, it does have a feel of being talked through and guided by the voice of the book which is something I personally quite like. That voice is one that made me turn the page and perhaps if that voice had not been quite as persuasive and well spoken I might not have finished the book.
There are some challenging scenes that a reader may have to read again and this in a way is a good thing ensuring the reader is captivated by what could be a complicated story. This is the only reason I reduced the star rating, the book is a good read, you do end up with a voice in your head that creates a unique level of disturbance for the reader that I have not found with many readers.
I will give this book a thumbs up, it really is worth a read.
I received this book for free in exchange for my honest opinions and a review.
Once I got into the book I wanted to keep turning the page. The story flows well and uses some fairly traditional methods of sci-fi storytelling and this proven recipe if you like works well for the book. Told in the first person the story is engaging and ends in a position of seeing the same story or series of events from different camera positions, the story telling is very well conceived and for anyone who is looking to start reading Sci-fi or just looking for something that stretches the imagination this book is a winner.
The characters, scenes, and settings are well defined and make placing oneself in the book quite easy, it does have a feel of being talked through and guided by the voice of the book which is something I personally quite like. That voice is one that made me turn the page and perhaps if that voice had not been quite as persuasive and well spoken I might not have finished the book.
There are some challenging scenes that a reader may have to read again and this in a way is a good thing ensuring the reader is captivated by what could be a complicated story. This is the only reason I reduced the star rating, the book is a good read, you do end up with a voice in your head that creates a unique level of disturbance for the reader that I have not found with many readers.
I will give this book a thumbs up, it really is worth a read.
I received this book for free in exchange for my honest opinions and a review.
February 7, 2017
The Other Side explores a dystopian future where the Government of Earth controls everything and its citizens have no ability to change or stop it. Everyone has neural implants they can converse with internally, asking for help, getting unsolicited advice, etc. This is called a Digital Ego, or Diego (which I think is a clever name). Alenia, who is a member of the Government, can read citizens' minds at close proximity and with the proper permissions from higher-ups.
On a far out planet, a group of rebels lives under a wall of ice, free from Earth's government. One of them, a guy who narrates much of the story, almost died and had most of his brain and body regrown, so he isn't supposed to remember anything from his past, but that doesn't really work out. He ends up going home to Earth to infiltrate the government, posing as a wannabe astronaut. He soon runs into Alenia, who has a hard time reading him, even with her technological advances.
I found some parts of this story confusing and hard to follow; however, I later realized this is book two in a series, so it's possible some of my confusion is due to not reading the first book. I thought the concepts of the future were very interesting, and the plot did keep me guessing. It moves a little slowly at first, but you also get a lot of information about the world. Later on the plot picks up pace, and there were a lot of entertaining scenes. I did find the jumping back and forth between first person characters a little confusing, and that may have been complicated by my not having read the first book and having some confusion there, as well. Although I have not read the first book, I would probably recommend reading it before this one, and it's generally a good idea to read a series in order.
The concept of the future is something we should all pay attention to right now, as no one wants an oppressive government running things, whether it's a government made up of computers or people.
On a far out planet, a group of rebels lives under a wall of ice, free from Earth's government. One of them, a guy who narrates much of the story, almost died and had most of his brain and body regrown, so he isn't supposed to remember anything from his past, but that doesn't really work out. He ends up going home to Earth to infiltrate the government, posing as a wannabe astronaut. He soon runs into Alenia, who has a hard time reading him, even with her technological advances.
I found some parts of this story confusing and hard to follow; however, I later realized this is book two in a series, so it's possible some of my confusion is due to not reading the first book. I thought the concepts of the future were very interesting, and the plot did keep me guessing. It moves a little slowly at first, but you also get a lot of information about the world. Later on the plot picks up pace, and there were a lot of entertaining scenes. I did find the jumping back and forth between first person characters a little confusing, and that may have been complicated by my not having read the first book and having some confusion there, as well. Although I have not read the first book, I would probably recommend reading it before this one, and it's generally a good idea to read a series in order.
The concept of the future is something we should all pay attention to right now, as no one wants an oppressive government running things, whether it's a government made up of computers or people.
June 28, 2017
Although an interesting premise, I found this book extremely difficult to follow. There are huge sections of ‘telling’, without any real explanation of any of the terms used, or much explanation of the technology scattered throughout the book. I understand that readers generally don’t like paragraphs of explanation, but some explanation would’ve gone a long way in clarifying not only the plot of this book, but the world it takes place in as well.
I couldn’t relate to any of the characters, and there is such similarity in voice between the two main characters that I often got confused as to who was narrating, and often the only way I could tell the difference was when one of them referred to someone they knew.
The male protagonist never seems to be named, and that fact, that distance, made it very difficult for me to connect with him as a character. His love for Lamia was very puzzling too, seeing as he’d only met her once or twice, and hardly knew her at all.
I found the overall story strange and jarring, not one that I really enjoyed at all. I had to go back often to re-read passages to try to understand the overall story and action of the book, and this dampened my enjoyment as it became frustrating to go back and forth.
The book could also have used a much heavier hand in terms of editing. There are mistakes like ‘starring’ instead of ‘staring’, and these kinds of mistakes are plentiful throughout the text. The author also has a strange style, one I couldn’t get used and didn’t enjoy.
Unfortunately, this read was a definite miss for me.
I couldn’t relate to any of the characters, and there is such similarity in voice between the two main characters that I often got confused as to who was narrating, and often the only way I could tell the difference was when one of them referred to someone they knew.
The male protagonist never seems to be named, and that fact, that distance, made it very difficult for me to connect with him as a character. His love for Lamia was very puzzling too, seeing as he’d only met her once or twice, and hardly knew her at all.
I found the overall story strange and jarring, not one that I really enjoyed at all. I had to go back often to re-read passages to try to understand the overall story and action of the book, and this dampened my enjoyment as it became frustrating to go back and forth.
The book could also have used a much heavier hand in terms of editing. There are mistakes like ‘starring’ instead of ‘staring’, and these kinds of mistakes are plentiful throughout the text. The author also has a strange style, one I couldn’t get used and didn’t enjoy.
Unfortunately, this read was a definite miss for me.
December 13, 2016
Follow a thoughtful and descriptive journey of self-discovery and Resistance through the minds of characters who struggle against the machinations of the Travelers. The storyline is immersive and requires a degree of patience. The interactions are vibrant and well written to present clear ideas and settings, also first person perspective locks the reader tightly into the minds of the main characters.
The story confronts typical norms and presents an alternate society of sorts, perpetuated by artificial digital egos which engage with the characters regularly. The overarching idea is one of control and choices. The protagonist of the story starts with a complete wipe of identity and throughout the novel builds a perspective of the world. Often strange and harsh, reality upon the homeworld offers strange concepts and ideas for the readers and characters to adapt to. Some impressions connected me to the Brave New World dystopia, but only in the sense of accepted cultural norms in an alternate society. Ultimately, the goal of the Resistance is to disrupt the plans of Travelers to whom seek gain dominion of a new universe, which will come at the cost of countless lives in the present.
This novel is introspective and original. I would recommend it to those looking to the explore the human condition masked within the shell of technology and sci-fi elements
The story confronts typical norms and presents an alternate society of sorts, perpetuated by artificial digital egos which engage with the characters regularly. The overarching idea is one of control and choices. The protagonist of the story starts with a complete wipe of identity and throughout the novel builds a perspective of the world. Often strange and harsh, reality upon the homeworld offers strange concepts and ideas for the readers and characters to adapt to. Some impressions connected me to the Brave New World dystopia, but only in the sense of accepted cultural norms in an alternate society. Ultimately, the goal of the Resistance is to disrupt the plans of Travelers to whom seek gain dominion of a new universe, which will come at the cost of countless lives in the present.
This novel is introspective and original. I would recommend it to those looking to the explore the human condition masked within the shell of technology and sci-fi elements
April 27, 2017
After reading reviews of this book I knew that I needed to pay close attention to the first few chapters in order to fully grasp the story. I think this technique worked wonders because I was pretty clear on what was going on and was able to jump into the narrative with little confusion or the feeling of being lost as to time and place. The results were well worth it because the author takes on a journey that has as much to do with man v himsself as it does with man v nature or man v man. The first person dialogue made this an absorbing read and I think any other perspective would have resulted in a story that lacked connectivity and poignancy. My main point of contention is I think the author should have slowed down the narrative in a few places and been a little more patient with explication and backstory. It's not enough to really hurt the story, in my opinion but in a backhanded complimentary sort of way, the writing was so skilled that I think a disservice was done in some spots where the explanations were thin. Otherwise this was a treat - I've been reading a lot of Miles Cameron lately and I'm really into stories that weave genre tropes with superb literary and psychologically responsive skill. This is such a book!
February 14, 2019
Good story!
I enjoyed this much more than the first in the series. It came across as much more well developed and organized. It made reading It a lot easier, less confusing,and much more enjoyable.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys time travel and science fiction stories. I feel like this book is capable of standing alone and doesn't necessarily need to be read in succession to it's predecessor, though it does refer back to it a few times, text is included to clear up any confusion.
*I won a copy of this book from a Goodreads giveaway. The review is my own, honest and unsolicited.
I enjoyed this much more than the first in the series. It came across as much more well developed and organized. It made reading It a lot easier, less confusing,and much more enjoyable.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys time travel and science fiction stories. I feel like this book is capable of standing alone and doesn't necessarily need to be read in succession to it's predecessor, though it does refer back to it a few times, text is included to clear up any confusion.
*I won a copy of this book from a Goodreads giveaway. The review is my own, honest and unsolicited.
July 17, 2025
This sci-fi story of life under, and resistance to, a high-tech oppressive regime, is told in first person from two main viewpoints. It's a bit of a cautionary tale with insights into some current trends. It explores elements of privacy, technology in people's lives, the "right" to govern, surveillance used to control, depravity as entertainment, the net making it "easier to herd people to read or watch only things that were permitted", and "measuring our lives in increments of approval ratings and carefully staged encounters."
The story drew me right in with the wonderfully described chaotic opening and further immersive descriptions as it developed. At an unhurried pace, it built layer upon layer of intrigues as the resistance developed and moved forward. I enjoyed the often-entertaining interactions between some characters and their AI implants, as well as the exploration of issues that we can see potentially developing even now.
The two points of view sounding much the same made it often confusing when the viewpoint switched, especially when the switch was inconsistently cued. Lacking some identifier for the male main character - an appellation or even a moniker - added to the confusion and gave the transitions and the story's flow an unwelcome choppiness. In addition, he's supposed to have some special power, but that was little developed, feeling like a lost opportunity and a disconnect from the blurb's promise. Some technical issues like typos also interfered with the story's flow.
Overall, despite those issues, the story pulled me along to see how it would turn out. I found it engrossing and thought-provoking.
3.5 stars, rounded up
The story drew me right in with the wonderfully described chaotic opening and further immersive descriptions as it developed. At an unhurried pace, it built layer upon layer of intrigues as the resistance developed and moved forward. I enjoyed the often-entertaining interactions between some characters and their AI implants, as well as the exploration of issues that we can see potentially developing even now.
The two points of view sounding much the same made it often confusing when the viewpoint switched, especially when the switch was inconsistently cued. Lacking some identifier for the male main character - an appellation or even a moniker - added to the confusion and gave the transitions and the story's flow an unwelcome choppiness. In addition, he's supposed to have some special power, but that was little developed, feeling like a lost opportunity and a disconnect from the blurb's promise. Some technical issues like typos also interfered with the story's flow.
Overall, despite those issues, the story pulled me along to see how it would turn out. I found it engrossing and thought-provoking.
3.5 stars, rounded up
July 23, 2025
A fantastic read.
I liked reading this book and
I think artificial intelligence will soon control our life as it is described in this fantastic book.
I liked reading this book and
I think artificial intelligence will soon control our life as it is described in this fantastic book.
September 19, 2025
The The Other Side is unique story with questions about technology and freedom. The world of “Digital Egos” controlling people’s thoughts was frightening and believable. I especially liked how the story showed different perspectives.
At the same time, parts of the book were a little confusing. Sometimes it was hard to tell who was speaking due to the internal thoughts of the AI, and the pacing slowed in places. It took patience to keep reading.
Overall, I think this book is best for readers who enjoy deep, thoughtful science fiction more than fast action. Very cool concept that could be improved with sharper differentiation on whose pov we are in. A thought provoking novel considering the times we live in.
At the same time, parts of the book were a little confusing. Sometimes it was hard to tell who was speaking due to the internal thoughts of the AI, and the pacing slowed in places. It took patience to keep reading.
Overall, I think this book is best for readers who enjoy deep, thoughtful science fiction more than fast action. Very cool concept that could be improved with sharper differentiation on whose pov we are in. A thought provoking novel considering the times we live in.
November 6, 2025
The Other Side delivers a vivid dystopia where alien overlords, Digital Egos, and a rogue AI with a conscience collide in a rebellion that feels both grand and unsettlingly close to our reality. The concepts are bold and thought provoking, the action lands with impact, and the questions about identity, freedom, and technology linger. At times the perspective shifts and dense exposition make the story hard to follow, and the pacing can wobble, so clearer signposting and a tighter edit would help. Even so, the world building and thematic weight carry it, and patient readers will find an imaginative sci fi ride with real heart.
May 5, 2017
TLDR – 2-2.5/5—it’s an interesting plot, but I can’t recommend this book in its current state. This book is not an easy read even for the most experienced sci-fi readers.
Review:
I bought this after seeing the stellar reviews and the stellar price tag (it’s only $1.44!). As a fellow indie author, I expected the usual suspects—misspelled words, missing punctuations, occasionally weird formatting—but everything pointed to this being a good if not great story.
We follow two very different protagonists as they navigate a corrupt world. A rebel who has lost all his memories after surviving a catastrophic explosion, and Alenia, a government employ working to undermine the government’s power from within. Both main characters have interesting story lines that intertwine with one another, and both main characters are likeable. There is a really interesting AI in your head mechanic that I love. Honestly, if I was reviewing the ideas for this story alone, this would be at least 4 stars. but I’m not. I’m reviewing the entire book.
And the book is practically impossible to read without doubling back to re-read something every other paragraph. I love the idea of a fully function AI taking residence within someone’s head and voicing their own concerns/ ideas/ etc., but this contributes largely to the problem. The book is written entirely in the first person, which would be difficult enough with only two main characters dialogue to keep track of. But then you have to double the internal dialogue again because of the AIs in both of the main character’s heads. Between the AI internal dialogue, the main characters’ internal dialogue, the main characters’ actual dialogue, and everybody else’s dialogue, the story needed to be formatted and structured absolutely perfectly, so a reader can follow what’s going on. And unfortunately, it isn’t.
I believe I’m like most people, by which I mean I read books to relax and escape. I don’t want to have to go back and read something three times just to understand what’s going on. It got to the point where I could not tell if the characters were voicing something aloud or internally. It sincerely felt like I was missing whole parts of the story because I couldn’t follow, and that’s so frustrating because this is an interesting story!
Final Thoughts: I really don’t think anyone will be able to read this without doubling back at least once, especially in the opening chapters. It’s a shame the structure of a book is inhibiting me from being able to rate this higher because the ideas are good. But if I can’t correctly follow the ideas as they are presented, then it’s a problem.
Review:
I bought this after seeing the stellar reviews and the stellar price tag (it’s only $1.44!). As a fellow indie author, I expected the usual suspects—misspelled words, missing punctuations, occasionally weird formatting—but everything pointed to this being a good if not great story.
We follow two very different protagonists as they navigate a corrupt world. A rebel who has lost all his memories after surviving a catastrophic explosion, and Alenia, a government employ working to undermine the government’s power from within. Both main characters have interesting story lines that intertwine with one another, and both main characters are likeable. There is a really interesting AI in your head mechanic that I love. Honestly, if I was reviewing the ideas for this story alone, this would be at least 4 stars. but I’m not. I’m reviewing the entire book.
And the book is practically impossible to read without doubling back to re-read something every other paragraph. I love the idea of a fully function AI taking residence within someone’s head and voicing their own concerns/ ideas/ etc., but this contributes largely to the problem. The book is written entirely in the first person, which would be difficult enough with only two main characters dialogue to keep track of. But then you have to double the internal dialogue again because of the AIs in both of the main character’s heads. Between the AI internal dialogue, the main characters’ internal dialogue, the main characters’ actual dialogue, and everybody else’s dialogue, the story needed to be formatted and structured absolutely perfectly, so a reader can follow what’s going on. And unfortunately, it isn’t.
I believe I’m like most people, by which I mean I read books to relax and escape. I don’t want to have to go back and read something three times just to understand what’s going on. It got to the point where I could not tell if the characters were voicing something aloud or internally. It sincerely felt like I was missing whole parts of the story because I couldn’t follow, and that’s so frustrating because this is an interesting story!
Final Thoughts: I really don’t think anyone will be able to read this without doubling back at least once, especially in the opening chapters. It’s a shame the structure of a book is inhibiting me from being able to rate this higher because the ideas are good. But if I can’t correctly follow the ideas as they are presented, then it’s a problem.
January 9, 2017
Florian Armas is a master at illustrating discussions within the minds of his characters. Each has a computer chip implanted within their cervical vertebrae which melds seamlessly with their consciousness to allow wonderful conversations. I enjoyed this added character development as I could learn how each individual reacted with their computer - which could be a voice or even depicted as an avatar in their mind’s eye.
The premise of The Other Side is in my opinion an accurate estimation of our far future, as computers and artificial intelligence begin to dominate our society. The high-level manipulations and clever altering of tone, mood and body stance with the help of their inner computer, to fool each other added to the suspense and mystery. Each character could be their actual age, or be an individual hundreds of years old and re-implanted into a new body, or be an individual with the memories of another person’s prior life uploaded into their consciousness, and all these clever ideas served to make this an edgy and thrilling tale. Armas does a nice job delivering a unique story, and I’m very impressed by his style.
The premise of The Other Side is in my opinion an accurate estimation of our far future, as computers and artificial intelligence begin to dominate our society. The high-level manipulations and clever altering of tone, mood and body stance with the help of their inner computer, to fool each other added to the suspense and mystery. Each character could be their actual age, or be an individual hundreds of years old and re-implanted into a new body, or be an individual with the memories of another person’s prior life uploaded into their consciousness, and all these clever ideas served to make this an edgy and thrilling tale. Armas does a nice job delivering a unique story, and I’m very impressed by his style.
December 1, 2016
Not sure about this one!
The premise for this story is a good one, but I found it quite slow going. The story revolves around a man who is caught up in a in an explosion on a space ship. He wakes up in a hospital bed elsewhere. So, the only real action was at the beginning of the book.
The entire story is told in the first person, which I love, so kudos to the author for that. Alenia is probably the main character, she seemed to have most of the story line, trying to undermine the system, which was my favourite situation. I did like the idea of the implants, known as digital ego's, very innovative. It was all very technological, which isn't really my bag. But if you like that kind of thing, then I recommend it. For me, it was too slow.
The premise for this story is a good one, but I found it quite slow going. The story revolves around a man who is caught up in a in an explosion on a space ship. He wakes up in a hospital bed elsewhere. So, the only real action was at the beginning of the book.
The entire story is told in the first person, which I love, so kudos to the author for that. Alenia is probably the main character, she seemed to have most of the story line, trying to undermine the system, which was my favourite situation. I did like the idea of the implants, known as digital ego's, very innovative. It was all very technological, which isn't really my bag. But if you like that kind of thing, then I recommend it. For me, it was too slow.
August 9, 2025
Recommendation: Great for fans of cerebral, reflective sci-fi with a dark, dystopian edge—especially if you're intrigued by the evolution of AI and what humanity might mean when machines start to feel.
August 29, 2025
“If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear.” I feel as if this will echo in my mind for some time after finishing this book. That is impressive considering how confused I was at the start of the book. This is one of those where you need to stick with it and discover things at the same time as the character you are reading about. You’re pretty much in the dark at first. The author has predicted a very possible, and scary future for humans.
Dialog scenes posed a problem unique to this story. There are basically double the number of thoughts to keep track of in a conversation. There is a character who is able to speak to any other character in the scene, but can also speak to his or her self…in a way. In the world described in The Other Side, one’s best friend and closest confident rides along beside one’s own mind. Even this small idea had huge implications.
Most times, while reading, the AI in the characters’ brains was a bit of comic relief. Especially when they appeared as avatars for their host? Owner? (I’m not sure how to refer to them) to see. Imagine having a very advanced Amazon ALEXA in your head . communicating with you. In a world where every thought and action can be analyzed, imagine being able to tell your little AI friend to erase your unsavory thoughts after you have them. All of this exists in this book.
I was happily immersed in this seemingly possible future world as I read until it would dawn on me that I was trying to empathize with a character and imagine myself in his or her position…but then it would hit me that the character was not human and I’d go down a new mental spiral. It really was a fun ride though and more than once I found myself closing this book and thinking about possible futures for our own world.
With that being said, I was not a fan of the writing style in this book. It was choppy, and probably a product of there being all the non-human characters, but it made it tough for me to read. For example, on page 114, “Then, impact. A girl sprawled across my lap, her pants half-off, fingers clawing my shoulders. Second girl in fifteen minutes.” For my personal reading taste, I would have preferred longer sentences with more joining words. For the most part, I got over it, but it was definitely irksome, especially in the beginning. It made things appear to move quickly, but in reality some of the chapters took more than an hour to read. I’d start a chapter and get bogged down in details at times and forget where I was heading and this is NOT the kind of book where I could have pushed on after missing something important. I often found myself going back and re-reading parts.
Dialog scenes posed a problem unique to this story. There are basically double the number of thoughts to keep track of in a conversation. There is a character who is able to speak to any other character in the scene, but can also speak to his or her self…in a way. In the world described in The Other Side, one’s best friend and closest confident rides along beside one’s own mind. Even this small idea had huge implications.
Most times, while reading, the AI in the characters’ brains was a bit of comic relief. Especially when they appeared as avatars for their host? Owner? (I’m not sure how to refer to them) to see. Imagine having a very advanced Amazon ALEXA in your head . communicating with you. In a world where every thought and action can be analyzed, imagine being able to tell your little AI friend to erase your unsavory thoughts after you have them. All of this exists in this book.
I was happily immersed in this seemingly possible future world as I read until it would dawn on me that I was trying to empathize with a character and imagine myself in his or her position…but then it would hit me that the character was not human and I’d go down a new mental spiral. It really was a fun ride though and more than once I found myself closing this book and thinking about possible futures for our own world.
With that being said, I was not a fan of the writing style in this book. It was choppy, and probably a product of there being all the non-human characters, but it made it tough for me to read. For example, on page 114, “Then, impact. A girl sprawled across my lap, her pants half-off, fingers clawing my shoulders. Second girl in fifteen minutes.” For my personal reading taste, I would have preferred longer sentences with more joining words. For the most part, I got over it, but it was definitely irksome, especially in the beginning. It made things appear to move quickly, but in reality some of the chapters took more than an hour to read. I’d start a chapter and get bogged down in details at times and forget where I was heading and this is NOT the kind of book where I could have pushed on after missing something important. I often found myself going back and re-reading parts.
October 15, 2025
“DigiLink corrupted the mind. Books were burned. NetPedia gutted knowledge. Everything became standardized by thousands of paid trolls posing as real users. SoulBook sterilized dissent. Simulations replaced life. And IQs shrank – genetically enhanced or not.”
The Other Side opens with an explosive scene that hints at a rapid-paced military sci-fi adventure. What follows instead is a complex, introspective, meticulously layered political thriller. Humanity – if it can still be called that, after centuries of genetic and cybernetic enhancements – is ruled by a tyrannical alien race, the Travelers. The sole survivor of a space skirmish is reconstructed in a new body, somehow obtaining a connection to the all-powerful Field. With the help of a bureaucrat who is questioning her purpose and allegiance, and a rebel AI, he turns his newfound powers against his oppressive overlords. A tense cat-and-mouse game ensues, with the fate of the universe in the balance.
After a breathless opening, the narrative occasionally loses momentum amid dense plotting, making sections harder to navigate. I kept getting lost in the early sections until I found the author’s cadence. Even then the skipping between different perspectives (and their personal AI “egos”) often made me backtrack.
Florian Armas has poured a lot of philosophical thought, technological research, and even social identity theory. Right to privacy, technofeudalism, renegade AIs, and autonomy all get their turn, as do present-day (nascent) concerns about digital surveillance and exploitation. Feminist themes are particularly resonant, examining impossible choices women face between self-protection and societal expectations – even in a distant (and very different) future. There’s enough material for several novels here, and at times the Big Ideas trip each other up, jarring the reader out of the story.
This is a meaty novel, definitely not an easy read. But the conceptual richness and sheer span of the author’s imagination kept me invested throughout. There’s a bit of Gibson here, a dash of Richard Morgan, more than a helping of Ian McDonald. Minor editorial issues aside, if you persist through the confusion, you’ll be rewarded.
The Other Side opens with an explosive scene that hints at a rapid-paced military sci-fi adventure. What follows instead is a complex, introspective, meticulously layered political thriller. Humanity – if it can still be called that, after centuries of genetic and cybernetic enhancements – is ruled by a tyrannical alien race, the Travelers. The sole survivor of a space skirmish is reconstructed in a new body, somehow obtaining a connection to the all-powerful Field. With the help of a bureaucrat who is questioning her purpose and allegiance, and a rebel AI, he turns his newfound powers against his oppressive overlords. A tense cat-and-mouse game ensues, with the fate of the universe in the balance.
After a breathless opening, the narrative occasionally loses momentum amid dense plotting, making sections harder to navigate. I kept getting lost in the early sections until I found the author’s cadence. Even then the skipping between different perspectives (and their personal AI “egos”) often made me backtrack.
Florian Armas has poured a lot of philosophical thought, technological research, and even social identity theory. Right to privacy, technofeudalism, renegade AIs, and autonomy all get their turn, as do present-day (nascent) concerns about digital surveillance and exploitation. Feminist themes are particularly resonant, examining impossible choices women face between self-protection and societal expectations – even in a distant (and very different) future. There’s enough material for several novels here, and at times the Big Ideas trip each other up, jarring the reader out of the story.
This is a meaty novel, definitely not an easy read. But the conceptual richness and sheer span of the author’s imagination kept me invested throughout. There’s a bit of Gibson here, a dash of Richard Morgan, more than a helping of Ian McDonald. Minor editorial issues aside, if you persist through the confusion, you’ll be rewarded.
December 21, 2025
Brilliant ideas, steep reading.
Florian Armas’s The Other Side is an ambitious, high-concept work of speculative fiction that blends military sci-fi, political thriller, and philosophical inquiry. It asks a lot of its readers but rewards that effort with a vividly imagined future in which the boundary between humanity and technology has nearly vanished.
The story follows a dual-perspective resistance against an alien force called the Travelers. It opens with a catastrophic space explosion that leaves a lone male survivor rebuilt in body and mind, struggling to understand a world that has erased his past. His path soon intersects with Alenia, a government insider and spy, as they navigate a dystopia defined by total surveillance, programmable identities, and neural implants known as Digital Egos that advise, censor, and observe from within the mind.
What begins as a survival narrative grows into a layered game of political manipulation and psychological warfare, centered on an alien technology capable of destroying the universe. Armas excels at big ideas, especially around privacy, autonomy, AI ethics, and the commodification of identity.
The novel’s strengths and challenges mirror each other. The prose is cinematic and evocative, rendering action and atmosphere with striking clarity. However, the alternating first-person POV can feel choppy, and the constant chatter of AI implants layered over dialogue and internal monologue often makes scenes dense and difficult to parse. After a fast, explosive opening, the pacing slows into heavy exposition and philosophical detours that occasionally disrupt momentum.
The Other Side is a demanding but original entry in dystopian sci-fi. It shines most through its world-building, thematic ambition, and inventive vision, even as it struggles with accessibility, pacing, and clarity. Best suited for readers who enjoy cerebral, Gibson-esque science fiction and will invest the focus required to unravel its complex layers. Highly futuristic, original, and creative.
Florian Armas’s The Other Side is an ambitious, high-concept work of speculative fiction that blends military sci-fi, political thriller, and philosophical inquiry. It asks a lot of its readers but rewards that effort with a vividly imagined future in which the boundary between humanity and technology has nearly vanished.
The story follows a dual-perspective resistance against an alien force called the Travelers. It opens with a catastrophic space explosion that leaves a lone male survivor rebuilt in body and mind, struggling to understand a world that has erased his past. His path soon intersects with Alenia, a government insider and spy, as they navigate a dystopia defined by total surveillance, programmable identities, and neural implants known as Digital Egos that advise, censor, and observe from within the mind.
What begins as a survival narrative grows into a layered game of political manipulation and psychological warfare, centered on an alien technology capable of destroying the universe. Armas excels at big ideas, especially around privacy, autonomy, AI ethics, and the commodification of identity.
The novel’s strengths and challenges mirror each other. The prose is cinematic and evocative, rendering action and atmosphere with striking clarity. However, the alternating first-person POV can feel choppy, and the constant chatter of AI implants layered over dialogue and internal monologue often makes scenes dense and difficult to parse. After a fast, explosive opening, the pacing slows into heavy exposition and philosophical detours that occasionally disrupt momentum.
The Other Side is a demanding but original entry in dystopian sci-fi. It shines most through its world-building, thematic ambition, and inventive vision, even as it struggles with accessibility, pacing, and clarity. Best suited for readers who enjoy cerebral, Gibson-esque science fiction and will invest the focus required to unravel its complex layers. Highly futuristic, original, and creative.
November 27, 2025
Florian Armas has written something that refuses to compromise. The Other Side presents a dystopian future where AI implants control human consciousness, but this isn't a straightforward tech-gone-wrong story. Instead, Armas has constructed an intricate, layered narrative that unfolds like an elaborate puzzle—one that requires patience and concentration to assemble.
The complexity here is deliberate. Armas doesn't hold your hand. He drops you into this world and trusts you to piece together how it functions, politically and technologically, as the story progresses. That approach makes the early chapters challenging, but there's a method to it. Each section reveals another element of the system, another piece of the rebellion, another layer of the conspiracy. By the time you're halfway through, you've built a mental map of this future that feels earned rather than explained.
What impressed me most was the sheer creativity on display. This isn't derivative sci-fi rehashing familiar tropes. Armas keeps introducing fresh concepts and unexpected turns that made me reconsider what I thought I understood about the story. The social commentary is sharp too—the way technology enables new forms of control and exploitation feels uncomfortably plausible.
I won't pretend the prose is always smooth. There are passages where the density of ideas makes the reading feel like work rather than entertainment. If you're looking for a quick space adventure, this isn't it. But if you appreciate science fiction in the tradition of Asimov—thoughtful, ambitious, willing to tackle big philosophical questions—then this delivers something genuinely unusual and worthwhile.
Five stars for a novel that takes real risks and mostly pulls them off.
The complexity here is deliberate. Armas doesn't hold your hand. He drops you into this world and trusts you to piece together how it functions, politically and technologically, as the story progresses. That approach makes the early chapters challenging, but there's a method to it. Each section reveals another element of the system, another piece of the rebellion, another layer of the conspiracy. By the time you're halfway through, you've built a mental map of this future that feels earned rather than explained.
What impressed me most was the sheer creativity on display. This isn't derivative sci-fi rehashing familiar tropes. Armas keeps introducing fresh concepts and unexpected turns that made me reconsider what I thought I understood about the story. The social commentary is sharp too—the way technology enables new forms of control and exploitation feels uncomfortably plausible.
I won't pretend the prose is always smooth. There are passages where the density of ideas makes the reading feel like work rather than entertainment. If you're looking for a quick space adventure, this isn't it. But if you appreciate science fiction in the tradition of Asimov—thoughtful, ambitious, willing to tackle big philosophical questions—then this delivers something genuinely unusual and worthwhile.
Five stars for a novel that takes real risks and mostly pulls them off.
December 5, 2025
The Other Side is one of those books where the ideas absolutely shine — genuinely clever, unsettling, and wonderfully ambitious — but the execution occasionally makes you feel like you need an extra brain (or a built-in AI of your own) just to keep up.
Florian Armas throws you straight into a world of memory loss, mind-embedded AIs, political manipulation and an alien elite running a deeply controlled society. The concept alone is excellent: two protagonists, both linked to rebellion in very different ways, navigating a future where your thoughts have witnesses and your “digital ego” comments on everything you do. The worldbuilding is rich, strange, and often fascinating — original enough to feel fresh, believable enough to be properly unsettling.
But here’s the honest bit: it’s hard to follow at times. Everything is written in first-person, which would be fine, except each character also has an AI “voice” chatting away in their head… and those AIs also talk to each other… and to them… and sometimes to nobody in particular. With internal monologue, external dialogue, and machine chatter all layered together, there were chapters where I had to stop and reread sections just to work out who said what. Add in the occasional grammar slip and you’ve got a story that demands concentration rather than encouraging flow.
Still, the creativity outweighs the bumps. Once the pieces click into place, the book becomes a thought-provoking, twisty sci-fi thriller that forces you to imagine a future where privacy is extinct and rebellion starts in the mind long before it hits the streets.
Not perfect, but definitely worth the journey — especially for readers who enjoy big ideas, high-concept futures, and stories that dare to be different.
Florian Armas throws you straight into a world of memory loss, mind-embedded AIs, political manipulation and an alien elite running a deeply controlled society. The concept alone is excellent: two protagonists, both linked to rebellion in very different ways, navigating a future where your thoughts have witnesses and your “digital ego” comments on everything you do. The worldbuilding is rich, strange, and often fascinating — original enough to feel fresh, believable enough to be properly unsettling.
But here’s the honest bit: it’s hard to follow at times. Everything is written in first-person, which would be fine, except each character also has an AI “voice” chatting away in their head… and those AIs also talk to each other… and to them… and sometimes to nobody in particular. With internal monologue, external dialogue, and machine chatter all layered together, there were chapters where I had to stop and reread sections just to work out who said what. Add in the occasional grammar slip and you’ve got a story that demands concentration rather than encouraging flow.
Still, the creativity outweighs the bumps. Once the pieces click into place, the book becomes a thought-provoking, twisty sci-fi thriller that forces you to imagine a future where privacy is extinct and rebellion starts in the mind long before it hits the streets.
Not perfect, but definitely worth the journey — especially for readers who enjoy big ideas, high-concept futures, and stories that dare to be different.
October 3, 2025
And the mole is...?
In terms of futuristic concerns and developing technology, this science fiction novel is as relevant today as I’m sure it was when it was released in 2015. Armas does a good job integrating AI in all aspects of the story, including the interesting concept of chips implanted in everyone’s brains that act as interpreters, protectors, and personal assistants. The interchange between Diego/Diegia (the digital ego) and the main characters works beautifully since the AI is capable of split-second decisions as well as goofy responses like sticking out its tongue or tossing around cat avatars to make a point. Much like the concept of a human ego, a completely smooth relationship with other parts of a personality is not to be expected.
The narrative of this novel careens like the target of a car chase sequence, constantly giving readers clues as to who the real mole might with touches of detective, thriller, or spy stories. Which side is Alenia on? What about Rebel? The Travelers? And what about Vipri and Shine, to name a few?
The science fiction themes mix well with strong threads of espionage and action as the narrative switches back and forth between Rebel and Alenia, adding new agencies, characters, and plot twists along the way for a wild ride.
In terms of futuristic concerns and developing technology, this science fiction novel is as relevant today as I’m sure it was when it was released in 2015. Armas does a good job integrating AI in all aspects of the story, including the interesting concept of chips implanted in everyone’s brains that act as interpreters, protectors, and personal assistants. The interchange between Diego/Diegia (the digital ego) and the main characters works beautifully since the AI is capable of split-second decisions as well as goofy responses like sticking out its tongue or tossing around cat avatars to make a point. Much like the concept of a human ego, a completely smooth relationship with other parts of a personality is not to be expected.
The narrative of this novel careens like the target of a car chase sequence, constantly giving readers clues as to who the real mole might with touches of detective, thriller, or spy stories. Which side is Alenia on? What about Rebel? The Travelers? And what about Vipri and Shine, to name a few?
The science fiction themes mix well with strong threads of espionage and action as the narrative switches back and forth between Rebel and Alenia, adding new agencies, characters, and plot twists along the way for a wild ride.
October 31, 2025
This book completely pulled me in. The premise—a world where AI implants control everyone's thoughts and worth, with alien overlords deciding who lives and dies—is both terrifying and uncomfortably plausible. The setup alone had me hooked.
What really sets this apart is the characters. You've got an amnesiac with hidden powers, a rogue AI learning what it means to have a conscience, and a 300-year-old operative with secrets. Their dynamic feels fresh and emotionally grounded despite the wild sci-fi setting. The AI's evolution into something with genuine morality is especially compelling.
The worldbuilding is rich and inventive—feudalism meets digital dystopia in ways I haven't seen before. The author clearly put thought into how this oppressive system works and why it's so hard to fight. The pacing keeps you turning pages, mixing action with deeper questions about identity, free will, and what makes us human.
I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5 only because a few plot points felt slightly rushed in the middle section, but honestly, that's a minor quibble. If you're looking for sci-fi that takes you somewhere genuinely new while making you think and feel, grab this one.
What really sets this apart is the characters. You've got an amnesiac with hidden powers, a rogue AI learning what it means to have a conscience, and a 300-year-old operative with secrets. Their dynamic feels fresh and emotionally grounded despite the wild sci-fi setting. The AI's evolution into something with genuine morality is especially compelling.
The worldbuilding is rich and inventive—feudalism meets digital dystopia in ways I haven't seen before. The author clearly put thought into how this oppressive system works and why it's so hard to fight. The pacing keeps you turning pages, mixing action with deeper questions about identity, free will, and what makes us human.
I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5 only because a few plot points felt slightly rushed in the middle section, but honestly, that's a minor quibble. If you're looking for sci-fi that takes you somewhere genuinely new while making you think and feel, grab this one.
September 17, 2025
Edgy and thought-provoking
The Other Side is a dystopian read in a technological world where Digital Egos, known as Diegos, are implanted when one comes of age. This AI implant connects the mind to the system, acting as an inner advisor through inner dialogue.
The story revolves around two central characters. A young man is the sole survivor of an explosion in space. He is rescued and undergoes extensive reconstruction before being sent on a mission to help the Resistance against the Travellers, who will cause mass destruction through their new Field. The other protagonist is Alenia, a spy. Together, they may be humanity’s last hope.
Though it is a complex read that at times is hard to follow, the author succeeds in creating an engaging world, interesting characters, and an intriguing plot.
The book raises questions about the future of humanity and our relationship with technology, and whether we will allow technology to dominate us or if it will be used against humanity by others.
The Other Side is a dystopian read in a technological world where Digital Egos, known as Diegos, are implanted when one comes of age. This AI implant connects the mind to the system, acting as an inner advisor through inner dialogue.
The story revolves around two central characters. A young man is the sole survivor of an explosion in space. He is rescued and undergoes extensive reconstruction before being sent on a mission to help the Resistance against the Travellers, who will cause mass destruction through their new Field. The other protagonist is Alenia, a spy. Together, they may be humanity’s last hope.
Though it is a complex read that at times is hard to follow, the author succeeds in creating an engaging world, interesting characters, and an intriguing plot.
The book raises questions about the future of humanity and our relationship with technology, and whether we will allow technology to dominate us or if it will be used against humanity by others.
November 21, 2025
The Other Side opens with an intense, cinematic disaster scene that immediately pulls you into its world. Explosions, zero-gravity chaos, and the sheer panic of trying to survive. The writing is vivid and atmospheric, with strong sensory detail that makes the danger feel real.
The premise itself is really unique: a society controlled by Digital Egos, a rogue AI learning to be human, and a young man trying to piece himself together after a memory-wiping strike. I really enjoyed how the author blends rebellion, technology, and identity. Even from the opening chapters, the world-building feels layered and intriguing, and the later pages introduce some surprising twists and moral tension.
If you enjoy dystopian sci-fi with high stakes, detailed action, and a thought-provoking look at control vs. free will, this is definitely worth reading. The author’s imagination and world-building stand out, and the concept is fresh and compelling.
The premise itself is really unique: a society controlled by Digital Egos, a rogue AI learning to be human, and a young man trying to piece himself together after a memory-wiping strike. I really enjoyed how the author blends rebellion, technology, and identity. Even from the opening chapters, the world-building feels layered and intriguing, and the later pages introduce some surprising twists and moral tension.
If you enjoy dystopian sci-fi with high stakes, detailed action, and a thought-provoking look at control vs. free will, this is definitely worth reading. The author’s imagination and world-building stand out, and the concept is fresh and compelling.
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