Almost Human

By: HC Denham

Narrated by: Rosalind Ford

No human being is perfect. But suppose we were able to create machines which are like humans only better? Cleverer, more beautiful, more empathetic, more rational....

The Universal Robotics Corporation is busy greening the desert but empathetic humanoid robots are also in development. The decision to trial them to resolve a dysfunctional marriage ends in catastrophe. When the experiment is extended to three young, single employees it exposes their differing attitudes to relationships and the opposite sex. Agronomist Stella Mayfield’s concerns aren’t shared by the male participants.

Seven years on, Stella is back in the UK. Humanoid robots are everywhere and a robot is caring for her elderly mother. The unease Stella felt in the desert returns. HC Denham gives a unique, often humorous insight into the attitudes of males and females to relationships with the opposite sex and to humanoid AI as it permeates society. But the question hangs in the air: Are we creating our own evolutionary successors?

©2020 HC Denham (P)2024 HC Denham

Could have been amazing

I have been really craving these kinds of books, I find it strange that given our current set of circumstances, there aren't WAVES of AI hard science fiction coming out. Unfortunately, the bulk of the book concentrates on the relationships of the main character, and the robots are only seen in glimpses. No detail about the desert greening, the evolution of the robots, it's just hints here and there, and the ending...well it just stops. I think this could be re-worked into something truly special, but it's just not there yet. That being said, it's not in any way a bad book at all, I just got quite bored with Stella, and kept waiting for the intrigue to begin. I would definitely try another of the author's books, and might consider reading a sequel, but as a one off...it would maybe have been better as a one hour short story.