Customer Reviews

Goliath

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a no holds barred action thriller that is set in the future and provides us with yet another scenario that illustrates the possible catastrophe that may come about if and when artificial intelligence is created. It's a "save the world" thriller that provides an edge of the seat ride and I enjoyed it.

To give you a quick outline of the plot, it's 2009 and technology has made some notable advancements, one of which is in the field of nanotechnology. Nonotechnology has made artificial intelligence a reality and the first example of a computer using it is called Sorceress. Sorceress "lives" inside Goliath, a huge submarine shaped like a stingray. As a fighting machine, Goliath has no peers, moving almost silently through the water at tremendous speed and containing a deadly arsenal of torpedos and nuclear missiles. But it's Sorceress that makes Goliath all the more dangerous, because she controls the ship and can detect and repel danger in an instant. From very early in the story we get an idea as to just how deadly Goliath can be.

The heroes of the story are Gunnar Wolfe and Rochelle "Rocky" Jackson, who were both involved in the design and development of Goliath before it was stolen from the US Department of Defence. It's up to them to somehow stop this killing machine before it destroys the world. Meanwhile, with every passing second Sorceress is gaining more knowledge and power and even more frighteningly, is becoming self-aware.

As I said earlier, it's a thrill ride based on the assumption that artificial intelligence becomes reality. For another look at a story dealing with artificial intelligence and one that makes an interesting comparison, you could also try Footprints Of God by Greg Iles.

I enjoyed this book, it had just the right balance between technical jargon and a good story line. All set around computer AI going a bit mad (and in this case, very vicious) like skynet in the terminator.
Good book, recommended

This book was yet another one of Steve Alten's novels.
It is not as good as The Meg series or the Loch, but great reading.
I assure you if you buy this, you won't be disappointed!

Goliath tells a very exciting story that keeps you reading despite all the faults, and I see Steve Alten as a fairly good writer who does provoke you and who presents many interesting ideas.

But what kind of book is Goliath?

Is Goliath a techno-thriller with many battle scenes involving high-tech weaponry? In particular, are there several submarine vs. submarine battles reminiscent of "The Hunt for Red October"?

Or is Goliath a science fiction book set in the near future (2009) and containing many futuristic devices and an artificial intelligence computer somewhat like HAL in "2001: A Space Odyssey"?

Or is Goliath an action novel starring an ex- U.S. Army Rangers officer who survives many fights due to his training and strength and knowledge of weapons and explosives?

Or is Goliath a horror story with blood-dripping scenes involving humans getting limbs ripped off, being chained down and having the top of their scull surgically removed, and having electrodes attached to their exposed brain? Is there a scene where a person gets electrocuted, with a graphic description of what happens to his body that would make Stephen King proud?

Or is Goliath a sociological treatise with long discussions between the characters as to the causes of war and violence, and many debates about what can be done to make humans better people and to reduce human suffering?

The answer, unfortunately, is that Goliath is ALL of the above. And to me it is a problem when an author tries to mix five different styles into one book.

Even if you happen to like books that combine the many different styles mentioned above I don't think you'll find Goliath all that great a book. The story seems too contrived and there are too many aspects of the plot that are just too incredible and illogical.

A few examples: Pacifists who propose using violence and death to eradicate violence, a man who says "you were like a son to me" to the man he used to send on high-risk missions, and a computer scientist who doesn't get worried about his own safety when he discovers that the computer has killed one of the other crew members.

There is also a bit too much of a self-righteous tone to the whole book.

And then there are the many annoying detail errors that a good editor should have caught and corrected. I'll just mention a few, but there are more:

Pg. 33: Rocky expelling air from her lungs - not possible.

Pg. 288: Depleted uranium very radioactive - no.

Pg. 293: "most of Afghanistan had been wiped off the map" - no.

Pg. 323: "I found the Chaw" - no he hadn't - and the name is spelled wrong.

In conclusion, my advice to Steve Alten would be to focus on only one or two book styles instead of spreading himself over five styles in one book. And I think he should find a better editor.

Rennie Petersen