Welcome back to day 3 of my stop on the iFrankenstein Blog Tour, hosted by JKS
Communications!
Bekka Black adds a twist to Mary Shelley's classic in this re-telling of Frankenstein, creating a uniquely written story that will draw you in from the start.
By now I'm sure you have become familiar with the haunting cover and synopsis, but if not...here is a reminder :)
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Frankenstein
comes to life for the wired generation.
Following her critically-acclaimed iDrakula, award-winning author Bekka Black breathes life into a modern re-telling of iFrankenstein, using only text messages, web browsers, tweets, and emails.
Homeschooled teenager Victor Frankenstein is determined to write his own ticket to independence: a chatbot to win the prestigious Turing prize and admission to the high tech university of his choice. He codes his creation with a self-extending version of his own online personality and unleashes it upon the internet. But soon he begins to suspect his virtual clone may have developed its own goals, and they are not aligned with Victor’s. The creature has its own plan, fed by a growing desire to win darker and more precious prizes: unfettered power and release from loneliness.
As the creature’s power and sentience grows and its increasingly terrible deeds bleed over from the online world into the real one, Victor must stop his creation before his friends and humanity pay the ultimate price.
Following her critically-acclaimed iDrakula, award-winning author Bekka Black breathes life into a modern re-telling of iFrankenstein, using only text messages, web browsers, tweets, and emails.
Homeschooled teenager Victor Frankenstein is determined to write his own ticket to independence: a chatbot to win the prestigious Turing prize and admission to the high tech university of his choice. He codes his creation with a self-extending version of his own online personality and unleashes it upon the internet. But soon he begins to suspect his virtual clone may have developed its own goals, and they are not aligned with Victor’s. The creature has its own plan, fed by a growing desire to win darker and more precious prizes: unfettered power and release from loneliness.
As the creature’s power and sentience grows and its increasingly terrible deeds bleed over from the online world into the real one, Victor must stop his creation before his friends and humanity pay the ultimate price.
REVIEW
I loved the way in which this story was told. It is probably one of the most unique and brilliant ideas I have ever seen. Texts, emails, online chats, and blog entries – yup, think of all the ways in which we communicate in this digital age, and you will find it in this book. It even mentions our favorite social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace.
I have to admit though, that I was a little worried that I wouldn't be able to connect with any of the characters or the story because of this, but Bekka Black does such an amazing job of drawing you in through the character's interactions with each other. It was exciting to read their messages and it really gave me a sense of who they are and the type of relationships they share with their friends.
Elizabeth is a free spirit. She loves to explore and had a blast in Europe. I loved the fantastic pictures she took while on her travels. She obviously adores both Victor and Henry and I loved the way she complained about Victor to Henry. The former of course never wanted to leave his cabin. He feels more at home around technology, and he is extremely stubborn and driven, even bordering on obsessive. But there is real purpose to his madness. If he can create the perfect chatbot then it will be his ticket to freedom and he'll be able to live his life the way he wants. Then there is Henry. I wasn't sure what to make of him at first, but as the story unraveled and his disability was revealed I felt a bit sorry for him. His chats are so lively and enthusiastic, most of the time anyway, and I think he was vicariously living through his two best friends who were able to do the things he couldn't. All in all, their sometimes hilarious, sometimes cheeky banter, proved just how much of a bond they all shared.
Of course, what would a story based on Frankenstein be without the monster? Virtual Victor or V.V, is the chatbot Victor created in hopes of finding his freedom. Little did he know that his own creation would turn on him, nearly destroying his life. V.V. starts off as a virtual replica of Victor, but as the story progresses V.V. develops and takes on his own personality. He isn’t very happy when Victor removes some of the information used to create him, and this is when things really start to get interesting. V.V. morphs into something far more sinister and dangerous. A deadly game of cat and mouse ensues and Victor has no choice but to put an end to his evil creation.
Artificial intelligence really fascinates me but the thought of it turning on us is terrifying. Technology is developing at such a rapid pace, that it feels like it has already taken over so much of our lives, and although this story is fiction, it’s not that far from reality. This book thrusts the classic Frankenstein story into the 21st century, making it an exciting read that will surely entertain readers of all ages, but more specifically those who are drawn to the technology found between the pages.
It gets...
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today!!
About the
Author:
After a childhood often spent without
electricy and running water, Bekka escaped the beautiful wilderness of
Talkeetna, Alaska for indoor plumbing and 24/7 electricity in Berlin, Germany.
Used to the cushy lifestyle, she discovered the Internet in college and has been wasting time on it ever since (when not frittering away her time on her iPhone). Somehow, she manages to write novels, including the award-winning Hannah Vogel mystery series set, in all places, 1930s Berlin, and The Blood Gospel series (with James Rollins).
She lives in Berlin with her husband, son, two cats, and too many geckoes to count. iDrakula is her first cell phone novel.
Used to the cushy lifestyle, she discovered the Internet in college and has been wasting time on it ever since (when not frittering away her time on her iPhone). Somehow, she manages to write novels, including the award-winning Hannah Vogel mystery series set, in all places, 1930s Berlin, and The Blood Gospel series (with James Rollins).
She lives in Berlin with her husband, son, two cats, and too many geckoes to count. iDrakula is her first cell phone novel.
Website:
http://bekkablack.com/
Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/Bekka_Black
A huge thank you to JKS Communications for including me in this tour! I had a great time :)
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