Devil in the Device

July 1, 2021
This duology closer following 2020's Goddess in the Machine quickly establishes where Andra and Zhade left off. Zhade has taken on his brother's face and Crown to rule their city, while Andra's working with the Schism on the cryogenically frozen colonists' rocket. Although readers are dropped back into the rhythm and flavor of the world through heavy use of futuristic dialogue, the intricacies of the worldbuilding are more sparse; disoriented readers would be well served by refreshing themselves on the first installment. In Zhade's storyline, he struggles to enact his visions for the city and has difficulty working the Crown while angels are going rogue and attacking people. Desperate situations drive him to accept help from people he wouldn't usually trust. Meanwhile, Andra grapples with her existence as an AI, searching out Dr. Griffin's secrets and her own purpose as a tool for humanity. Once the story gets moving, layered parallels--between characters, themes, and plotlines--provide a thoughtful, highly rewarding read. Some of the many twists are heavily foreshadowed, but the most impactful are delightfully obvious only in retrospect. The romance between Andra and Zhade is usually backgrounded but serves nicely in keeping the story halves emotionally connected. Incidental diversity--of race (Zhade's White), sexuality, and ability--is representatively present among the large cast, though the differences and similarities dwelt upon are those between humans and AI. The previous book establishes Andra as biracial (Chinese/White). A strong ending. (Science fiction. 12-adult)

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August 1, 2021

Gr 8 Up-Andra and Zhade have gone their separate ways. After Andra's discovery of her dual AI/human nature, and Zhade's recovery of the Crown that allows him to become the Guv of Eerensed, misunderstanding and mistrust come between the pair in this sequel to Goddess in the Machine. They struggle to do the right thing, which in this case means saving not just themselves and Eerensed, but the whole of humanity. The fact that Zhade's Crown is imprinted with the evil impulses of all those who wore it before, paired with Andra's growing understanding that her internal nanobots are increasingly insistent that she DESTROY, makes everything just that much more complicated. It takes a savvy reader to keep up with all the twists and turns in this second installment, and although it's billed as a duology, the conclusion isn't tied neatly. Shifting points of view, plot twist upon plot twist, and an Eerensedian dialect that could really use a glossary, make this a challenging but very rewarding read for sci-fi fans. While the first book set up the premise and detailed Andra's struggle to understand her place in a future world, this volume deals out one surprise after another before delivering a bang-up ending. Explicit language and on-page sex make this better for older readers. VERDICT Purchase this sequel where the series opener is popular.-Elizabeth Friend, Wester M.S., TX

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