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Love and Other Algorithms
Meet Frank - a personal robot who's life is about to change forever when he meets Shelley. As their relationship grows, and outside forces conspire against them, what will they do to stay together?
41 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 15, 2018
15 people are currently reading
36 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 4, 2018
Eamon Ambrose, author of the best selling serial Zero Hour and Nokyo Rising is back with a new Sci-Fi Novella, Love and Other Algorithms.
Here we meet Frank. A personal robot who is leading a standard robot life. All until he meets Shelly. Can their relationship survive the obstacles before them?
I truly loved this story. A perfect read for your lunchtime (or maybe before bed). It is paced well and I really felt for the main characters.
If you have read Eamon’s stories in the past you know you are in for a treat, and this does not disappoint. If you haven’t read Eamon’s stories before – start!
5/5
Here we meet Frank. A personal robot who is leading a standard robot life. All until he meets Shelly. Can their relationship survive the obstacles before them?
I truly loved this story. A perfect read for your lunchtime (or maybe before bed). It is paced well and I really felt for the main characters.
If you have read Eamon’s stories in the past you know you are in for a treat, and this does not disappoint. If you haven’t read Eamon’s stories before – start!
5/5
December 15, 2020
3.5 stars—
LOVE AND OTHER ALGORITHMS by Eamon Ambrose is a short story of science fiction focusing on AI (Artificial Intelligence), cognition and human interaction.
Told from third person perspective (Frank) LOVE AND OTHER ALGORITHMS follows Frank, an AI being whose human resemblance goes against the norm. One of Frank’s daily duties is to walk Dr. Friedman’s dog Patch but one day Frank comes face to face with Shelley, a female AI, and something stirs deep within his robotic nature. As Frank’s relationship with Shelley begins to grow, someone is working behind the scenes to ensure Frank and Shelley are separated forever.
LOVE AND OTHER ALGORITHMS focuses on the what ifs and hows; on man’s ability to create, and man’s fear of his own creation, of the future, loneliness and love. An interesting and quick read LOVE AND OTHER ALGORITHMS reads like a futuristic retelling of Frankenstein wherein the monster, once again, must run in order to survive.
LOVE AND OTHER ALGORITHMS by Eamon Ambrose is a short story of science fiction focusing on AI (Artificial Intelligence), cognition and human interaction.
Told from third person perspective (Frank) LOVE AND OTHER ALGORITHMS follows Frank, an AI being whose human resemblance goes against the norm. One of Frank’s daily duties is to walk Dr. Friedman’s dog Patch but one day Frank comes face to face with Shelley, a female AI, and something stirs deep within his robotic nature. As Frank’s relationship with Shelley begins to grow, someone is working behind the scenes to ensure Frank and Shelley are separated forever.
LOVE AND OTHER ALGORITHMS focuses on the what ifs and hows; on man’s ability to create, and man’s fear of his own creation, of the future, loneliness and love. An interesting and quick read LOVE AND OTHER ALGORITHMS reads like a futuristic retelling of Frankenstein wherein the monster, once again, must run in order to survive.
June 27, 2018
Loved it! Great story Eamon.
July 19, 2020
Love and Other Algorithms is the second story I've read from this author, the first being Nokyo Rising. While that was terrifying, Love and Other Algorithms is a beautiful love story. I don't read many sci-fi stories and wouldn't have found this without the National Library of Malaysia's Overdrive collection. I'm glad they added it. Definitely give this and Nokyo Rising a try if you're looking to diversify your reading material into sci-fi but aren't sure if you're can read a full-length novel.
March 5, 2018
A sweet AI romantic triller!
June 8, 2021
I got this book free on a promotion, and was not quite sure what to make of it. The cover and the title seemed to hint at both sci-fi and romance. The book is short (around 11,000 words) so I thought I would give it a go. In the end I was pleasantly surprised.
The story is told from an “over the shoulder” viewpoint of Frank the robot. Frank is humanoid in form although, as he makes clear to point out, easily distinguishable from an actual human. We see him go about his day, cooking, cleaning and walking the dog for his wealthy owner, and as he does we get to see the hints of social unrest and the contrast between the wealth of his home against the poverty and police brutality of the streets. Things seem normal, at least as normal as they might get in a borderline dystopian society, until an accidental encounter with another robot of a similar model. Something happens. In humans we might say “sparks fly”, but that would be a little too “on the nose” for a robot romance. Frank is not sure what has happened, but he can’t get this other robot out of his mind, and they continue to meet and get to know each other over the next few days until their naïve courtship is interrupted. Things go from bad to worse and Frank has to make some very un-robotic choices about lying and rule-breaking to try and rescue his love.
Just when I think I have the measure of the story, it twists again and the author gives a clue to what is really going on. Things are not always what they seem, and poor Frank is left facing an even tougher decision. The ending, when it came, was satisfying although not at all what I had expected from the start of the book.
What I particularly liked about this book was the subtle way that it dealt with issues of sentience and the rights of individuals, both those of the angry and impoverished underclass and the robot servants of the privileged few. These are complex philosophical areas and the book deals with them with a light touch, showing enough for a reader to see what is going on, without making simplistic assumptions or getting “preachy”. By the end of the book there may be a glimmer of hope for a society which seems aimed for self-destruction, but if so it is framed in a way which still relies on the exploitation of these robots, so it is at best bittersweet.
Where I think the author missed an opportunity, though, was in the way that the robot romance which forms the core of the story was described as between somehow “male” and “female” robots. This seemed an unnecessary distraction from the purity of the story. Their relationship is by its nature platonic, and I feel the story could have been stronger if the gender issue was less blatant. There are many forms of love.
All in all, a thought-provoking story set in a believable world with just enough detail where it matters.
The story is told from an “over the shoulder” viewpoint of Frank the robot. Frank is humanoid in form although, as he makes clear to point out, easily distinguishable from an actual human. We see him go about his day, cooking, cleaning and walking the dog for his wealthy owner, and as he does we get to see the hints of social unrest and the contrast between the wealth of his home against the poverty and police brutality of the streets. Things seem normal, at least as normal as they might get in a borderline dystopian society, until an accidental encounter with another robot of a similar model. Something happens. In humans we might say “sparks fly”, but that would be a little too “on the nose” for a robot romance. Frank is not sure what has happened, but he can’t get this other robot out of his mind, and they continue to meet and get to know each other over the next few days until their naïve courtship is interrupted. Things go from bad to worse and Frank has to make some very un-robotic choices about lying and rule-breaking to try and rescue his love.
Just when I think I have the measure of the story, it twists again and the author gives a clue to what is really going on. Things are not always what they seem, and poor Frank is left facing an even tougher decision. The ending, when it came, was satisfying although not at all what I had expected from the start of the book.
What I particularly liked about this book was the subtle way that it dealt with issues of sentience and the rights of individuals, both those of the angry and impoverished underclass and the robot servants of the privileged few. These are complex philosophical areas and the book deals with them with a light touch, showing enough for a reader to see what is going on, without making simplistic assumptions or getting “preachy”. By the end of the book there may be a glimmer of hope for a society which seems aimed for self-destruction, but if so it is framed in a way which still relies on the exploitation of these robots, so it is at best bittersweet.
Where I think the author missed an opportunity, though, was in the way that the robot romance which forms the core of the story was described as between somehow “male” and “female” robots. This seemed an unnecessary distraction from the purity of the story. Their relationship is by its nature platonic, and I feel the story could have been stronger if the gender issue was less blatant. There are many forms of love.
All in all, a thought-provoking story set in a believable world with just enough detail where it matters.
February 7, 2021
Eamon Ambrose won my heart a few years ago with his stories about artificial intelligence in Zero Hour. This short story, "Love and Algorithms," follows his theme of robot sentience. The narrative follows the life of Frank, a servant robot whose accidental bumping into Shelley, another robot of his class, as they are both on the streets running errands one day. Frank, although an obedient dog-walking robot, has suddenly formed an obsession with Shelley. Is he . . . can he . . . be falling in love??
It's an awesome little story, but it seemed to me the plot line got jumbled up towards the end, and the literal ending - seemed too neatly tied up in a ribbon to leave me any satisfaction with the ending.
A good read, however. I need more Ambrose in my reading schedule.
It's an awesome little story, but it seemed to me the plot line got jumbled up towards the end, and the literal ending - seemed too neatly tied up in a ribbon to leave me any satisfaction with the ending.
A good read, however. I need more Ambrose in my reading schedule.
December 2, 2019
Short story!
June 16, 2020
Great fun short story and I want to now read his novel
February 14, 2021
This is an interesting little story that evolves as it progresses. Nicely done.
March 14, 2021
An interesting and charming short story/novella...
November 15, 2021
a nice short story. Yes!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews