i really enjoyed reading this book, I liked the plot and getting to know Marion. It was a fun read and I look forward to more from this author and series.

This futuristic novel is a great story. I will not forget the trials this character experienced. It was a great read.

Having read and really enjoying another title by this author, I do my best to keep an eye out for new titles being released. As soon as I saw the cover I was intrigued as to who the woman was. If I saw this cover in a book store I would certainly pick it up from a shelf to learn more about it. Upon reading the blurb I knew I really wanted to read it as I find the futuristic, dystopian genre fascinating.

There is a smartly dressed mysterious man, Carson, he is in a nostalgic mood, having taken his shoes off so he can feel the grass on his feet and between his toes. Carson is sitting on a bench looking around pondering how things have changed around him whilst enjoying time watching his son playing in a nearby sandpit. Unfortunately, something goes wrong with a nearby robotic lawnmower and a stone ends up hitting Carson knocking him on conscious.

In the meantime, Marion is getting out of bed and getting ready to begin working from home, like she does each day. Marion literally gets out of bed and presses a few buttons which triggers the bed to move and fold up into the wall. Then the kitchen module unfolds itself so Marion can make her breakfast. Marion is soon sat in front in front of her screen ready for work. Marion works for the Sentient Judgement Service, which really simply means she makes decisions for the automated robotic features that are now all over the world in everyday life. Marion literally “problem solves” and is the “common sense” that a machine can never replace. It is a refuse truck that asks Marion to make some judgements and she sees a baby in one of the refuse boxes.

That is the basis of this short story/novella. I found this book a bit of a slow burner, however I really wanted to know where the story was going so stuck with it and when the pace picked up, I did enjoy it more. It ended up being a rather thought-provoking book. There is the question of whether this society is better now a lot of it is automatic and computer led. Which on the face of it sounds like a good idea. The high specification apartments where your kitchen or bedroom can be stored away seem amazing and space saving which has to be a good thing, doesn’t it? Then you have Marion having to deal with a computer that doesn’t understand her request, so much so she has to physically go check on the problem incident she sees.
This book leaves you with so many questions, is it something as natural as a birthmark Marion notices when she changes Carson’s son’s nappy, but if that’s the case why does it look so similar to the logo for Carson’s business empire? Also why is it so important to Carson for Marion to sign a secrecy document? I know what I think but would be interested if it’s the same as the Author intended the reader to think. I would also be interested in knowing what other readers think too. It’s a shame this is a short book as I would have loved to explore the world and society living within it much more.

My immediate thoughts were that this book had really interesting technology. Would have loved for it to have gone on a little more but then I think it ends in such a way that it has you thinking about it long after you finish reading it.

Summing up, definitely recommend reading this one! I also recommend another of Channing’s short stories which I read and loved called Existence Augmented.

Sentient Judgement is a fast paced science fiction/ Black Mirror-ish novellette that basically deals with the ripple effect.
World building is this little gem is fabulous, the author having created an autonomated world, with customsizeable living modules, and food replicators straight from Star Trek, I can hear Picard say: 'Tea, hot, Earl Grey.' in the distance...

Sentient Judgement is a computer judgement programme that get digital input from the outdoor bots, since most that is occuring on the streets far down below can only be seen through camera view queries.

Mayhem occurs when an old man falls down, and another irregulariy is picked up.

This novellette ticked all the boxes for me; I was hooked from the start. Read in one afternoon, I was sorry to part with the story. Would have loved to have seen it go on much longer...

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC.

Oh nice, I’m the first to review this. Imagine a world where technology has finally reached the levels of sophistication wherein it can perform most basic and menial tasks with only minor assistance from people. If you’re imagining something that sounds like an automated phone assistance everyone probably got stuck with at one time or another, you know the dispassionate voice prompting you to select from infuriatingly inflexible options until you’re blue in the face screaming operator, operator and maniacally pressing 0…well, then you’re imagining the world this book set in. And when all that sophisticated tech encounters a snafu, all of the system’s flaws and limitations are tragically exposed as one operator discovers during a mad race to save a baby that almost gets disposed off as trash. It’s a compelling story precisely because of how realistic and plausible it is and quite possibly the best of Whitaker’s shorts in this series to use the ever popular comparison they are Black Mirroresque), although the reveal (once again) is too easily predictable. The style of writing is very mechanic in its descriptiveness, which works considering the subject. The story reads quickly and entertains plenty. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was inspired by one of those infuriatingly frustrating customer service level AI interactions. Anyway, it’s a fun quick read to appease your inner luddite. Thanks Netgalley.