This was a very thought-provoking novel that will stick with me for a while. Even though it takes place in futuristic 2050 it addresses so many of the same issues that we are dealing with today: AI, climate change, self-destruction and political espionage. The author takes us into the depths of the technology world with screens projected in our minds, near reality headsets, bots and artilects. Yet even with all the technology, the human factor is still present. As they battle to save the world, the greed, violence, and deceit is still prevalent. Can man make the best decision, or does he need to leave it to technology?

The plot was excellent and was very intriguing. I found it very easy to follow and held your attention. There were quite a few characters to keep up with and sometimes it was a little difficult, but the author kept it in line. The ending was not finite for me as it left a lot of questions unanswered. But that may be the opening for a second book, that I am not aware of.
I would definitely recommend this book for any sci-fi, mystery, or thriller reader.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

I loved so much of this book and (not knowing much of what to expect going in) found myself swept up in a wild sci-fi thriller following a group of investigative reporters as they followed a lead with huge political ramifications. Set in a near future where only the ultra-rich can protect themselves from the coming climate catastrophe, the plot is filled with surprising turns and unpredictable betrayals.

Marcus Tully worked well as a protagonist for me, although we do get some chapters from other points of view. The personal tragedy in his past is used to provide sympathy, show his flaws, and lead him deeper into schemes that he only partially understands. One of his colleagues is also a main player in the events, and the others were as developed as they needed to be for their more distant involvement.

For much of the book, it is difficult to know the identity of the antagonist, which is often a problem for me in novels. However, in this book it worked well because it deepened the suspense by making the enemy a hidden threat. I did figure out part of the ending before reaching it, but as in much of the book, the full truth twisted the part I had guessed into something more interesting.

This book also incorporated timely issues like the use of AI, climate change, and capitalism and corporate greed without ever becoming completely about any of them.

My one criticism of this book was that the final part of the ending didn’t work for me. I don’t want to give any spoilers, but I felt like it didn’t provide the answers I had wanted, although the questions that the book asked were hard ones. It wasn’t a cliff-hanger, but rather an anti-climactic conclusion after all the action and suspense that led me through the book. It does look like a sequel is planned, so I can hope that that will give me the resolution I’m looking for. I’d still highly recommend this book – other readers might love the finale, as a quick scan of other online reviews shows.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ebook.

4.5 ⭐

This book really hit the spot for me. It was slow at times so it just missed being a 5 star for me but it was very interesting and incredibly well done! This is the kind of book that just sticks in your brain and it pops up at random times for the rest of your life.

Incredibly thought provoking and poignant in today's climate!

This debut novel, a thoughtful exploration of our increasingly intertwined reality with technology, offers a compelling, albeit less action-heavy, narrative than its speculative fiction genre might initially suggest. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy, I was treated to a slow-burn murder mystery woven with threads of science fiction that resonated deeply with contemporary concerns. The author masterfully tackles weighty themes like politics, the urgent reality of climate change, the raw edges of grief and loss, and the ever-present specter of technological advancement and institutional corruption. The premise, featuring a U.S. president's bid for global dictatorship against an AI to address the climate crisis, with a journalist haunted by personal tragedy tasked with unraveling government deceit, provides fertile ground for examining our present anxieties. While some plot points proved predictable, the overall experience was thoroughly enjoyable, leaving me with a sense of anticipation for a potential sequel, given the intriguing conclusion. This is a strong start, and I eagerly await what comes next.

4.25⭐️ i knew going into this read that it would be unlike anything i've read this year, as i typically stick to fantasy & romance, but have been known to dabble in sci-fi here and there. what i wasn't prepared for was how weaver seamlessly created a narrative around the issues of climate change and ai that felt entirely too close to home.

the characters throughout the story, though many, all felt well fleshed out and distinct. there was an aspect of found family with the crew that tully recruited that made me feel emotionally attached to each and every side character, no matter how small their role. the multi pov kept the plot moving along at a blistering pace that made it difficult to put this down.

what makes this story so memorable and important is that i can absolutely see this as a not too distant reality for our world. the explosion of ai in recent years has caused me, and i'm sure many others, to question what is real and ethical. however, i don't entirely blame the humans of that world for placing their trust in ai, when it feels like our own modern institutions are failing us on issues like climate change. who can we trust? and honestly that is the central question that the author is asking of us and one he explores thoroughly in 'artificial wisdom'.

thank you del rey & and netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Literally PR for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Artificial Wisdom is a gripping near-future thriller set in 2050, where climate collapse and political unrest push humanity toward a turning point. A grieving journalist is drawn into a web of murder and conspiracy as the world faces an unprecedented election between a disgraced former president and the first artificial intelligence candidate. The story raises urgent questions about trust, technology, and the cost of survival.

2.5 ⭐️

Unfortunately, this wasn’t as enjoyable as I thought it would be. I had high hopes because the description seemed very intriguing. However, there were far too many characters thrown into this book and not enough character development to really feel any sense of connection to them. The twist was exactly what I thought it would be. And the ending was so lackluster and left it feeling unfinished.

3.5 stars

The year is 2050 and climate change has devastated the Earth. Droves of climate refugees have been fleeing their homes for more hospitable regions, and the immigrants are almost always unwelcome. The refugee crisis isn't the planet's biggest problem however, because the entire human race is in danger of becoming extinct.

Dire straits require dire solutions, and all the nations on Earth have agreed to elect a 'dictator' with absolute power - an individual who will make the hard decisions to save the planet. A series of referendums have yielded two candidates for dictator: former U.S. President Lockwood and an Artificial Intelligence (artilect) called Solomon, who's currently governor of the Floating States (man-made landmasses that roam the seas to avoid bad weather). Solomon was created 11 years ago by a tech genius called Martha Chandra, who imbued the artilect with an imperative to save the human race. Now, the election for dictator is weeks away, and the stakes are high.

A British investigative reporter named Marcus Tully finds himself in the middle of this drama. Tully's pregnant wife Zainab died in a tabkhir (a deadly humid heat wave) in Kuwait City ten years ago, a climate disaster that killed half-a-billion people. Tully was devastated by the loss of his beloved wife and baby, and he continues to mourn a decade later. Now, an anonymous informer called 'Whistle' tells Tully that one of Lockwood's political advisors badly mistreated climate immigrants; and that the tabkhir wasn't meant to hit the Persian Gulf a decade ago. According to the tipster, then President Lockwood learned a tabkhir was approaching the United States. Fearing massive loss of life, Lockwood decided to use unproven technology to push the tabkhir into the ocean. Instead, the tabkhir made its way to the Persian Gulf and caused a catastrophe there.

Tully publishes a scathing article about Lockwood's associate harming immigrants, but the journalist needs more proof of the tabkhir story. In any case, Lockwood's followers stick up for him; scream FAKE NEWS; protest; make threats; and throw fire bombs. When Tully's London office burns down, he and his team make their way to the floating state of New Carthage, where Martha Chandra resides and Governor Solomon has his headquarters. Here Tully tries to get confirmation about Lockwood re-directing the tabkhir, but getting verification is easier said than done.

Before long, a murder occurs in New Carthage, and the state's head of security, a woman called Commander October, asks Tully to her help track down the killer. October and Tully make important discoveries, additional deaths occur, and there are plenty of surprises and plot twists. There's also philosophizing about whether an artilect should be dictator of the Earth.

The novel has an interesting array of characters, including Tully's team, comprised of his best friend, writing associate, research assistant, and bodyguard. Wealthy residents of New Carthage, like a business mogul, a fashion model, and a perfume manufacturer. Politicians looking to attain and retain power. Police and forensic specialists. And miscellaneous others.

The sci-fi elements of the book revolve around advanced technology. For example:

⦿ There are floating TV images instead of screens.
⦿ There are cleaning bots that tidy up 24/7.
⦿ There's neural-reality: virtual reality places where a person can project their avatar, either for personal reflection or to have meetings with others.
Tully's 'egospace' (just for himself) has the fragrance of orange blossoms, has a stone mosaic floor, contains an image of Zainab, and feels peaceful.
Tully's 'meeting place' (to speak with others) looks like the lobby of a five-star hotel, with a marble floor, sofa chairs, marble tables, and aquarium tanks.
⦿ There's a panopticon surveillance system into which people can project themselves and walk around to see past events. And more.

The book's finale is something of an enigma, but I wouldn't call it a cliffhanger. In any case, I look forward to the second book of the duology, Artificial Wisdom II: Attack Of The Drones....to see what happens next.

The novel addresses important issues about AIs and their abilities; would we want them controlling our lives? (Seems very iffy to me.)

I enjoyed the book but am bothered by the fact that the survival of ONLY ONE SPECIES is discussed - human beings. There's no mention of saving plants, animals, fungi, microbes, whatever. Surely a viable planet needs more than just people, right? Still, I'm sure many readers would enjoy this novel.

Thanks to Netgalley, Thomas R. Weaver, and Del Ray for a copy of the book.

I really enjoyed this mix of sci-fi/thriller/murder mystery/dystopian fiction all in one - it certainly kept me hooked throughout, and i basically devoured it in two sittings. I think Weaver does a really good job of blending these genres together, in a way that doesn't feel overwhelming or confusing to the reader, but feels realistic for the age he's setting the novel in.

It didn't feel too far fetched, it felt - worryingly maybe - quite realistic, and a place that we as a species could get to. Which is another thing this book does - it brings out some heavy hitting questions about how we, as human beings, are treating the planet, our approach to each other, the climate, technology, and many other questions. It makes you think and reflect.

My few negatives towards this novel are related to some of the length and detail. There were some areas where I felt Weaver could have cut some of the granular detail, and we would have still understood and enjoyed the work. I did feel like some areas were dragged out slightly, and would have liked a bit more punch in those areas.

However, that being said, I am very glad I read this, and look forward to more works from Thomas R. Weaver.

Thank you to Del Rey, Random House Worlds, and Inklore for the eARC of this novel!

Artificial Wisdom was a wonderful near future story that explored some emerging technical and moral issues. The role of AI has become a controversial issue in regards to art, programming, and various other areas. In this novel we have an emergent AI that is vying for complete control of the world through the democratic process. I found myself pondering what constitutes a being and whether an artificial construct can be considered a being that is separate from its creator.
This novel explored so many areas in what was essentially a murder mystery; climate change, politics, emerging technology, the role of the press and its potential use to influence elections.
For a first novel, Thomas Weaver hit it out of the park. The pacing was perfect and the exposition was enough to keep the reader informed but not too much to become an info dump.
I enjoyed this quite a bit and am recommending to my fellow reading groups.

Wow, and wow, this was a fantastic read from a newish writer. I see only one other book listed on Goodreads, hopefully more will follow. Artificial Wisdom is very well done with the sci-fi elements. I really dig the technology he created, it felt very plausible for the timeline of the story. Each and every time I thought I had the mystery nailed down, another layer was be revealed. For a sci-fi tech nerd like myself, this checked many boxes and was a pleasure.

Very engrossing and twisty. I'm not sure i completely understood everything that happened. Glad there's a sequel coming.

For a dystopian techno-thriller with an artificial intelligence as a main character, Artificial Wisdom was <i>so boring.</i> It was complicated, and hard to follow, and I just could not care enough to try. The technology was also super complicated and hard to follow. There were a lot of characters who were hard to keep straight, and there were too many plot twists (some of them very predictable – it got so I didn’t believe anything happening in the book, which made it hard to get into). By the end I wasn’t even sure who were the good guys and who were the bad guys, or what the point was of the whole book. TOO MUCH.

If I was editing this book I would recommend fewer characters, less angst from main character Tully, less reliance on technology, and fewer plot twists. Three stars feels generous.

I read an advance reader copy of Artificial Wisdom from Netgalley.

Artificial Wisdom is easily the most unique book I’ve read this year! It’s genre-bending, and I feel like almost anyone could find something in it to enjoy. If you know me, you know I grew up loving The Day After Tomorrow and I, Robot. While this story isn’t either of those, it gave me the same excitement and sense of awe I felt when I first experienced those movies

I loved the natural disaster element, and the AI government aspect was so intriguing that it had me questioning how I would feel if this were real. The story tackles big, layered questions about morality and decision-making in a way that feels very relevant to today. It reminded me that life is rarely black and white, and that the right choice isn’t always obvious.

The mystery, desolate world, and richly layered characters completely drew me in. Their emotions felt real and complex, making the stakes feel personal. I was in a book slump before reading this, and Artificial Wisdom fully pulled me out—it’s thought-provoking, thrilling, and unforgettable.

Xo,
Between the spines

This book is fantastic! A cross between sci-fi and a thriller that did not disappoint. You can feel the grief of family loss and the ache to find out the truth of the tragedy. This mixed with climate crisis, a political race, and raw emotions make this story a winner for Weaver. I can’t wait to see what he delivers to us next.

Honestly I really struggled with this novel for the first 30%. It’s why I put it aside for the remainder of the month. But when I picked it back up, my interest was definitely renewed. I greatly enjoyed the last 70%, finishing it in just a few days.

Artificial intelligence is a hot topic right now. It’s everywhere. From your desk to your pocket to your kitchen, you can encounter a range of artificial intelligence. It’s going to make our lives easier in some ways, and it will likely eliminate jobs in others. It’s not going to be perfect. So this novel is really timely.

It’s a few decades in the future. The climate crisis has intensified greatly. The wealthy are now living on floating islands completely contained. The rest of humanity is struggling with the intense heat/snow/floods you name it, in cities around the world. Cities that are left, as too many are uninhabitable.

Marcus Tully is an investigative journalist covering politics and power. His research assistant Livia is the sister of one of the most powerful tech giants in the world, Martha Chandra. Martha has created an AI called Solomon. Solomon is the governor of the floating states and is now running to be protector of the world - the man designated to save the world from the climate crisis.

Tully needs access to both Martha and Solomon for a story he is writing. Livia gets him that access, and they travel to New Carthage, one of the floating islands. It’s all perfect there. Almost no crime. Perfect air. Perfect weather. But then a horrible crime occurs, and Tully and Livia are right at the center of it. Will these two bright minds be able to figure out what happened? And will they be able to warn the rest of the world?

Like I said, slow to start, booming along for the second half, but unsatisfyingly ended. I know there is a second book coming along, which I am sure will pick up where the first left off. Hopefully providing answers to some of the burning questions we are left with at the end. At times this book is rooted in technology we can imagine will be available at some point, but at times the tech is so over the top. Still, it works. It works well enough to rope me in and keep me wanting more. That is the key.

This book will not appeal to a broad range of readers, as it is firmly rooted in sci-fi and fantasy and tech. But the mystery and suspense aspects are what keep it moving along.

Would recommend but not to a wide audience.



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I really disliked how this book was written and I got about 25% through it, but I was struggling. I can't read books that I am not enjoying because there are so many good books out there, and this one just wasn't for me.

This book was hard to read. It's hard not to see how some of this could actually be happening in our world when we get to 2050. But it made for such a thrilling backdrop to a crazy book. I couldn't put it down!

Wow! This was my first book to read by this author but definitely not my last! This book will leave you wanting for more and the characters and storyline stick with you long after you finish it. Do yourself a favor and pick up this page-turner!

4.5 - this is my favorite kind of sci fi book - a murder mystery at its heart set in a futuristic world! It did take me a little bit to get into the book in the beginning, but once we got to New Carthage I was completely sucked in! Wish things had been a little more tied with a bow at the end, but also could see there being a follow up book, which I would welcome! Overall, thoroughly enjoyed and held my attention!

Weaver provides an interesting take on AI and what it could be/mean in the political sphere. I liked the theories and exploration in this book. The characters didn't stand out though.