Crystal Deception (Crystal Series Book 1)
by Doug J. Cooper

Description:
Sid, a covert warrior for the Union of Nations, must sneak Criss, the Union’s new sentient AI, aboard the Kardish space ship looming in orbit above Earth. Once inside, they are to identify weaknesses in the alien defenses. The plan is for Criss to be transported into space on a vessel captained by ace pilot Cheryl Wallace, who will use stealth tactics to approach the ship. But the Kardish detect the team, capture Cheryl, and start for interstellar space. Sid’s ship can’t keep pace with the alien craft, so in desperation, he yields all control to the AI. As they chase the Kardish through the solar system, can Criss devise a way to catch the technologically dominant aliens? Will he risk his own life to save Cheryl’s? And in the end, can the team make it home alive?

Review:
Recently, I needed a diversion from my normal writing routine, and I turned to reading. I wanted to try a different genre than my norm. I made the right choice. CRYSTAL DECEPTION wasn’t only a diversion, it became a wonderful adventure into the fascinating world of hi-tech science with a great story that kept me glued to the pages. I’m so hooked on the series that I had to pull myself away from book two, to write this review.

I haven’t really explored the idea of artificial intelligence, but CRYSTAL DECEPTION paved the way for me to see endless possibilities. Those possibilities can be terrifying or very beneficial to humanity. The AI in this book has named himself Criss. He’s self-aware when he first comes online, but like a baby, he’s also devoid of information about the world he’s in. It’s interesting to watch the interaction between Criss and his main contact, the woman nicknamed Juice. Juice was the person in charge of creating the crystal he’s housed in. Her nurturing attitude helps to shape Criss’ world as he’s fed millions of bits of information. Because Criss has the mental capability of about a thousand people, he has a vastly superior intellect. How his intellect is developed and altered by his personal relationship with Juice is one of the many aspects of the story that I find so interesting.

Another character, Sid, a covert warrior for the Union of Nations, is a puzzle for the AI. It’s Sid’s “gut” feelings or human intuition that enables Sid to “think beyond the box” or in this case, a crystal that Criss is confined to. It’s that intuition that makes Sid a valuable “wild card” in dangerous situations. When battles are raging and human life is on the line, Sid becomes a valuable player in Criss’ world.

For me, the function of superior AI intellect and human intuition working together gave this sci-fi story the unique twist I was looking for. I was also intrigued by all the scientific possibilities that were presented and written about in a way that I could readily understand. Hi-tech possibilities, action, suspense, and great character development make CRYSTAL DECEPTION an enjoyable and mind expanding read. Highly recommended!

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Doug J. Cooper’s author’s page on Amazon.