Artificial Wisdom

By Thomas R. Weaver
** Publication Date 12 August 2025 **
​4 stars


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.