I Love Robots by Yolanda Sfetsos

Hi there! It’s great to stop by the SFR Brigade today to help celebrate the release of my latest SFR book. Yay.

My latest release is the fourth book in my RECAST series. In this book I wanted to explore what happens when an AI gets the chance to leave all responsibility behind to chase his own adventure. Can a machine really go on an adventure because he’s drawn to a woman and is desperate to encounter love? Yes, of course. And this is what Walsh does. But he’s not the first—and certainly won’t be the last robot—to chase a dream.

The other day we went to see Avengers: Age of Ultron. I love what Marvel is doing with their movies and shows, but that’s not what I want to focus on today. I want to chat about Ultron, the super villain in this movie. As much as we’re supposed to despise him because he’s an evil machine who wants to destroy the Avengers and the world, I couldn’t help but feel some sympathy towards him.

Ultron doesn’t start out evil. He’s actually a great idea born from two very brilliant minds who want to protect the world from its biggest threat. So when you put it that way, Ultron’s reasoning makes sense. I mean, who is humanity’s biggest threat? Ourselves. Humans often treat each other like crap, and don’t respect nature. So when you put this into a program, what was Ultron supposed to do? Of course it makes sense that he would want to eradicate humans. It’s what any analytical mind would conclude… and this is what separates human from machine.

Humans are a lot more than intellect, plans and goals. They are creatures of habit who are filled with emotions, feelings and all those entanglements Ultron was so eager to escape. Yet, he might think like a machine but he sure didn’t speak like one. He was sarcastic, engaging, and even funny. He was articulate and made sense, he continually found a way to evolve, and yet at the end of the day wanted to become physically similar to humans. And that makes me wonder…

Who says that robots and androids can’t become more than what their fabrication settings tell them to be? What if they could develop real feelings and affection, know the difference between pleasure and pain? Wouldn’t that be a fascinating possibility?

I’ve always had a soft spot for robots and often find myself sympathizing with the AI that humans create but then are so quick to discard, or disregard. Robotics and computers are developing at such a fast rate that by the time we actually create real androids, it might just end up being more like the Vision. And wasn’t he a masterpiece? :)

What about you? Do you like robots, or do they freak you out? I for one wouldn’t mind seeing robots in our future.

Thanks for reading,

Yolanda

AUTHOR BIO:

Wife. Mother. Writer. Bibliophile. Dreamer. Animal lover. Intrigued by the supernatural. Horror freak. Zombie enthusiast. Movie & music fan. Slave to her muse.

Yolanda lives in Sydney, Australia with her awesome husband, lovely daughter, and cheeky cat.

MY LINKS:

Website: http://www.yolandasfetsos.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/yolandasfetsos

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/yolandasfetsos

BOOK BLURB:

She escaped the arena of death, but trusting him might be the death of her.

 

 

 

RECAST, Book 4

Taylor may be the Clash Arena’s most dominant—and only—female gladiator, but today she just can’t catch a break. After winning yet another brutal fight, with the arena inexplicably falling down around her ears, she jumps at the chance to escape the prison of her subterranean pit.

Instead, she finds herself knocked unconscious more times than she can count, and pursued over the edge of a sea cliff by an AI enforcer she can’t shake off her heels.

Walsh has been living a double life, masquerading as a tyrant’s enforcer while hiding his true agenda. When the despicable arena falls, there’s only one thing on his mind—saving the savage blonde who doesn’t trust him as far as she can throw him. Which is a considerable distance.

Once he convinces her he’s not out to kill her but help her survive, they form an uneasy alliance. But Taylor senses he’s keeping a secret, not just from her, but about her. And the truth will show them exactly what it is to be human.

Warning: This book contains some girl-on-girl action, a kick-ass gladiator who takes no crap, an AI who puts it all on the line, a band of misfits who aren’t as merry as they seem, cute tadpoles with sharp teeth, and grip-you-by-the-hair kisses. Strap in, interstellar turbulence is a bitch.

DASH is now available from Samhain Publishing.