Machinehood Paperback – March 22, 2022

Machinehood by S.B. Divya is a science fiction novel that deals with ethical dilemmas of artificial intelligence in a society dominated by a gig economy. Though the book is marketted as a "thriller about artificial intelligence, sentience, and labor rights," it features no sentient machines. Instead, the story revolves around human characters who modify themselves with drugs, nanotechnology, and cybernetics. The plot includes the assassination of a billionaire by religious fanatics who pretend to be a newly born sentient AI. The book has some compelling world-building ideas and a fascinating depiction of the majority gig-work economy. However, it suffers from publisher demands, with half of the book following a seemingly irrelevant plot thread. The characterization is noteworthy, and the philosophical ideas explored in the book make for interesting reading. Overall, Machinehood is a good first book that leaves readers wanting more.