War Factory

March 28, 2016
Asher’s complex second Transformation near-future space opera (after Dark Intelligence) follows the Machiavellian plans of a dark AI called Penny Royal as she tries (or appears to try) to avert war between the Polity, consisting of humans and AIs, and the Kingdom, made up of crab-like aliens called prador. The prador Cvorn is appalled by the changes that his father-captain Sverl is undergoing—changes initiated by Penny Royal—and seeks to use those abominations as the basis for renewed hostilities with the Polity. Sverl is willing to battle Cvorn to protect those humans that he now feels are under his care. The humans Thorvald Spear, Captain Blite, and Trent Sobel are caught within the intricacies of Penny Royal’s plans and no longer certain that they will survive. Another AI, the Brockle, has become fascinated with Penny Royal, as both of them have violated standard human morality and been made to suffer the consequences. In addition to preventing the coming war, Penny Royal’s plans also require her to return to her place of origin, Factory Station Room 101. Asher ventures into some terrifying minds and incredible space battles in this tangled but heart-pounding sequel, which achieves a rare success in depicting truly nonhuman forms of intelligence.

Starred review from May 15, 2016
Asher's ever-expanding Polity Universe is a hard-science-fiction fan's dream. Replete with dazzling technology, spectacular spaceships, and nonstop action, this second book in the Transformation trilogy (after 2015's Dark Intelligence) offers an added bonus of fascinating characters facing moral and ethical dilemmas. Rogue AI Penny Royal has freed itself of physical boundaries and is trying to understand its own existence. Penny Royal is compelling the resurrected Thorvald Spearonce set on revenge against the AItoward an unknown goal. Sverl, a father-captain of the vicious alien Prador, is now an amalgam of Prador, human and AI; and his destiny is also tied to Penny Royal and Spear. All roads seem to be leading to Factory Station room 101, the place of Penny Royal's creation. This intergalactic romp includes dialogues on the concept of free will among sentient and emotional AI that are prone to bouts of ennui, and debates on the concept of murder in a world where consciousness can be downloaded, transferred, and edited. Although it would be wise to begin with the first book in the trilogy, space-opera devotees can take advantage of the handy character listing and glossary to jump right in.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)