Recently graduated and newly hired Ruger-Phillips employee, Dr. Sam “Doc” Price is excited to be starting his new assignment. He will be assessing training developed for a team. It is, however, a team like no other, because only one of the team members is human; the other is one of the most intelligent and lethal systems ever built by man – the Joint Aerial Combat Capability or JACC. Loaded with … with the latest in detection and threat assessment technology, JACC is a silent, deadly hunter in the sky. Doc discovers, however, that JACC may not be the only killer on the remote, Nevada test range where he now finds himself. Soon, he is involved in a cat and mouse game with an unknown adversary. In this fight for his life and the lives of his friends, Doc asks himself, how do you match wits with the mind in the clouds, when you are not sure if you are facing the cold, exact logic of machine intelligence or the coldblooded urges of a human murderer?
Mind in the Clouds is book #2 in the Mind Sleuth Series. It is not necessary to read book #1 in order to understand this novel. The story in this book is standalone. There are a little less than 4 pages (the second chapter) that provide a transition from book #1, but otherwise, there is no shared plot.
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Every time I think about driverless cars I find myself saying no way I could handle that. Well this novel even takes it further then cars–try to imagine drones that have no operator–when they will be used by the armed forces!! Nightmares are made of this in my opinion–
Well, read what could happen when operators are taken out of the picture–or are they?
Can artificial intelligence be trusted not to take over-Can humans be trusted not to abuse it?
This novel will make you think twice about driverless ANYTHING——-
This author did a lot of research to bring this Story to life. The possibility is so probable with how quickly Computer Technology is developing across the World.
MC is a analytical minded man who’s brain just keeps going through all the information he has absorbed. Narrator did a good job with the storyline too.
Received as an audio review copy, this is an honest review. The exquisitely haunting series continues as Dr. Sam Price finds himself matching with not only with a disturbed person with murderous mind but whom as access to a powerful drone that could brilliantly be used to achieve the agenda. This audio book once again is narrated by the wonderful Denver C Risley, giving a harrowing journey that is a web secrets that are memorable. Highly recommended.
Bruce Perrin’s next installment of his Mind Sleuth series, Mind in the Clouds, asks the philosophical and psychological question: how much control should we let artificial intelligence have over important decisions — like on the battlefield? When the protagonist, Sam “Doc” Price, faces existential peril at the mercy of an IA-powered autonomous war drone, the answer becomes far less philosophical. Mr. Perrin’s clever plot and impeccable writing allow us to ponder the highbrow questions while being pulled along an entertaining journey of intrigue, peril, romance, and mystery.
The premise of the story is a real-life nightmare. An autonomous military drone, equipped with deadly missiles and guns, is being presented to a group of politicians in a life-fire demonstration. The aircraft, nicknamed “Jack,” is supposed to seek and destroy enemy targets. But what if Jack decided to attack the buildings and people on the test range who were supposedly running the show? How would you stop Jack, or escape with your life? The author sets up this perilous situation early on, then jumps back and forth between the events leading up to “The Day” on the Nevada test range and the actual events — minute by minute — of that exciting day. The technique keeps the climax of the story as an ever-present part of the narrative, and extends the tension throughout the book as Sam and his lone companion in the Operations building try to sort out what’s happening and how to stop it – or at least survive it. The backstory unfolds in bits and pieces, including Sam’s burgeoning romance with Nicole back in St. Louis. He hopes to be able to see her again, and we hope so, too.
Mr. Perrin is such a skilled writer that he is able to weave the pieces of this puzzle together without creating confusion, although the reader will be challenged in the first few chapters to pick up the threads quickly in order to fully grasp what’s happening. There is a mystery from the first chapter that Sam must make sense of by the end in order to piece together what is truly happening, and the reader comes along for the ride without really having an opportunity to solve the riddle before Sam. Still, the format is fresh and works in no small part due to the excellent writing. (It would be best if you can read this book straight through rather than picking it up and putting it down frequently in order to maintain the continuity.)
While the plot is original and interesting, it is not without a few hard-to-manage spots and a few leaps of faith. The main events are told first person through Sam’s eyes, and he is able to connect some dots that seem unrelated and reach some conclusions that defy logic. The climax of the story includes a rather comical set of circumstances, and the tension level is not as well maintained as I’d ideally like. There are some unresolved issues at the end as well as a rather hanging relationship point that makes you wonder what that subplot was doing there in the first place. Still, it’s an enjoyable and attention-keeping read and well worth spending time with a master craftsman like Bruce M. Perrin.
This review is for the audio book.
I enjoyed this book and it certainly keeps you on your toes, as it kept going back in time (or 28 days earlier) to what happened previously. It did work because it built up the tension but it could get a bit confusing if you missed what the date was. This is the second book in the Mind Sleuth series but I think the series should be changed to eye opener to the scary world we live in because both book could easily have been based on facts and become a reality. There was a lot of technical jargon which just went over my head but the mystery of how they were going to get out of the situation and who was doing it kept me hooked until the end. The geeky stuff was nicely balanced out by his maybe relationship. And of course suspecting everybody of being the mastermind. I liked the main character and hope his next work assignment isn’t so scary but then again if it was there wouldn’t be much of a story.
Sam or ‘Doc’ to his friends is excited to finish up his latest work project and get back home to finally go on a date for the girl of his dreams but things don’t go to plan. The AI unmaned plane he was supposed to be observing goes rouge and sees everybody on the base as a possible target. Is there a bug in the program? Or is someone more human responsible? Artificial intelligence is trained to think for themselves and Jacc armed with the latest weapons is the last thing you would want hunting you. Can Doc out smart a machine to stay alive?
I liked the narrator and thought he made the science stuff easy to follow with his perfect delivery.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Ever since The Terminator, I’ve been a huge fan of stories that explore the realm of AI and what could possibly go wrong. The Matrix dove deep into the aftermath. Mind in the Clouds by Bruce M. Perrin explores a different side of AI: the masterminds.
Dr. Sam “Doc” Price uncovers startling evidence that team he’s overseeing, and the drone they are to operate, could be used for sinister purposes.
Author Bruce M. Perrin pulls us into a web of conspiracy that had me glued from beginning to end. This is a story that not only gives us a glimpse into the development of AI, but possible agendas that can be forced when mankind is given such power.
I highly recommend this book to readers who are into stories about AI, and even of that’s not your cup of tea, it’s still worth a read. There are a lot of great ideas in here that can have one thinking about all the possibilities with AI, good and bad.
I have been a big fan of science fiction robots ever since Robby the Robot appeared in “Forbidden Planet.” Artificial intelligence has come a long way since of Robby. This book brings AI up to the present and imagines a world where AI presents a chilling new threat to mankind.
The author is clearly well-versed in AI and seamlessly blends his insightful expertise about the technical details into this gripping mystery.
I like how the author puts under the microscope just what might happen if a powerful AI technology, like the Joint Aerial Combat Capability (JACC) Drone, was appropriated for evil, rather than good.
Located in the Nevada test range, protagonist “Doc” Price, soon finds himself in a fight for his life with a mysterious foe, but is the foe human or something more?
A clever techno-thriller filled with lots of twists and turns. Filled with brilliant characters and detailed scenarios, this mystery will keep you guessing until the end.