In 2068, androids are an integrated part of human life. Big Brother no longer just watches from the shadows. It’s in every household.
Lloyd Salter has OCD issues with noise and mess, and he’s uncomfortable with human interaction. When his ex claimed the only thing perfect enough to live up to his standards was an android, Lloyd dismissed it. But two years later, after much self-assessment, Lloyd thinks he may have been right.
SATinc is the largest manufacturer of androids in Australia, including the Fully Compatible Units known as an A-Class 10. Their latest design is the Synthetic Human Android UNit, otherwise known as SHAUN.
Shaun is compatible with Lloyd’s every need; the perfect fit on an intellectual and physical basis. But Lloyd soon realises Shaun’s not like other A-Class androids. He learns. He adapts. Sure that SATinc is aware Shaun functions outside of his programmed parameters, Lloyd must find a way to keep Shaun safe.
No one can know how special Shaun is. No one can know he’s evolved.
Amazon
I really liked this book. Whodathunk?
I am not the biggest fan of fantasy/futuristic/sci-fi romance. I generally stick with contemporary, with a few historicals throw in for good measure. BUT. I am a big fan of NR Walker, so I jumped right in.
So glad I did.
Although set 50 years in the future, much seems the same. Except for androids/gynoids. First the took over petty tasks for us- cooking, cleaning, driving. But now there are new ones that are very human like. So much so that they are being purchased as companions and sexual partners.
NR Walker built an entire vocabulary and world in which these machines live among us. A world in the no so distant future. It hearkened back to the 50’s and 60’s when they imagined flying cars 50 years in the future.
Ok, anyway. Yes, this is a love story and romance. But no, it wasn’t weird. I thought it would be. You so quickly forget that Shaun is an android. Except for not eating, he does and says all of the things that Lloyd does. They converse, debate, cuddle, kiss and have sex. And through it all Shaun evolves. He and Lloyd both question what love is. Even what being a human is.
It was really a very smart, very cool book. You are reminded that Shaun is an android and doesn’t just turn into a human. There are bigger issues of Big Brother watching, how much and how often. How other androids- the older ones that are more robot than human- are treated.
I feel like I am mucking up this review. I don’t want to give spoilers, but I want you to read it. Really. It will make you think as well. I don’t know if the author meant to write a book that could be used for philosophical discussion (seriously), but she did.
Not perfect- there were a few repetitious phrases, etc. But really good.
4 pieces of eye candy
N.R. Walker is an Australian author, who loves her genre of gay romance.
She loves writing and spends far too much time doing it, but wouldn’t have it any other way.
She is many things: a mother, a wife, a sister, a writer. She has pretty, pretty boys who live in her head, who don’t let her sleep at night unless she gives them life with words.
She likes it when they do dirty, dirty things… but likes it even more when they fall in love.
She used to think having people in her head talking to her was weird, until one day she happened across other writers who told her it was normal.
She’s been writing ever since…
Contact N.R. Walker
Email: nrwalker@nrwalker.net
