The basic story is about AI - sort of. Really, a human mind uploaded into a computer to be an AI. This isn't the first story of this kind that I've read. A few other stories that include a similar concept of uploading a human mind into a computer include Heechee Rendezvous, by Frederik Pohl, and Mindscan, by Robert J. Sawyer. There are many others that deal with interfaces between a machine and a human mind, but I personally haven't read very many about specifically uploading a mind into a computer - but I'm sure there are probably many others that I'm not aware of. And, for the most part, in the story told by We Are Legion, the main character, Bob, isn't really an AI - the only artificial element is that he exists in a machine. For the most part, his personality and memories are intact - he just doesn't have a body.
But, I'm getting ahead of myself.
This story is about Bob Johansson. Bob has come into some money, so signs up for a service (with some of his newfound wealth) which will freeze his head upon death, and then be uploaded into a computer simulation when the technology exists, so he can live on. Naturally, the story immediately takes a bad turn and Bob is killed by a car.
He wakes, for lack of a better word - perhaps, he was turned on, would be better - to find that it is over 100 years later and he has indeed been uploaded into a computer. He can't see, he has no appendages, in fact, he can't talk initially - he must learn how to again (of course, as a machine, it takes considerably less time). The world has changed drastically - and not for the better. He also learns that the extended life he paid for before he died has been voided - he is now corporate property, and a slave.
During his training, Bob learns that he is being groomed for something big, but they won't tell him what. While he excels at his training, doing better than other candidates which were evaluated before him, he quickly learns that being an intelligence uploaded into a machine isn't all it's cracked up to be - there are potential viability problems, that I won't go into (aye, you'll need to read the book). He eventually learns that he will be the AI portion of a Von Neumann probe (a self-replicating machine to be used for exploring the universe). This sounds very exciting to Bob - if he makes it through the training. The first part of the book focuses on this training, and before he knows it he is ready to launch into space. He leaves at a time when all is not well on Earth, and global conflict is imminent.
The second part of the story deals with his tasks once he reaches his destination - an 11 year journey away at close to light speed. Naturally, over the course of his journeys, he makes copies of himself - which has interesting and sometimes funny results. Eventually, Bob has a "todo" list, which gets quite long with items that there is no real time to handle. Sounds just like real life, huh?
As Bob and his copies roam the galaxy, they quickly learn that the universe is not a very hospitable place. Furthermore, it is dangerous out there. It turns out he's not the only probe that was successfully launched from Earth.
This was a great story, lots of fun, and very original. Overall, Bob is a very interesting...group of characters, and they come up with interesting solutions for some of the problems they encounter. Oddly enough, even AI's can be plagued by Murphy's Law. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy.
Have you read this series? What did you think of it? I'd be happy to hear from you - please leave a comment.
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