***Big Spoilers ahead. So don't read if you don't want to know***
I just finished the book.
There were parts I enjoyed. I'm surprised how much AJ grew on me. Still not sure if he's dead or a head case now.
And there are things that I highly question. The Megas seem to be awfully cooperative. Which is very strange. And the QZ seemed to go up very quickly. And on top of that I'm not entirely sure why everyone isn't infected when the nanites can reproduce so quickly.
I also find the idea of being able to copy or make instances of AI's a bit problematic. Some headcases are made from incomplete AI codes, which is why we got shamblers and ragers, or so I assume. So my problem is, I'm hoping the rules for AI PCs make a comeback, but the idea that a PC can infinitely copy themselves with nanites, I don't know about that. I kind of thought it was going to be like being in multiple nodes in SR4 or something. There is only 1 AI, but they can have an open subscription to run on devices or on a cloud of nanites, and that if they're in a headcase, the nanites would just transmite back the data to the AI home node to keep everything in sync.
Then the million dollar twist, I'm not sure how I'm feeling about the return of Deus. I was perfectly okay with the old school super AI's being dead. But even then, I don't get why Pax would help Deus, she hates him. I don't understand how Deus and Cerberus were able to make a new AI just by fighting each other. What was Deus doing for over 10 years? Hanging out on Mars I guess. How did he survive Crash 2.0? He was at point blank range of Jormungand, and then I thought there was an EMP that knocked out most of the Matrix in Boston.
I realize this book can't answer everything, and it at least did tell us a bit more of how CFD started and the reasons why.
I think I'd have much rather liked to see a new AI rather than Deus.The Arcology and Crash 2.0 will be a hard act to follow. If this was a brand new AI with new alien motivations, I at least wouldn't need to compare it to what came before. But because it's the same players from before, I now can't but help but compare it. That means Gagarin is Renraku Arcology 2, and Lockdown is a combination of Bug City and System Failure. Is that a good thing? I don't know...
Is Neurosis a separate AI? Stolen Souls implied so. And he never showed up in Lockdown, so the question is still open.
And if Deus is still around that means Mirage and Morgan are still around. What have they been doing for a decade? Hanging out on Mars too?
So many questions, so few answers.