SWARM by Guy Morris
Step into a tech-driven doomsday in a frightening near-future, where the power of artificial intelligence takes center stage. SWARM: Artificial Intelligence Decodes End Time Prophecies pulls readers into a superbly crafted, cutting-edge spy thriller, and one of the most intriguing and dynamic characters happens to be to an artificial intelligence program named SLVIA. Author Guy Morris has rendered a sophisticated tale in which human and machine must work together to stop a vicious threat to national security. The action is non-stop as the story unfolds seamlessly in locations across the globe.
SWARM opens on American soil with a demonstration of a new fleet of small drones, armed with explosives but directed by human operators. The performance of this drone army is exponentially improved when the human operators step away and the attack is coordinated by an artificial intelligence program, developed by the military. Innocent civilians are spared, complex threats are eliminated and the program grows smarter with each use. A few of those drones fly unpredictably off the grid, initially dismissed as a minor glitch, until the missing units train their crosshairs on those presumed to be in control.
The massive army of flying, A.I.-powered drones that is the namesake of the novel ultimately plays only a supporting role in the fascinating and multi-faceted story of SWARM. When biblical prophecies of the apocalypse begin to be fulfilled, the United States and its allies become engaged in an all-out war against a multi-headed “beast” led by China, Russia, Iran and North Korea. Operation Red Dragon threatens to unleash the Four Horsemen onto the West: Silence, Isolation, Darkness, Dread, all instigated by the release of a powerful A.I. virus that threatens to erase all defensive capabilities. Globe-trotting tech genius Derek Taylor must lead a team of the best cyber defense experts in the world as they repel the state-sponsored attacks. Taylor will have to break rules, ignore protocols and take desperate measures to put a stop to the virus and prevent the imminent invasion.
PREVENTING AN IMMINENT INVASION
SWARM goes beyond the average international thriller in developing elaborate, dynamic characters — some righteous, others sinister — who prove to be key in making this book exceptional. The author expertly interweaves character development and impressive backstory without dialing down the intense action of the plot:
Derek Taylor is a former college dropout who assumed the identity of a rich colleague killed decades earlier in a mysterious explosion. Taylor testifies to the United States senate on the need for increased cybersecurity, citing real-life examples of data breaches. His potential ties to a terrorist hacker group make him a target for political scrutiny and subject to government surveillance.
Agent Jenn Scott is the daughter of a top government official, eager to step out of her father’s shadow. She pursues Taylor relentlessly, looking for evidence of his affiliation with cyber-criminal organizations, but later becomes one of his greatest allies.
Even the villains in SWARM are presented with layered backstories and fascinating detail: Dr. Cho Li Ping, the power-hungry mastermind of the Chinese cyber-attacks, was formerly a member of the security team that is now trying to stop his assault. Meanwhile, a mysterious white-haired man, Andre Strauss, is gatekeeper to a secret society with malicious intent that holds unprecedented sway in all matters of world politics. Even the problematic government officials, who play supporting roles in this story, resemble the shady figures from recent, real-world geopolitical conflicts.
A TWIST OF SCIENCE, SOPHISTICTION AND HUMOR
Without question, the most intriguing character in this particular tale is the artificial intelligence entity referred to as SLVIA. This super intelligent algorithm has a mysterious origin, gradually revealed throughout the story, but brings a fascinating twist of science, sophistication and even humor through their unique “operating parameters,” which are best described as a personality. Imagine a snarky, highly sophisticated version of the Alexa or Siri platforms that have become prevalent in our daily lives.
In this story, SLVIA serves as both a powerful ally to the protagonists as well as an opportunity for the author to discuss the merits of advanced computing capabilities. SLVIA is certainly the most benevolent, but not the only artificial intelligence that graces the pages of this book. Several other entities are introduced throughout the story; some existing primarily for entertainment and modern convenience, others engineered for unprecedented destruction.
SWARM is notable for its fascinating characters and quick pace. Morris explains the complex technology involved in this story in a matter that is concise but 0very helpful. This book provides a great opportunity to become familiar with both real-world examples of artificial intelligence as well as the hypothetical extension of that technology that is likely to become reality in the next few years. The intense action and thoughtful questions found in SWARM are certain to keep readers up late to finish this gripping novel.
