![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/AutonomousCover.jpg?resize=198%2C300&ssl=1\")
By Annalee Newitz\nTor Books, ISBN: 9780765392077
\nPaperback, 304 pages. \u00a92017<\/p>\n
By Annalee Newitz
\nTor Books, ISBN: 9780765392077
\nPaperback, 304 pages. \u00a92017<\/p>\n
Big Pharma owns the patents to all the essential medicines, and prices them so high that only the wealthy can afford to buy them. Pirates\u2014intent on a) making money or b) helping those who can\u2019t afford the medicine they need\u2014reverse engineer the drugs and put them out on the black market. Jack, a genetic engineer by training, is a pirate in both categories, designing the less crucial meds for sale in order to bankroll her efforts to flood the free market with meds that can save lives. But when one of the side jobs turns ugly, hundreds die and Jack must scramble to find a solution and to prove that the original Pharma drug is addictive to the point of self-destruction before the IPC agents sent by the Pharma company can kill her.<\/p>\n
I must admit I had a bit of difficulty connecting to this book at first. The reader is dropped into Newitz\u2019s futuristic world with little introduction, and the struggle to follow what was happening detracted from my enjoyment of the story. However, once I caught on, that all changed. Everything takes place on Earth right up until near the very end, though mention is made of lunar and Mars settlements, but it\u2019s not an Earth we would recognize. Big Pharma and the corporations have changed the face of nations and while there are still a few familiar city and location names, descriptions of these places are completely alien.<\/p>\n
In addition, humans are different. Both the main human characters, Jack and Eliasz, have digital enhancements in the form of implants and wearable devices that make them approach the nature of cyborgs. This, to me, seemed believable given how we seem to be moving in that direction already. The other characters, specifically Paladin and Medea, are bots–but not the typical robots we\u2019re used to in sci-fi. Some have human biological elements; in Paladin\u2019s case, it\u2019s a human brain. Think Bicentennial Man<\/em>.<\/p>\n The main storyline is the struggle between big business and the good of the people, between Big Pharma\u2019s control over the human population and the small Free Labs where drug research is done in an open source format. Big Pharma owns the copyrights on their medicines in perpetuity, infringement against which is a capital offense punishable by death, with no trial necessary. They are unregulated, accountable to no one. If something goes wrong, as it does in a very big way in this story, their political and economic power enables them to avoid all responsibility. This theme is mirrored in the autonomy or \u201cownership\u201d of not only bots, but human beings as well. No human has the right to work unless they own a franchise. Parents who can afford it purchase a franchise for their children at birth. Parents who can\u2019t do so must sell their children into indentured service, which technically has an end date but which frequently lasts a lifetime. No one monitors the legal loopholes. Poor children\u2019s contracts are often sold again and again, renewing for the full term with each sale.<\/p>\n This contrast between contracts of indenture and the freedom of an autonomous life is a sub-thread in the tale. One of the human characters, Threezed, is as indentured as one of the bots, Paladin. Threezed\u2019s advantage is that he can think for himself, while Paladin is never sure whether her thoughts are her own, or whether they are programmed for her. Paladin, perhaps, evolves more than any other character throughout the novel, and I found her explorations and discoveries endearing, even though she is one of the antagonists. In this development lies a third layer of the complex story, that of the nature of gender. All bots are considered by most humans to be male. When Paladin is given a choice of pronouns by her master, an unheard of option among indentured bots, she chooses the feminine. Her reasons are complicated, and add to her character\u2019s depth.<\/p>\n One thing I found intriguing about this novel is that even the \u201cbad guys\u201d aren\u2019t bad guys. Both Jack and Eliasz\/Paladin are doing what they are \u201cprogrammed\u201d to do. It just so happens that these two missions conflict, with near disastrous results for all concerned.<\/p>\n While I enjoyed the novel, it\u2019s worth pointing out that there was so much<\/em> going on in the story that it was a challenge to really connect with any one thing. There isn\u2019t as much description of the surroundings or worldbuilding as I might have liked, not enough to help me feel comfortable in this alien, futuristic place and certainly not enough to be completely immersed in the surroundings of Jack\u2019s Saskatchewan. It didn\u2019t stop me from reading it, but it did make for a rough start, as I said before.<\/p>\n That said, Autonomous is so much more than just a crime drama, or a sci-fi adventure. It\u2019s richly textured in meaning and depth that can\u2019t be read lightly. There\u2019s a lot to absorb, messages ripe for our time. Definitely worth a read.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Annalee Newitz Tor Books, ISBN: 9780765392077 Paperback, 304 pages. \u00a92017 Big Pharma owns the patents to all the essential medicines, and prices them so high that only the wealthy can afford to buy them. Pirates\u2014intent on a) making money or b) helping those who can\u2019t afford the medicine they need\u2014reverse engineer the drugs and…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-796","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8n0kX-cQ","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":6331,"url":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/25\/im-baaaaaack\/","url_meta":{"origin":796,"position":0},"title":"I’m Baaaaaack!","author":"DremaDeoraich","date":"July 25, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Hi! Remember me? I know it\u2019s been a while. But I haven\u2019t been slacking in the interim, honest. I\u2019ve been busybusybusy. Since my last post, nearly a year ago, I\u2019ve released two-point-two-five books (weird, right? see below), worked with the award-winning Stacey Lind to also release three audiobooks, managed to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blog Posts"","block_context":{"text":"Blog Posts","link":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/category\/blog-posts\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Black background, shadowy hallway with many doors, highlighted in a red central focus. A broken crystal in black-and-white shows multiple faces, one on each of the different facets.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/BrokenEbookCover573KB-188x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1463,"url":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/2019\/07\/28\/new-vs-old-how-to-best-use-limited-time\/","url_meta":{"origin":796,"position":1},"title":"New vs. Old: How to Best Use Limited Time","author":"DremaDeoraich","date":"July 28, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Most writers I know aren\u2019t only writers. They\u2019re also working professionals in a variety of other fields. They are parents, siblings, spouses, friends, neighbors. They have everyday obligations that can\u2019t be put on hold or neglected. Time to write, when it can be found, is golden. So when a writer\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blog Posts"","block_context":{"text":"Blog Posts","link":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/category\/blog-posts\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Choice.jpg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Choice.jpg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Choice.jpg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Choice.jpg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4573,"url":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/12\/jack-and-anna-new-scourge-rising\/","url_meta":{"origin":796,"position":2},"title":"Jack And Anna: New Scourge Rising","author":"DremaDeoraich","date":"July 12, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"By R.S. Penney \u00a9 June 3, 2024, Next Chapter ASIN: B0D62DV7FL Kindle Version, file size 1704 KB Jack and Anna are special agents with special powers, bonded with symbionts and out to save the worlds. The excitement suggested by that statement is present throughout the story. Once the action started,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Reviews"","block_context":{"text":"Reviews","link":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/category\/reviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/JackAnnaNewScourge-200x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5054,"url":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/2024\/10\/30\/the-object\/","url_meta":{"origin":796,"position":3},"title":"The Object","author":"DremaDeoraich","date":"October 30, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"By Joshua Calvert ASIN: B0CRQ9ZLDN \u00a9 February 1, 2024 Kindle: File size 892 KB Print: 380 pages This was an interesting tale that wove hard science fiction with an individual's determination and persistence, and the shadows that politics sometimes cast over our greatest endeavors. I loved how the astronauts on\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Reviews"","block_context":{"text":"Reviews","link":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/category\/reviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Cover depicts a dark, deep-space background with two suited astronauts and a comet-like object streaking past. Words \"The Object,\" \"Hard Science Fiction,\" and \"Jushua T. Calvert\" appear in white.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/TheObject-192x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1878,"url":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/2020\/05\/01\/song-of-blood-and-stone\/","url_meta":{"origin":796,"position":4},"title":"Song of Blood and Stone","author":"DremaDeoraich","date":"May 1, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Book 1 of the Earthsinger Chronicles By L. Penelope St. Martin\u2019s Griffin, ASIN: B07SMWXJQN Paperback, 523 pages. \u00a9 July 16, 2019 Elsira and Lagrimar lie close together, yet worlds apart. Separated by the Mantle, a magical veil that prevents travel between the two lands, Elsirans and Lagrimari haven\u2019t mingled for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Reviews"","block_context":{"text":"Reviews","link":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/category\/reviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/SongBloodStone.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1151,"url":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/2018\/11\/12\/buy-right-practical-ways-to-gift-your-writer\/","url_meta":{"origin":796,"position":5},"title":"Buy Right: Practical Ways to Gift Your Writer","author":"DremaDeoraich","date":"November 12, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"In the U.S., winter holidays are just around the corner. That means the biggest season in the year for retail spending. Marathon shoppers know all about how to prepare for Black Friday, Cyber Monday and all their associated merchant-inspired lead-ins to this most mercantile of all seasons. Maybe you\u2019re a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blog Posts"","block_context":{"text":"Blog Posts","link":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/category\/blog-posts\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/Holiday-Lights.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/Holiday-Lights.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/Holiday-Lights.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/Holiday-Lights.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/Holiday-Lights.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/796","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=796"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/796\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":798,"href":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/796\/revisions\/798"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=796"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=796"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=796"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}