The Peacemaker's Code is an intelligent page-turner that keeps the reader hooked. The premise is expectedly pulsating with likable characters. What maThe Peacemaker's Code is an intelligent page-turner that keeps the reader hooked. The premise is expectedly pulsating with likable characters. What makes the book good are its twists, with at least one that is exceptionally smart. As such, the tale is built on a string of surprises, most completely unpredictable.
However, what makes it exceptional is its use of human history and the pretexts it uses for aliens' actions. One can point to a list of things in the book which is similar to Dan Brown's biggest hit, but the story will appear original and remarkably well-crafted to anyone who enjoyed The Da Vinci Code.
In the end, it is not just science with imagination or code-breaking through history lessons. The thematic richness is its exploration of ethics of interference and the nature of peace and conflict. There are rather mushy sequences more appropriate in a teenager's romcom, but their incongruity is a passable diversion at worst....more
The author is likely reading articles on AI in popular media since the arrival of ChatGPT. The book reads likMore like the author’s unstructured notes
The author is likely reading articles on AI in popular media since the arrival of ChatGPT. The book reads like a disjointed collection of summaries of them. There is no major original argument or discussion point. The book’s highly topical nature would make it dated extremely quickly. ...more
A book that tries to get into the technicals but simply does not make enough efforts to explain complex material. The author appeared likLacks details
A book that tries to get into the technicals but simply does not make enough efforts to explain complex material. The author appeared like always in a hurry to finish. ...more
Rules of Law is an ambitious project zipping through the fragmented history of law globally. It oscillates between covering too much ground in too litRules of Law is an ambitious project zipping through the fragmented history of law globally. It oscillates between covering too much ground in too little time and then, paradoxically, too little in too much. The author's exhaustive approach creates a desultory journey through minutiae or loosely related facts with little purpose other than to present the material the author collected.
Despite the division into twelve chapters covering different aspects of history, most of the book feels like a whirlwind tour, darting from one tiny aspect of a societal structure to another, spanning time and space with little to no transition. This abrupt shifting of focus can leave the reader disoriented and struggling to follow the narrative thread. While ostensibly dedicated to exploring the specific legal codes of different cultures, the chapters often deviate into discussions on a wide array of topics ranging from formal rules to guidelines, from religious edicts and proclamations to societal norms and community guidelines.
'Rule of Laws' is teeming with anecdotes and details, which, while intriguing in their own right, often feel disjointed and tangential to the broader themes. The narrative frequently jumps from one era to another within the span of a few paragraphs. And still, across chapters, the book appears repetitive, with many themes or even societies/eras revisited multiple times. There is a wealth of information in every part, but with few, that would make a reader pause.
In conclusion, the ambitious book falls short of delivering a cohesive and enlightening narrative.
Cult Classic could have been a stroll down memory lane suffused with endearing nostalgia. Once upon a time, in the era of Meg Ryan and Hugh Grant, itsCult Classic could have been a stroll down memory lane suffused with endearing nostalgia. Once upon a time, in the era of Meg Ryan and Hugh Grant, its plot could have caused movie interest too. Unfortunately, it does not pack enough heart and humor.
The main story is thin and predictable until the end, and the characters are one-dimensional. The protagonist could/should have been likable, but she comes out excessively whining. The boyfriends are given such swift treatments that they appear unidimensional and bland. The monotonicity of each relationship generates the feeling of repetitiveness, dominating the underlying variety. At the least, such books need rapid-fire banter, which is sorely missing. The text often feels trapped in a pre-tech world. For this reader, at least, it lacked the immediacy.
Entangled Life is a must-read. For most readers like this reviewer, fungi will be a new topic, rarely discussed at length in any exciting way in populEntangled Life is a must-read. For most readers like this reviewer, fungi will be a new topic, rarely discussed at length in any exciting way in popular books. The author simply hits it out of the park, again and again, all through in the most engaging ways. Each part makes you wonder how most of us have been so ignorant about critical aspects of such a vital life form.
Fungi are not just passive organisms. They are capable of complex behaviors, including communication, decision-making, and even learning. Their methods have so much to teach us about the complexities of natural life and our networks, including the web and the neural varieties.
One starts with the journey of these 1.5m or so species with the giant mycelial networks. If the reader is not spooked enough by the nature of their growth, there is more to follow in symbiotic relationships between fungi and algae and, later, fungi and plants. In between, readers are introduced to mycoremediation, the process by which fungi can help clean polluted soil or mycorrhizal networks, where fungi exchange nutrients with plants.
The Wood Wide Web is perhaps the most shocking, with its network of mycelia linking plant roots, facilitating communication and nutrient exchange. Or maybe, this should be reserved for psilocybin mushrooms (magic mushrooms) and the impact of their usage in various cultures. These are tricky waters; the author does well discussing psychedelics with depth, understanding, and respect, setting a foundation for their therapeutic uses.
In between molds and lichens, one comes across the familiar yeasts and popular poisonous mushrooms. Some fungi play a role in industrial processes for the chemicals they produce, and others preserve our nature by helping wood decay. The author has amusing anecdotes that link the disparate topics seamlessly without burdening readers with excessive theory (this is despite frequent discussions on topics like fungi cell structure, reproduction, and metabolism).
The subject's importance is matched by the author's extraordinary ability to explain, which makes it a compulsive and not just a compulsory read....more
"Under the Midnight Sun" by Keigo Higashino's crime thriller is a compelling story set against the backdrop of a changing Japan. The author is a maste"Under the Midnight Sun" by Keigo Higashino's crime thriller is a compelling story set against the backdrop of a changing Japan. The author is a master storyteller who keeps the reader engaged with a captivating narrative style and a vivid portrayal of cultural nuances. The story's slow pacing and plot repetition prevent it from reaching its full potential.
Positively, the prose flows smoothly, carrying readers through the intricacies of the plot. By skillfully depicting Japan during a transformative era, he imbues the story with a rich historical and cultural context. From rapid technological advancements to societal changes, Higashino masterfully captures the essence of the period.
Negatively, the story drags with an excess of similar sub-tales. The central crime plot becomes apparent early on, with the unpredictable element remaining in the mysterious underlying cause. The repetitive nature of the sub-plots provides the canvas to describe the society over tumultuous decades, but without advancing the central story.
The conclusion of the central crime is also somewhat rushed. After an extended build-up, the resolution feels abrupt, leaving some loose ends untied.
Overall, a unique read because of the backdrop. ...more
Creation is a monument of historical fiction, an epic in every sense of the term. The novel, it must be said at the outset, comes with its share of shCreation is a monument of historical fiction, an epic in every sense of the term. The novel, it must be said at the outset, comes with its share of shortcomings because of the scope. A spirit of irreverence and superciliousness permeating the narrative will surely unsettle the faithful to the religious icons represented within these pages. Nevertheless, there is a lot in the novel's deep and insightful journey, even after discounting all the things that could be misunderstood, misrepresented, fictitious, or worse.
The novel vividly realizes the Axial Age of the fourth century BC. The golden century had a staggering number of humanity's most influential thinkers. They were not as unaware or independent of each other's thinking as popularly presumed. Rather, the philosophers fed on each other, and not just within their cultures - and this is the point best made in the book.
The author weaves a tapestry of this time long past, immersing the reader in an alien and captivating era. In fact, in portraying at least four completely different worlds, the book has the material to surprise anyone who is not fully conversant with the era's big events of Greece, Persia, India, and China. The expansive travelogues employed serve more than just the purpose of scene setting. They are opportunities for conjecture, moments where Vidal delves into the minutiae of the dawn of civilization's everyday lives, an aspect seldom encountered in most popular historical or philosophical accounts.
The novel humanizes an array of historical figures. Some are presented better than others. The audacious task of lending human traits to figures of historic importance is never easy, and the author's representations are based on his understanding of these characters' philosophies and the conclusions he wanted to draw. Figures such as Zoroaster, Mahavira, Buddha, Laozi, Confucius, and Socrates, along with the grandest of Persian kings and various lesser-known characters, are portrayed in a manner that is great to read but not always the easiest to agree with.
The writing in this tour de force is erudite and witty. The author is at his best when providing a glimpse into the interlocked geopolitical history of the era. Yet, Creation is frequently desultory and rambling. The author repeatedly goes off on tangents, introducing a series of characters and plot lines that light up a few paragraphs to eventually go nowhere. The purpose must be to show how diverse and yet connected the period was. In its own ways, the tale points and paints how different cultures influenced each other's events, practices, and beliefs; these exchanges were perhaps more intense during the Axial Age than in the following two thousand years. It comes at a frequent loss of coherence in the story, though.
"What is ChatGPT doing" has the perfect combination of well-explained, highly technical details with clear, concise, human writing (!) to make some pr"What is ChatGPT doing" has the perfect combination of well-explained, highly technical details with clear, concise, human writing (!) to make some profound points about not just the product that is at everyone's tongue tips but also a scientific discovery that has the potential to change everything in humanity's future.
Superficially, the reader is taken on an enlightening journey through the intricate realm of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and ChatGPT's technical architecture with the emphasis on things that make it completely different from everything that carried the tag of "artificial intelligence" before. The least one learns is an appreciation for why this "AI" is different and why it needs learning. There will always be those who will try to confuse previous-generation neural network technologies with generative AI. Still, these people could be making even worse mistakes than those made by many celebrated handphone makers of 2007 who continued to call their devices also as "Smartphones" without ever stopping to understand what had changed post the arrival of the iPhone.
However, there is more it what has changed than just the arrival of a new product or a large language model. Philosophically, the LLMs are a new lens through which we are able to dissect the mechanisms of human cognition.
The enigmatic structure of the human brain, its nebulous configurations of neurons and synapses, has long defied capture in simple equations. Our brains have been black boxes with constellations of thoughts and perceptions, ideas and inspirations that form the stars of our individual universes. We have been able to do little more than brandish them a chaotic cosmos where the most we could attempt to understand were in small parts. Yet, as Wolfram illustrates, the advent of generative AI has begun to chart a course through this complexity, offering profound insights into how we perceive everything from language to visuals and more.
Despite the differences in the inner workings of our brains and the current constructs of generative AIs, there is a striking similarity in the results both produce. This resemblance is a testament to the role of near-by or near-term parameters ("attention") in shaping our subsequent thoughts and ideas, just as generative AI uses immediate context to generate responses. It's like looking at a painting, where each brushstroke contributes to the overall picture while also extending the meaning of what it surrounds.
However, the parallels between the human brain and AI are not without much-discussed terrifying implications. They are not the topic of the book, but the explanations only cement the thought that for ever-improving machines, passing our level of intelligence will be just a small milestone on its light-speed march.
Wolfram's book excels in describing the concept of computational irreducibility and the constraints of generative AI. There are limitations to what an AI model can infer or predict about a system's future states without simulating the system step by step. In other words, there are realms within which the process of querying will have to take alternate forms, including the good old lookup-type forms. This harks back to traditional methods like reaching for a dictionary when one comes across an unfamiliar word, a process not yet completely replicated by LLMs that rely solely on training-based generative methods. This is sure to change soon.
The heart of the book lies in its elucidation of how generative AI creates its own classifications through tokens and navigates the complexity of information through attention mechanisms. This process mirrors human cognition in many ways, particularly because it makes LLMs their own kind of black boxes that work but without us understanding - in human terms, at human levels - how.
Wolfram's ability to explain equations makes the book far better than hundreds that spring up on a daily basis. A must-read guide for almost everyone....more
In the vast landscape of historical literature on the colonization of India, the book "British in India" is an innovative work. Its narrative veers awIn the vast landscape of historical literature on the colonization of India, the book "British in India" is an innovative work. Its narrative veers away from the traditional approach centered around conflicts that created the empire to events that dot India's independence movement. Instead, it offers a bottom-up perspective, focusing on the quotidian lives of the British. In modern terms, they are presented as career expatriates living in India during the rule over two centuries. The book's unconventional approach allows us to explore the mundane, often overlooked aspects of colonial life. That said, the picture presented - despite the book's well-defined scope - is incomplete and often misleading.
The author's meticulous description of the Britons' lives is perhaps the book's most intriguing aspect. Their lifestyle, preferences, dislikes, and the factors that attracted them to India are explored in depth. The book paints a vivid picture of the Raj administrators, whose lives, when not caricatured like in popular movies, were primarily understood through the lens of administrative duties and official decrees. The author's approach is almost anthropological, tracing the social, cultural, and personal contours of their existence in India.
A notable aspect of the book is its focus on the stories of individuals rather than overarching patterns or broad historical trends. This storytelling format fosters an intimate understanding of the period; by focusing on the individual stories of British people in India, the author provides a more nuanced and complex understanding of everyday life. The book's narrative helps explain the origins of many things in India this reviewer saw as a child in the '70s and the '80s, including government institutional structures, mess halls in hostels, convent schools, and clubs, apart from the obvious ones like cricket or the railways.
The chapter on racial relations is arguably the most controversial in the book. The British always viewed the natives as inferior, although the author tries to tip-toe around this in most of the book. The racial relations chapter draws a hierarchy of the comfort they felt towards various groups in extremely broad terms with conclusions that are, in the least, contrarian.
The more pertinent point about the book is its rose-tinted depiction of the Raj as a mild era run by regular expatriates while downplaying the harsh realities of discrimination. Little is discussed about the impact of the systemic imbalances and injustices inherent in the colonial administrative system, which not only left the locals unskilled but also impacted the aspects of the lives the book is based on. For most parts, the book describes the Raj as an era run by expatriates as administrators with no grand plans of oppression or subjugation. Even if one ignores where the Raj was used for the empire's wider interests, given the book's scope, the system was a manifestation of feudal control serving the same expatriates' interests and lifestyles, with the local population relegated to the role of servitude. There is little mention of recurring calamities due to its exploitative and extractive nature.
Nonetheless, the book offers insights into the colonial era, enriching an understanding of the period beyond the usual narratives of political maneuvers and economic exploitation. ...more
The Housemaid is a simple story built around a single twist. With three major characters and the apparent plot laid bare in a few sentences upfront, tThe Housemaid is a simple story built around a single twist. With three major characters and the apparent plot laid bare in a few sentences upfront, two-thirds of the book goes through similar events with little progress to set the stage for the inflection. The pivot may surprise some, but given the short list of characters involved, many will be able to predict its contours long before. A quick read with occasional thrills....more
The Alignment Problem is the perfect book to read to understand the machinery behind generative artificial intelligence (AI) systems that are taking oThe Alignment Problem is the perfect book to read to understand the machinery behind generative artificial intelligence (AI) systems that are taking over the world. This insightful and thought-provoking book comprehensively explains the underlying mechanisms of AIs. Directly and indirectly, it also explores one of the most pressing issues of our time: how to ensure that artificial intelligence is used for good rather than for harm.
If the previous era programming were based on conditionals and loops, variables and functions, the machine learning algorithms have their equivalents in reinforcement learning, shaping, and IRL. This book is a fantastic introduction to the lexicon of this emerging field.
The author delves into the challenge of aligning AI with human values, arguing that AI systems have become exceedingly powerful and opaque. While the call for greater accountability and alignment is compelling, the author often appears to state an aspirational goal—akin to the desire for no child to go hungry—rather than a concrete, actionable solution provider.
The reviewer wishes to share some personal takeaways from the book, focusing on the two developmental phases of machine learning systems: The initial phase involves constructing an AI system to accomplish broad goals through learning, imitation, and problem decomposition. This phase is reminiscent of the AlphaGo machine that mastered the game of Go by studying human gameplay history. In the subsequent phase, the AI system evolves to set its own objectives, generate its data, and create learning processes with diminishing inputs from its human masters. This is the scary stage where machines are on autopilot learning, including devising better learning methods to do things we barely comprehend outside the end results. An example of this is AlphaGo Zero. A future example of this could be the use cases of AutoGPT.
Most of us who love to quote Asimov's Robotics rules or Turing tests discuss AIs in the first phase above. Discussions on topics like "Alignment" are also more relevant when humans have some control over end goals, interim steps, process creations, and inputs. We are incapable of imagining what machines could do once they internalize more and more away from our provided structures. Positively, machines could create scientific or medicinal discoveries and solve some of our biggest problems. The list of negatives is far more inscrutable and hence frightening for most of us.
Although the desire for control is understandable, implementing safeguards may be challenging due to competition among nations and corporations. For instance, one country's attempts to restrict AI applications in a certain sector could be undermined by providers in another jurisdiction. Additionally, machine learning algorithms are not difficult to develop and are accessible to many. As a result, small teams can rapidly create innovative products that are quickly imitated, rendering traditional regulatory approaches ineffective.
Another thing one learns from the book is how most AI/ML tools - aka libraries, stacks, programming methods - are available to everyone, everywhere. Without a doubt, a few will emerge as commercial winners with their AI implementations, but this is going to be a crowded field in every aspect of AI use cases, making control extremely difficult.
In conclusion, The Alignment Problem is a timely and invaluable resource for readers looking to understand the complexities of AI alignment and its implications for society. This book is an important contribution to the ongoing conversation about AI's potential to shape our future, both positively and negatively, and is a must-read for anyone interested in the subject....more
The Grave Singer story is almost perfectly summarised in the short blurb on the book's back cover. Not only is the story that simple, but it also suffThe Grave Singer story is almost perfectly summarised in the short blurb on the book's back cover. Not only is the story that simple, but it also suffers from a complete lack of surprises in the development phase, and this development phase is all but the climax of the book. There could have been more and should have been more....more
The Secret Witness finds new ways to disappoint again and again. It had a promising start with a solid opening scene, but unfortunately, it quickly loThe Secret Witness finds new ways to disappoint again and again. It had a promising start with a solid opening scene, but unfortunately, it quickly lost momentum. The introduction of the main characters was insipid and lacked depth, making it difficult to connect with them or root for them as underdogs. The author failed to develop the characters, and the main story plodded along with numerous holes.
To make matters worse, the book became rushed in the latter part. The mystery was solved in the simplest way possible, with more than a third of the book remaining. This left little room for building suspense or tension and the lack of courtroom drama was disappointing. The side story, which ws supposed to carry the burden of the climax, was equally directionless. It felt like the author was trying to add some extra excitement to the story, but it just came across as contrived and unnecessary. ...more
One does not expect Marvel movies to be scientifically accurate. One does not demand originality too. Predictable storylines are fine as long as the c One does not expect Marvel movies to be scientifically accurate. One does not demand originality too. Predictable storylines are fine as long as the characters' backstories and behavior are reasonably plausible. The fans starting such a movie simply want to be entertained by all the actions and interactions.
The expectations from Baldacci's books are similar. However, when the enjoyment factor declines, as seen in Simply Lies, readers begin to scrutinize the numerous logical inconsistencies. It is possible that these shortcomings are no more pronounced in this novel than in any of the author's previous fifty works. The story may not be more predictable than the rest, but its predictability becomes jarring due to the diminished enjoyment value. Somehow, the story does not work, and that's perhaps the whole truth for this reviewer. Whether this is because of underdeveloped leads or the utter illogicality of everything or anything else is unimportant. ...more
Imagine a philosopher from a century ago who encounters the first motion pictures. Overwhelmed and captivated by this groundbreaking technology, the p Imagine a philosopher from a century ago who encounters the first motion pictures. Overwhelmed and captivated by this groundbreaking technology, the philosopher posited that we could be only three- or four-dimensional projections created by advanced beings from higher dimensions. "Reality+" can be seen as a contemporary parallel to this hypothetical philosopher's musings, where Chalmers replaces the concept of motion pictures with the more contemporary idea of virtual reality.
The book presents many innovative concepts and thought-provoking ideas, but its conclusions ultimately appear speculative and unsubstantiated hypotheses. These theories seem to emerge from the author's conviction that the primary task is to reframe our worldview in light of the most recent technological advancements without considering the potential for future refinements or modifications.
In concepts like "virtual could be unrecognizable from real" or "physical is different from digital," the book moves around in circles on axiomatic propositions seemingly conjured out of thin air, like Pascal's wager. We will use only one example - the utterly needless distinction in the book between physical and digital because of the author's preoccupation with it-from-bit-type concepts - to illuminate the limits imposed by extrapolating a set of latest technologies.
Arguably, as long as we are in a digital, rule-based world, the author's distinction between physical and digital becomes redundant, at the very least. Let's say our world comprises basic constituents - particles or forces - that come in n distinct forms, where n could be any number from 1. Each of these building blocks B1...Bn can be represented in a Cartesian form with quantum values (q1...qn) and multiple positions in an m-dimensional space-time, defining our world's entire existence. In some ways, this is nothing but an information string in a higher dimension, the same as those of the author's digital world except of higher complexity. In other words, even a purely physical world of the author, encompassing quarks, proteins, matter, life forms, or black holes, could be an information form as is or in some machine's image.
The crucial point is that for an advanced civilization, the resources required to construct our type of world - physically, as the author prefers to differentiate using building blocks - may not be resource-intensive at all. For the creationist theories that the book wishes to speculate on, most of its simulation-focused sections may prove to be unnecessary.
The author's creationist ideas rely on the same arguments made since time immemorial but in different garbs. Something from nothing is difficult for any one of us to accept. Creationist theories appear far more sound in our world of exquisitely finely tuned parameters as they provide a more straightforward point to stop questioning. The only thing we are asked to do in such cases is not to concern ourselves too much with these creators' identities, logic, or intentions and go on our merry ways!
By evoking the possibility of us being a simulation on an advanced society's computer, the book wonders if we could be a creation of a higher life or non-life form. The speculation is used to explain concepts as broad as the imperfections of our "gods" to free will, all non-provable and as whimsical as any wonderland of an Alice in any realm.
The author is the first to acknowledge that most of his theories are unverifiable if we live in a perfect simulation. He tries to make a virtue of the unverifiability by hypothesizing on the post-human reality of upcoming centuries. The discussions are often fascinating but still never far from fanciful....more
Anthony Horowitz tries to do something different in his fourth novel in the Hawthorne series. He abandons the cozy, lighthearted tone of the previous Anthony Horowitz tries to do something different in his fourth novel in the Hawthorne series. He abandons the cozy, lighthearted tone of the previous books in favor of a more serious and suspenseful approach. It is an ambitious attempt to inject a sense of novelty, but it does not work as well as the author might have hoped.
With one of the duo facing personal challenges related to the investigation, the narration loses the usual wit and charm. It also has an impact on the unraveling of the mystery, with Hawthorne's approach to gathering clues turning more mysterious and unexplained.
Some are likely to resolve the mystery early, and this reviewer happens to be one of them. There were moments of doubt as the author employs a variety of red herrings, to the point where even the apparent solution might be questioned as just another distraction for being left out in the open.
This reviewer believes that the author is better served by sticking to the tried and tested formula that made the earlier books so successful. A bit like Wodehouse - one does not always need to be original regarding humor and charm....more
A mystery writer is much like a Sudoku creator who delicately unfurls the puzzle number by tantalizing number. The protagonists serve as dedicated solA mystery writer is much like a Sudoku creator who delicately unfurls the puzzle number by tantalizing number. The protagonists serve as dedicated solvers, deducing possibilities from each carefully revealed clue. The story's power depends on how the writer controls the information flow. If the most vital clues are withheld until the very end, even when they crack open the solution spectacularly, the reader might feel shortchanged, and the plot risks seeming anodyne for too long. If too much is divulged too soon, the mystery unravels prematurely, long before the climax.
In the third installment of this good series, the author struggles to sustain the magic of Hawthorne and Horowitz. This puts more of a burden on the story to carry the book. Regrettably, the balance of the clue reveal is off, as the book teems with red herrings and their expected debunking. When the mystery resolves on the back of a burst of new information in the final pages, it lacks the gratifying "aha" moment savored in the preceding volumes.
However, the dynamic interplay between the lead characters, the book's self-awareness, and the author's razor-sharp prose still make for an engaging read. Just not as good as the rest in the series....more
The Sentence is Death is a clever, well-written whodunit that benefits from a self-aware and self-deprecating style.
Fast-paced twists and turns keep The Sentence is Death is a clever, well-written whodunit that benefits from a self-aware and self-deprecating style.
Fast-paced twists and turns keep the story engaging all through, even if the identity of the murderer is somewhat predictable if one applies the most common red herring techniques. The bickering lead characters provide an enjoyable contrast that keeps the story from becoming too serious. The addition of the bullying inspector creates even more opportunities for humor and self-deprecation. Despite a relatively weak central mystery, this book is a great read and will make a good episode whenever they serialise Hawthorne books on television....more
Loading...
