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alex (68 KP) rated Altered Carbon in TV

Dec 16, 2018  
Altered Carbon
Altered Carbon
2018 | Sci-Fi
9
8.0 (48 Ratings)
TV Show Rating Watch
Enthralling concept (1 more)
Great characters
Hooked from the beginning
I thoroughly enjoyed this series. Although set in a future, one can see the headline issues of today wrapped up in a complicated film-noir private detective archetype. Something about hard-boiled crime and mystery supported by futuristic tech and commentary on the social elite really pulls me in.
  
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Dean (6926 KP) rated Anon (2018) in Movies

May 12, 2018 (Updated May 12, 2018)  
Anon (2018)
Anon (2018)
2018 | Sci-Fi, Thriller
7
6.8 (13 Ratings)
Movie Rating Watch
Ambitious Sci-Fi Thriller
A classy Neo-Noir detective Thriller. From the same director as @In Time (2011) @Gattaca (1997) This is set in the near future where Humans have a minds eye tech. They can record memories, or anything from their point of view, or even make a type of video call all through the "ether". A kind of online, cloud system for data.
The technology ideas are very impressive and clearly touch on current issues around personal data and privacy laws. Despite this it doesn't have a big blockbuster feel to the film. The Sfx are kept quite simple overall. The film does have a certain visual style to it, including some impressive sets and locations.
A very interesting film that touches on some current issues whilst also being an enjoyable thriller. Short of being excellent but possibly a future cult classic!
  
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Phil Leader (619 KP) rated Hunt for the Troll in Books

Nov 14, 2019  
Hunt for the Troll
Hunt for the Troll
Mark Richardson | 2015 | Computing & IT, Mystery
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Get ready to immerse yourself in the world of virtual reality gaming and tech startups. The unnamed narrator, a computer genius, is bored after being made moderately rich after starting a company. When his business partner tells him about a new opportunity he agrees to meet but his partner doesn't show. Taking a stop-gap job at a gaming company he starts to get used to his new life when he dreams about the Troll, a dream that may be all too real.

Deciding to pursue the Troll to find out who he really is involves digging into the past and future of Silicon Valley and draws both wanted and unwanted attention. Who is the Troll and what exactly does he want? And more the point, how can he be found?

The narrative for the books runs very much like a somewhat noir detective novel, but without the fedora (although there is a femme fatale and it does rain...) rather than a techo thriller. The main character is very much the sort of person who relishes a new challenge and embraces the search rather more enthusiatically than his work, even though that work involves spending all day in a virtual reality online game.

The plot progresses at pace with interesting characters appearing to cast light and shadows on various aspects of life at the cutting edge of computer technology. There are coincidences that help move the plot along but a lot of the time the reader will be as frustrated as the narrator that the Troll is proving so elusive. There are sub-plots as well and by the end everything has worked itself out to a satisfying conclusion.

It wasn't entirely without flaw for me; I didn't find the narrator particularly sympathetic or easy to identify with as he has a certain selfishness, self-indulgence and lack of empathy but I suppose that is part of his make up as a fundamental part of tech start ups. Some of the other character motivations are a little opaque too.

But these were minor points and didn't detract from what is ultimately an enjoyable and interesting read and definitely shows foresight on where the computer industry is headed right now.