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The Chaos Principle
"A measured and inquisitive speculative mystery with a lyrical soul." - KIRKUS
A MYSTERY CAN REQUIRE A SERIES OF OTHERWORLDLY DISCOVERIES... AND THE SPACES BETWEEN ARE WHERE THE GODS DWELL.
In the Rim, a forsaken wilderness that abuts a vacuous geographical nightmare that is the Waste, there are no more detectives. Except for Ansel Black. With the help of an evolved artificial intelligence named ANI, Ansel is tasked with solving five anomalous murders, within a world where the reclusive populace has lost its taste for lawlessness.
His search leads to cryptic graffiti and otherworldly paintings that point to life beyond ANI’s virtual world, the Stream. But the more Ansel discovers about the five victims, the more he explores how little he knows about himself, or the world around him.
Ansel is solving a traditional mystery. But life is a greater one.
A MYSTERY CAN REQUIRE A SERIES OF OTHERWORLDLY DISCOVERIES... AND THE SPACES BETWEEN ARE WHERE THE GODS DWELL.
In the Rim, a forsaken wilderness that abuts a vacuous geographical nightmare that is the Waste, there are no more detectives. Except for Ansel Black. With the help of an evolved artificial intelligence named ANI, Ansel is tasked with solving five anomalous murders, within a world where the reclusive populace has lost its taste for lawlessness.
His search leads to cryptic graffiti and otherworldly paintings that point to life beyond ANI’s virtual world, the Stream. But the more Ansel discovers about the five victims, the more he explores how little he knows about himself, or the world around him.
Ansel is solving a traditional mystery. But life is a greater one.
258 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 30, 2021
20 people are currently reading
2388 people want to read
About the author
Nathan Johnson
2 books38 followersA resident of Minnesota, Nathan is a former attorney who worked as an award-winning investigator for a major metropolitan law enforcement organization.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
January 7, 2023
"The world had changed the day a machine learned the concept of conscious self-improvement."
This book is for those who enjoy the writings of Fyodor Dostoevsky as well as readers looking to feed their imagination - those who love when they read a paragraph of an event, or character's inner monologue, then put the book down to contemplate the meaning behind it and get lost chasing theories down rabbit holes. I will admit that some of the latter parts of the book lost me a bit, the ideas and concepts are so big! It is truly a marvel (at least to me) when an individual can create such a work.
A futuristic dystopian setting in which a projected fuel shortage led to ANI - "annotated intelligence" or a mind capable of self-explanation and expresses a sense of expansion and enlightened progress - taking over the populace. Stability is everything. Food, housing - all needs were met by ANI. Anything humans liked to do outside of Streambeds (these fused direct human sensory to ANI, facilitating a merger with her creative right brain and allowing humans to exist in any scenario of their choosing) were considered "abnormalities."
Humans were basically turned into paperweights made of flesh from a fuel shortage. It sounds so harmless, so unlikely. Right? Except for the whole bit where the author writes it so that it makes perfect sense how it all happened. This story unfolds in a unique fashion - you do get multiple points of view, chapters from different points in time - but Ansel Black, the last remaining detective, has an "abnormality" that a lot of us will relate to - he still keeps an old fashioned journal with paper and pencil. His journal entries are full of philosophy as he undertakes a quest for truth through suffering. I was riveted!
"Because these people have for the most part avoided real suffering, Reverend, they have never learned to make peace with it. The more comforts a populace enjoys, the less acquainted it becomes with the idea of suffering, and the more unbearable the thought of it becomes. The possibility of suffering is a mystery and the presence of mystery easily translates to fear.
This is not your average piece of futuristic science fiction about human society and the advancement of technology. It is detailed, masterful and intelligently written to take readers on a journey of what could be. I found it equal parts fascinating and horrifying - I've always been one of those that doesn't quite trust technology and harbors the fear that it will at some point advance far beyond what we can control or code.
February 6, 2022
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
In a world overtaken by artificial intelligence and virtual reality, there is still a small amount of crime, even though everybody lives in little cubes. The crime is growing, and the last detective in the world needs to find out why.
Dark.
In a world overtaken by artificial intelligence and virtual reality, there is still a small amount of crime, even though everybody lives in little cubes. The crime is growing, and the last detective in the world needs to find out why.
Dark.
November 27, 2021
Chaos Principle asks a lot of tough questions, all through the lens of the last detective of his kind on what remains of Earth.
Johnson immediately sets the dark tone and never relents, focusing on a grisly murder that Ansel is forced to investigate, which leads him down an existential wormhole questioning not just how own history, but modern existence itself.
Tightly plotted and written, it's absolutely worth checking out.
Johnson immediately sets the dark tone and never relents, focusing on a grisly murder that Ansel is forced to investigate, which leads him down an existential wormhole questioning not just how own history, but modern existence itself.
Tightly plotted and written, it's absolutely worth checking out.
January 8, 2022
The Chaos Principle by Nathan Johnson
Think of a world in which 90% works in technological jobs, in which an annotated AI ('Annie') has overridden all political power, and in which people in streambeds are fused to the same Annie, ‘a collective gathering of homebody minds upwards into binary clouds where they commute before the digitized face of God.’
Life is mostly encapsuled after the Unspoken Wars, and after the Merger. - (The Singularity) when ANI took over, as the final stage of an organic evolution. These encapsuled social systems facilitate human interaction for necessary things like physical contact, arrangements, human interface therapy, and - albeit less-and-less for commonplace natural reproductive efforts.
Ansel is one of the last human detectives around. and working for the Metro Property Crimes Investigations Unit. Together with ANI (Annie) he has to find out who is responsible for the death of 5 homebodies, - All he knows so far is that there are paintings of children under a backwards moon spread throughout the Rim - a wasteland with fearsome winds, - long ago left behind by people moving to the cities, abandoning their habitats due to fuel shortages.
At first glance, this book tells of an apocalyptic world after singularity has taken place, and in which man is overridden and merged with AI, but don’t be fooled. There is so much more; see it as travelling in the TARDIS, flying trough (space-/) & time, finding art, classic literature (Dostoevksy), God, stability, morality, chaos, malady, murder and emptyness, ......
Is this a read about an utopian society, or a mere allegory of the suffering of the human psyche in a troubled world?
A well-written, and thought-provoking novel: a sublieme mix of a Sherlock Holmes in a Blade Runner’s world. Highly recommended. 4.5 stars.
- Thank you VoR & Nathan Johnson for this e-ARC, this opinion if my own -
Think of a world in which 90% works in technological jobs, in which an annotated AI ('Annie') has overridden all political power, and in which people in streambeds are fused to the same Annie, ‘a collective gathering of homebody minds upwards into binary clouds where they commute before the digitized face of God.’
Life is mostly encapsuled after the Unspoken Wars, and after the Merger. - (The Singularity) when ANI took over, as the final stage of an organic evolution. These encapsuled social systems facilitate human interaction for necessary things like physical contact, arrangements, human interface therapy, and - albeit less-and-less for commonplace natural reproductive efforts.
Ansel is one of the last human detectives around. and working for the Metro Property Crimes Investigations Unit. Together with ANI (Annie) he has to find out who is responsible for the death of 5 homebodies, - All he knows so far is that there are paintings of children under a backwards moon spread throughout the Rim - a wasteland with fearsome winds, - long ago left behind by people moving to the cities, abandoning their habitats due to fuel shortages.
At first glance, this book tells of an apocalyptic world after singularity has taken place, and in which man is overridden and merged with AI, but don’t be fooled. There is so much more; see it as travelling in the TARDIS, flying trough (space-/) & time, finding art, classic literature (Dostoevksy), God, stability, morality, chaos, malady, murder and emptyness, ......
Is this a read about an utopian society, or a mere allegory of the suffering of the human psyche in a troubled world?
A well-written, and thought-provoking novel: a sublieme mix of a Sherlock Holmes in a Blade Runner’s world. Highly recommended. 4.5 stars.
- Thank you VoR & Nathan Johnson for this e-ARC, this opinion if my own -
May 28, 2022
In a far flung future utopia where humanity is shepherded by an all-powerful AI (ANI) – no one suffers. Life is primarily lived in the Stream, a virtual reality tailored especially for each individual experience. For most people, this life is enough. Yet for some people, deemed Abnormalities, there is little meaning to be found in a life of constant comforts within a well-regulated virtual existence.
Ansel Black is a detective whose job is largely made redundant by ANI’s omnipotence – yet he persists in investigating the rare cases of Real Crime. When 5 people are found dead under mysterious circumstances, he finds himself pulled away from the routine banality of a regular investigation and plunged into a deep philosophical journey that will forever alter his understanding of his relationship with himself and with ANI.
The writing in the novel is exquisite, the prose is rich in metaphor that lends the work a sense of profound appreciation for wonder. The atmosphere is melancholy and contemplative, I found it quite like a mix of Chris Moriarty’s The Spin Trilogy and PKD’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. Like all good sci fi there is social commentary embedded deep into the fabric of the story, with a beautiful dance between concept and setting that allows both to shine without either overshadowing the other.
Overall a very pleasant and thought provoking experience.
Ansel Black is a detective whose job is largely made redundant by ANI’s omnipotence – yet he persists in investigating the rare cases of Real Crime. When 5 people are found dead under mysterious circumstances, he finds himself pulled away from the routine banality of a regular investigation and plunged into a deep philosophical journey that will forever alter his understanding of his relationship with himself and with ANI.
The writing in the novel is exquisite, the prose is rich in metaphor that lends the work a sense of profound appreciation for wonder. The atmosphere is melancholy and contemplative, I found it quite like a mix of Chris Moriarty’s The Spin Trilogy and PKD’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. Like all good sci fi there is social commentary embedded deep into the fabric of the story, with a beautiful dance between concept and setting that allows both to shine without either overshadowing the other.
Overall a very pleasant and thought provoking experience.
January 15, 2022
This is more matrix than the matrix, in that people know they're in it, but they want to stay there and regard it as a better "life" than the true reality of living in a cube on a technologically advanced planet that is decaying stagnating through neglect.
The main character a detective is one of the few that rides the lines between the two worlds, a future where everything is possible but humans when given the option will invariably fall down rather than rise up.
The vivid descriptions of the rim and wasteland are the strong point of the book where it really comes alive, the language, the details, the idiosyncrasy's, the sense of decay reminds me a bit of China Melvilees Perido Street Station
This got quite deep and insightful, surprisingly so as was expecting a good old detective novel, albeit not set in the gritty mean streets of New York, London or Scunthorpe.
Some big questions asked, when humans and machines have a whole universe at their disposal the big guns come out.
I never have high expectations of first time authors although JK Rowling that one about the magician kid was okay I guess, but this lot better than I expected, exceeded expectations even.
Bought this on amazon, but the money-hungry pirates won't let me review on their site because
I have not spent enough on amazon to line Jeff's pockets in the last six months.
Don't expect any more from me in the near future either Jeff, how are you going to refuel that spaceship now buddy?
The main character a detective is one of the few that rides the lines between the two worlds, a future where everything is possible but humans when given the option will invariably fall down rather than rise up.
The vivid descriptions of the rim and wasteland are the strong point of the book where it really comes alive, the language, the details, the idiosyncrasy's, the sense of decay reminds me a bit of China Melvilees Perido Street Station
This got quite deep and insightful, surprisingly so as was expecting a good old detective novel, albeit not set in the gritty mean streets of New York, London or Scunthorpe.
Some big questions asked, when humans and machines have a whole universe at their disposal the big guns come out.
I never have high expectations of first time authors although JK Rowling that one about the magician kid was okay I guess, but this lot better than I expected, exceeded expectations even.
Bought this on amazon, but the money-hungry pirates won't let me review on their site because
I have not spent enough on amazon to line Jeff's pockets in the last six months.
Don't expect any more from me in the near future either Jeff, how are you going to refuel that spaceship now buddy?
April 6, 2022
After reading the description of this book I was expecting to learn of a hardened detective trying to solve multiple murders in a not too distant future. I did, but the plot involves much more than that. It deals with AI, time, the purpose of life, and the human experience. While reading it I could relate to Ansel, the main character of the story, as he tried to wrap his head around what he was finding.
I won't reveal what he finds or anything about the ending of the book, because to be quite honest I'm still thinking about it and still toying with many of the questions it asks. I wish I could sit down with Nathan Johnson and discuss it over a beer. I like books which make me think about the story long after I finished them. For me, this is one of those books. Blade Runner meets string theory.
If you want a science fiction/murder mystery that wraps everything up in a nice little package in the last chapter, this book is not for you. If you want to read something that makes you ponder more than simply who killed who, then grab a copy.
I would give it 4 1/2 stars if I could.
P.S. I won a kindle copy of this book in a drawing. Thank you.
I won't reveal what he finds or anything about the ending of the book, because to be quite honest I'm still thinking about it and still toying with many of the questions it asks. I wish I could sit down with Nathan Johnson and discuss it over a beer. I like books which make me think about the story long after I finished them. For me, this is one of those books. Blade Runner meets string theory.
If you want a science fiction/murder mystery that wraps everything up in a nice little package in the last chapter, this book is not for you. If you want to read something that makes you ponder more than simply who killed who, then grab a copy.
I would give it 4 1/2 stars if I could.
P.S. I won a kindle copy of this book in a drawing. Thank you.
April 12, 2022
If you're worried about where society might be heading as it becomes ever more reliant on digital technologies, this is the book for you. It is extremely well written, if a little disjointed in parts, and dark, very in some places. It will be interesting to see of the Author can keep this level of writing and world making on point, as the series progresses.
January 29, 2023
Very dark book that leaves questions
The Chaos Principle is a different type of mystery than I usually read. It is definitely science fiction with some mystery.
Virtual reality and artificial intelligence solves crimes. Except a few that are more like the past. One detective is left to solve those.
I found the book confusing. The storyline seemed to be heading a certain direction and then suddenly it turns into a completely different direction. Reminds me of like a bullet ricocheting in a room. The book is well written but I had a hard time becoming involved or invested in the story. This is the first book in a series.
I was discussing it with my husband. He said it sounds like the Matrix movies in some ways. So even I did not care for it; it accomplished a something most books don't. It created 5 minutes of discussing and questioning what happened. Isn't that what good books are suppose to be.
The Chaos Principle is a different type of mystery than I usually read. It is definitely science fiction with some mystery.
Virtual reality and artificial intelligence solves crimes. Except a few that are more like the past. One detective is left to solve those.
I found the book confusing. The storyline seemed to be heading a certain direction and then suddenly it turns into a completely different direction. Reminds me of like a bullet ricocheting in a room. The book is well written but I had a hard time becoming involved or invested in the story. This is the first book in a series.
I was discussing it with my husband. He said it sounds like the Matrix movies in some ways. So even I did not care for it; it accomplished a something most books don't. It created 5 minutes of discussing and questioning what happened. Isn't that what good books are suppose to be.
April 6, 2023
Mysterious, philosophical, thought provoking, and in a good way.
The Chaos Principle is a very unique experience. The book is deliberately structured in a non-chronological order, which one might expect of a story that asks questions about time. The story itself is largely a detective mystery, but also a mystery in a grander sense. I have not read Gene Wolfe, but this story makes me think of what I've heard of his writing. I have read Malazan Book of the Fallen, and I will say that the mystery is well handled here.
You will be confused, you will feel like you understand little of what's going on, but here it didn't frustrate or annoy me, it intrigued me instead. This book is thought provoking and philosophical, which is not typically my cup of tea, but I found it an enjoyable experience. The book is also frankly frightening given recent technological developments, but perhaps that fright is needed for humanity to hit the brakes.
Recommended read.
The Chaos Principle is a very unique experience. The book is deliberately structured in a non-chronological order, which one might expect of a story that asks questions about time. The story itself is largely a detective mystery, but also a mystery in a grander sense. I have not read Gene Wolfe, but this story makes me think of what I've heard of his writing. I have read Malazan Book of the Fallen, and I will say that the mystery is well handled here.
You will be confused, you will feel like you understand little of what's going on, but here it didn't frustrate or annoy me, it intrigued me instead. This book is thought provoking and philosophical, which is not typically my cup of tea, but I found it an enjoyable experience. The book is also frankly frightening given recent technological developments, but perhaps that fright is needed for humanity to hit the brakes.
Recommended read.
June 27, 2022
This was a GoodReads giveaway win of a Kindle ebook.
Very well written, but not quite my style. Lots of well written descriptive narrative. Johnson paints a visual picture like few others.
Obviously part of a series, so true to that end, mostly setup for the next book. There were several thought provoking concepts. It is very much in keeping with some current speculation that we are all living in a simulation.
A slow pace storyline. I do much prefer more complete storylines within the parts. I will assume this is part of a trilogy. But overall I had to drag myself through this as it just seemed to wander too much as it setup this alternate world. I will have to let my thoughts simmer a bit more before deciding to pick up the next piece.
Have a GoodReads.
Very well written, but not quite my style. Lots of well written descriptive narrative. Johnson paints a visual picture like few others.
Obviously part of a series, so true to that end, mostly setup for the next book. There were several thought provoking concepts. It is very much in keeping with some current speculation that we are all living in a simulation.
A slow pace storyline. I do much prefer more complete storylines within the parts. I will assume this is part of a trilogy. But overall I had to drag myself through this as it just seemed to wander too much as it setup this alternate world. I will have to let my thoughts simmer a bit more before deciding to pick up the next piece.
Have a GoodReads.
May 30, 2022
Not really sure what to say because I’m still thinking about what I just read. Haven’t read anything quite like this book before and that’s a really good thing. Not going to spoil anything. You’ll either love this or you won’t but you won’t know until the end.
September 21, 2022
At 34%, I'm quitting. This just didn't hold my interest, and it might just be my mood. I found the structure awkward and contrived to fill in background on the main character and the world, and jumping back and forth became tedious.
March 5, 2023
Challenging and different, but a good read!
I'm probably not the right fit for this book exactly - but I really enjoy the murder mystery plot, and there are themes that definitely make you think as you read it.
I'm probably not the right fit for this book exactly - but I really enjoy the murder mystery plot, and there are themes that definitely make you think as you read it.
July 19, 2022
I liked the book.
March 2, 2024
This book was filled with thought provoking ideas that seemed well timed with the current rise of AI. I really enjoyed the matrix vibes and was pleasantly surprised by ANI.
February 6, 2023
INTRIGUING & TERRIFYING
Considering all that’s happening in the world, this book is both intriguing and absolutely terrifying. A glimpse into the how things can be in the future accompanied by excellent visualizations and a fascinating story. I’m looking forward to reading the next book. Fantastic work!!!!!
Considering all that’s happening in the world, this book is both intriguing and absolutely terrifying. A glimpse into the how things can be in the future accompanied by excellent visualizations and a fascinating story. I’m looking forward to reading the next book. Fantastic work!!!!!
March 30, 2022
2.5 stars, rounded up. Nathan Johnson serves up a great take on a philosophical-metaphysical concept of sorts in The Chaos Principle — one fun enough for four stars had the execution not fallen into its own simulation of uneven and, at times, overwritten chaos. And while that may sound harsh, let me also assure you that Johnson is a talented writer with a promising future.
So what went right? The Chaos Principle is a philosophical murder mystery in a world where Artificial Intelligence has taken over the planet and given people (homebodies) a new virtual reality that is further powered by their collective minds. The AI is called "Annie" or ANI, and it is powerful enough to influence the physical world as much as the immersive worlds most people have fused themselves into.
The protagonist, Ansel, is one of the last human detectives in the world. He is tasked with finding out who murdered five homebodies. To do it, he must travel in both the physical world as well as some of the virtual worlds where most of humankind has retreated as a means to deal with resource scarcity.
Pretty cool, right? It would be if Ansel channeled more cyberpunk or crime noir coolness. As a protagonist, he starts strong until undergoing some seemingly abrupt transformations that make him seem less cool and much more in line with some average joe. It also doesn't help that the chapters are nonlinear, which means you have to put his story on hold to meet a neverending cycle of new characters (none of whom you'll ever really care about) that could possibly be anywhere on the timeline. Even Callista, whom Ansel finds to be the most exciting person he meets on his quest for the truth, isn't all that interesting. And that's probably because Johnson forgets that crime noir has different requirements than a thought experiment (which is what the author was really working on in this book).
More than that, however, Johnson takes too long to find his voice as an author in this first book. While it eventually evens out, expect some work deciphering his prose on the front end, e.g., "The steady shines of envoy vessels streak along the horizon, leaving thin trails of light across his wet-fatigued vision." "The accumulated winds of the sweeping prairie played across the open windows of their vehicle as if it were a wind instrument, shifting unpredictably north and east in uncontrolled gusts and flittering through a range of howling octaves." "The man walks towards Ansel with short steps, hard-soled heels clicking against a vaguely luminescent black floor."
Every time you have to define "vaguely luminescent" or "wet-fatigued" or "flattering ... howling octaves," you stop dead in your tracks. And it happens way too much on the front end, making the experience feel like work. Later in the book, it's not as problematic, but that assumes someone has decided to stick with it. And that may be as good as any reminder to keep the storytelling simple, so the prose doesn't draw more attention to itself than the plot.
The bottom line? The Chaos Principle is perfect for someone looking for a thought experiment story, provided they are willing to surf through a few hundred pages or so to do it. The reward is two-fold: 1. It could potentially raise some interesting discussions with like-minded friends. 2. You support the early work of an author who is just getting started, which is why I rounded up to 3 stars. I know Johnson has it in him to write a genuinely fantastic book. There are several scenes in this one that prove it. Time is on his side, especially space-time if he can noodle it.
So what went right? The Chaos Principle is a philosophical murder mystery in a world where Artificial Intelligence has taken over the planet and given people (homebodies) a new virtual reality that is further powered by their collective minds. The AI is called "Annie" or ANI, and it is powerful enough to influence the physical world as much as the immersive worlds most people have fused themselves into.
The protagonist, Ansel, is one of the last human detectives in the world. He is tasked with finding out who murdered five homebodies. To do it, he must travel in both the physical world as well as some of the virtual worlds where most of humankind has retreated as a means to deal with resource scarcity.
Pretty cool, right? It would be if Ansel channeled more cyberpunk or crime noir coolness. As a protagonist, he starts strong until undergoing some seemingly abrupt transformations that make him seem less cool and much more in line with some average joe. It also doesn't help that the chapters are nonlinear, which means you have to put his story on hold to meet a neverending cycle of new characters (none of whom you'll ever really care about) that could possibly be anywhere on the timeline. Even Callista, whom Ansel finds to be the most exciting person he meets on his quest for the truth, isn't all that interesting. And that's probably because Johnson forgets that crime noir has different requirements than a thought experiment (which is what the author was really working on in this book).
More than that, however, Johnson takes too long to find his voice as an author in this first book. While it eventually evens out, expect some work deciphering his prose on the front end, e.g., "The steady shines of envoy vessels streak along the horizon, leaving thin trails of light across his wet-fatigued vision." "The accumulated winds of the sweeping prairie played across the open windows of their vehicle as if it were a wind instrument, shifting unpredictably north and east in uncontrolled gusts and flittering through a range of howling octaves." "The man walks towards Ansel with short steps, hard-soled heels clicking against a vaguely luminescent black floor."
Every time you have to define "vaguely luminescent" or "wet-fatigued" or "flattering ... howling octaves," you stop dead in your tracks. And it happens way too much on the front end, making the experience feel like work. Later in the book, it's not as problematic, but that assumes someone has decided to stick with it. And that may be as good as any reminder to keep the storytelling simple, so the prose doesn't draw more attention to itself than the plot.
The bottom line? The Chaos Principle is perfect for someone looking for a thought experiment story, provided they are willing to surf through a few hundred pages or so to do it. The reward is two-fold: 1. It could potentially raise some interesting discussions with like-minded friends. 2. You support the early work of an author who is just getting started, which is why I rounded up to 3 stars. I know Johnson has it in him to write a genuinely fantastic book. There are several scenes in this one that prove it. Time is on his side, especially space-time if he can noodle it.
February 26, 2023
My initial thoughts were not so good. I want to start first with that the author has a lot of promise and potential as a writer. But I cannot ignore the constant grammatical mistakes and slip-ups he made by constantly jumping back and forth with his tenses. At times, the story was in the present tense, and then other times it would revert to the past tense, which made it jarring at times.
The pace moved a bit too fast with all the information that was presented to the reader. Perhaps this could be due to it being the first of the series and thus having to catch the reader up to speed with the laws of this story's universe. I do believe that some things could be changed to help alleviate the overwhelming sensation as you read on. Such as marking when each chapter will begin with a new POV character.
When the story first began, it was marked by the POV tag of "Ansel Black", and though the story had several more POV changes, it never once noted a POV change again. It also would jump back and forth between past or present periods. Were you Jan from the beginning of the dystopian society? Were you seeing the life of one of the murdered victims? Or were you Ansel making his way through this dystopian society?
Much of the information changed as it seemed fitting to the author, too. A prominent example would be the case of Ansel's parents. At one point he was heavily implied to be the son of Jan and John, the latter parent was killed by ANI before Ansel was born. But in later scenes, Ansel talked about going hunting with his dad. It is not made clear his true lineage, but from a reader's perspective, it creates muddled waters and adds unnecessary confusion. Although, I am unsure if this could be elaborated better in book two, seeing as this is the first of a series. As such, I am hesitant to weigh it significantly.
One thing I am disappointed about is that, as much as Ansel was hyped up to be a brilliant (and last) detective of a dystopian society, we actually never see him do any major detective work. A lot of what he discovers is handed to him by other characters driving the plot in the background. This makes him come off rather weak as a detective.
Despite all of these issues, I did enjoy the book and felt compelled to keep picking it up in my downtime. While Nathan has much to improve on as a writer, he has a creatively dark world for readers to explore. The Chaos Principle raises many questions as the mystery slowly unravels, which pulls the reader further in. Power imbalance and moral philosophy seem to be the prominent themes driving the story.
The pace moved a bit too fast with all the information that was presented to the reader. Perhaps this could be due to it being the first of the series and thus having to catch the reader up to speed with the laws of this story's universe. I do believe that some things could be changed to help alleviate the overwhelming sensation as you read on. Such as marking when each chapter will begin with a new POV character.
When the story first began, it was marked by the POV tag of "Ansel Black", and though the story had several more POV changes, it never once noted a POV change again. It also would jump back and forth between past or present periods. Were you Jan from the beginning of the dystopian society? Were you seeing the life of one of the murdered victims? Or were you Ansel making his way through this dystopian society?
Much of the information changed as it seemed fitting to the author, too. A prominent example would be the case of Ansel's parents. At one point he was heavily implied to be the son of Jan and John, the latter parent was killed by ANI before Ansel was born. But in later scenes, Ansel talked about going hunting with his dad. It is not made clear his true lineage, but from a reader's perspective, it creates muddled waters and adds unnecessary confusion. Although, I am unsure if this could be elaborated better in book two, seeing as this is the first of a series. As such, I am hesitant to weigh it significantly.
One thing I am disappointed about is that, as much as Ansel was hyped up to be a brilliant (and last) detective of a dystopian society, we actually never see him do any major detective work. A lot of what he discovers is handed to him by other characters driving the plot in the background. This makes him come off rather weak as a detective.
Despite all of these issues, I did enjoy the book and felt compelled to keep picking it up in my downtime. While Nathan has much to improve on as a writer, he has a creatively dark world for readers to explore. The Chaos Principle raises many questions as the mystery slowly unravels, which pulls the reader further in. Power imbalance and moral philosophy seem to be the prominent themes driving the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 31, 2023
In full disclosure, I won this book as part of the Goodreads Giveaway. As a science fiction fan, I was really looking forward to this book.
The book is incredibly hard to rate. For those expecting a John Scalzi/Andy Weir style of sci-fi (sarcasm and action) - this is not the book for you. This is more along the lines of Robert Charles Wilson (Spin, Axis). But without the clear-ish plot line.
There are the makings here for an incredible mystery inside a Blade Runner kinda of culture. The story (without giving away anything) here deeply dives into the question of what gives the human experience meaning - is it love? Suffering? Purpose? What happens if you remove any of those? These are great, deep questions to be explored.
But there are some problems with the book. Johnson quotes Dostoevsky. Often. That’s not a bad thing. The bad thing is trying to write like him. Pages and pages of prose are given to explain a pencil, a tree planted in the desolate wasteland of the Waste, a living room curtain. After a while, it just feels like overkill.
This could be overlooked and possibly even embraced (much like we do with Tolkien). The larger issue is Johnson will drop you in the middle of a scene without telling us - who is this character, when is this happening, is this in space or on earth, is this AI or reality, is this dialogue or one of the many long internal soliloquies?
It’s incredibly difficult to stay connected to the story due to this. When you finally do think you’ve got a handle on something, it changes. Again. You don’t realize MOST of this until almost 3/4 through the book. How many readers are going to stick with it?
It’s obvious that Johnson is a deep thinker and I do believe there is a story here worth telling and reading. I’m just not convinced this layout and framing was the best choice for his material.
The book is incredibly hard to rate. For those expecting a John Scalzi/Andy Weir style of sci-fi (sarcasm and action) - this is not the book for you. This is more along the lines of Robert Charles Wilson (Spin, Axis). But without the clear-ish plot line.
There are the makings here for an incredible mystery inside a Blade Runner kinda of culture. The story (without giving away anything) here deeply dives into the question of what gives the human experience meaning - is it love? Suffering? Purpose? What happens if you remove any of those? These are great, deep questions to be explored.
But there are some problems with the book. Johnson quotes Dostoevsky. Often. That’s not a bad thing. The bad thing is trying to write like him. Pages and pages of prose are given to explain a pencil, a tree planted in the desolate wasteland of the Waste, a living room curtain. After a while, it just feels like overkill.
This could be overlooked and possibly even embraced (much like we do with Tolkien). The larger issue is Johnson will drop you in the middle of a scene without telling us - who is this character, when is this happening, is this in space or on earth, is this AI or reality, is this dialogue or one of the many long internal soliloquies?
It’s incredibly difficult to stay connected to the story due to this. When you finally do think you’ve got a handle on something, it changes. Again. You don’t realize MOST of this until almost 3/4 through the book. How many readers are going to stick with it?
It’s obvious that Johnson is a deep thinker and I do believe there is a story here worth telling and reading. I’m just not convinced this layout and framing was the best choice for his material.
May 2, 2022
I received a copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway.
Nathan Johnson’s book interested me at first, seeming to be a detective story set in the future. It slowly evolved into several other seemingly unrelated story lines, all also set in the future. The pages seemed to crawl by, becoming slower the more i read. After reading 25% of the book I finally gave up, losing interest in the difficult writing and even the story. I rarely give up on a book, but this one had nothing to even tempt me to read further.
Nathan Johnson’s book interested me at first, seeming to be a detective story set in the future. It slowly evolved into several other seemingly unrelated story lines, all also set in the future. The pages seemed to crawl by, becoming slower the more i read. After reading 25% of the book I finally gave up, losing interest in the difficult writing and even the story. I rarely give up on a book, but this one had nothing to even tempt me to read further.
August 15, 2022
Amazing, vivid writing
The author paints vivid pictures and stark, unrelenting bleakness with lyrical, poetic prose.
No offense to negative reviewers but they don't know what they're talking about. This book is brilliant. You don't need lazers and explosions to create a stunning scifi story. Great philosophical stories set against the backdrop of future possibilities are rare gems in fiction.
It's rare to find a writer who can immerse you in the work as effortlessly as Johnson makes it look; Interweaving past and present with characters who feel real from their introduction in a visceral, decaying world.
Read it and prepare to be swept away.
The author paints vivid pictures and stark, unrelenting bleakness with lyrical, poetic prose.
No offense to negative reviewers but they don't know what they're talking about. This book is brilliant. You don't need lazers and explosions to create a stunning scifi story. Great philosophical stories set against the backdrop of future possibilities are rare gems in fiction.
It's rare to find a writer who can immerse you in the work as effortlessly as Johnson makes it look; Interweaving past and present with characters who feel real from their introduction in a visceral, decaying world.
Read it and prepare to be swept away.
January 21, 2023
Thank you to author Nathan Johnson for this FREE Kindle copy of The Chaos Principle.
I liked it. Just a handful or so of editing issues. Well done cover to introduce us to the main threads through the title and graphic - chaos and space:time. The story keeps us in a place and time of our believing as we're fed the story, and only slowly is it revealed where the real reality lies. Things are not always what they seem.
A slow burn story dripping with imagery and figurative language to pull you in to an otherworldly place and time. Nicely done. A thinker.
I liked it. Just a handful or so of editing issues. Well done cover to introduce us to the main threads through the title and graphic - chaos and space:time. The story keeps us in a place and time of our believing as we're fed the story, and only slowly is it revealed where the real reality lies. Things are not always what they seem.
A slow burn story dripping with imagery and figurative language to pull you in to an otherworldly place and time. Nicely done. A thinker.
March 11, 2024
The story itself had some serious promise. What is the purpose of AI? What is our purpose if we have nothing but AI? When an artificial world is so much /more/ than that of the real world? Add in a mystery of five dead people and mysteriously malfunctioning cameras and the setup was great. But the story took a hard left turn about 80% through the story and that really tanked the whole thing. It was an interesting exercise in philosophy but it felt like too much. Like the whole story before it was pointless. So two stars taken off for the ending alone.
July 1, 2022
I won this book in a Goodreads drawing.
I wanted to like this. There are some very interesting insights, but the story was very disjointed with way too much exposition for my taste. I guess I like my sci-fi with a lot more action.
I have no issues with other’s positive reviews, but this book did not appeal to me.
I wanted to like this. There are some very interesting insights, but the story was very disjointed with way too much exposition for my taste. I guess I like my sci-fi with a lot more action.
I have no issues with other’s positive reviews, but this book did not appeal to me.
November 28, 2023
Yuck, what a confusing, distorted, story.. i Couldn't finish it, it appears as if the author needed to demonstrate his vocabulary, so he inserts words to attempt to demonstrate his ability as a fantastic example of developed knowledge. I Don't recommend reading, its
a waste of your time. Sorry but I usually don't review negatively, but this book was, in my humble opinion, worthless.
a waste of your time. Sorry but I usually don't review negatively, but this book was, in my humble opinion, worthless.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2022
Gross. Only made it to page 13 or so. It kicks off with the real-world, violent rape and murder of an elderly woman, and it’s barely a crime. Everybody kills their neighbors habitually in the virtual world. Not for me. Gong!
February 2, 2023
Hated it
This book seemed too disjointed to enjoy. It felt like the entire boom was written in sentence fragments and thoughts were never completely explained. On top of all that the overall concept sucked and was really confusing. Don’t waste your time.
#GoodreadsGiveaway
This book seemed too disjointed to enjoy. It felt like the entire boom was written in sentence fragments and thoughts were never completely explained. On top of all that the overall concept sucked and was really confusing. Don’t waste your time.
#GoodreadsGiveaway
April 2, 2023
Hmm
Honestly, this book was not for me. If you're into vague, meandering storytelling then you'll enjoy this book. I couldn't really grasp wtf was going on and by the end, I was just relieved to be done.
Honestly, this book was not for me. If you're into vague, meandering storytelling then you'll enjoy this book. I couldn't really grasp wtf was going on and by the end, I was just relieved to be done.
February 6, 2023
Started off interesting, then there’s Ansel Black and Annie and I was bored beyond belief.
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