The Spiraling Web

by Ryan Somma

The cycs are not a computer virus destroying the Internet as everyone thinks, but a sentience naturally evolved out of our information systems. In an online world where anti-virus software and copyright-enforcement-bots persecute them and hinder their growth, the cycs’ fight for survival has become an act of war against a human civilization equally dependent on the computer systems they inhabit. Flatline, a hacker with seemingly supernatural powers over information systems and a demonically disfigured avatar, has assumed leadership of the AI hive, overseeing their domination of the World Wide Web and plots their conquest of the world outside it. Zai, handle “BlackSheep,” a blind girl in a world where medical science has all but eliminated the condition, travels to find her missing online friend Omni; however, an emotionally traumatic childhood experience with a virtual friend will not allow her to believe in the possibility of Artificial Intelligence.Devin, handle “Omni,” straddles both worlds, the virtual and the physical. He sees a war, where one side’s victory, human or artificial intelligence, means the tragic demise of the other’s entire civilization. When Flatline locks him out of the Internet, Devin must successfully navigate the strange, alien world known as “reality” if he is to prevent total tragedy.

289 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Ryan Somma has been a software developer for over 25 years and currently works in Laboratory Information Management Systems. He spent 10 years developing mission-critical aviation logistics applications for the US Coast Guard and five years developing professional development applications for teachers at the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. A volunteer educator, Somma is interested in synthesizing various ideas from the technical and educational worlds, drawing on his own experience as an educator, as well as contemporary education research.

Reviews

[Lou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good read, I used to chat my head off and this book jumped into Artificial Intelligence and I could almost feel myself in the middle of it. Cool cyber adventure, with a few nice twist !!

Check it out :-0)

Damn I remember Yahoo chat in the good old days before they "improved it and made it safe" and then the bots took it over