I was intrigued by the premise of this novel – the notion that a man testing an algorithm could end up, literally, changing the world with it, and subsequently agonising over what that means for greater society. Kinda.
Graham is the operations manager of a tech company with a “charismatic” (what else?) CEO who has the lofty notion of using a proprietary algorithm to separate fact from fiction, truth from lies. Graham has personal struggles, the main one being the rapid deterioration of his mother’s health, and his secret crush on Nessie, his coworker and creator of the aforementioned algorithm.
Thinking back on it, and I finished the novel late last night, it’s really hard to sum up what I thought of it. In hindsight, and given how the novel ends, it makes you wonder if everything you read, right from page one, was all a manipulation. In a sense, with those kind of questions in mind, Graham is possibly an unreliable narrator without knowing it.
I really enjoyed the first half of the novel, up to the creation and subsequent destruction of Edmond. But the lack of any real repercussions, anger or outrage over that further reinforces my belief that the ‘algo’ (hate that abbreviation if I’m honest) of the story had been doing its thing before the novel even opened.
I enjoyed the main characters. Graham is a man who seems desperate to please, and makes many of his decisions based around what other people might want. By the end of the novel, he is still doing that to an extent but perhaps starting to learn that his life is for him, not anyone else.
Nessie is an intriguing character though I do wonder if we couldn’t have seen a little more of how she interacted with other characters within the narrative. She has some kind of disagreement with Warwick but we never get any meat on the bones of that, other than to learn throughout the action that Warwick is a spoiled child who throws his toys out of the pram – or his engineers out of the algorithm – when he doesn’t get what he wants.
Warwick is a typical, shyster tech-bro character, constantly spewing affirmative slogans and techno-jargon to inspire his minions, and investors alike. There are times where you think that actually he may be different but every action is taken to manipulate Graham. In a sense, he’s almost too obvious a villain.
In hindsight, nothing really feels real during the novel. It all plays a little like a hyperactive, social media fever dream or, perhaps a better analogy, it’s like reading someone’s playthrough of ‘The Sims’.
Like a baffling cross between ‘Black Mirror’, ‘Inception’, and ‘Several People are Typing’, ‘In Our Likeness’ falls short of really hammering home a knockout punch, of saying something really reflective of the world we live in. That said, it’s a snappy read that does keep you guessing and I, unlike some other reviewers, really enjoyed the ending – I thought it was a very poignant ending that signified hope in its own way.

My thanks to Little A publishers, via NetGalley, for an eARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This book seemed right up my alley based on the synopsis. Overall I found this just 'fine'. It was oddly bingeable, weird at times, but nothing extraordinary. Overall the theme is about AI being a force to be reckoned with. The concepts are intriguing and dystopian/futuristic but at most it was thought provoking.

In Our Likeness by Brian VanDyke is a gripping exploration of technology, identity, and the blurred lines between reality and illusion. When Graham Gooding inadvertently alters reality through a powerful AI algorithm designed to detect lies, he finds himself thrust into a world where truth and memory are no longer reliable. As Graham and his colleague, Nessie Locke, grapple with the consequences, they must navigate a rapidly changing world where love, trust, and even history can be rewritten. VanDyke weaves a thrilling narrative that questions the nature of human experience in an age of artificial intelligence, offering a thought-provoking and suspenseful read for fans of speculative fiction and tech-driven thrillers.

This was a very trippy, mind-bending read. Very intriguing to think about the possible chaos and terror that can happen with AI, and our fascination with technology. I like the overall question about what happens to our identity, sense of self and how we interact with the world as technology evolves. Overall, this did fall apart for me in the last 25% of the book. I don't read a lot of science fiction, so I'll take the blame in part for just not "getting it" through and through. But I think what this is missing for me is real character development and emotion... maybe it was intentional to make the tone feel very inauthentic and dry, kind of robotic. It felt very AI centered which is the point, I guess. I read this quickly because it was so intriguing, but I don't think it will remain in my mind as an impactful read.

3.5 stars rounded up! In Our Likeness has a lot of the elements of a story that I normally love but I think the characters just weren’t my favorite. Good writing, not my favorite story. I’m not sure I like where the last part of the book goes but I really enjoyed the beginning and being from NYC, I loved the city descriptions.

Really wanted to like this one (AI, modern tech, NYC setting) but the male main character was so creepy and the whole story fell apart towards the end

In Our Likeness by Bryan VanDyke

Graham is a likable man. He works at a tech company with aspirations to create a revolutionary algorithm to detect truths from lies. Nessie, his love interest and algorithm creator, entrusts Graham to toy around with the new software. The outcome is overwhelming, for what comes next is certainly unexpected. He makes some minor tweaks in the program that soon have real-time consequences, making the algorithm a powerful tool that can be used by the company's owner, David Warwick.

A creative endeavor produced by Bryan VanDyke, the author, stirs different ingredients into the AI gumbo. Romance interlaced with moral ingenuity eventually parlays into somewhat of a horror story scenario. Using Graham's sick mother as a component to toy with our emotions lends to a very personal experience. The romance in the storyline leads the reader to wonderment. Will the boy get the girl being the proverbial question?

Our story also revolves around the suave David Warwick, a charismatic leader and one who seemingly has it all. His vision is to create an essential tool that will allow humans to discern between truth and lies. Imagine being able to read a post and having an algorithm detect its honesty. Admirable, the reader might think. However, in true narcissistic fashion, the power Warwick can wield soon turns the project into much more than a technological truth serum for the masses.

The movie Inception comes to my mind. My brain had been dislodged and placed in a washer on a spin cycle. I had been engaged throughout the film and yet somehow lost. This book challenged my random access memories ala Daft Punk. I knew what happened, didn't I? The book proceeded on a perfectly easy trajectory until I questioned everything I knew. Somehow, I was time-warped back to my senior year in high school attempting to solve pre-calculus problems. Answers being the enemy, eluding me at every turn. The comparison between this novel and those experiences is apropos.

This novel combines some wholesomeness with mind-melting zest. I finished the last page and set it down. My ego was bruised. I picked it up again with the intention of a re-read. Bryan VanDyke has written a tale that is ornery and worthy of being tamed like your local wild mustang. I am giving this 4 of 5 stars. Simply entertaining!

Many thanks to the Little A for the ARC through Netgalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion.

Thank you @Netgalley and @LittleA for my eARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A general note: this was more of a 3.5 rating which I couldn’t give on here.

I was excited to read this one after reading the blurb on Netgalley, I’ve been on the hunt for a good speculative sci-fi book since I’ve realized I really like this genre only this year. And I’m particularly fond of anything that explores AI.

I enjoyed most of this book, definitely the first half more than the second, even though around the 50% mark the pace picked up and it was nearly impossible to put down. I think that the first half delivered more on the premise than the second half. It felt like around the 75% mark the book kind of lost the plot, there were a few chapters that in my opinion could have been entirely removed or changed, it reached a point in the story where it was going in one specific direction and then it kind of lost it. And unfortunately I felt a bit let down by the ending, really disliked it.

I really liked the author’s writing style, it was really easy to get lost into the story and I liked how it included a lot of descriptions, definitely enjoyed the NYC setting.

In Our Likeness is a thought-provoking exploration of AI's impact on reality, identity, and love. The novel follows Graham Gooding, a tech startup leader, who discovers that an algorithm can alter the real world. As Graham and his colleague Nessie experiment with it, they grapple with the consequences of manipulating truth and reality. The novel mixes suspense with philosophical questions about the ethics of technology. It’s a captivating read for anyone interested in AI's potential for both innovation and chaos.

I appear to already have selected this as a Prime selection, so clearly it appeals to me. I am sure it's right up my alley but I don't need two copies.

I was drawn to this book intentionally because of the cover. Something about it just made me want to read this despite knowing nothing about it. Once I read the synopsis though, I knew that I HAD to read this one.

The dangers of AI and technology are explored in this thrilling new read and the outcome of the story will leave you shocked. There is a quiet beauty as well in the writing and the connections made between characters. The blend of fiction, thriller, and sci-fi make this a really interesting read.

Enjoyed this mindbending read. Reminded me a bit of Dark Matter and other such tales, but with more ai (ie even creepier). Short and seemed edited well. The story stayed concise and easy to digest. Really brings out the philosophical thoughts. The ending was brutal, left me feeling terrible but it worked for the story.

A very fun quick sci-fi read and exploration of the possibilities of AI. Was quite a funny entertaining concept too which I enjoyed reading. A very chaotic interesting look into what it means to be human.

I liked the beginning of this story. I work in tech so it was interesting and I was curious to see where it would go. I also liked for a while that it folded in on itself and it was hard to tell what was real and what was not. Even though the specific ideas in this story are far from where we are today, the underlying premise of not being sure what to trust and the idea people wanting to manipulate our truths doesn't seem like that far flung a stretch anymore, sadly.

I did feel like it escalated again and again to a place that seemed a bit closer to ridiculous by the end but it's tough to know where to go with a story like this. I still really enjoyed my time with it and am glad I read it.

with gratitude to Little A and netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

Publishing date:
01.09.2024

Thank you to NetGalley and Little A for the ARC. My opinions are my own.

The book as a meal: I got a lollipop with a "surprise center", when I got to the center I ended up in a fever dream
The book left me: "... That was it?"

Negatives:
Unsatisfying ending
Didn't root for any of the characters
Why is the main character calling his mom by her first name??

Positives:
Fun concept with the Ai and "altering"

Features:
Reality bending technology, tech-dude-bros, heavily tattooed woman, terminally ill parent, workaholic characters, obsession, lots of "looking back", a story divided in parts

Why did I choose this one?
I really like contemporary and "not so far into the future" technology, and this seemed right up my alley. The cover was really pretty too.

Pick-up-able? Put-down-able?
In the middle between both. This book had both very exciting parts, and extremely boring parts. I had periods where I would want to read this, and then I didn't want to even look at it. So it falls right in between.

What was the vibe and mood?
It had the vibe of a semi-toxic workspace that pays a little too little and where you work a little bit too much. Everyone else seems really smart, and demands attention to their accomplishments all the time. Your boss tries really hard to be cool, but he is really just cringe and everyone knows he is faking it.
Also the overwhelming amount of anxiety and self-doubt is dripping from this book.

Final ranking and star rating?
C tier, 2.5 stars. It just didn't hit the spot for me, and the very sudden very disappointing ending knocked off the final 0.5 stars from a 3 stars. I wanted to like this, it seems to be made for me, but it missed ...

Changing the world around you using AI. This idea is just a little frightening, yet intriguing. Leader at a tech startup, Graham finds this out as he is in charge of testing the algorithm. In doing so, he begins changing small details around him and possibly altering the future while erasing the past.

This novel had an intriguing premise and was written very well, but the book didn’t hit the mark with me. While I enjoyed the characters and the sci-fi feel of the novel, it didn’t one-hundred percent feel like a traditional science fiction novel and sometimes felt forced into that genre.

Overall, it was a fun read!

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

After reading several nonfiction books on the topic of technology and its dark side, the description of Bryan VanDyke’s debut novel, In Our Likeness, made me think it would make a great fiction companion read. I am not a sci-fi reader normally, but found this accessible, even with some tech lingo thrown in. The topic of technology, how it can be used for good or evil, and how it has the potential to take over our lives is on full display in this book. I appreciated the food for thought In Our Likeness offers, but was left a little dissatisfied with the character development and the ending in particular. If you’re looking for a sci-fi book that tackles the pros and cons of artificial intelligence, this would make a great choice. I also think this would make an excellent book club pick, as the topics addressed make for great conversation.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Little A for the advanced review copy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for the ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Okay, I’m not gonna pretend I understood any of the technical parts where they talked about AI and algorithms, but this was original and really intriguing. A bit scary as well as a bit sad.
Loved how all the characters were written. Nessie was a lovely character.
The author kept me guessing till the end, nothing that I thought would happen was happening. Giving this 3 stars because it got to a point where it got confusing and I had a million questions I wanted answers to, but I think that’s usually the way with fictional stories about AI.

This was a book that I planned to save and read closer to its release date in September. But after only a few pages I was sucked in to the story and found it hard to stop reading. Graham was a character that I was rooting for right from the start and as the story began to morph I could see parallels to our current world. I was so invested in how a few changes shifted their world and how quick greed was to enter the mix. It got a bit strange at the end and I found myself so frustrated with the choices Graham made but it made me think hard about the introduction of AI and how vastly people and the world may change. This was a good book that I would definitely recommend others pick up.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

In Our Likeness by Bryan VanDyke is an unputdownable Science-Fiction book that captivates from the very first page. Graham Gooding is a likable, yet flawed "every man" main character and feels relatable throughout the whole novel. The pacing of the story is wonderful, and broken into five parts. What if AI was real - could be REAL? That's the question that VanDyke's clever ideas and thought-provoking themes weave seamlessly throughout the narrative, leaving readers both intellectually stimulated and emotionally engaged. I was left wondering "what if?" The book delves into important overarching themes, like trust and honesty, and right and wrong, that resonate long after the final page is turned, making it a must-read for anyone seeking a thought provoking experience. 4 stars - highly recommended!