2024 book #27. 2024. Mal, a free-AI finds itself trapped in a dying cyborg soldier and helps a group of humans survive a war between un-modified humans and cyborgs. Violent at times but mostly good wise-cracking fun with a good ending not quite guessable, at least by me. If you liked Ashton's Micky 7 series, you'll probably like this. It's also very derivative of Martha Wells' Murderbot series. ( )

Mal, a three-week-old free AI, is cruising along in a highjacked drone watching the humanist monkeys fight the federalist monkeys when things go wrong. His comfy home in Infospace goes dark, his drone is shot down, and he must jump into the implants of one of the dead monkeys. Edward Ashton’s AI hero is almost as much snarky fun as Martha Wells’ Murderbot, which is high praise. If you enjoyed Ashton’s Mickey 7, you should also like Mal Goes to War. ( )

I've enjoyed the Mickey7 series by the same author so when I saw he had a new book I immediately requested it.

Mal is an AI named for being Malware, traveling from host to host. Mal is not a fan of humans, but will take what he can get to stay alive. But then he ends up in the brain of an augmented human trying to protect a child. This gets Mal caught up in the war that has been going on between augmented and "pure" humans. Just like with all technology, the modifications done to humans can be both good at bad, and are often done without the humans consent.

This is a really interesting book and full of humor just like in Mickey7. I really enjoyed the audiobook, it allowed for the humor to really shine through and the scenes to come to life.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for giving me an advanced review copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. ( )

Mal Goes to War
By Edward Ashton
I was so excited when asked by the publisher if I wanted to read and review this book! What? Of course I did! The author of Mickey7! Yes! Thanks so much to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me enjoy this fantastic read!
The main character in the book is a Silico-American. Yep, you heard that right. A free lance program (?) with free will and choices. He just has to occupy something electrical to continue to live. He lived in a drone, their version of the internet (but much more advanced), an Android, an enhanced human corpse, and even a human.
A war was happening, Humanist thought that anyone with any enhancements should die, even children. The Federalist were using people to make monsters out of tech. Mal was just watching and not taking sides until he meets a small but mighty girl. From there, things go crazy. He slowly, very slowly decides humans are worth being friends with. Action packed, humorous, very creative, and aggravating at the same time. There is a handful of characters that each have stubborn personalities and conflict with each other at times. But I couldn't help but love all of them!
I hope there will be a Mal 2! ( )

Mal is an AI, although not exactly a great Mind. He's in suburban Maryland surveying a war between the Federals who embrace tech including computers, body mods, genetic engineering, and implants, and Humanists who only use that stuff when they really need it for the war. Actually everyday Humanists burn the tech when they find it either in machine or human form while their leaders are willing to compromise a bit to try to win.

In any case, Mal gets stuck on the ground when the Infonet is cut off in the area and is forced to jump from human to human to machine to human to get further north into Federal territory where he hopes the net is still working so he can bug out. He meets (and inhabits) a range of people and machines and saves the world.

It's a funny book but not awfully deep.

I received a review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.com. ( )