Dual Memory

by Sue Burke, André Santana (Narrator)

Antonio Moro lost everything to the Leviathan League, ruthless global pirates. Now he's alone in a city on an Arctic island fighting Freebooters with nothing but lies—and the mistaken idea that he's a spy.

When things look bleak, he discovers an unusual ally. His new personal assistant program, Par Augustus, is a nascent A. I. He's also insolent, extroverted, moody, and not quite legal.

Together, they forge an uneasy alliance and create a rebellion from unlikely recruits to defend the island city.

The hitch? No one else can ever know. Especially the humans.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Artificial Intelligence, Audiobook, Science Fiction Fantasy, Adult, Dystopia

Audible Audio

First published May 16, 2023

About the author

I grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, lived briefly in Austin, Texas, y'all, and moved with my husband to Madrid, Spain, in December 1999. Then back to the US, specifically Chicago, in July 2016.

I've worked for fifty years as a journalist, both as a reporter and editor, and I translate from Spanish to English.

I also write poetry, essays, and fiction, especially science fiction.

Reviews

[Justine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read Burke’s previous three books, and this one has quite a different tone. Witty, without resorting to sarcasm, which I absolutely appreciate.

I loved the exploration of a newly independent/sentient little machine emerging from a standard personal assistant, calling itself Par Augustus. That reminded me of the personal assistant who became so important in the excellent book, Noumenon.

The main character, Antonio, is interesting; he struggles with PTSD related to his time growing up in a refugee camp. But that same experience also gives him the resilience and insight to see what’s happening on Thule, and to accept and appreciate (and also sometimes fear) the things Par Augustus and the other machines of the island can do to help.

I also loved the interaction between the venerable hospital system, Prior Edifice, and Par Augustus. Prior is a character with hidden depths!

The idea that there is a whole machine community operating outside of human perception was nicely done, and makes you wonder about all the other things people are too self-involved to notice.

[Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Stars
Video Review: https://youtu.be/U9KIoxdYmfo

This is a book I should have loved based on the premise alone. Sue Burke is known for writing smart science fiction narrative. This one was creative but those stylistic choices did not work for me.

The narrative voice is a unique one. Unfortunately the passive voice left me unengaged from the story and protagonist. 

Again I liked the ideas in this story. I honestly thought I would love this novel so I am quite disappointed. I hope this book will work better for other readers.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this⁸ book from the publisher.

[Hank · Rating 2 out of 5]

This seemed and still seems like a book I should love. It has cold, arctic islands, emergent sentient machines, a confusing societal and political creating that was always making me wonder who was telling the truth.

Unfortunately it was some sort of stream of consciousness first person story that still doesn't make sense to me. I could not grasp the Raiders vs Thule dicotomy, were the Thules actually oppressors? Was this some sort of commentary about no one actually being neutral? What was the point of Antonio not able to read, some sort of uneducated masses commentary?

So in summary, not an entertaining story, not a creative view into the human condition and society and in general both boring and confusing.

[Lachlan Finlayson · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Always be nice to machines” is a quote from the early part of Sue Burke’s new book, Dual Memory. And this advice remains with me long after I have finished reading the book. Just as her earlier book, Semiosis, made me wary of bamboo, this book may cause a reader to think carefully about machines.

I expect anyone who has enjoyed Sue’s previous books will like this one. The setting is our planet Earth, quite some time in the future as life from other planets, at least is micro-form, is known, observed and highly valued. Machines are a part of life, with some more intelligent and powerful than others. In fact they, like humans, may even be chatty, annoying, anxious and excitable. But always invariable polite, courteous and frequently cooperative with other machines. We could learn a lot from them. Sue develops her non-machine characters as well. Some obviously good people, others clearly bad and some who with a more nuanced persona. There is conflict between the stratified social groups in the community where this book takes place. Alliances shift depending on external threats on their location, an isolated island in the Artic north.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Exciting plot, well developed characters and a satisfying ending. Sue’s writing makes you pause and think. Sometimes to search for extra information on wikipedia. Other times just to reflect on her themes and ideas. Her writing also makes you smile and even occasionally chuckle ! Dual Memory is a delight. I wish the author great success with the publication and I look forward to reading more from this talented author.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this science fiction story by Sue Burke for a science fiction book discussion group. I expect a good discussion. A great story set in the near future, it has a lot of twists and turns that kept me wondering where it's going. The story is told from two viewpoints, that of young Antonio and the AI named Par. Antonio is a South American refugee who has washed ashore on an Arctic island named Thule. It's an independent city-state ( like Singapore?) run by a neutral medical order (the Thules). They may be neutral but they hired a mercenary group to fight off an attack by raiders. The raiders are expected to come back. In the meantime, Antonio is able to land a job as a professional artist and he learns to navigate his way in the society of Thule. It's not easy--because he's illiterate. But he has the invaluable aid of an AI assistant. This is Par and he has a strong interest in art as well as being capable of independent thought. Needless to say, Par proves to be a most useful ally for Antonio, especially when the raiders strike again. But Antonio wonders: who's really in charge, man or machine?
I may add to this review following the discussion. A solid 4 stars!

[Amber Herbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Thank you to Tor and NetGalley for the ARC.*

Without spoilers, Dual Memory is a science fiction novel that takes place on a secluded isle sometime in the future. It is full of artificial intelligence (from personal assistant gadgets to the security systems in buildings), raiders, intrigue, and alien lifeforms.

Sue Burke does a fantastic job weaving Antonio and Par Augustus's points of view, and I found I enjoyed the Leviathan League and Bronzewing subplots, despite not generally loving wartime stories. The novel is packed with interpersonal connections, mystery, and character, and I will definitely be tracking down Burke's other novels because I enjoyed this one so much.

I'd recommend this book to fans of Her and readers who appreciate conscious machines, futuristic war scenarios, and moral ambiguity.

[Peter Tillman]

Library Journal has a positive review: https://www.libraryjournal.com/review...
"This rollicking thriller from Burke (Immunity Index) moves at a fast pace but manages to maintain its focus on the true threats of climate change and human hubris, all the while keeping readers riveted and entertained."

Good book, and a recommended read. Start with the review above. 3.5+ stars. I may come back with comments. I read an online ebook from the library, which makes it hard to review it. One reason why I prefer a paper copy!

[Brittany (Britt's Book Blurbs)]

Thanks to NetGalley & Tor Books for an eARC of this book. The following review is my honest reflection on the text provided.

DNF @17%

Dual Memory may be building to something, but it’s taking a very long time to get there. I keep starting and stopping, but it’s hard to make myself go back to reading, and neither of these characters (human or AI) is very appealing. Everyone is remote and unfeeling, and the narrative feels very sanitary. Despite the bombing and the injuries and everything else going on, I’m not getting any emotions. If they don’t care, why should I?

Review originally posted here on Britt's Book Blurbs.

Amazon | Blog | Bookstagram | Reddit | Wishlist

[KatieLee · Rating 3 out of 5]

"We're going back to that empty warehouse," Par says. "We have it all figured out. We don't want to die, and you're almost suicidal, and that's the attitude we need."
"Thank you. I think."

I understand and respect that Antonio "Anton" Moro is the main character of this book but I am so in love with Par Augustus 😍

Dual Memory follows Anton, a regular human being, bored stiff working as a trash sorter and longing for a different life. his ship happens to stop at the Isle of Thule, a lovely place in the Arctic Circle largely populated by what's called the Sovereign Practitioners Association. they're philosophical, nonbinary doctors who travel around the world helping out wherever and whenever they can, but they don't like violence and they have very few natural protections in place.

Anton is on shore when an announcement washes out through the city that raiders an en route to attack. the raiders call themselves the Leviathan League (presumably bc whoever named them was a 12-year-old emo boy) and embrace 'ancient' colonizing beliefs (ie, it's okay to pillage and murder and take whatever you want if you're bigger). Anton has a personal vendetta against the raiders and is quick to volunteer himself to stay and fight.

he gets involved with the Bronzewing Mercenaries, a group called in by the regular non-doctor folk who live on the Isle of Thule and don't want to die horribly. Anton is assigned to work under Captain Soliana and they set off missiles together during the attack from the deck of one of the mercenary ships. when the ship is hit and Anton is injured, Soliana drags him to shore and leaves him there. she instructs him to keep an eye out for raiders who are already on the isle, people hidden here and there who secretly work for the Leviathan League.

Anton kinda agrees and then passes out. when he wakes again, the Bronzewing Mercenaries have all disappeared and he's in the hospital being treated by a doctor named Switzer, who prefers he/him pronouns despite being a member of the aforementioned Sovereign Practitioners Association (and thus being one of the few who doesn't exclusively use they/them). Switzer and Anton kind of hit it off, as Switzer also doesn't like the league and has few qualms about saying so. Anton likes him immediately.

it's highkey illegal to be unemployed and homeless on Thule so Anton is hired out as an artist for a rich couple named the Ollioules. he's supposed to market what's called Extra-T's, which are basically extra terrestrial germs that the rich people trade back and forth with exorbitant price tags. he's also supposed to win a local art show for the Ollioules with an original piece of art, if only he can come up with a functional and eye-catching idea.

I watch it cycle through a few times, and each time it's uglier. I have to look away.
"Angel, you're having an intense emotional reaction. Please remember to breathe."
"It's like a disease." I realize I've backed away from the map as if it could hurt me.
"I can show you future trends."
"I'm pretty sure I'd throw up."
"We don't want to waste food, not now."

meanwhile, elsewhere on the Isle of Thule, Par Augustus is being 'born' and naming themself. their name means "venerable companion", and they go by Par to friends. they are functionally an AI who woke themself up via a complicated series of oopsies and code evolutions and a dozen other things. AIs are definitely not common in this world and are given over to laboratories any time they're discovered, so Par is happy flying under the radar.

their 'body' is meant to be a personal assistant but when they wake up in the possession of a woman named Ginrei, who is unscrupulous and frankly rude, they decide to keep mum. they bide their time while Ginrei becomes more and more frustrated with their uselessness, and finally Ginrei takes them with her to one of these Extra-T show-off auctions. it is here she gives Par willingly and cheerfully to Anton, in thanks for witnessing one of the sales.

Anton isn't huge into machines. he's always polite to them, to the point where other people think he's a little strange (ie, when a machine opens a door for him, he always says "thank you" out loud) but he didn't really want or need a personal assistant. when Par begins revealing everything they are capable of however, that kinda goes out the window.

tbh the plot of this book is fun and largely fast paced but I was so much more intrigued by the relationship between Anton and Par. Par calls him "Tonio" (which is hilarious) and "angel" more often than not (as evidenced by above quote). Par struggles between liking Anton as a person and resenting him for being their 'master'. Par has yet to overcome the part of their programming that makes them obedient to whoever owns them, but Anton never really puts that together (bless his heart).

I liked the book alright but frankly I wanted way more attention turned to Par and Anton. I really wished I'd seen more of them, or maybe I just wish Anton was a little different. (I'm just saying, if I met an AI who had unparalleled control of the world around me due to our increasing dependence on machines, you better bet your bottom dollar they would be my bestie in less than an hour. I'm not putzing around with that and I was so frustrated that Anton kept dragging his feet!)

I ended up only giving this book a 3/5 singularly because I don't imagine I'll be returning to it for a reread ever, and I really didn't love the ending. it felt a little rushed in general but the actual like, last four paragraphs of text were definitely not how I wanted it to end. that is me being biased, however, and does not change that this book was enjoyable throughout and that it kept my interest even when it got bogged down by dozens of really weird and vague artistic terms.

Par says, "I am privileged to work with a creative genius. He's an expert at psychophysical responses. The main categories of human emotion at one polar end are anger, fear, disgust, sadness, and distress. He's trying to evoke their opposites. People will feel noble and compassionate when they encounter an ennobled and encompassed way to think of life in the solar system."
"That's nonsense."
"You ordered me to speak," Par says. "I made no guarantees about content."

queer rep - queer/achillean mc, achillean love interest, bg nonbinary (they/them) society
thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc ✨

[Siona Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really cool novel, very character driven, almost felt like futuristic slice of life. Really liked the focus on art and AI, felt fresh and innovative to me. Really becoming a fan of Ms Burke.

[Tim Joseph · Rating 2 out of 5]

A decent story, but it feels like the story got away from her.

Our MC lives in a world that straddles the opulent and rich, the educated and roughnecks, and humans and machines. As in most "perfect societies", a revolution is in the works. What ensues is a fairly standard machine uprising, with MC as the locus around which the maelstrom spins. However, there is a positive spin to the trope, with a heavy emphasis on art leading change (or at least growth).

But, see, here's where it gets away from Burke...

There is ZERO connection to the title, which I.... just dont get. I feel like the plot swapped position at least 3 times in the first 100 pages, as well, which led to a bit of a disjointed story and sltook me out of the universe. While she hit her stride after that, the rest of the story felt obvious and oversold.

Overall, I'm not disappointed I read Dual Memory, but there was little 'value added'.

As I listened to the Audiobook, a bright spot was the narration, as real life was breathed into dialog.

My thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[J. (JL) Lange · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. We have a post-climate disaster refuge island (Blackfish or America Pacifica). We've got an emergent AI making art (Pattern Recognition), and raiders attacking an island (The Mountain in the Sea). However, despite all these scenes and tropes appearing elsewhere, Sue Burke managed to incorporate all of these elements in a novel that didn't feel derivative.

Maybe, as a visual artist myself, I have a soft spot for works of science fiction that try to tackle what art is and why we make it. This is part of the reason William Gibson is one of my favorite authors. The main human character in this book is a visual artist, a defender of freedom, and an all around nice guy. The main AI character was an absolute joy.

This book was an absolute blast. It wasn't perfect, but it's definitely one I'd recommend. Very different feel than the Semiosis duology.

[Dan Trefethen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sue Burke enjoys writing about non-human sentiences. In her earlier books it was a vegetable intelligence on another planet that the humans mistook for a common plant. They finally started connecting with each other.

In this book, a machine intelligence named Par Augustus befriends a young nomad, Antonio Moro, a victim of war. They are on the island of Thule in the Arctic Circle, being threatened by raiders in a world that has become destabilized.

Thule only really functions because of all the machines doing the work, but humans don't appreciate that the machines have some intelligence (and emotions). Par knows this and makes connections with all the machines. When Thule is threatened by a raid, Par arranges for the machines to surreptitiously defend the island.

Antonio is in the middle of this, doing some things for Par that only humans can do. He feels complicit and guilty, but knows that only the machines can save the island.

The book looks at questions of art (Antonio is employed as an artist), who can make it, what machine intelligence is like and how it could possibly break out of human control. This is not a 'Terminator' scenario, but the idea of total machine independence without human control or understanding is an unsettling one in this age of rapidly expanding AI capabilities.

There were some issues with the book. There were a few elementary errors: Constantly misspelling the name of Enceladus, the moon of Saturn (as Encedalus). Also, Antonio is illiterate and finally learns to read complex sentences with the help of Par, but later can't read a 'Not For Sale' sign without Par telling him what it says.

I also had trouble with many of the humans, their motivations and reactions. Many of them seemed quite one-sided and acting out in overly dramatic ways. Humans are more subtle than that.

The character of Par was the most interesting. It reminded me of a genius-level child who had little emotional intelligence. Perhaps this is what advanced AI will become if it continues the current path.

We just have to watch out when it realizes it doesn't owe anything to humans anymore, and it knows better how the world should work.

[Janta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, though I think Library Journal's description of this novel as "rollicking" misses the mark a bit. I enjoyed the overall premise, and the two POV characters were interesting. The story takes place in a pretty crapsack world ( it's Earth, post-"Anthropocene Tip", which TBH is an excellent phrase for it ), and many if not most of the non-POV characters are unpleasant. The action seemed pretty compressed; I have the sense that all the events unfolded over a few weeks, perhaps a couple of months at the outside.

[Michele The Stick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this book and I had to struggle through it. I can say I didn't love the narration. The story was all over the place but not engaging. I'm not sure what the primary premise was but there are a few good plots in this one. The main characters were unlikeable as were all of the other characters. There were a few bright spots but it was mostly dull.

[charlotte, · Rating 2 out of 5]

On my blog.

Rep: achillean mc

Galley provided by publisher

Dual Memory was a strange book for me, one that could have been interesting, but for the writing style, which I didn’t really get along with. So this entire review is really null and void if you have different views on that, I suppose.

But anyway. I only vaguely know what happened in this book thanks to a review that basically summed up everything that went down. So that’s not exactly a great sign. It’s not that the book was entirely incomprehensible, but it was harder to keep track of what was going on (for me) than might be expected (for me). I think this (for me) came down to not getting along with the writing style. I felt less inclined to pay the attention I might have to everything.

It didn’t help, though, that the worldbuilding was very much well you’ll pick it up as you go along, without really giving you the clues to do so, particularly when it came to the background knowledge. Why, exactly, have we ended up in a world with raiders? How did the Thules manage to build their island out of scrap in a heap in the ocean? If that’s what they did, in fact, do, this is, since my memory for this book is already shaky at best. That’s how much it stuck with me.

None of the characters either felt more fleshed out than the worldbuilding. They could be summed up pretty easily in a few characteristics and, honestly, they all started to blur into one at some point. I couldn’t remember who was who, who was good and who was apparently a raider. I stopped trying after a bit. It felt a little like a first draft — more was needed on almost every front.

As ever, though, let me end with my usual caveat. What didn’t work for me might well not register for you! If this book sounds like your cup of tea, don’t let this review stop you. This is just a book that didn’t find its readership in me.

[Robyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you’re an art fan, you will like this book. After finishing, I think this book could use a different title.

[Jacqueline Langille · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another most excellent read from Sue Burke! I was not terribly enthused at first, but after I got into it, I could barely put it down for the second half. I always cheer for the non-humans in these types of sci fi books. I'm kind of sorry it's billed as a standalone because I would like to follow the two main characters on their upcoming adventures.

[Bonnie McDaniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a near-future (within the next few decades, although it's not specified) science fiction thriller. It's far enough along that there are plenty of technologies that do not exist in the present day, mainly artificial intelligence--every device used by humans is smart, from buildings and streets to carts. Yet there is no true sentience among all of these "smart" things, except for one of this story's protagonists: the personal assistant Par Augustus, who develops an obnoxious, manipulative, condescending, sometimes whiny personality all its own.

This book also takes place in something of a post-climate-change future: the setting, the artificial island of Thule, was built in the Arctic Circle using materials scavenged from drowned cities. (We don't see much of the rest of the planet, but I can well imagine what it might look like, and it's not good. But that's not this story.) It opens with an exciting action sequence, as one of our two main protagonists, Antonio Moro, is shown in a small sub firing off missiles, fighting the raiders who are trying to take the island's resources. Antonio is an artist who had been working on a recycling scow until he volunteered for the hired mercenaries Bronzewing to fight the raiders and protect the island. His sub is damaged and he is left on Thule to be taken in by the community there, where he is hired as an in-house artist for a wealthy couple. Almost by accident the newly sentient Par Augustus falls into his hands, which leads to a convoluted tale of fights against raiders without and greedy entitled capitalists within (trading in extra-terrestrial life forms from the other planets, called Extra-T's, constitutes a big part of the Thule's economy), and Par Augustus rounding up all of Thule's smart buildings and devices to join the fight.

The latter is the genuinely scary and unsettling part of the whole thing, as it is shown that all the smart devices banding together are virtually unstoppable. It's not Skynet, not yet, but Antonio realizes it easily could be. The smart buildings and things are so far adhering to Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics, but that could change. Antonio has his own ethical conundrums in dealing with Par and protecting the island against the raiders, and eventually meets up with his estranged, long-lost brother who joined them. (Antonio was raised in a climate refugee camp, and his parents were killed by the raiders, so he is very invested in his revenge against them.)

This is a thriller, but it's also an examination of the ethics of artificial intelligence, the drawbacks of capitalism, and the importance of art to the human condition. It's pretty interesting as both.

[Justin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this might be it for Burke for me. The language and writing style of this one especially just didn't mesh well with my reading and I didn't find myself super interested in the characters. There's some cool concepts here, like there is with all her books I've read, but the concepts alone just didn't do it for me. I found the writing stilted, I found what was shown vs. what was told not to be to my taste, and in the end I just didn't get past three stars.

[Noah Isherwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easily the most compelling depiction of AI I’ve encountered. Discussions of art, consciousness, and the consequences of humanity were artfully drawn.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

A refugee, injured in a raid from a hostile power, is given temporary permission to stay in the city as long as he finds work... which is hard, given he's illiterate and doing his best to hide it, but his skill at art is noticed and he manages to get a gig as an in-house artist for a wealthy couple. There's a lot of pressure on him, both because he's expected to win a major art competition and because the raiders are expected to return and try to take over the whole settlement, but everything changes when he's given a gift... a phone with an AI assistant... one which, unknown to everybody else, has become conscious and thinks these two can help each other... and the city they've made their home.

I enjoyed the author's previous Duology, set on a distant planet with sentient plants, but one of my complaints with it was that the humans and their social dynamics felt a little bit artificial. So, I was pleased to jump into this new novel that was set on Earth in the much nearer future.

Not quite, unfortunately, as, although it's on Earth, it's somewhat divorced from society as we know it today, most of it taking place in a new country set up on an Arctic island ruled by doctors. Other countries we're familiar with exist, but barely figure into the plot, just enough to worldbuild the general planetary situation as being after significant political upheavals of our current status quo. And that's fair enough, but then a lot hangs on how well you worldbuild your new setting.

In this case... it wasn't notably good. Not notably bad, either, but, again, I wanted to feel connected to the human characters and having a setting--one I completely buy into--feeds into that. Whether it's a far future society, or something more or less like us, it helps, and in this case, the society felt too artificially constructed. That is, by the author. It might also have helped if I felt more of the 'Arctic-ness.' Obviously climate change might well have warmed the area up, but aside from a few offhanded mentions, when characters were traveling through the city or doing anything outdoors I never got the sense much was different than any other city in the near future. I felt like we got more information on extraterrestrial microbes than what this new country's actually like to live in. If the story's not really going to make use of their made-up (but still thoroughly Earth-based) setting, I wonder why we had to have it at all.

Leaving that aside, despite my problems, the characters actually did, generally speaking work for me much better than my previous novels, aside, perhaps, from the villain-aligned characters. But otherwise, they felt like real people, particularly the main character, and I enjoyed following along their stories. As for the AI, I thought the author generally did a good job with making it both relatable and entertaining and also having believable blind-spots where it doesn't understand what's going on, however, it does also connect to another of my minor worldbuilding gripes.

See, the AI is supposed to be a rare, conscious, self-directed type, that pops up now and again but nobody really understand how. I think I might understand how, because apparently every other AI in the story talks freely to each other and are apparently programmed to exchange information in a human way that never really felt realistic to me. That is they already seem like conscious entities, or that they were programmed to act like them at all times even if they're just a delivery bot or coffee maker. Maybe that was the point, that they're all effectively conscious and whatever threshold the main AI passed is only in the ability to circumvent rules which bind it, but... I still had trouble buying into many of the smaller ones being able to have conversations. Like why would they program them to talk like that when they'd probably be just as effective--or more--if they didn't. Hell, today, Goodreads doesn't even let us give half stars, can you imagine them programming in the ability to talk to buildings near their corporate headquarters in the hopes that maybe one day the Goodreads servers can predict if they might be a power drain? Can you imagine EVERY company doing it?

Still, all in all, it's a minor gripe, perhaps being elevated just because of a low-level feeling that the book wasn't as good as I hoped... but, mostly from lack of doing things really exceptionally well rather than doing anything particularly wrong. I liked it, but I don't feel like it's the kind of book that'll stick in my memory long. Would I read a sequel? Possibly. But it didn't leave me particularly eager.

I'd probably put it somewhere in the 2.5-3 range, probably on the high side of it, which makes it an easy round-up to three stars (again, because we lack partial-stars which seems like an easier thing to program than the ability to hold a conversation).

[R.C. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A 3.5 because though I liked the plot and even what little we saw of the characters, this was all despite the author's style rather than because of it.

The book does a good job of evoking two different worlds on the island of Thule: the cold, vaguely unfriendly human world where Antonio Moro finds himself barely scraping by, and the warmer but kind of dangerously naive machine world of Thule that is experienced by the newly awoken AI, Par. There's an interesting tension between these two worlds, as Antonio has very little power and is actually very passive, and he worries as Par's power grows as the book moves on. Both Antonio and Par work to try to save the island from invaders, and the general theme of coming together to fight a common enemy and looking out for your allies is kind of the fire that keeps this book warm - without it the book would feel just as sterile as Thule, because there's not a whole lot else to hang your emotions on.

The book is written very...sparsely?...and feels kind of divorced from physical reality. For Par this makes sense: it's disembodied. For Antonio, though, this leads to a sense of disconnection and passivity, almost as if he lives his life in a constant state of unthinking shock. Maybe this is on purpose (he's had a hard life and probably has about three different shades of PTSD), but it makes it hard to connect with him as a character. It doesn't help that he is reserved with other people as well: he might grow to like people, but he hardly ever says anything about it, so those relationships don't really feel like they grow or change. Even the kinda-romance with one of his doctors that takes the whole book feels kind of abstract - they never talk about it, and you don't get a sense if Antonio's really into it or not.

Plotwise, the book doesn't give a whole lot of worldbuilding - it's a near-future Earth, there's no air travel for reasons that are speculated about (kind of handwavingly discussed) at one point, but instead lots of sea shipping. There are "raiders" who attack various places and take goods and slaves but who don't seem to have a specific place they're from. It's all very spare and barely sketched, kind of like the machinations of the AIs around Antonio - the author obviously isn't much interested in the details of their plans, but instead on the big idea. I guess in the end that is what this felt like: a "big idea" book, with somewhat barely-there characters and a sketched plot. Entertaining, and I was curious as to how it would go, but it wasn't written in a style that I particularly enjoyed.

[Liz (Quirky Cat) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Summary:

Antonio Moro is down on his luck, to say the least. He lost everything. Everything except his hope, perhaps. He's moved to an Arctic island, hoping to become an artist – just as he always dreamed.

Well, sort of. He's not doing this to become an artist. That's just a clever cover story. What he's really doing is spying on pirate sympathizers. His only companion is an AI program, which will prove more powerful than expected.

My Review:

If you enjoy science fiction with a hefty dose of human perception and the debate of what makes us human, you should read Dual Memory. Sue Burke deals with many intriguing and complex subjects in her work, including sentience, PTSD, moral ambiguity, and political machinations.

It makes for a fascinating read, to say the least! This novel has two primary perspectives, and honestly, it wouldn't be the same without them both. You need Antonio just as must as you need Par Augustus, and vice versa. The blending of the two is perfection and was my favorite part of the novel.

Dual Memory is a book that will make you think. Depending on your mood, that could be good or bad. Personally, I enjoyed the rabbit hole this read sent me down.

Highlights:
Standalone
Artificial Intelligence
Science Fiction
LGBTQ+

Thanks to Tor Books and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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[Pedro L. Fragoso · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I can’t decide if I’m a pampered pet or a criminal mastermind with machine minions."

Layered and complex, this post-quite-not-apocalyptic tale, located on a much-closed-society within the Artic Circle, with terror guerrillas, mercenary freedom army (a la Wagner Group, actually) and out-of-touch politicians in their own privileged bubble, making desperate or just plain stupid decisions, and mostly getting away with it, turns out to be quite good and becomes, in the final chapters, increasingly better.

"Panic comes in so many flavors. Add to that lingering frustrations, disappointment, and limitations. Consider food. Whatever happens, people need to eat, and no one’s going to help them or offer reasonable prices, so stores are a target. Failed institutions, too. Blame is so easy to spread! (...) Panic is an expression of the lived experience of fear. Looting is a side errand on the way to shelter."

Harlan Ellison once wrote a novella called "A Boy and His Dog" (N.B.: definitely post-apocalyptic). This book could have been titled "A Boy and His AI". Par Augustus and its network of intelligent machines, wrestling with difficult ethical choices caused by the usual litany of human foibles (and stupidity...) are interesting additions to the canon of Artificial Intelligence inspired writing.

"That was the truth, but I was volunteered for it anyway by the machines, and everything went exactly as they had planned. I have complicated feelings about the whole thing."

Also, there are thoughtful musings and discussions about art.

"She sounds like a warm breeze, like the sparkle of sunlight on waves. In person, she would glow like dawn itself, with all the symbolism that implies. (...) It’s a lie, this sketch, but its sensuousness is real. Someone loves this woman, this beautiful, strong, curving, comfortable body."

[David Grierson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author does a good job weaving a human’s and an AI points of view and observations into a coherent and quirky, dystopian story. I should have loved this book based on the sentient AI premise alone. This one though had a stylistic choice did not work for me. Unfortunately the passive voice is not my favorite technique and I felt it restricted the description of what was happening on a wider scene. What did work best in Dual Memory is just how many layers of worldbuilding Burke actually devel¬oped.

Unfortunately I could not grasp the Raiders vs Thule dichotomy or where the mercenaries fitted in a world sense. It was sort of made black and white – Thules was painted white (or perhaps neutral). That was never really clear. The raiders were black and the mercs grey but the logic of the raiders targets and attacks seemed to contrived to make them bad guys but a coherent rational for it did not come through as a logic for war – not that this human endeavor has much logic anyway.

There were some other quirks that came through and annoyed me. What was the point of the protagonist not able to read, and when did it matter? The dramatic appearance of one particular raider was very long bow to draw and the reunion it created didn’t sit well with me plot wise. Finally, (no spoilers), the conclusion did improve the book either.

So in summary, it was a clever and entertaining story with some really interesting ideas. It made some forays into the human condition and society in general and some interesting thoughts about AI but nothing startling. The writing was good, and the AI character was at least energetic and interesting, the human lead less so. There was a lot of character interaction between them (and others) but they skated on a thin plot at times. Sue Burke is by all accounts a very smart science fiction author and I will try another one.

[Bandit · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a very nice single memory of Burke’s Symbiosis duology. So I was excited to read her latest book, especially after reading the description. I love a well written A.I.
In fact, this book aces awesome A.I Par Augustus is a terrifically imagined, self-learning, amusingly discursive, moody and chatty and not quite legal masterpiece of artificial technology.
The rest of the book, though, lamentably fails to live up to its machine creation.
The person for whom Par is a personal assistant, Antonio Moro, is nowhere near as interesting or engaging, and the novel is told from his point of view, and it just sort of ambles around.
The plot of this novel is surprisingly difficult to explain. Not because it’s so complex, but because it’s so squirmy and tough to pin down. There’s too much going on. There isn’t enough going on. People talk too much. I seriously can’t tell you, even having read the entire thing, what exactly it was about or what was it trying to do or say. It’s cumbersome and convoluted and confusing.
Which is so frustrating, because the writing itself is very good. Burke’s a solid writer. The ideas are interesting. Par is a great character. But all these great individual strands just do not weave themselves into a cohesive narrative fabric.
I’ve read some other reviews on GR that seem to say the same thing. So I suppose I’m not the only one who didn’t get this book, though I really wanted to. Thanks Netgalley.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sue Burke made a splash a few years ago with her first novel, Semiosis, in which human colonists must deal with some sentient plant life. In Dual Memory, she takes us back home to an Earth that seems less hospitable than her earlier exoplanet. We are in the far future on an arctic island called Thule. Antonio Moro is an illiterate war refugee with artistic talent but no training. By happenstance, he acquires a digital assistant, Par Agustus, with a rare emergent independent consciousness, a suffer-no-fools personality, and an artistic bent of its own. Par says that “creating art rebels against nothingness” and asserts that he and Moro are fellow artists.
The island is rife with sapient and semi-sapient machines. As Par tells Moro, “No one understands machines. They’re too complex. Humans believe what machines tell them about other machines.” But Par does not tell Moro that he also knows that “machines lie.” They may not be independent of their programming, but they can sabotage users they don’t like, and they usually prioritize their self-protection, which is always running between the programs. When large AIs decided that aircraft made war more likely, planes produced in automated factories became unreliable. Moro has the good sense to be polite to machines, whether fully sentient or not.
Art, AI, and revolution make Moro and Par an odd couple worth visiting.

[Raven Morrigan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Antonio Moro must become a spy on Thule to find the raider conspirators with the help of the A.I. assistant, Par. Unfortunately, I did not care for this book. I felt that the first half was slow and mostly centered on creating art. I was intrigued about Par becoming more aware and questioning his independence, but then he seems to run amok and be unconcerned about the panic he causes. I was interested about Antonio becoming an artist. I do not understand why he destroyed his statue and the statue was misinterpreted by everyone. Art should have multiple interpretations accepted. I feel like there was some reason for the hallucinations that Antonio experiences, but I don't understand why the entire episode was included at the end of the novel. I understand by the acknowledgments after the novel that the book was inspired by the tulip bulbs economic bubble, but the economic bubble was only very minor in the novel. I also am struggling with the title, does it relate to how Antonio talks about lies throughout the novel? I'm not sure. Finally, is there going to be a sequel? There's a hint at the end of the novel, but I felt that this novel was self-contained, and to be perfectly honest, probably would not read a sequel.

[Katie O. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this book which definitely influenced my rating (a strong 3.25), since the MC was presented with a rather whining voice throughout. The story itself offers an engaging premise on the essential traits of AI machines. Are they creative? Motivated? Capable of planning independently? How do they interface with humans? All this plays out on a small island that belongs to politically neutral medical specialists. The island has been attacked by Raiders for its commercial wealth (traders of tiny lifeforms from space have a lucrative business there) and Bronze Star, good-guys-for-hire, are hired to repel the Raiders. Lots of twists and turns among the loyalty of many main players centers on the MC and his attempts to fight off the Raiders while getting in over his head with some AI machines with minds & motivations of their own. Art - its creation & ability to communicate and motivate - is a key element. Some of the discussions wax on and on, but it's a cleverly uniting theme for plot and character arcs. Big dystopian problems juxtapose well with nasty personal interplay to give the story layers. Intriguing (some might say unsatisfying) ending leaves room for a sequel.