Mal Goes to War

Ashton’s (Antimatter Blues) latest is a science-fiction thriller humming with grim humor. Mal is a free artificial intelligence who has passively observed the burgeoning conflict between two human factions: the Federalists, who embrace augmenting their bodies with technology, and the Humanists, who are dogmatically opposed to augmentation. When war breaks out between them, Mal is cut off from the digital world, trapped within a human brain and protecting an augmented girl. As they both try to get to friendlier territory and Mal searches for a digital escape route, they encounter others who have chosen sides in this war, offering Mal a new perspective. Ashton has created a story that feels postapocalyptic, addressing both the horrors of war and the sometimes terrifying quantum leaps made by programs like Mal. What forms the novel’s silicone heart is Mal, voiced by John Pirhalla, who gives Mal depth and comedic timing despite his mechanical monotone. Katharine Chin’s voicework and effects, such as communications hissing with static, add to the immersive audio experience.