William by Mason Coile
Henry, a brilliant but reclusive engineer, has achieved the crowning discovery of his he’s created an artificially intelligent consciousness. He names the half-formed robot William.
But there’s something strange about William.
It’s not that his skin feels like balloon rubber and is the colour of curdled milk, nor is it his thick gurgling laugh or the way his tongue curls towards his crooked top teeth. It is the way he looks at Henry’s wife, Lily.
Henry created William but he is starting to lose control of him. As William’s fixation with Lily grows and threatens to bring harm to their house, Henry has no choice but to destroy William.
But William isn’t gone. Filled with jealousy for humanity, for its capacity to love and create life, William starts to haunt the house.
He lurks behind each locked door. You can hear him muttering in the eaves of the attic. He is whispering in Henry’s head. And he will be the one to take control . . .
Review:
I received an advance galley of this book courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.
I know I keep saying this (and I will continue to say it) – I love a good haunted house story. The problem is that you can only do so many things with a haunted house story before it all begins to feel very familiar. After reading so many of these types of books over the years, they’ve become more of a cozy escape for me. That all changed with this book. “William” takes the haunted house story and flips it on its head, giving us a look at a house that has been taken over by a vengeful AI system. It delves into the dangers of artificial intelligence and the consequences of trying to play God.
Right off the bat, readers are thrust into the world of Henry, an agoraphobic genius engineer who – unbeknownst to his wife, Lily – has created an AI consciousness named William in the couple’s attic. Lately, things haven’t been great for Henry and Lily. Henry has spent more and more time in the attic while Lily prepares for the arrival of the couple’s first child. Henry feels the distance, but he’s determined to make things better. Lily is his everything, and he is confident that once the baby arrives, it will bring the couple closer.
The problem is that Lily has no idea what Henry has created in their attic, and Henry is beginning to fear that William may be growing smarter than Henry realized was possible. Henry doesn’t know just how sinister William has become, but that all becomes clear when Henry introduces William to his unsuspecting wife and her coworkers during a dinner party.
What starts as a promising scientific breakthrough quickly descends into chaos as Henry’s creation begins to exert control over the house and its inhabitants. Coile masterfully builds tension and suspense throughout the book, leaving readers on the edge of their seats as they follow Henry and Lily’s desperate attempts to regain control of their home and their lives before William kills them all.
The book has only five characters: William, Henry, Lily, and Lily’s coworkers, Davis and Paige. All are distinct, well-drawn, and relatable )(even though Paige grated my last nerve). While I had my suspicions about what was happening after reading the first chapter, I loved watching it play out, even though the reveal toward the end didn’t surprise me at all.
The novel’s pacing is relentless, with short chapters that build on the tension of the last until the story reaches its explosive climax. I found myself unable to put the book down, eager to see who would escape from this AI-controlled house of horrors and how they’d make it happen. At just over 200 pages, this is one that can easily be devoured in a single sitting.
In a way, this is a modern retelling of “Frankenstein” for the digital age. It explores similar themes like playing God and the moral and ethical implications of creation – this time through the lens of AI technology. The novel serves as a cautionary tale, warning against the allure of playing with forces beyond our understanding.
Overall, this is a tense, chilling, and thought-provoking read that will appeal to fans of science fiction, horror, and psychological thrillers. Coile’s exploration of the dark side of artificial intelligence is timely and relevant, serving as a stark reminder of the potential dangers of our increasing reliance on technology. If you’re looking for a gripping and unsettling story that will keep you up at night, look no further than “William.” It’s the perfect addition to your scary season TBR. Now, excuse me while I get rid of all of my Smart Home devices.
