Set in 2039, Agenda 2060's World Government, representing a break from Western democracy, is in control of the post-collapse global economy in A.I. Fabler's science fiction novel AI and the View from Space. This transformation brings unforeseen repercussions, including a social credit system linked to victimhood. The solution put up by mathematician Alexa Smythe and mentor Jordan McPhee is universal flat income. Quantum computing, coupled with Alexa's space flight and Levon Tofler's creative Earth-space cable connection, all influence civilization with the help of AI Artie Sharp. Alexa's kidnapping sparks complicated investigations, fights against deception, and attempts to uncover concealed facts. Chaos and AI tension follow alongside moral dilemmas, personal freedom, and the impact of AI on humankind in the not-so-distant future.

AI and the View from Space is book two in the Agenda 2060 series, preceded by book one, The Future as it Happens. Even though this is a sequel, with a little effort and a little more patience I was able to follow along with the storyline as if it were a standalone. A.I. Fabler has a lot of different moving parts in the novel and multiple character points of view that allow a reader to witness the unfolding of the story from many angles. The hallmarks of classic science fiction are all there, with particular emphasis on advanced technology like brain-computer interfaces, quantum entanglement, genetic editing, and artificial intelligence. I love books that home in on futuristic medicine and bioengineering and Fabler does an excellent job of making these elements feel authentic. This extends to the very human questions about consciousness and AI. However, Fabler stretches the creativity beyond the overworked AI conundrum with characters holding their spiritual selves tightly, something that is usually left behind in traditional sci-fi. Overall, this is a unique and thoughtful novel. Recommended.

Agenda 2060 Book Two: AI and The View from Space by A. I. Fabler continues the eye-opening narrative that started with the first novel in the series. Set in 2062, the World Government was still trying its best to maintain its control over the population, but now they were having a hard time with it. While the elite of the world were thinking up ways to gain control over the people, Alexa Smythe was back after spending two years in space. She joined Jordan McPhee and his artificial intelligence algorithm creation called ArteFact Channel or Artie Sharp. Jordan’s work to shake up the social power balance in society was not done yet, and he was ready to dedicate his life to the cause with Alexa and Artie to support him. Jordan believed AI could bring some balance back, but what if AI gained too much power? Who could stop the unstoppable? Or was humanity doomed to end this way?

I really appreciated the summary of the first novel in the series at the beginning of this one. Since I hadn’t read the previous novel, it was a great help for me to understand what had happened before. I loved Alexa. She was the spunky character who brought light to the story and made it fun. Her interactions with Artie (an equally cheeky character) made me laugh out loud on more than one occasion. Jordon was larger than life at times. He was the heart, mind, and soul of the story without overpowering it. The author added multiple POVs to enhance the depth of the story, and this made the narrative complex in the best way possible and ensured my attention was always on the story. The satire wasn’t lost on me. It was scary how close we are coming to a similar future. With big players with big money, the social imbalance could become worse than we imagine. Author A.I. Fabler did a fantastic job once again with Agenda 2060 Book 2, and I loved it, to say the least.