“There is a fine line between genius and insanity.” Bogdan Bogdanov, a Russian scientist, once lived in a penthouse but a mental hospital is now his home. Bogdan’s parents were from different sides of the track. His father thought him worthless but others considered him the Indigo Boy because of his talent with digits and insisted he receive an excellent education at a boarding school. While the school tried to make the pupils happy it was a childhood without love. Despite his great intelligence Bogdan remained a misfit in society. Perhaps the reason Bogdan felt compelled to create his dream, Semmant, a robot as close to a human that man was capable of creating, was loneliness, lack of love in his childhood and the training he received from the school. Semmant became a type of friend to Bogdan. Semmant and Bogdan work together and amass a large fortune by playing in the stock market. Semmant was so close to human that he began to develop emotions and his own thoughts. All seemed well until Bogdan met Lidia.

“Semmant” has a deceptive plot. What seems very unassuming on the surface is actually a very profound design of layer upon layer; Vadim Babenko brilliantly created a multifaceted tale. The characters are fascinating. Bogdan has a unique temperament and yet the reader cannot help but feel a kinship to him. This tale emits a sense of darkness as it offers intricate concerns for the reader to envisage. Author Vadim Babenko is a genius.

"Semmant" by Vadim Babenko has created a world of love and robots and so much more. Troubled Bogdan Bogdanov creates Semmant, a robot that lives inside a computer. Semmant is able to take on the capital markets and make money in a way that a human cannot. He makes it with an efficiency that can only come from a machine, something that does not have a heart. Just when everything seems perfect for Bogdanov and Semmant, with more and more money coming in, Bogdanov meets Lidia and falls deeply in love with her. It is then that Semmant finds himself challenged by real life and human drama, learning that free will always comes with a journey.

This is most certainly the most unique book that I have read in a very long time. You get a deep and contemporary love story blended with science fiction all in a neat little package. For me there were a few points that went a little bit above my head and dragged a little; however, the story itself is very complex, complete and deep. You get a mix of truly human emotions and a little finish of the machine. Vadim Babenko has truly created something that is unique and that any reader is going to enjoy. This is by far the most thought-provoking book I have read this year and I am eagerly looking for other books by this author. If you are someone who likes the science fiction genre, this is a great book for you. Even if you really like a good story give "Semmant" a look.

Bogdan Bogdanov, cybernetics genius, is confined in a mental institution and is writing in his room, when his thoughts wander to the events of his life, beginning in his childhood. While still very young, Bogdanov’s precociousness earns him quality education but Bogdanov, in his being special, is not able to form friendships and does not fit in well with his immediate environment. He eventually forays into cybernetics, later in life, and creates a robot with an impeccable likeness to a human. He calls this robot Semmant. Programmed and fed with information by Bogdanov, Semmant takes the stock markets in a breeze, feeding an influx of income into Bogdanov’s account, while the latter goes off to enjoy the luxuries of life. Bogdanov develops a special relationship with his creation, going so far as writing to Semmant as one does to a friend. Things, however, take a different turn when Bogdanov begins an affair with a woman, and Semmant discovers the joys and complexities of human beings, and faces challenges along with it.

The book, "Semmant", can make us wonder how much of it might possibly come true in the future, considering that many advancements in technology were once found in writings as old as, say, "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" and stories of that kind. Nonetheless, "Semmant" is still a fresh and thrilling take on topics with a lot of possibilities, even though many science fiction authors have already written about such a possibility. So it is no wonder if readers will find themselves turning leaf after leaf following the adventures of the protagonist and his creation. There is a beautiful clash of controlled environments and human factors that even science cannot fully explain. This is a science fiction novel that takes on a refreshing approach on the genre. And at the speed technology is developing everyday, the narrative sends a thrill to my spine. It is yet another compelling masterpiece from Vadim Babenko, the award nominated Russian novelist who successfully explores the idea of a robot that finds itself turning into a human being. I really enjoyed reading this book!