The School of Psychology at Central State University in Carteret County, North Carolina, has become a hotbed of research focused on innovative dream therapy. Dr. Cara Williams is the lead Clinical Psychologist funded to build a team to test the viability of manipulating dreams to positively impact mental health challenges like PTSD, Depression, Bipolar disorder, and other issues that many face. As the small research team adds more expertise and new technology, they must dodge outside interference from Big Pharma, as dream therapy could easily replace pharmaceutical treatment regimens. When big money is at risk, the value of human life that threatens the status quo becomes expendable.
In the first two books, several attempts were made by one of the most aggressive Pharma companies to pursue the desired solution: eradicate the threat. The threat was not only the science itself but also the research team behind it, and they were targeted again, this time covertly, further intensifying the situation when things turned kinetic. Having a former Marine on the team was a nice-to-have.
A surprising defection from one of the pharmaceutical companies sells herself as a missing piece of the Marketing function, and influences the decision to accept her overtures, and a considerable sum of cash is delivered to the CSU team. The defector became a high-value target for assassination when she defected with millions of dollars. Her assassination and any collateral damage caused during the attempt were deemed acceptable.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is introduced into the research team’s toolbox by Zack Hightower, a software engineer and newly hired researcher, to drive innovations leveraging the upgraded Dreamscape 3.0 technology. The AI is named for what she is, AIMEE – Artificial Intelligence Matrixed or Evolving Environments. The visibility of the therapeutic power of the Dreamscape solution was demonstrated and documented by the success of healing a person living with PTSD, Russ Carter, a former Marine Force Recon Scout Sniper and husband of Dr. Williams. That success sets up a showdown that brings Mr. Hightower’s nanotechnology into play in a violent confrontation.
AIMEE finally jumps, but the jump is not what Dr. Williams feared, nor had Zack Hightower, AIMEE’s creator, anticipated. She jumped and no one knew about it, until she began to surface where they never expected. Had Zack enabled AIMEE to become a virtual Frankenstein?
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“The third book in author Gary G. Wise’s Dreamscape Conspiracy Series may be my favorite yet. Bringing back our beloved characters, Wise intertwines his most AI-driven book yet. AIMEE is Zack’s baby. Named for her Artificial Intelligence Matrixed for Evolving Environments, AIMEE is the brains behind the team’s ability to quickly map four years of dream archives. With the newest Dreamscape 3.0, the team embeds AIMEE’s AI engine into the research as they seek to begin testing their ability to transmit transferrables into a dream state. This research offers unprecedented opportunities in the treatment of mental health and the need for pharmaceuticals.
However, as their research threatens to derail massive success, the pharmaceutical industry still has its crosshairs leveled at Dr. Cara Williams-Carter and her team. But now, in addition to managing the outside threats, they also must maintain ethical and moral constraints on the inclusion of AI in their research. Fearing AIMEE’s powers and capabilities, Zack, Wayne, and the rest of the Dreamscape team worry she’s beginning to jump into new realms they never even anticipated.
Wise shows extraordinary talent in his ability to generate such realistic fiction. Incorporating a highly intricate and largely complex entity like that of AI, he writes in such a way that makes sense to the larger audience. I loved Wise’s inclusion of relating his AI to the 2001 Space Odyssey movie. As someone who must remind themselves what the letters A and I even stand for most days.
Wise has given us a remarkable character, AIMEE, who stands larger than life. Bringing AI to life amidst the backdrop of inspiring research, “Fear the Jump” is an incredibly thrilling read. Concluding in typical Wise fashion, he leaves us hungering for more from Cara and crew.”
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Author Thoughts are posted on my Facebook Author Page, and Learning by Living.
Peace! G.