Lena's Nest

Lena Curtis, a robot scientist, emerges from a coma into a world that is somehow not quite right. Slowly and reluctantly, she becomes convinced of the terrifying truth. Can she trace what has become of her children? Can she find a way to exist in this frightening new reality? Might friendship and even love be possible, or will she choose an alternative that, at great cost, will allow her to return to some semblance of her former life?'Lena's Nest' explores some of the possible consequences of the development of artificial intelligent agents and virtual reality. Written by a former AI researcher, it explores both science and ethics. The heroine, a young mother, has helped design intelligent robots and must now face some of the consequences of her own research.'Lena's Nest', as well as being a tense psychological and sci-fi suspense story, explores some deep philosophical questions incuding self, identity and consciousness, as well as the moral and ethical issues involved in the development of AI. It also sounds the depths of some of humanity's deepest fears.'Lena's Nest' was named Book of the Year 2015 on McRenegades Review. 'Something beyond scifi and all the better for that... I've waited thirty years to read this story...' Cally Phillips, McRenegades Review."... A brilliant piece of writing! ... Exquisitely terrifying." [from an Amazon review]Ros Warren writes:Before taking early retirement in 2006 to focus on my writing, I was a lecturer and researcher in the School of Computer Science at the University of Birmingham (as Dr Sheila Glasbey). My research included the processing of metaphor for computers, which combined my interests in linguistics, psychology, computer science and artificial intelligence. I have a deep concern for the social implications of AI, which led me to write 'Lena's Nest'. I hope my novel will help stir up discussion of these vitally important matters, recently highlighted by eminent scientists and computer experts such as Stephen Hawking and Bill Gates, which may well affect our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, as they did Lena's.I would love to receive your comments.Follow me on Twitter @Ros_Warren