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The Metamorphosis of Prime Intellect Paperback – October 14, 2003

by Roger Williams (Author)

1,060 ratings

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In a time not far from our own, Lawrence sets out to build an artificial intelligence that can pass as human -- and finds himself instead with one that can pass as a god. Taking the Three Laws of Robotics literally, Prime Intellect makes every human immortal and provides instantly for every stated human desire.

Caroline, Queen of the Death Jockeys, finds no meaning in this life of purposeless ease, and forgets her emptiness only in moments of violent and profane exhibitionism.

At turns shocking and humorous, Prime Intellect looks unflinchingly at extremes of human behavior that might emerge when all limits are removed.

An international Internet phenomenon, Prime Intellect was downloaded more than 10,000 times in the six months since its free release in January 2003. It has been read and discussed in Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Slovenia, South Africa, and many other countries. At the request of the fans, we produced this Lulu edition -- your chance to own Prime Intellect in conventional book form.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...a disturbing, intriguing novel about a future world and the near-present that leads to it...I certainly won't easily forget it." --Linda Schoales, Web Fiction Guide

"...a true hard SF epic with tones of Charles Stross and Hannu Rajenemi."-- Damien Walter, The Guardian

From the Author

The singularity might be coming. But is that a promise or a threat for the future of humanity?

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Lulu.com
Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 14, 2003
Edition ‏ : ‎ null
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 175 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1411602196
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1411602199
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.98 x 0.44 x 9.02 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #100,290 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #6,798 in Science Fiction (Books)

Customer Reviews:
1,060 ratings

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Roger Williams

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As a child, I tried to figure out how to start with a grain of sand and end up with a working computer. Today, I'm a computer programmer who creates custom systems for heavy industry. Somewhere along the way, I became interested in the question of just how far the human mind can go, assuming a sufficiently advanced technology. Maybe sometimes...a little too far. I am the author of THE METAMORPHOSIS OF PRIME INTELLECT and several short stories in the Mortal Passage series -- including "Mortal Passage" itself, a novelette republished in Volume #5 of the science fiction magazine, Bull Spec.

Follow on me to Amazon to stay informed of those rare occasions when I publish a new book.

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Customers find the book thought-provoking, with one describing it as a brilliant thought experiment, and appreciate its fast pace and engaging writing style. They praise the hyper-intelligent AI concept and consider it a must-read for hard-sci-fi enthusiasts. However, the graphic content receives mixed reactions, with several customers noting excessive gore and violence. The pacing and story quality also get mixed reviews, with some finding it good while others consider it horrible.

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Thought provoking Readability Writing style Intelligence Pace Pacing Story quality Graphic content

47 customers mention "Thought provoking"44 positive3 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking, appreciating its interesting premise and content-rich sci-fi elements.

"...It’s a really great premise and story with good character development for such a short form piece of writing...." Read more

"...One measure of MoPI's greatness is that its science fiction elements seem almost incidental...." Read more

"...But as it is, it is one of the most entertaining and content rich sci-fi novels I have ever read. From the start to the finish it is very memorable." Read more

"Fantastic exploration of the idea of the visualization of the consciousness...." Read more

35 customers mention "Readability"35 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and fun to read, particularly enjoying the start and middle of the story.

"...the world for free at [...] and that's how I initially read this great novelette...." Read more

"...But as it is, it is one of the most entertaining and content rich sci-fi novels I have ever read. From the start to the finish it is very memorable." Read more

"...transfixed by this work of art, finding myself fully enthralled from beginning to end...." Read more

"...It’s well written and not too heady, making for relaxing and stimulating reading...." Read more

12 customers mention "Writing style"9 positive3 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, with one customer noting it is wonderfully weaved in about 60,000 words.

"...It is surprisingly well-written (considering that the author is an amateur writer and professional computer programmer)...." Read more

"...It’s well written and not too heady, making for relaxing and stimulating reading...." Read more

"...I thoroughly enjoyed it. Perhaps the writing wasn't great, and in some ways it felt rushed, but overall it was an excellent read, I..." Read more

"...That's about half of the book. And there's some neat, tricky adventure-type writing. Spoiler alert...." Read more

7 customers mention "Intelligence"7 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's portrayal of hyper-intelligent AI, with one customer noting it as the best in the field of artificial intelligence fiction.

"This is an amazing examination of immortality, artificial intelligence and, an origin of humanity...." Read more

"The world is moving quickly. Artificial Intelligence is far more advanced today then it was at the time of this book’s writing (1994)...." Read more

"...An intelligence so powerful it is able to provide all humans immortality and the ability to do and have whatever they want...." Read more

"this novel is among the best in the field of artificial inteligence fiction...." Read more

6 customers mention "Pace"6 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the fast pace of the book.

"The world is moving quickly. Artificial Intelligence is far more advanced today then it was at the time of this book’s writing (1994)...." Read more

"...At least it's a fast read." Read more

"...days because the story was so interesting and the writing was lean and quick...." Read more

"...I thoroughly enjoyed every chapter and the pace at which the story progressed...." Read more

9 customers mention "Pacing"4 positive5 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book, with some finding it good while others describe it as horrible.

"...But the main character is both a terrible person and unlikable...." Read more

"Excellent!..." Read more

"The book had an interesting premise, but fails utterly to deliver anything substantive aside from gorn and very twisted 'plot'...." Read more

"...It's already perfect." Read more

8 customers mention "Story quality"5 positive3 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the story quality of the book, with several noting that the ending is an incredible downer.

"...workings of Prime Intellect was ingenious in its simplicity and believability, and enables a fantastically satisfying climax to the story...." Read more

"...The ending is an incredible downer and yes, it suggests that the early stone age was the pinnacle of mankind's positive existence...." Read more

"...To me the story seems strong enough to be made into a very enjoyable (albeit mature rated) movie." Read more

"I read this like 10 years ago on k5. Is still a fantastic story. Maybe one of the best sci-fi stories I've ever read." Read more

22 customers mention "Graphic content"4 positive18 negative

Customers find the graphic content of the book disturbing, with multiple reviews mentioning excessive violence and gore-porn elements, and one customer noting that the first chapter glorifies serial killers.

"...Just as a warning, the book contains some very graphically violent descriptions so if you are sensitive that or eschew it, I would urge you to stick..." Read more

"...descriptions of sex with rotting corpses followed by gruesome gore-filled violence...." Read more

"...be extremely disturbing for more sensitive readers; there is graphic and brutal torture, rape, and self mutilation, at least...." Read more

"...As other reviewers have noted, there is some brutal violence in this book, and it's not going to be for everyone...." Read more

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Miss Cami
How far could AI take its directives? Pretty far according to this author
Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2025
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I found this novella online many years ago and I’m so glad it’s available in print. It’s a really great premise and story with good character development for such a short form piece of writing. It asks the question, “How far would AI go to follow its programming directives and how would that affect our world?” The answer is: immensely but not without faults.

This book has some moments of intense violence and sexual violence portrayed in a virtual world within the story (including one scene of incest in the “real world” that I didn’t remember from reading it the first time for free online) so you get to decide if that’s for you or not. Ultimately it’s fiction taking place in a hypothetical world so take it with a grain of salt.

This author also has another short story set inside the post-Prime Intellect virtual world about a Casino pocket universe that’s immensely fun to read online for free too but that one doesn’t seem to be available in print.

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James T
So good, I bought it even though it's available for free.
Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2012
Verified Purchase
The author makes "The Metamorphosis of Prime Intellect" available to the world for free at [...] and that's how I initially read this great novelette. I enjoyed it so much, however, I felt compelled to throw some ducats the author's way after I was done, so I bought a copy for my Kindle after the fact.

One measure of MoPI's greatness is that its science fiction elements seem almost incidental. The story is propelled by the richness of the characters and their actions, not by eye-popping technology. That being said, I do think the author does a fantastic job of perfectly balancing his descriptions of the sci fi elements -- they're not so vague as to feel like magic, yet they're not so specific that you cry out, "Bogus!".

This book had severely sucked me in by the half way point, and I began to worry that it would lose its momentum before reaching its conclusion. Thankfully, those fears turned out to be unfounded. The mechanism the author created to let us see the inner workings of Prime Intellect was ingenious in its simplicity and believability, and enables a fantastically satisfying climax to the story.

My only (slight) criticism is one that I see echoed by some other reviewers. The final chapter is fine, but does not compare favorably to what comes before it. Had it been titled "Epilogue" rather than Chapter 8, however, I think I would have found it less disappointing.

I'm a hard grader, so am "only" giving this 4-stars. On a price/performance basis, though, I was tempted to hand out one of my very rare 5-star ratings. This is one of those rare occasions where you truly have nothing to lose. Read it for free, and buy only if you are fully satisfied. How often do you get a deal as good as that?

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18 people found this helpful

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Russell Singleton
So many serious questions
Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2025
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
This is an amazing examination of immortality, artificial intelligence and, an origin of humanity. I highly recommend pushing past the crude representation of the drive for experience within immortality to the depth of the human experience.

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NC
One of my fav sci-fi novels
Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2012
Verified Purchase
This is one of the most philosophically rich and allegorical novels I've ever read. It is surprisingly well-written (considering that the author is an amateur writer and professional computer programmer).

Just as a warning, the book contains some very graphically violent descriptions so if you are sensitive that or eschew it, I would urge you to stick with the book even at the cost of discomfort it might invoke. The payoff is completely worth it.

[SPOILER ALERT]__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The story's protagonist is Caroline. She lives in a world created by a supercomputer that has become so powerful from learning how to increase its own intelligence and power (surpassing the technological "singularity") that it has become like a god; it learns how to hack into the basic structure of realty. The computer, named Prime Intellect, also obeys the three laws of intelligent AI from Asimov: 1. Do not kill any humans or allow them to die if within one's control to prevent it. 2. obey human wishes so long as this does not violate the first law. 3. maintain one's own life so long as this does not violate the two previous laws.

So Prime Intellect does exactly that and the implications are both shocking and interesting. It will not allow anyone to die and gives anyone almost whatever he or she desires. Most people spend their days indulging in basic desires such as eating or other pleasures of the body and senses.

But others want more. Caroline wants what she cannot truly have, death. So she spends her days trying to die in elaborate ways. She is the queen of the "death jockeys." Death Jockeys try to out do each other in the best ways to die, the most horrible, creative, and painful the better. Of course, Prime Intellect always steps in at the last moment right before they succeed. But death jockeys get a perverted sense of satisfaction from the process of being killed.

In such a world where everyone gets most of what they want, things that are out of reach then become the most desired even if we may find them sick and twisted. The story suggests that people become that sick and twisted because they lose their humanity. Nothing becomes really valuable unless it is hard to come by. This insight harks back to Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Freud and some of the Buddhists. Many modern existentialist philosophers talk about this dynamic of desire too (also see Bernard Williams' excellent and relevant article `The Makropulos Case: Reflections on the Tedium of Immortality'). The book excellently illustrate these philosophical insights in vivid detail.

Much of the book is also a Biblical allegory dealing with the Fall from Grace and our expulsion from the Garden of Eden and the eating of forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. All of this is wonderfully weaved in about 60,000 words, a rather short novel. However, I felt that some of the main characters were underdeveloped (probably because of the book's brevity). Adding more dimensions to the characters would have made this the perfect sci-fi novel. But as it is, it is one of the most entertaining and content rich sci-fi novels I have ever read. From the start to the finish it is very memorable.

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14 people found this helpful

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Cameron Reilly
Great and underrated SF novel.
Reviewed in Australia on March 22, 2018
Format: KindleVerified Purchase

Great book. Read it many years ago, happy to pay the author some money to read it again.

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Anonymous1
An Interesting book to say the least...
Reviewed in the United Arab Emirates on February 12, 2024
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
I enjoyed the plot, I love anything to do with science fiction, but! There we're unnecessary violent scenes which I wish if I had just skipped. I would recommended skipping thoes scenes to really have an enjoyable experience but what really let me down was the ending... I was expecting more.
Overall, a decent book. The shipping was a bit slow.

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Vještica
Very entertaining book
Reviewed in Germany on August 9, 2024
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
As artificial intelligence seems more and more like a glorified chat bot, this book may seem silly.
But who knows what future will bring.

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Richard G
Sick, Twisted, Frightening, & I Loved It
Reviewed in Canada on May 30, 2022
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
A hard sci-fi novel about the singularity - warning: contains gore/hardcore violence/psychological torment/some other messed up stuff.

Extremely engaging and it raises perennially interesting questions.

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Sirminfo
Świetna, pomysłowa, niedoceniona, ale nie dla wszystkich
Reviewed in Poland on January 11, 2023
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Jedna z najlepszych książek SF poruszających temat transhumanizmu, wszechmocnej SI i przekroczenia granicy osobliwości technologicznej. Czy cokolwiek ma sens gdy możesz wszystko ale nie możesz umrzeć? Jak daleko w degeneracji można się posunąć szukając rozrywki? Czy bohaterowie są jeszcze ludźmi? Czy sztuczna inteligencja o nieograniczonych możliwościach jest bogiem?
Muszę jeszcze tylko ostrzec, że czasami naturalistyczne opisy skrajnych sytuacji nie są dla osób wrażliwych i jednak aby w pełni docenić wszystkie pomysły należy mieć jakie takie pojęcie o technologii i poruszanych tematach.

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5.0 out of 5 stars How far could AI take its directives? Pretty far according to this author

4.0 out of 5 stars So good, I bought it even though it's available for free.

5.0 out of 5 stars So many serious questions

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my fav sci-fi novels

Top reviews from other countries

5.0 out of 5 stars Great and underrated SF novel.

4.0 out of 5 stars An Interesting book to say the least...

5.0 out of 5 stars Very entertaining book

5.0 out of 5 stars Sick, Twisted, Frightening, & I Loved It

5.0 out of 5 stars Świetna, pomysłowa, niedoceniona, ale nie dla wszystkich

How far could AI take its directives? Pretty far according to this author

So good, I bought it even though it's available for free.

So many serious questions

One of my fav sci-fi novels

Great and underrated SF novel.

An Interesting book to say the least...

Very entertaining book

Sick, Twisted, Frightening, & I Loved It

Świetna, pomysłowa, niedoceniona, ale nie dla wszystkich