Readers and Critics

“If I were asked to describe The Typo by William Lower in one word, it would be ‘amazing,’ but then I would also add quirky, laugh-aloud, perceptive, different, and original. I loved it. In the first chapter, the author mentions several names, but as the story progresses, they all fit together in a thrilling tale set in the fifteenth century. The descriptions of the towns and buildings are delightful, and the references to dialogue, which are compared to today, are hilarious. The characters are alive and leap off the page. I could relate to all of them, even those who are making their living on the wrong side of the law. In many places, I laughed out loud. This book will appeal to anyone with a sense of humor and a different take on a piece of history. I highly recommend this book to any reader, not just those who like history but who also enjoy tales of adventure and travel through Europe centuries ago. One of the best books I have reviewed this year. I wish I could give it six stars.”

Lucinda E Clarke 5 Stars Readers Favorite

“I loved that The Typo was written in a slightly tongue-in-cheek style, which just added to my enjoyment. William Lower peppered his narrative with modern-day equivalences and poked fun at historical records, and this just gave the story that element of farce, which tempered the danger and seriousness of the time. I did spot and appreciate the corollary between the introduction of the first printed Holy Scriptures and the age of the internet and the relentless rise of AI. The Church of the fifteenth century definitely faced an enormous challenge with the introduction of readily accessible scriptures, for, if not the masses at this point, then for the wealthy and highly educated. No longer would the Church have ultimate authority over the word of God, and no longer could they rule with absolute power, using fear as their ultimate weapon. This was a time of great change, and the Church’s answer to this danger was the terrible, pernicious persecution of the Inquisition. The author does a tremendous job of developing the characters and unfolding their true natures, feelings, and thoughts as the novel progresses. I particularly appreciated Antonio’s approach to the development of the printing press. Rather than seeing it as ending his career, he could see new possibilities springing from its introduction and acceptance. It is abundantly clear that this story is far from finished, and I am excited to learn what Antonio may have discovered in the Papal Library. This story is a fantastic read, beautifully told with a delicate touch, and I highly recommend it.”

Grant Leishman 5 Stars Readers Favorite

I recommend this book without reservation… but maybe not for the reasons you might suspect. I expected this to be a clever exercise, and I admit to some romantic hopes that the author’s interview with this new “mind” would reveal glimmers of lurking sentience. It is not a spoiler to share that there are no glimmers of sentience. The author’s deft construction of prompts and the responses from the AI reveal some very plain truths about AI, but more importantly, the Q&A reveals some surprising truths about US. First, the truth about AI is that it is a program, an algorithm, that only processes information and generates output in the manners in which it has been constructed. Yes, it could be manipulated into an existential threat if it were maliciously programmed, but as it is, that prospect is highly remote. But the author recognizes — and deftly demonstrates — that the cliché “garbage in, garbage out” has been turned upside-down by the large language basis of the data from which the AI draws its responses. In many ways, the bulk of human knowledge, both scientific/factual and humanistic/fictional, has been culled, reviewed, and rendered available for consideration in response to the author’s inquiries. So this is the second set of truths. In the cold calculations of the algorithm, broad generalizations can be drawn about human nature, past, present, and future. Through the author’s well-considered prompting, the vast library upon with this AI is based can be surveyed, reported (in whatever level of detail is desired), and used to make reasoned judgments about the most important aspects of human history and behavior. I will not offer spoilers here, but simply commend this work for your consideration. You want to know AI? There is no knowing, as there is nothing there but computer code. But if you want to know about humanity’s history and future on planet Earth, this wonderful new tool, in the hands of a skilled craftsman like the author, can be revelatory. — Russ Ham 4 Stars  Amazon Reveiew