Is THIS the Best Artificial Intelligence Can Do?
If So, We’re Doomed
I was planning to write about some of the fiction I’ve been reading lately. I’m trying to expand my horizons by reading things I don’t normally read (suspense, romance) and by reading “award-winning” novels (loved Empire Falls by Robert Russo, but A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan left me perplexed—like reading a bunch of disjointed short stories with an eighty-page PowerPoint presentation stuck in the middle of it. I’m serious).
The reason for this abrupt curve in my reading was to help my writing so that I could write better and create a novel that would catch an agent’s or publisher’s attention, and maybe make me a few bucks in the process. But all that must wait, as I now know there’s a much, much simpler way to go (SPOILER ALERT: Sarcasm coming).
AI
Yes, this much talked about and often ridiculed method of novel writing is obviously so easy and so successful that I simply MUST drop everything I am doing and follow the “new masters.”
Exhibit A: Wrath of the Northmen: A Gripping Viking Tale of Revenge and Honor
This new (May 30) novel is currently #12 on the Amazon Kindle charts for Teen & Young Adult Superhero Fiction and…well, here’s the blurb for it. Sounds exciting!
The fury of the Northmen knows no bounds when honor and vengeance are at stake. Wrath of the Northmen: A Gripping Viking Tale of Revenge and Honor immerses you in the harsh, unforgiving world of Viking warriors. Thorfinn, a fierce Norse chieftain, embarks on a deadly raid against the Saxons to reclaim his stolen honor and avenge the brutal massacre of his kin. Haunted by the voices of his fallen family, Thorfinn seeks the blood of his sworn enemy, Eirik the Betrayer.
As Thorfinn and his loyal warriors navigate treacherous seas and the brutal landscape of Saxon England, they find themselves hunted by a mysterious and ruthless adversary. Trapped in a deadly game of cat and mouse, Thorfinn must decide between loyalty to his king and the demands of the gods. Failure to appease either could lead to devastating consequences.
With each battle and betrayal, the stakes grow higher. Thorfinn's quest for vengeance uncovers dark secrets and ancient rivalries that threaten to consume them all. Can he fulfill his destiny and honor his ancestors, or will the shadows of the past destroy him and his men?
BTW, that write-up is 186 words long, and there’s a reason I’m telling you this, but you’ll have to read on to uncover why.
I was turned on to this tale by a post in “Wide for the Win,” a Facebook group I subscribe to. But the post mentioned not this novel’s high rankings, but the fact that it was obviously created by AI (a no-no) and that it somehow (??) slipped from the ever-watchful radar eyes of the powers that be at Amazon.
Why do I suspect AI had a hand in this?
There are SIX versions of this novel; all have the same blurb writeup, but the author’s name is slightly different on each (Sula Urbanz, Sula Urbane, Sula Urbanr, Sula Urbant, etc.)
There are SIX different covers, each one with its own spelling/grammatical/”WTF is AI doing?” errors. Like so:
The book is described as being TWELVE pages long.
Each version of the book has different rankings from Amazon. Above I noted one of the versions was currently #12 for Teen & Young Adult Superhero Fiction, but another version is ranked #100. The others have different categories, and…still don’t have the same ratings. Wüt?
There seem to be pictures on every page (One reader of the novel [no, I don’t know which of the six versions they spent good money on] said it was only 260 words total, and that’s why I told you about the length of the blurb earlier).
All of the pictures seem to be AI knock-offs of Chris Hemsworth’s Thor character. To wit:
All of the “samples” are incredibly short (one page) and EVERY SAMPLE IN EACH OF THE SIX VERSIONS IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
It may not be a surprise that this novel only has a 2 ½ star rating, except that it’s a surprise it’s that high.
If you’re curious about the discussion of this epic tome in Wide for the Win, the link can be found here (I don’t remember if you have to be a member to see posts. Sorry if that’s the case).
OK, maybe I won’t change my tactics after all.
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Forgot to add that you can view all six versions by clicking on the "See all formats and editions" link in the upper right of the book's page on Amazon.