“A favourite post-modern conflict, man versus technology, turned on its head. In a world where clicks and engagement hold more currency than gold, Red Blinders shows us what is at stake, what can go wrong when far reaching oversight sits in the lap of those with the least ethical knowledge on how best to wield it.”

Kenneth Warzel has lived a passive life. He rises in the morning, readying himself for a job he hates. Ambition is not a quality he possesses, whereas his girlfriend, Maria, is his direct opposite in this way. She has tried—numerous times in fact—to stoke enthusiasm within him. To salvage whatever she could of a life doomed to monotony.

All this goes to say—Warzel’s actions towards his smarmy superior, Jay, at the airport (lounge?) was completely out of character for the coaster that he was. So much so that it piqued the interest of an important entity. The path ahead was decided for him. It would take a nudge to send him on his way towards a transformative future he never could’ve imagined creating for himself. 

Spoiler-Free Plot

The world has become increasingly interconnected. Cameras grace street corners and the ceilings of public spaces. Everyone carries a powerful computer in their hands or in their pockets; no one alive a century prior would’ve ever been able to fathom the technology casually touted in our modern times. Lily Kim sees herself as a steward of a new era. A wunderkind whose mind has unlocked the element she is certain will define the future.

Cole Leder has a surname that sounds exactly like what he was put on this earth to do. He fashions calls to action as easily as the average person engages in small talk. Misfits are drawn to his messaging; the belief in the strength of the collective. His goal to free the world from the doom of Artificial Intelligence will be accomplished, to whatever end.

Warzel’s existence will be defined by the two most explosive moments of his life, one triggering the other like dynamite run in series. An unknowing, and at times unwitting protagonist holds the reins of the plotline slack in the hands of his free will, only steering firmly towards the outcome at the moment when it matters most.

My Take on Red Blinders

The human mind’s capacity for creativity never ceases to amaze me! If the exact same ingredients (Artificial Intelligence, Existentialism, Politics…Horses) were placed into the hands of different writers, you would expect a wildly unique story from each individual. To think of combining these elements into one shows the author’s own emergent sense of originality despite the glut of books that already explore these themes without the same style of overlap between them.

The seriousness of the topics at hand that eerily reflect the current state of affairs—with regards to concerns over the ever-expanding influence amassed by would-be technocrats, especially those leading the charge in the development of Artificial Intelligence products—are cut with believable and genuinely funny bursts of humour. This intention is set at the epigraph with both a formally written quote of comical content, and a disarming haiku on horse excrement.

This goes to show that even as the world threatens to fall apart, there is humour to be found on either our descent into destruction, our delay of this inevitable apocalypse, or into an unlikely diversion towards salvation. It comes across quite naturally. A believable silliness. Through Warzel’s characterisation and the melee of events he’s unwittingly dragged into. I’m sure readers will appreciate the levity of it all, just as I did.

To the author who greatly values their privacy: this is confirmation that your work IS being read, and it will continue to be read whenever there is more of it.

Age Rating

16 years and above

Content Warning

Corruption, Death, Foul Language, Sexual Themes (mild), Violence.

---