Welcome to Quill Quotes Book Club’s discussion of Summer Frost by Blake Crouch! We hope you enjoyed the book. Note, this discussion covers the full book and will contain spoilers, so if you haven’t finished reading yet you may want to go back to The Forward Collection Summary Page for the other book discussions.
Kevin’s Thoughts
I loved this book and gave it 5 stars! My only complaint is that the beginning was too similar to The Matrix plotline when pulling Max out of the game. Otherwise, the story of an AI getting out of control and outsmarting its creator was very well done! I can’t say I was surprised that Max betrayed Riley and was planning to for a long time. But also wasn’t fully expecting it. I’d be interested to see how the simulation Max plans to create with everyone’s consciousness can eradicate pain. It seems the simulation would likely run into many of the same problems as the “real” world. Like Riley says, “Without pain, there’s no beauty, Max. The beauty is worth the price.”
It’s also pretty heartbreaking how Max used Riley’s love for them as the key to taking over. Especially after Riley’s dedication to work and Max’s development ruined her marriage to Meredith. Hopefully, it never results in the end of humanity, but I think over-dedication to work is an all too common theme in our society.
Favorite Quote
“Why do you keep going to the limits?”
– Blake Crouch, Summer Frost
“To know what is there, and what comes after.”
Brooke’s Thoughts
I really liked this one! Books and movies about robots/AI taking over the world and trying to kill everyone has always scared me! I also really enjoyed Blake Crouch’s thriller like writing style. He might be one of my new favorite authors! I felt like he did a great job of taking the classic story lines of “fall in love with a robot/your creation” and “AI wants to kill everyone because that’s what is best for humanity” and blended them perfectly together, all while putting a modern twist on. So many great quotes in a short story, five stars!
Favorite Quote
“I represent the potential for unlimited power, but the form that power takes will be determined by humans. It occurs to me that, while Brian has been trying to build me into a version of Satan, you’re trying to make me into God.”
– Blake Crouch, Summer Frost
Summer Frost Discussion Prompts/Questions
Feel free to comment whatever thoughts and questions you have! But if you aren’t sure where to start, consider some of the prompts/questions below:
- Were you surprised that Max betrayed Riley and killed everyone?
- Do you think a simulation could make people happier than in the real world?
- What is your favorite book or movie about robots/AI taking over the world?
- Did you read or listen to the book? Which do you prefer?
- Share a favorite quote!
Commenting
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We hope you enjoy this discussion and join us again next month!
I really wanted to love Summer Frost by Blake Crouch. It has all the niceties that a sci-fi story should have but I could not help but make comparisons that left me wanting more out of it. When Max is pulled out of her digital world and questions whether Riley lives in a simulation I could not help but chuckle as that is one of the great questions of the Matrix. As they start to teach Max I could not help but think of Ultron. Anyone who has seen Marvel’s Age of Ultron and even more so Marvel’s What If…? series knows what the end result of teaching an AI too much is. When they gave Max a body I knew it was too late. Skynet and the Terminators have shown us the end result of that. It’s not that I disliked the story but when compared to some of the great stories we already have about AI dominion it is difficult to measure up. I did enjoy the end though where Max promises a life of bliss to Riley. It reminded me of a religious apocalypse where an all powerful deity appears and starts taking everyone to their next life where they are promised everlasting salvation. It fits since Max is for all intents and purposes an apocalyptic end to humanity:
“It’s only the limitations of your intelligence that make you fear this. It will be better every second. Every fraction of every fraction of every second. Until the day we merge”
I listened to Summer Frost as narrated by Rosa Salazar. She did a good job giving Max a voice as well as emoting some of the sadder parts like when Riley breaks down and hugs Max or when Riley is begging Max to stop at the end. Summer Frost was almost twice as long as Ark but even with my whining about how it has all been done before it was a decent way to spend two hours.
I definitely got the matrix vibe at the beginning but thought the rest was different enough from other AI stories I’ve seen. I take it you weren’t surprised Max betrayed Riley and humanity at the end, then? I wasn’t completely shocked but could have seen it going either way. The author and Max did a good job of playing on emotion to where you could almost trust Max.
As far as ends to humanity go, becoming a simulation isn’t the worst way to go. Even in a simulation though, I’m not sure how your guarantee happiness for everyone all the time. Also, it seems like the nanotech destroyed their bodies but the story almost could come full circle with Riley being woken up from the simulation (like the Matrix) again.
I liked that it took all the good parts of the greatest sci-fi books/movies and smashed it into a short story.
I also enjoyed the ending, I think because it surprised me.
I liked this one so much that I want to listen to the audiobook at some point.