#BookReview The Transfer Problem by Adam Saint

About the Book

Ethan, an introverted banker with a traumatic past, falls in love with Anna, an enigmatic scientist with whom he shares an academic interest in the philosophy of existence and consciousness. But with the reappearance of Ethan’s rogue brother Robert – a hacker who is forbidden from using technology – the hypothetical turns all too real: Robert convinces Ethan to let Anna transfer a conscious mind into Ethan’s trading algorithms.

But when Anna’s experiment goes well – too well, in fact, with world-altering consequences – Ethan finds himself on the run, searching for answers to Anna’s mysterious past and looking desperately for a way to give humanity its future back.

With nail-biting action and smart, technical themes, The Transfer Problem asks what it means to exist, to be real, and to be human. But it also asks an even bigger question: how far would you go to avenge yourself?

Format: Paperback (260 pages)     Publisher: Deixis Press
Publication date: 18th April 2022 Genre: Thriller

Find The Transfer Problem on Goodreads

Purchase links
Amazon UK
Link provided for convenience only, not as part of an affiliate programme

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My Review

If you feel slightly daunted by the idea of a book whose plot involves financial trading algorithims, neural networks and artificial intelligence, you needn’t worry because The Transfer Problem works perfectly well even for the technologically challenged (like myself).  The author also does a good job of trying to explain some of the concepts.

The story moves back and forth in time so it’s advisable to note carefully the dates at the head of each chapter. Having said that, the shifts in time add to the suspense and as the book progresses the action coalesces around a few key dates.  One date in particular sees some especially exciting scenes as the financial markets go into freefall.

The idea that the world’s financial systems – and everything which depends on them – could be disrupted by a rogue algorithm might seem unlikely but the book makes it feel frighteningly possible. The author’s technology background I’m sure helps with the feeling of authenticity.  I suspect he may also be a diver as there’s a dramatic underwater scene at one point in the book.

The relationship between Ethan and his older brother, Robert, is a complicated one.  Events in their childhood meant they had to fend for themselves for a lot of the time with Ethan often being on the receiving end of Robert’s practical jokes. However, fast forward and the combination of Robert’s love of practical jokes and highly technical brain add up to something much more formidable.  As events unfold, it becomes apparent that Ethan, Robert and Anna may have very different motives for the operation they jointly undertake; in fact, they may have very different motives from the ones they profess.

If you thought a spider, a petty cash account and a teddy bear were rather unlikely ingredients with which to fashion a high-tech thriller, then The Transfer Problem will make you think again.

My thanks to Hannah Hargrave for my digital review copy.

In three words: Suspenseful, clever, absorbing

Try something similar: Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

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About the Author

Adam Saint is a leading legal expert who advises banks and governments on artificial intelligence and bitcoin. He combines this with work as a mathematician – his contributions to medical statistics have been published in The Lancet and other journals – and also compiles cryptic crosswords for the Financial Times.

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