The Jade Rebellion by Alanna Mackenzie

A reckoning. A rebellion. The worlds of artificial intelligence and ancient magic collide. ​​Crystal City glistens with diamonds, but its dazzling beauty comes at a deadly price. The capital of Khalendar thrives on a steady supply of gemstones from the neighboring Barrens, a colony of the Empire. Walter Saltanetska translates AI code for the Khalendar government, helping to breathe life into the ambitious vision of the AI Masters. When Walter discovers a terrible secret which could destroy the life of his lover, Elaine, he decides to tell her despite strict orders to keep what he translates confidential. What begins as a catastrophe eventually grows into a rebellion. Elaine is taken captive by the AI Masters, and Walter must do everything in his power to rescue her. He starts his quest with a single goal in mind, finding Elaine, but along the way Walter discovers that saving her is only a small part of his destiny. During his travels, he encounters a long-lost relative, a warrior matriarch, and a mystical kingdom forgotten to time. Yet Walter's true journey occurs not in physical space, but the captivating depths of his mind. An inventive blend of dystopian science-fiction and fantasy, the Jade Rebellion explores whether we can overcome technological determinism by preserving history, nature, spirituality, and ultimately, our humanity. My Take: If you like AI in your science fiction then this is the series for you. There is love and rebellion and unkderhanded apy stuff going on and I am here for all of it. This is a dystopian take on the future and with all the talk about AI lately I don't see it as being very far into the future. I would recommend ready the whole series as it helps paint a picture. I received a review copy of this book and the other two books from Lola's Book Tours and was not required to write a positive review.