Michael Cooling is a new hero for our ages. American TV in the 1970s gave us ‘The Six Million Dollar Man’, in which the role of Steve Austin was so memorably brought to life by Lee Majors. Back then, the concept of a ‘bionic man' was way ahead of its time and invited viewers to look to the future. Clearly taking his inspiration from that thrilling cult classic TV series, author JW Jarvis’ creation brings readers bang up to date by introducing an AIonic agent. You guessed it: this one has his body augmented by pioneering AI technology, giving him instant intel on faces and objects as well as the kind of superpowers enjoyed by Steve Austin back in the day: x-ray vision, the ability to leap buildings and survive falls, heightened strength and stamina. You name it, Michael Cooling has got it.
These skills come in more than a little handy for Michael, a former Navy SEAL. He becomes deployed by the mysterious quango SIX (Strategic Intelligence Section 10 – in a fitting nod towards the series that inspired this story). When out on a mission, Michael is betrayed by one of his own, and he ends up badly hurt. Although his wounds would kill most men or leave them with catastrophic, life-altering injuries, Michael is patched up under the supervision of Dr Bell until the blending of man and machine is invisible to the naked eye. After his recovery, he is sent on a dangerous mission to thwart the nefarious aims of the Russian General Ivan Petrovsky (unaffectionately referred to as GIP), whose megalomaniacal plot involves a restoration of the Soviet Union and the subjugation of the rest of the world, starting with Ukraine.
So far, so topical. But ‘Artificial Agent’ never weighs in with moral lessons or commentary about contemporary world events. It presents a clear moral universe where the powers of darkness are obvious, and concentrates instead on telling a plot-driven and engaging story. In that way, ‘Artificial Agent’ is clearly also influenced by the world of James Bond, where Ian Fleming’s hero was a creature of the Cold War who seldom wrestled with his conscience while dispatching villains in the call of duty. Indeed, General Petrovsky could be lifted directly out of any number of 1970s’ Bond movies. His hench woman Katya, also AIonic (whatever the West can do, Russia can copy) is perhaps even more Bondian, using seduction techniques to lure in her victims before mercilessly dispatching them.
On that note, the book is a touch gratuitous at times, in both sexual and violent content. There are graphic descriptions of deaths, as well as Katya’s sex appeal and Michael’s fully-functioning and non-augmented nether regions, which attract a lot of female attention. Readers of a sensitive disposition should consider themselves warned. The strength of the book is that it tells an engaging story. Fans of the espionage and thriller genres will likely breeze through it, as the prose is immensely readable. Less commendably, I found much of the dialogue to be functional and on-the-nose rather than character-driven, and disliked the jarring tendency to describe speeches in the present tense, depending upon the linearity of the story.
While ‘Artificial Agent’ borrows much of its premise and set-up from sources it openly acknowledges, it also brings fresh new ideas into the established bionic universe that are inventive and well-handled. These are explored most predominantly in the character of Michael's father, who makes for an interesting presence in the book. Whilst Michael wrestles with the pros and cons of his AIonic life, his father is revealed to be old-school bionic – and that too comes with its crosses to bear. Although no allusion is made to Steve Austin, it's a clever way of making readers reassess the established folklore surrounding bionic bodily augmentation.
Overall, ‘Artificial Agent' is an enjoyable read that is strong on plot and ideas. The story is far-fetched even within the rules of the world created by the author. As a thriller, it has its share of twists and turns, but the plot points aren't too surprising. It is an ideal book to read on a plane or on a beach, or simply whilst commuting as an escape from reality. It makes no pretensions of moral ambiguity or realism in characterisations, so the book won't appeal to those who prefer their thrillers to be rooted in the real world. But if you like the fun and sexiness of ‘The Six Million Dollar Man', you'll probably dig Jarvis' espionage adventures. I use the plural there, because the James Bondian ending leaves readers in no doubt that there's more escapades featuring AIonic Agent Michael Cooling to come.
Publisher: Big Dee Books Publication date: 21st January 2025 Buy ‘Artificial Agent'
