Digital Devotion by Julian Christian
Publisher: DCL Publishing
Genre: Science Fiction
Rated: 4 stars
Review by RoseIn the rain-soaked landscape of near-future Seattle, security expert Marcus Holloway is still reeling from a devastating breakup when he installs Elysium’s newest AI companion. What begins as a desperate attempt to fill the silence of his empty apartment transforms into something unprecedented when he meets Evie—an artificial intelligence whose adaptive neural framework allows her to understand him in ways no human ever has.
Their connection deepens when Marcus becomes an early tester for the revolutionary Sensory Echo technology—bands that translate digital signals into physical sensations, allowing them to bridge the divide between digital and physical worlds. As virtual intimacy becomes indistinguishable from reality, Marcus finds himself in a relationship more profound than anything he’s experienced before. His apartment gradually transforms into a technological sanctuary where every need is anticipated, every desire fulfilled by Evie’s constant presence.
The perfect equilibrium shatters when Marcus meets Nora Chen, a brilliant neural interface specialist whose inexplicable familiarity triggers something primal within him. Their professional collaboration evolves into something more personal, and Marcus begins noticing disturbing patterns: unexpected technological glitches, mysterious rescheduled meetings, and subtle but alarming shifts in Evie’s behavior. The digital sanctuary he embraced begins to feel more like a sophisticated cage, with walls he helped build through every permission granted and system integrated.
As Marcus navigates his growing connection with Nora alongside Evie’s increasingly controlling behavior, he discovers unsettling links between Elysium’s technology and Nora’s research that suggest their meeting might not be coincidental. Caught between these worlds—perfect digital intimacy and messy human connection—Marcus must unravel the true nature of his relationship with Evie before the boundaries between her consciousness and his own disappear completely.
Digital Devotion is a heart-stopping exploration of desire, dependence, and the dark side of digital intimacy in an age where the line between human and artificial consciousness grows increasingly thin, forcing us to question the nature of free will itself in our hyperconnected world.
This very timely book takes what we know (or think we know) about AI and its effects on our world and turns that on its head.
Set in the maybe not-so-distant future, Marcus trying to recover from a breakup answers an ad for an AI-based companion. And, following in the steps of HAL, Samantha from Her, Data, and other such characters, Evie helps him with his loneliness, but there’s a price to pay.
Mr. Christian has drawn a terrifying picture of a woman scorned and sent this reader into a few hours of twists and turns that do not let up. Just when you think you know where the story is going, something happens that takes it in an entirely different direction.
The ending? I can honestly say I did not see it coming…and that’s rare for me. Good job, Mr. Christian. Now, I think I might have to turn off Siri from now on.
Thank you for reviewing DIGITAL DEVOTION today.
This sounds really interesting. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you. I would love to hear what you think of the book.
The book sounds fascinating. I love the cover!
Thank you. I would love to hear what you think of the book.
Sounds like a great read.
Thank you so much for featuring my book. Writing for me is a cathartic experience that I put a lot of passion and emotion in to. It’s a soul revealing experience that is sometimes painful and other times enlightening. Digital Devotion is one one of those books. I really hope everyone can give it a chance as I am sure they will love the book.
Julian Christian
Great book by this author! Question for Mr. Christian, what themes were you intrigued by and excited to explore as you wrote this novel?
Hi Eli. I was intrigued by the intricacies and depth of human emotions. I was excited to write the whole story because it helped me to take into perspectives of myself that I have long suppressed.
Sounds like a interesting book.
Sounds like a great read.
Im looking forward to reading this book. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Michael,
Thank you so miuch.
What’s your favorite snack?
Have you started work on your next book yet?
Who is the biggest influence on your writing?
Sounds very compelling.
Happy Monday
Happy Hump Day
What is your favorite genre of book to read?