I was excited to read WILLIAM for two reasons. First, I am fascinated by AI and its impact on our lives. Secondly, the book is written by Mason Coile, a pseudonym for International Thriller Writers Award winner Andrew Pyper, who always delivers. The result is a novel packed with suspense, creepy chills and more than a few surprises, which toes the line between top-notch science fiction and horror.

Henry is a brilliant engineer and an agoraphobic who has found that his best work was intended to create living toys, or AI beings. William is the name he gives to the one he keeps in the locked attic of the house he shares with his pregnant wife, Lily. Henry has gone way further with William than anything else he has produced. William is gifted not only with extreme intelligence but with a sense of consciousness that borders on the disturbing.

"The finale is indeed terrifying and so well written that it is easy for Mason Coile to manipulate his readers. This includes a whammy of a twist that I did not see coming."

Henry shares a dream with Lily in which a voice spoke to him and told him that he was the spirit of perpetual negation, and all things that exist deserve to perish. Lily is concerned and hopes that none of that thinking has permeated into the creation of his latest project. Their enormous Victorian house is full of antiques but also has been completely cybernated with voice commands managing all household actions, including opening and closing doors.

Early on, we get to see a private conversation between Henry and William, and it’s alarming to Henry how much William knows about his life, especially those tidbits he never told him or programmed into his memory. That night, two of Lily’s former coworkers are coming by for a dinner party. Davis and Paige do not completely trust Henry and feel that he is taking advantage of Lily, who is supporting him in his household tinkering. Paige is quite sarcastic and outspoken, while Davis tries to play peacemaker the entire time. The dinner conversation is quite interesting.

Henry decides to show off his recent work, and his guests first meet the mechanical dog he has created. They are not terribly impressed and are just a bit creeped out. He then goes for broke and takes them upstairs to meet William. At first, no one knows what to expect, and the interaction with William blows their minds. Unfortunately, William decides to verbally confront Lily and grabs her wrist in such a manner that they have to forcibly remove his grip on her, leaving a nasty bleeding cut.

The party is pretty much over at that point, with everyone saying that this William creature needs to be destroyed. Paige takes Lily and Davis out to her car where she has a medical kit to tend to her injuries. Meanwhile, Henry confronts William about his behavior, and the conversation becomes strained and threatening. He ends up pulling the power supply from William, but it appears that his consciousness has gotten into the household WiFi, and he is now in total control of the house. The results are horrific, and no one will be left unscathed.

The finale is indeed terrifying and so well written that it is easy for Mason Coile to manipulate his readers. This includes a whammy of a twist that I did not see coming. WILLIAM reads like a parable for existentialism and artificial life, with more than a few moments that will call to mind FRANKENSTEIN. I really enjoyed this thrill ride of a novel and defy anyone not to finish it in a single sitting.