William

A horror book can be a complex and multilayered epic, but the genre often best as an intimate story told in a closed environment. Countless classic horror films have been set in an abandoned cabin or house, something strange living in the attic that only comes down to seek its victims. In Mason Coile’s novel William has a name, but you do not have to fear William, he is an AI friend and friends don’t hurt one another, do they? 

Henry is a reclusive robotics expert whose agoraphobia leaves him trapped in his home. His only company is his heavily pregnant wife, Lily, and the friends that he creates. Toys for the upcoming birth, a small robot dog for companionship and his latest creation, William, who stays in the attic. William is special, he may only be half formed, but his mind is AI built. With the ability to think and learn, is the attic enough for William when there is smart house to control and an entire world to explore? 

William is a tight and short novel that packs a punch. It has the feel of a high standard Twilight Zone episode or an adult take on Goosebumps. It is kept simple; a house, four characters, and just one William, but one William is enough. It has something of the grindhouse about the book as it does not take long for things to start to go wrong, but this is also an intelligence. The use of AI elevates the book from pure pulp into some interesting discussions of the nature of AI.  

This is a full science fiction world and being set in just one home, the world building is impressive. We learn about the world through Henry, a man himself who has not left the house in a long time. Henry spends as much time worrying about the state of his relationship with his wife as he does worrying about the strange antics of William upstairs. It is not a clever idea to take your eyes off the melted face of a haunted AI doll. 

The book is full of tense moments and then sucker punch surprises. The characters creep around a house that feels infested by William. Has the AI managed to break into the house’s mainframe? Lily and Henry must combine their experiences as a computer programmer and a roboticist to conjure a way out. 

William is a joy to read on two levels. It is a fun schlock horror story, a monster of the week, but on a second level there is far more intelligence. A discussion on AI, a breakdown of a relationship. To top off the lot there are also twists that most will not see coming that adds even further joy to the reading experience. Coile lays out the action and surprises in quick fashion not giving the reader time to stop and breath. A wonderful little powerplay of a book.