Caught this paperback by Eugene Byrne in the library. Schlock cover, looks as if its trying to achive the lowest common denomenator. Writhing Female form etc. I picked it up as a 'filler' for home to work. Didn't expect much at all.

I was wrong, what a delightful story this was.

An English University History Department develops a set of 'historically accurate' characters as an aid to learning. These characters enjoy immense popularity and gradually become self aware. However the housing computer is attacked by Mormons (I kid you not) causing the characters to toy with religion (gnosticism). One rabble rouser excapes and wreaks havok with the Vatican mainframe, so the system has to be shut down (Insurance Premiums).

The AI's get wind of this and the rest of the book is about their struggle to escape from their parent computer and their fight for survival.

A delightful book, characters I actually worried about and a lovely twist to it. It even comes with tips on how to enjoy each chapter (to thoroughly experience this chapter it is advisable to consume lots of Whisky and be very Angry).

As I say, delightful. Give it a try.

Ogre

sounds like fun, will look out for it

It sounds really good, somewhat like one of the holodeck episodes of ST:Next Gen but with more going on.