"What's Next," by Geoffrey Keane, is a science fiction novel with a setting of one- thousand years into the future. The author projects that eventually, many of us will have our own personal android servant; manufactured from synthetic bone, muscle and skin; having a computer for a brain; and this, he also projects, will exponentially change the degree and intensity to which we will interact, and receive much greater assistance from the computer technology of the distant future. How many years do you imagine life expectancy will expand to, many generations from now? This author's projections might surprise you; some of what Keane has imagined to eventually play out, may expand your own horizons, in terms of considering what we might be heading towards in the future, provided things keep developing in the directions that they currently seem to be, in today's world; not only technologically speaking, but in terms of societal norms, and the legal system. Keane also offers his imagination of what the future political structure will ultimately evolve into, in the US, and around the world in general; and this scenario offers keen perspective on the long-run playing out of current trends relating to liberal, versus conservative ideals. The primary focus and emphasis that this story centers around, is the author's insights regarding the impact of current societal norms surrounding sexuality and sexual offense; and his projection of what might ultimately come to pass, if things continue to trend in the direction we seem to be moving in, in the US, along these lines. The author begs the question, of how truly valuable it really is, to embrace such highly-conservative protective measures, with respect to the way people of various ages either govern themselves, or govern their loved ones, in their sexual interactions; and he also questions the possible absurdity of the even further development, of an overbearing legal system, with respect to sexual offense; pointing out the extreme hardships some will suffer, for merely having fallen prey to their own vulnerabilities, due merely to natural inclinations to gratify themselves sexually. The story also begs the question, should the punishments really be quite so harsh, for more-minor forms of these kinds of violations? This entertaining novel is an imaginative tale encompassing an expansive, worldly view, on a range of issues; from morality, to politics, to finance, to addiction; sharing a broader perspective on humanity in general.
