The Warden is an interesting tale. The story taking place in both the present and a few years from now. The story centers on a world desperately trying to cope with advancing COVID complications as well as how the people being tucked away at home have allowed tech companies to flourish where many other industries have taken horrible hits to their ability to keep their doors open. Many non-essential human workers have been replaced by automated and easy to deal with mechanical workers. All things that are rather relatable in our current world, making the story feel believable, even towards the obviously fictitious parts.
Beyond being relatable in our even changing and coping world, The Warden is told from the perspective of multiple characters. A man who lives in a tower run by an AI created to cater to the needs of people in a world where they cannot leave their homes because of the possibility of a horrible death by illness, the woman who created the AI, and the AI itself. These characters are all well made, their needs and desires folded out nicely creating wonderfully well rounded characters. Even the AI has an interesting personality that makes its actions and reasoning work well in the story.
The story itself is a speculative fiction wonderland that constantly left me wondering what would happen next. Even ending the book on a note that could scream for a sequel but also leaves the story on enough of a mysterious note that fits so well with the rest of the story that the unknown feels like a satisfying close to the story.
So in short, is The Warden worth reading? If you are in to modern day science fiction and mysteries, I would heavily suggest picking this up!