Autonomous is a sharp thriller about robotic freedom and patent piracy

This spring, genealogy service Ancestry.com was accused of secretly claiming rights to users’ DNA sequences. The company quickly changed its policy, denying any wrongdoing. But it was only the latest reminder of broadly companies can “own” information like biometric details, mental engagement, and even ideas. And it’s the kind of dangerous intersection of intellectual property rights and personal freedom that’s at the heart of Autonomous, the engaging debut novel of