Fair enough. I do want to draw the reader in immediately, but as you demonstrate, some people will not like that. Appreciate your feedback.
What kind of reader? What kind of writer? Somehow quality classic literature did no need to resort to actual vulgarity and profanity, esp. in the lead. A poor substitute for quality.
I am not a writer of novels, but I think an idea for a novel could be that of an encounter in the future with a AI "human."
The "women" interviewing him already had a near complete profile of him - from what could be known, which was extensive - almost from the moment of facial recognition, and greeted him by name, and asking how his trip was, though she full well knew everything from each flight arrival to details when the lawn sprinkler would turn off. The interview for employment was mainly thus for psychological and legal purposes, which also indicated what the Omnicloud knew and what little it did not, the latter being critical to his future.
In a culture of declining Christian faith and morality, and of the family and character, thus even gender was now subjective, while the rise of rampant anarchy and increasing impotence of traditional enforcement resulted in the clamor for security, regardless of the cost of freedoms. Which the rise of an increasingly omniscient and omnipotent (earthly-wise) security apparatus promised to provide. Upon which all subjects were to depend upon, and therefore increasing unconditional allegiance was required.
Children were no longer taught by mere humans, but by transhumans, which could appear as biologically male or female, or an amalegamation of both, and with corespondent new names. The transhuman teacher had detailed information on all, from the time of their birth to that of the temperature of their bedroom (and thus the environmental rating of their homes). As well as a database of all the child's responses to events and questions.
And since under mandated government-issued health care, then the latter was responsible for the child's psychological health, and thus politically correct answers resulted in care-givers (takers) citing the parents for fostering an unhealthy environment, this being a form of child abuse. And it was very hard to hide much of anything from the sensors of the "beneficent' providers health and human services.
All of this James was conscious of as the female-looking (tailored to his preferences based upon his know viewing tendencies, of content and time) interviewer asked him questions, knowing that this unit was examining everything about his response to ascertain veracity, etc.
However, as advanced as the technology had become, it was not yet able to read thoughts (though thru visual and auditory contact, it was remarkably being able to deduce such with a high percentage of accuracy) Nor was this Omnicloud in operation until recent years, especially in its extent and depth.
Thus it did not know of the direction that James was headed as a result of listening to and reading forbidden literature as a child. And what this would led to in dissent from the Beast.
This was just written on the fly, based upon some ideas, by the grace of God.