Book Review: Robopocalypse by Daniel H. Wilson

I found this book while just browsing at the library and opted to give it a try.  I'm glad I did!  It wasn't the best book I've ever read, but I found it very compelling and though provoking just the same.

First, what I didn't love.  I didn't love the writing.  I sometimes felt a little disconnected, as we did a lot of hopping around between people.  I had to look often at the times provided at the beginning of each chapter to figure out the time flow, which interfered a little with the narration for me.  The book, though, is mostly written along a straight timeline, so it shouldn't have been difficult, but it didn't feel quite natural.

However, I really enjoyed the book over all!  The premise is that in the not too distant future, an intelligent computer is designed with safety precautions to shut it down if it shows signs of being dangerous.  However, one particular design figures out how to bypass the safeties and is set on killing off the humans so the planet can live again.  It uses all of the existing computers to help in this goal.

Smart cars that are designed to swerve if they get too close to each other are now using those sensors to find people to run over.  Domestic robots who are slow and clumsy, but very strong, turn against their owners and any humans that they find.  Talking dolls, tanks, robotic mines - anything and everything with a computer chip turns against humans.  And it's a slaughter.

However, we follow the story line along with mostly survivors.  People who are heroes in the war against "Rob."  How do they survive and even overcome?  Well, that's the story. 

I'm recommending Robopocalypse to Anthony, but not to Davan, as I think she wouldn't enjoy all the killing (which isn't usually graphic, but Davan is still opposed to) and because it has sort of a boy action flick feel to me, which isn't Davan's style.  So keep that in mind as you decide if you are interested in reading it.

Soon to read on my list is How to Survivie a Robot Uprising, a non fiction work by the same author.  Best be prepared and all.