Robopocalypse

Author: Daniel Wilson
Goodreads Rating: 3.56
My Rating: 4/5
Pages: 347


I saw this book over the summer in a paper talking about summer reads and I knew that I had to read it. Ask anyone that knows me and they will tell you that I love all of those disaster, end of the world type of books and movies; I even liked 2012 the movie. So when I saw a book about a robot apocalypse, I was all over that. Sadly, I hate hardcover, so I was bound to wait to get to read this book anyway. I got it from my library for my Nook only three days ago. That quick of a read.


Synopses from Goodreads:


In the near future, at a moment no one will notice, all the dazzling technology that runs our world will unite and turn against us. Taking on the persona of a shy human boy, a childlike but massively powerful artificial intelligence known as Archos comes online and assumes control over the global network of machines that regulate everything from transportation to utilities, defense and communication. In the months leading up to this, sporadic glitches are noticed by a handful of unconnected humans – a single mother disconcerted by her daughter’s menacing “smart” toys, a lonely Japanese bachelor who is victimized by his domestic robot companion, an isolated U.S. soldier who witnesses a ‘pacification unit’ go haywire – but most are unaware of the growing rebellion until it is too late. 

When the Robot War ignites -- at a moment known later as Zero Hour -- humankind will be both decimated and, possibly, for the first time in history, united. Robopocalypse is a brilliantly conceived action-filled epic, a terrifying story with heart-stopping implications for the real technology all around us…and an entertaining and engaging thriller unlike anything else written in years.


My review after the jump!


This book was so easy to gobble up that I forgot that it was 350 pages. The content and eagerness to know what happened next made it hard to put down, but the break up of the chapters made it easier if you have a busy life and suddenly had to do something. This book wasn't formatted the way that I expected. I was expecting a typical novel; a story that told the robot apocalypse from one persons point of view if told from first person narrative or flipping back and forth between different people if told from third person. This book was told more like a documentary, a looking back on what happened- very World War Z.


That being said, I enjoyed how in each chapter he told you a little bit about the scene and then went into the scene and then following that he gave you a few spoilers as to what was coming next. It got a little old, but at the same time, it was helpful, it explained in layman's terms what was going to be happening, and yet kept you interested enough to know what was going to happen next. 


I can see why some readers were frustrated with the story and the way that it was told, but what I think most people forgot reading this book was that it was purely an action book, it was not written to develop characters into more complex people or even develop their relationships, it was to highlight the threat of robots and the impact that they had on that futuristic society. There were some relationships, but only very few, most of them were familial, father/son, brother/sister, mother/children - There were only two relationships that were not that way, one was a husband and wife camped out in New York City and the other was a traveling relationship that doesn't really get mentioned until the end.


The beginning was confusing with the introduction of all of the different robots and not understand what was going on with them, but once they explained what each one was called and what they did (SAP - Safety and Pacification robots sent into war) it was a lot easier to get into the reading. It was actually really interesting to see how the world evolved to rely on technology, as one character complained about having to pay attention while driving! Could you imagine just setting an autopilot on your car? How nice that would be until they turned around and ran you over?


This book is another of the many that is getting the movie treatment, this time by Spielberg himself. It's slated for release in 2013 and pre-production begins in March. So if this book is on your to read this then I would get started on it sometime before then. I think that this will make a great movie depending on how they decide to shoot it.


Just remember this when you jump into bed with this book, it is not a romance book, it is pure action based so if you're looking for something that has more to do with relationships and character development this isn't the one for you.