If you’re thinking the name Robopocalypse says it all, you’re not wrong—but that doesn’t stop it being a fun romp through the not-so-distant future.
You may have already heard of Robopocalyse—it’s gotten some press over the film rights being snatched up by DreamWorks before the novel was even finished (Steven Spielberg is already signed on to direct). It’s odd, but far be it from me to question Mr. Spielberg.
At first, the media buzz ove this title made me chuckle. I mean… Machines Take Over has been done. A Lot.
But where Robopocalypse shines is its unique take on the concept. Rather than focus on a central protagonist to save us from ourselves—e.g., The Terminator or Neo—Wilson pits humanity as a whole against the artificially intelligent Archos by creating a body of characters across all borders and walks of life.
I was a little nervous about it at first—a reader’s first instinct is to focus in on a central character or group of characters—but the characters to recur reguarly throughout the novel, expertly woven into each other.
Wilson also manages not to overthink the approach by weaving the storylines too closely—I’ve heard people refer to this as the Crash effect (after the 2004 film), butRobopocalypse doesn’t take it that far. Some of the characters meet, some don’t—some make sacrifices or choices that may go unknown to all but the reader.
Another thing setting Robopocalypse apart is its pacing. This isn’t one of those dime novels with soldiers firing laser guns thirty pages in; Wilson approaches his robot uprising with the attitude of a barbeque pit boss—low and slow, giving the reader a birds-eye-view of how it all went down. Coupled with his direct and matter-of-fact writing technique, you won’t want to put Robopocalypse down.
I’ll admit it, I was surprised by just how much I enjoyed Robopocalyse. Like I said, the name says it all, but it’s a fun ride. Go to your local bookstore, download the sample; I’m betting you’re hooked in the first eleven pages.
See also: Author Interview: Daniel H. Wilson Talks About Robopocalypse—AND What’s Next
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4/5
This review is based on an Advance Reader’s Copy of Robopocalypse. As always, the opinions expressed are mine alone.
