ROBOPOCALYPSE (review)

It's 1 AM, do you know where your toaster is?

Daniel H. Wilson, Ph.D. has created a monster! His book, Robopocalypse is equal parts horrifying and plausible. The benefit of having a trained roboticist writing a novel is that they are inclined to rely on their experience. This science fiction novel is divided into five parts and told through the experiences of a variety of characters. The development of artificial intelligence, the increasing reliance on robot labor, and mankind's sense of entitlement are all explored.
 
Robopocalypse is about a war, but doesn't cheapen the story by focusing on gore. Wilson's characters swear, feel fear, are mistrusting, and ultimately human. I found this book to be highly enjoyable, though I would not recommend it for young readers. While some may compare Wilson to Crichton or Asimov, his work reminds me more of Max Brooks and World War Z (including an aged Japanese man who has superior, almost mystical skills that allow him to deal with hordes of enemies). I thoroughly enjoyed World War Z and I'm glad this book was done in a similar style.