7/12: Daniel H. Wilson, "Robopocalypse"

[Casilda]

After a photo finish, I get to announce that the Book Club selection for July and August is Robopocalypse by Daniel H. Wilson!

The war is over. It's time to see what we can find.

SPOILERS AHEAD

[gafra]

I'll need to re-read this now, but I really enjoyed this novel.

Thinking back, it's clear that this author has looked into the psychology of war a little. For example, the common enemy to the human population became known as "Rob" or "Robbie". A simple thing, but remember that in the last world wars nationalities were known by similar nicknames.. "Tommy(ies)" were British soldiers, "Jerry" became the name for Germans etc.. Maybe it has something to do with trying to relate to an enemy in human scale, or more likely trying to generalise them into a single entity. By saying "Jerry is coming across the Channel to invade us" it's an attempt to disguise the fact that it was thousands of individual Germans rather than a national drive to invade.

[NothingButheRain]

Just starting reading this.

[DawnAZ]

Just finished the book today. I read fast, in a day. While it's a huge rip-off of World War Z in format and content, I still found it quite interesting and a good read. The enemy is vastly different than zombies and I found those details added to my enjoyment. I felt like the book showed the good, bad and really ugly of human response in the fast of such an event and the slow rise of reason over panic.

Is it possible for a sentient being to really control another? I am the master of my dogs, but they make their own choices whenever an opportunity presents itself. I found Rob to be as disillusioned as we are about the creator/created relationship. Very different look at a robot uprising compared to Terminator or BSG. Good, fun read!

[Beeblebrox2.0]

Aside from his personal "death" (assuming he didn't manage to export is program) I can't find anything to indicate the war didn't go exactly the way Archos planned it. Human population is greatly reduced, the natural world is flourishing, and machine sentience is officially recognized.

[BishopMontanha]

I was curious to what the hype was, the thing that made me go Ohhhhh was the end paragraph to the Japanese robot story..I thought now I'm interested.

EDIT - They better be thinking about doing a movie about this book.

[Beeblebrox2.0]

I would watch the s*** out of that movie.

[gafra]

I would watch the s*** out of that movie.

Yuuup I'd be there....

[BishopMontanha]

They are doing a movie but it's been put on hold due to the director not happy with script.