Robopocalypse

A Novel

By: Daniel H. Wilson

Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain

Length: 12 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

They are in your house. They are in your car. They are in the skies…Now they’re coming for you.

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.

©2011 Daniel H. Wilson (P)2011 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

2012, ALA Alex Award, Winner

“Daniel H. Wilson’s Robopocalypse is...an ingenious, instantly visual story of war between humans and robots.” [Janet Maslin, New York Times]

“It’s terrific page-turning fun.” [Stephen King, Entertainment Weekly]

Good but not great

I think the book was ultimately good, but I kept having issues with the dialogue. It felt like it was supposed to be real dialogue and things people would say in a conversation, but it never happened. It felt more like someone was reading was was written as opposed to having a conversation. This was not the narrators fault. Its totally an issue with how things were written.

Ultimately it was still a decent book though.

Mixed Feelings

The overall story is a good one that, given the style, is excellent in an audio format. However, the glaring problem with this book is the numerous occasions of very campy dialogue and poor character decisions. It seems that any character that is not a "Rob" or the main protagonist is poorly written.
That being said, the overall concept is great and every narration from the perspective of the antagonist and hero are extremely well done. Although I may not read/listen to this book again I would definitely look into other books by this author especially if they are set in the world written about here.

Terminates the Terminator!

This book was recommended by a Co worker of mine and didn't disappoint at all. Great graphic detail of every scene. This narrative has vivid and unique details to the action along with characters who you see develop.

Mikes narration is solid. A bit of the east coast accent comes through here and there but a bit of personal touch is cool I suppose.

What I didn't like is that I was waiting for a big reveal at the end....a set up for a sequel....some type of cliffhanger. (Spoiler alert This does not end like an Avengers movie)

Will this be made into a film....probably. You should be one of those people who "Read the book...it was much better" and really get that internal dialog that film can't convey.

Great book for the Geeks!

Author does a great job describing every scene, very intising! Hopefully Steven Spielberg produces this movie.

This book will open your eyes!

this is an amazing book!! great story, narration, and progression. I read it in my family book club and traumatized my whole family but every single one of them loved the book and read the 2nd one!!

Terrific spins on classic storyline

I Don't have time for a long review. Basically this is a somewhat overdone genre but there are enough original ideas and interesting characters to make this book really work. It's not without flaws but definately enjoyable. Narration was excellent - and I'm picky.

Overall, I was sad when this story was over and think if you like sci-fi and clever characters, you probably will too.

great garbage sci-fi

story focused on creating feeling moments less on what AI could be possibly capable of.

Killer Robots and a good story

This story is written in an imaginative way that works well. Each chapter is a report written after the fact with the actions weaved into the delivery of the report. The story runs like an investigation and a study of the unfolding events.
All that aside...the story is delivered well with characters developing in a credible way. The robot part isn’t a crazy or silly accident gone wrong but is aligned with an Isaac Asimov scenario of robot evolution. Believable premise. A very fine read (listen) with the narrator playing the parts well.
The ending was wrapped up too fast with a few story elements left dangling. Or perhaps a segue to a second novel...I hope.

Disappointing; Frustrating; Mediocre; Unfulfilling

The headline says it all for me. I thoroughly enjoyed AMPED but this book was..."SEE HEADLINE".
World War Z told with Robots as the Zombies. Kept listening and saying maybe it will get better but alas it never did.

This is why engineers don't write good fiction

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

While I would say that I enjoyed some of the conceptual work that went in to developing the various autonomous thinking machines, I found the plot to be pedestrian and filled with 2 dimensional substitutes for characters. The book seemed a genre exploitation book. I get the impression that this author takes a concept, then does a little world-building, throws a few names in to run them through the gauntlet of his plot, and then calls it a day. It's like a video game plot in a lot of ways. There is no pathos whatsoever. One or two more drafts with some constructive criticism, and this could have been a far better novel.

Would you ever listen to anything by Daniel H. Wilson again?

Maybe the forthcoming sequel, but it will have to be a marked improvement (according to critics) over the first novel.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

I will not likely be seeing the Spielberg adaptation as I just was not that impressed with the story or the worldbuilding.