Doug Chiang

Orson Scott Card

While the dwindling human population battles for survival against a society of robot warriors, Caps searches to uncover his past and create a future for himself and his people.

Robota hc

Kirsten Simkiss

I’m giving this 2.5 stars, but I’m rounding up to 3. This book is probably not one I will recommend to others for plot, but I would recommend the artworks contained within. This is more a coffee table book of sci-fi artwork for me. And really, that artwork is fantastic. It is 100% why this book got more than one star for me. Doug Chiang did a great job showcasing his fictional world using his art.

Unfortunately, the story is just not that interesting. Robots taking over the world from humans is not a new plot. Genetically manipulated humans isn’t either. But what IS new these days really? The BEST way to sell a book to your readers is to give them characters that they can love and admire and relate to. Unfortunately, paper thin is too thick when it comes to describing these characters. Throughout the book, each character had about one personality trait total, maybe two if you squint. Beryl was anger, Caps was empathy, Juomes was pride, Rend was capricious, and Elyseo was calmness. Really, they don’t differ from that at all. It didn’t make for fun reading, even with as little text as there is in this
book. The plot was kind of what you’d expect, a brief adventure, a “dramatic” reveal, a human colony of outlaws hiding from the robot overlords, and a fight to the end. I wish I could say it was an interesting thing, but it really wasn’t. The dramatic reveals are easy to see coming, with maybe one exception. I won’t spoil it though, just in case you’re considering reading it.

If anything, I recommend picking it up to look at the illustrations. Those are really the star of this book. But this is not a book I, personally, will be keeping.