Darwinia: A Novel of a Very Different Twentieth Century

by Robert Charles Wilson

(New York: Tor Books, 1998)

Paperback, 372 Pages, Fiction

ISBN: 9780812566628, US$6.99

ABCD Rating: BACKLIST

From the Cover: In 1912, history was changed by the Miracle, when the old world of Europe was replaced by Darwinia, a strange land of nightmarish jungle and antediluvian monsters. To some, the Miracle is an act of divine retribution; to others, it is an opportunity to carve out a new empire. Leaving an America now ruled by religious fundamentalists, young Guilford Law travels to Darwinia on a mission of discovery that will take him further than he can possibly imagine … to a shattering revelation about mankind’s destiny in the universe.

My Review: I’ve had this book on my shelves and in my TBR pile for about two years now, and it was only now, as we were moving from Utah to Washington State so I could attend grad school, that I could find the time to sit down and read it. What first drew me to Wilson’s novel was the synopsis from the back of the book (as transcribed above). I mean, really … who could resist a literary come on like that? I was hooked even before I had read a single page.

What I found within the pages of Darwinia was a novel that was much deeper and more in the realm of true science fiction than I had expected. Wilson executes a classic (and very subtle) bait-and-switch with the plot, and by the time the Reader realizes what is going on in the story, it is too late and they are drawn deep into the plot and invested heavily in the characters … especially that of Guilford Law.

I’ll try not to say too much about the plot because to do so would be to flirt with spoilers, so rather than do that, I’ll just leave you to discover the plot twists on your own.

I will say, though, that it was not what I expected and that is not necessarily a good thing. I am all for being surprised by a book, but I went into Darwinia with certain expectations, namely a kind of steampunk-ish adventure with strange creatures on a new continent that suddenly appears overnight, and for about half of the novel, that is what I got. Then, however, Wilson throws a hanging left turn into unadulterated science fiction that comes out of nowhere, and while I admire what he did (and I’ll say this: the plot twist he throws is brilliant and unlike anything I have seen in a long time), it took me a while to adjust my expectations to what Wilson had written. It was, to say the least, a hard thing to do.

That aside, though, Wilson has created an incredible alternate Twentieth-Century in Darwinia and in terms of character, he is an absolute genius. Guilford Law is one of the most believable and realistic fictional characters that I have encountered in a very long time. I was completely captivated by the situation(s) into which Wilson threw Law and then had him work his way out of. It takes quite a bit of effort to keep reminding yourself that this is in fact a fictional book, and that Guilford Law does not exist, and that is just about as high a compliment that I can think to give any one author.

All in all, Darwinia is a fascinating read, but when you go in, make sure to check your expectations at the door. Otherwise, like me, you may find yourself left high and dry halfway through the book and needing to reassess what you thought the novel was going to be about, because believe you me, no matter what you think Darwinia is about … you’re going to be wrong and Wilson will surprise you.

How to Survive a Robot Uprising: Tips on Defending Yourself Against the Coming Rebellion (Audio)

by Daniel H. Wilson

read by Stefan Rudnicki

(Ashland: Blackstone Audio, 2006)

MP3 Audiobook, 42.2 MB, 3 Hours, Survival Guide

ISBN: 9780786171484, US$27.00

ABCD Rating: BACKLIST

“You probably found How to Survive a Robot Uprising in the humor section. Let us hope that that is where it belongs.”

From the Cover: How do you spot a robot mimicking a human? How do you recognize and deactivate a rebel servant robot? How do you escape a murderous “smart” house, or evade a swarm of marauding robotic flies? In this dryly hilarious survival guide, roboticist Daniel H. Wilson teaches worried humans the secrets to quashing a robot mutiny. From treating laser wounds to fooling face and speech recognition, outwitting robot logic to engaging in hand-to-pincer combat, How to Survive a Robot Uprising covers every possible doomsday scenario facing the newest endangered species: humans. Based on extensive interviews with prominent scientists and including a thorough overview of cutting edge robot prototypes like humanoid walkers, insect, gecko, and snake robots, this one-of-a-kind audiobook makes a witty yet legitimate introduction to contemporary robotics.

The book’s official website can be found HERE.

My Review: You know those books that you pick up on a whim because it looks like it’ll be a lark, and then when you’re done with it you’ve not only had a good laugh, but it has been informative as well? How to Survive a Robot Uprising is one of those books. I got it for no other reason than it looked like it would be a fun read. After all, I had enjoyed Max Brooks’ Zombie Survival Guide and this looked like it would be in the same vein.

It was, and I learned quite a bit about robotics in the process. Wilson (who received his PhD in robotics from Carnegie Mellon University) walks the reader through what is possible, what is being developed, and what is theoretical in the field of robotics today. It is very informative and quite fascinating, the things that robots can and will be able to do. Sure, he gives some survival tips in the process like learn to hide your heat signature from an IR robot’s sensors, and what to do in case your smart home turns against you (make sure you have a “safe” room with no electronics, and plenty of supplies) but really, the star of the first two-thirds of the book is the robotic theories that Wilson expounds upon.

That, then, brings us to the final third of the book in which Wilson lays out how robots could, theoretically, take over the world and what you should do about it: establish a safe location away from the robots, find other survivors and then bend together and fight back. Of course, that’s not all there is to it, but if I were to give you any more information, then you would have just as good a chance at surviving as I and my family would, and we can’t have that now, can we? After all, there will be a limited number of resources available in the event of such a rebellion and if you’re around, that means less for us. (Plus, this review is going out on the internet, and in the event of an uprising, we don’t want to robots to have access to too much information on how we plan on fighting back … though it just occurred to me that Wilson’s book is available for electronic download from such places as iTunes and Audible.com, so it may already be too late.)

As for Rudnicki, his basso profundo voice is perfect for narrating Wilson’s book, though, thinking back on it, how are we to really know that Rudnicki is Rudnicki? After all, one of the signs of a robot posing as a human—according to Wilson—is a lack of emotion, and Rudnicki is fairly emotionless in his delivery, adding only a certain wryness to his reading from time to time, so … maybe the robots have already begun their rebellion. Or is that paranoid talk?

This book is a great addition to any library, audio or in print … though you may want to pick up the print copy, just in case the robots do rebel…