A scientist alone in a lab is working with his creation, an artificial intelligence computer program, which then kills the scientist then assumes control of all robots on earth, commanding them to kill every human on the plant. Isn’t that how it always happens? Robopocalypse: A Novel by Daniel H. Wilson read by Mike Chamberlain Doubleday / Random House Audio June 2011 This novel is not your typical end-of-the-world scenario though. The first chapter starts at the end of the Robot War, and after the defeat of Archos their A.I. master. Cormac Wallace, our narrator, then proceeds to tell the story of how the Robot War started (with said scientist in his lab,) Zero Hour, when the robots turned on humans, and the war. Each chapter is from the first or second person perspective, usually put together from video feeds or other historical records (like World War Z). Through the story we follow along with a multitude of characters coming to understand the dangers they face and learning to cope with the new world they live in. Along the way, we see photojournalists turn into heroic soldiers, construction workers take the battle to the robots, American Indians unite to create a civilization in the wilderness, and more. The story was compelling for many reasons, not least of which is that the battle that Wilson – a real life Ph.D. in Robotics from Carnegie Mellon University – describes is absolutely possible. The dependence of humans on robots described in the pre-Zero Hour times looks uncomfortably like our world in just a few years. Everything from cars that steer themselves, to robots that clean your carpet are totally believable making this story much more than entertainment or a vague cautionary tale. This could happen. Soon. As a story, though, I found that I couldn’t wait to hear what happened next. It is so compelling that it was optioned by Steven Spielberg even before it went to print. (Film is currently in development for a 2013 release.) Chamberlain did a great job in the unabridged audiobook. He added urgency when necessary and a rugged determinism to the characters. This was no flat toned production. It was easy to follow along with the characters as he made no noticeable mistakes in voices while reading and each character had their own tone and accent. A well done reading that did everything you could ask for in an audiobook: he didn’t detract from the story and he added compelling personalization to the characters. This book was easily one of my favorites of 2011. A must read for fans of science and science fiction.