Revolution 19

November 12, 2012
Newcomer Rosenblum provides another take on a dystopian future as he expands on an idea provided by writer-
directors James Wong (Final Destination) and Howard Gordon (24), who are developing this Alloy Entertainment property as a movie. On an Earth in which a robot uprising in 2051 was successful, small communities of free humans still exist in the wild more than a decade later. Teenage siblings Nick, Cass, and Kevin barely escape when robots destroy their settlement. Determined to find and free their missing friends and family, the trio infiltrate one of the robot-controlled cities, where they discover what it’s like to live under the totalitarian thumb of the artificial oppressors, make new allies, and inadvertently become the face of a new
rebellion. The concept is sound—think Terminator meets The Matrix meets The Tripods—but while a fast pace is typically a good thing, the story sometimes slingshots from one segment of plot to the next without taking the time to fully develop them. Nevertheless, it’s a strong start to what looks to be an exciting series. Ages 13–up.

May 1, 2013

Gr 8 Up-In the not-so-distant future, a robot revolution results in humans living in tightly controlled cities or in the wild outskirts, surviving by scavenging "pre-Rev" items. When their parents are captured during a "bot" raid on one such Freepost, three teens set out to rescue them. The siblings discover that the City, while still commanded by the robots, is not a prison but a thriving community. They make a friend who offers to shelter them and act as guide. After being implanted with dummy chips to blend in better, 15-year-old Cass and 13-year-old Kevin attend school, where students are indoctrinated with robot propaganda. A too-brief explanation is given for how robots were able to enslave humans: the robots that replaced human soldiers during warfare eventually evolved and took over to "save mankind from itself." The teens are nearly caught and make a daring escape, as does 17-year-old Nick, who has allowed himself to be captured to find his parents in the reeducation center. More action follows as Kevin temporarily overloads the power system and disables the bots (using a stolen identity that conveniently allows access to the mainframe). The climax and epilogue leave many unresolved issues that indicate a sequel. Fans of dystopian fiction will find Revolution 19 fast paced and entertaining, but Daniel Wilson's Robopocalypse (Doubleday, 2011) offers more satisfying speculation about the dangers of our reliance on technology.-Sherry J. Mills, Hazelwood East High School, St. Louis, MO

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2012
Grades 7-10 In 2051, the intelligent robots employed to fight our wars fought back. Now, two decades later, the only humans living outside of robot control are based in small encampments scattered throughout the wilderness. After their parents are captured for reeducation, teen siblings Nick (the brave one), Kevin (the clever one), and Cass (the athletic one) sneak into the city to try to save them. But the city is not what they expected: it's clean, productive, and pleasant. Underneath, though, seethe dissidents who don't appreciate the robots' stated goal to protect humankind from itself. The subtext here is the inherent value of exercising free will, but the surface appeal comes from good old-fashioned sci-fi action starring remorseless laser-firing robots and ridiculously brave and selfless teenagers. The section that differentiates this book from others involves Nick undergoing the reeducation treatment himselfit's ominous, alarming, and unpredictable. This comes from the minds of two Hollywood directors, Howard Gordon and James Wong, so one wonders if a feature film might be in the offing.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)