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  • Re: Mechanize my Hands to War by Erin K. Wagner

    From Titus G@3:633/10 to All on Friday, June 12, 2026 17:01:04
    On 23/03/2026 02:32, Scott Dorsey wrote:
    This book was published in Dec 2024 and as such is not eligible for a 2026 Hugo. This is a shame since it deserves a Hugo.

    The story is told in bits and pieces, some of them retold several times
    from different viewpoints, all out of order. I like that style and I think it works well here although you may spend the first third of the book wondering what is going on. By the end of the book it's be clear, although you still won't know what the future holds.

    This takes place in a world in which androids have become available and
    the economy is collapsing. Outlaw groups are holding the androids responsible for the collapse and the government is chasing after them
    with the assistance of more androids. The androids are not quite sure
    how they feel about this, or if they feel at all.

    This is a very political book but it's hard to tell what the political
    stance it follows is and that's what makes it great.
    --scott

    I'm forgetting details already but basically the children of the
    inventor? of an AI android are in conflict, he as the controller of two androids used for law enforcement and she as leader? or member of an
    illegal group opposed to the use of AI androids. The robots are used to
    track the "terrorists". The clumsy title didn't help me at all as I
    think that the purpose of the book was to question the safety of AI and
    ask whether AI can lead to AE, artificial emotions, but, as Scott said,
    the questions are not answered. I did not enjoy the content as much but
    I agree that the out of time sequence and different perspectives were brilliant.


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