Mechanize My Hands to War

Wagner (An Unnatural Life) wows in this nuanced look at the implications of AI on humanity. Fears about the impact of advanced robots on jobs have led to tens of thousands of Americans joining Eli Whitaker’s Civil Union Militia, which targets factories to destroy any androids or robots working there, sometimes accidentally killing human workers in the process. In 2060, the effort to stop the militia is led by acting ATF director Adrian Hall, who has a past with Whitaker. Her tactics are criticized after an automated soldier kills a child during a raid on Whitaker’s Appalachian base. Wagner widens her gaze backwards, forwards, and sideways, detailing Hall’s history with her adversary, future developments in her campaign, and what the fatal raid looked like from alternate perspectives. Throughout, Wagner exhibits a flair for realistic worldbuilding, imagining a future in which, among other changes, health insurance companies charge lower premiums to those whose home health needs are provided by a skilled humanoid robot rather than another human being. The result is a sharply imagined and all too plausible exploration of the future of AI. Fans of C. Robert Cargill’s robot novels will be impressed. (Dec.)