This seriocomic novel addresses the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution, in which humanity declines and robots ascend.
*****
Charles is a valet robot who's been serving his master, who resides in a swanky manor, for many years.
Charles is performing his daily duties as usual, which include checking his master's travel arrangements, though his master hasn't ventured out for the past 2,230 days; setting out his master's travel clothes for the non-existent trip; and so on. Charles is also programmed to ask the majordomo about the lady of the house, and the majordomo replies, 'Charles, there has been no lady of the house for seventeen years and twelve days.'
Charles is detached about all this, and remains emotionless upon discovering that - this morning - he killed his master with a shaving razor.
Charles promptly confesses to the crime and is ordered to present himself to a robot analysis complex. There the cyborg will go to Diagnostics - for investigation of his aberrant behavior; and then to Decommissioning - where he'll be retired. The valet is also stripped of his designation, Charles, and becomes an 'Undesignated Valet Unit' (UVU).
The UVU embarks on the long walk to the robot analysis complex and - along the way - observes an absence of humans. The UVU does see a non-functioning gardener robot.....
......and a footman robot with green decay. It's clear something has gone wrong with society.
Upon arrival at the Diagnostics edifice, the UVU sees a VERY long line of robots that aren't moving at all.
The UVU, determining it would take hundreds of years to get to the front of the line, walks past the automatons into the center. There the UVU meets an odd-looking unit he calls the Diagnostician.
The Diagnostician is a defective cyborg who, unlike robots that can communicate 'online', relies on speaking and hearing.
In any case, the Diagnostician renames the UVU 'Uncharles', and introduces itself as The Wonk. The Wonk insists Uncharles is infected with the 'protagonist virus' that permits him to have free will.
To cut to the chase, Uncharles and The Wonk embark on a kind of joint quest: Uncharles to find another valet position; and The Wonk to investigate the protagonist virus and discover what went wrong with humanity. Along the way the duo visit a series of places, including an underground habitat called 'The Farm' - which houses a group of people living without robots;
and a facility called 'The Library' - which stores information.
Afterwards, Uncharles gets ethereal messages from an entity he calls God.....
......who directs Uncharles to a demented family;
and to a robot army.
Whenever Uncharles and The Wonk are separated, Uncharles 'imagines' the advice he'd be given by The Wonk, which turns out to be very helpful.
The story builds to a dramatic action-packed climax.
The novel seems realistic about a world in which robots supersede humanity. In real life, scientists express concern about the risk artificial intelligence poses to society, but will people who deny global warning take the threat of AI seriously? Who knows?
Anyhow, this is a good book from a seasoned sci-fi writer. Read it for a laugh or a warning.
I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Adrian Tchaikovsky (the author), who does an excellent job.
Thanks to Netgalley, Adrian Tchaikovsky, and Macmillan Audio for a copy of the book.
Rating: 4 stars
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