Overview
Even in Empire City, a town where weird science is the hope for tomorrow, it’s hard for a robot to make his way. It’s even harder for a robot named Mack Megaton, a hulking machine designed to bring mankind to its knees. But Mack’s not interested in world domination. He’s just a bot trying to get by, trying to demonstrate that he isn’t just an automated smashing machine, and to earn his citizenship in the process. It should be as easy as crushing a tank for Mack, but some bots just can’t catch a break.
When Mack’s neighbors are kidnapped, Mack sets off on a journey through the dark alleys and gleaming skyscrapers of Empire City. Along the way, he runs afoul of a talking gorilla, a brainy dame, a mutant lowlife, a little green mob boss, and the secret conspiracy at the heart of Empire’s founders—-not to mention more trouble than he bargained for. What started out as one missing family becomes a battle for the future of Empire and every citizen that calls her home.
Synopsis
A fantastic new read by the award-winning author of Gil’s All Fright Diner
Publishers Weekly
Martinez (In the Company of Ogres) tickles the funny bone in this delightful, fast-paced mishmash of SF and hard-boiled detective story. Mack Megaton drives a cab in the mutant-infested "technotopia" of Empire City. It's a step down for a massive killing machine created for world domination, but kindhearted Megaton has bucked his programming, and when his secretive neighbors, the Bleakers, go missing, he begins a search. Young Holt Bleaker has something in his mutant blood that makes him valuable to aliens poised to invade Empire City, and only a giant robot-a robot like Mack Megaton-can break him out of the fortress where he's held prisoner. Soon plans go awry when sinister psychic Grey subverts Megaton's programming, but he finds an unlikely ally in Lucia Napier, an outrageously beautiful and talented media star and roboticist. Eccentric characters, all of whom are clever twists on stereotypes, populate a smart, rocket-fast read with a clever, twisty plot that comes to a satisfying conclusion. (Feb.)
Copyright 2007 Reed Business InformationEditorials
From the Publisher
“Martinez tickles the funny bone in this delightful, fast-paced mishmash of SF and hard-boiled detective story. . . . A smart, rocket-fast read with a clever, twisty plot that comes to a satisfying conclusion.”—-Publishers Weekly on The Automatic Detective“Martinez crafts a private eye in the best tradition of hard-boiled futuristic detection, with plenty of beautiful babes and evil geniuses, and written in classic wise-cracking first-person narrative.”—-Booklist on The Automatic Detective
"Reformed warrior robot Mack Megaton searches for a missing family—-and a moral purpose—-in a city of exotic mutants. . . . Mack's smash-and-grab mission acquires some satisfying philosophical heft."—-Entertainment Weekly on The Automatic Detective
“A terrific debut. The fast-paced plot is full of memorable incidents and wonderful observations.”—-Publishers Weeklyon Gil’s All Fright Diner
Publishers Weekly
Martinez (In the Company of Ogres) tickles the funny bone in this delightful, fast-paced mishmash of SF and hard-boiled detective story. Mack Megaton drives a cab in the mutant-infested "technotopia" of Empire City. It's a step down for a massive killing machine created for world domination, but kindhearted Megaton has bucked his programming, and when his secretive neighbors, the Bleakers, go missing, he begins a search. Young Holt Bleaker has something in his mutant blood that makes him valuable to aliens poised to invade Empire City, and only a giant robot-a robot like Mack Megaton-can break him out of the fortress where he's held prisoner. Soon plans go awry when sinister psychic Grey subverts Megaton's programming, but he finds an unlikely ally in Lucia Napier, an outrageously beautiful and talented media star and roboticist. Eccentric characters, all of whom are clever twists on stereotypes, populate a smart, rocket-fast read with a clever, twisty plot that comes to a satisfying conclusion. (Feb.)
Copyright 2007 Reed Business InformationSchool Library Journal
In Empire City, whose official name is Technotopia, free-willed robot Mack Megaton undergoes rehabilitation to help him develop social skills and eventually qualify him for citizenship. When the human family next door disappears, Mack takes it personally and sets out to find them-a decision that necessitates his return to his original purpose as a killing machine. The author of Gil's All Fright Dinercontinues his comic approach to sf, this time spoofing hard-boiled detective fiction as well as the "robot-as-hero" image conjured up by books and movies such as I, Robot and Blade Runner. Quirky humor, intelligent storytelling, and engaging characters make this a good choice for most sf collections.
—Jackie Cassada
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