Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

Tara wrote: "I'm not sure I'm truly getting the spirit of this prompt.

What do you think about counting Sourdough by Robin Sloan in this prompt? The main character programs a robot arm to work in the kitchen.
..."

Personally, I wouldn't count a book that doesn't depict a specific robot, cyborg, or AI as a sentient being with some degree of autonomy, or at least personified in some way that gives it a sense of having a personality (even if that is just a narrator projecting a personality onto a robot/AI).

Based on the descriptions you gave, it sounds more like the robots are inanimate tools rather than characters/beings with personality or a will of their own.
Kind of like how a plant can be considered a character if the readers are either given insight into it's thoughts or if there is at least some indication that it has/might have a will, but otherwise, it's a piece of scenery or an object.

At least that's my interpretation of the prompt, though I guess you can argue that there exist books with human characters that don't seem to have much personality or will of their own, or are merely a plot device... I'm going to stop before I start thinking way too much into this. =P
I hope this helps in some way!

Tara wrote: "Would you count either of those or should I go back to the drawing board? I can use both of these for other prompts, so I won't be mad it they aren't right...."


I have not read those books, so I can't be sure. The prompt is to find a book with a character who is robot/cyborg/AI. So it should be a character, maybe with a name or personality, but at least a character who has dialogue. Not necessarily a main character, but a sentient creature at least who has thoughts and communicates them. In Tin Men, do the robots make decisions and communicate with the humans?

I’d agree, that to be a “character”, the robot needs to have some level of agency/thought/speech. I read the Themis Files earlier and I wouldn’t count any of those because the robot is strictly a vehicle. To me, that’s the difference between Herbie the Love Bug or Kit to say the Mach 5 or the Batmobile.

Obviously everyone does the challenge in their own way, but by my interpretation, the fact that it says character and not just “involving”, means they wanted some degree of sentience.

I think that I Am C-3PO: The Inside Story would work for this prompt. It's a memoir by the actor, Anthony Daniels, who played C-3PO in all of the Star Wars Films. It's at least what I plan to read for this prompt. It's a good non-fiction option!

Catfishing on CatNet

Rachel wrote: "I think that I Am C-3PO: The Inside Story would work for this prompt. It's a memoir by the actor, Anthony Daniels, who played C-3PO in all of the Star Wars Films. It's at least what..."

That's my choice for this prompt as well.

I'm rereading The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy because I'm on vacation and it's the first thing I grabbed off my shelf. All five of the books are in this volume, so I might be able to check off some other prompts too.

The Cyberiad by Stanisław Lem is the book I'm reading for this prompt. Pretty much every character is some sort of a robot or AI. It's a bunch of short stories about two robot inventors. I'm not normally much of a science fiction reader, but it's interesting ... and weird ... and kind of funny ... and did I mention weird?

It's also available on Kindle Unlimited, if you have access.

There's a book available through Audible (audio book) called "Interview with the Robot" by Lee Bacon - it was well done for an audio book and interesting to follow. I would have chosen Cinder by Meyer, but I read it a few years ago. :)

Fun throw-back from 1923: The Clockwork Man by E. V. Odle.

Holds a wide appeal, will have a resonance for those enjoying steampunk, old-style future-dystopia and science fiction novels. Bonus: it's not crazy long.

Quirky and expertly read LibriVox audiobook (can also be read online from Gutenberg.org or Archive, probably HathiTrust as well).

I read No One Here Is Lonely, and I really liked it!

I read The Prey of Gods, I liked it. It's rising demigods meets ai uprising, set in South Africa.

I read All Systems Red. The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells

Raquel wrote: "For anyone who just wants a really quick read for this one (or who enjoys sweet middle grade graphic novels anyway), Zita the Spacegirl makes more than one robot friend over the cour..."

Thanks for suggesting this! This prompt was really not my favorite (and I've read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy so those were out for me)--what a cute little book! Easy way to fulfill a prompt and have another book read toward my goal for the year. It's meant for younger kids, so I doubt it even took me 2 hours to read--especially as it is a graphic novel (which I always like reading more of!). If you hate this prompt, Zita is for you!!

If you want a quick read: I (28M) created a deepfake girlfriend and now my parents think we’re getting married is a short story contemporary romance(?) that fits this prompt, and it's available online (linked on the goodreads page).

and it's hilarious

thanks for the suggestion, Unfortunately, I can't find the book anywhere

It's in the small print after "URL" (though I don't know if it shows up on the app). Here's a direct link:
https://www.technologyreview.com/s/61...

Indeed, that link does not show up in the app 🙄 one more reason GR has to fix their app. Also the reason why I always include a link to the short in my review, to try to help out haha!! (Not this one, I haven’t read it yet)

Fahrenheit 451 and The Martian Chronicles would work for Bradbury fans. Also, the Maze Runner Series

Phoenix Extravagant releases June 9 and involves a main character who steals a dragon automaton. robot dragons? yes please

Also the cover is incredible:

oh yes please!

I had never read anything by Adam Levin, but Bubblegum is a wild ride. It is LONG and sometimes exhausting but also full of clever wordplay and exhilarating inner monologue by the (questionably) schizophrenic protagonist and ultimately worth it. Part literary fiction, part dystopia, and unlike any book I've read.

I think the eye of minds series should work.for this actually

by Garth Nix
Just reread this and I had totally forgot it worked for this prompt. It is dystopian sci-fi ya and a bit weird.

I read Skyward because I <3 Brandon Sanderson. It was awesome as always.

Just wondering if Wildcard would work for this prompt - the character Zero? I've read it for a prompt last year but really enjoyed the series despite not being into sci-fi type books. Might be good for others like me.

Happiness for Humans was pretty cute. Easy read

For non sci-fi fans, Crier's War is a fantasy novel with robots (they're made using alchemy/magic). I thought it was just decent, but judging by all the rave reviews, if you read it you'll probably like it better than I did.

I read The God Game Trippy! Wow, this grabbed me and didn’t let go. It was sort of a cross between Ready Player One and something Dan Brown would write. Maybe Angels & Demons. Yes, look up the chapter titles and references you don’t know – it makes the book even more worth it.

It is also a strange crossover mix of YA and adult – seniors in high school confronting teen drama and …. Crowdsourcing morality vs. conscience? I felt like I was on a pulse- pounding acid trip, and I had to read Thich Nhat Hanh at night so I could calm down and sleep! I HATED the AI, but loved the other characters. And the end … brilliant, and maybe a teeny wee hint of a sequel?

Would Girls with Sharp Sticks work for this prompt?

I was working on the reading the Robert Langdon series and the last book Origin fit for this category as one of the characters is an AI character. This book was not as good as the other books in series, but it was okay.

Currently reading

I have been reading the Expeditionary Force series by Craig Alanson, starting with Columbus Day. I've been reading the audiobooks which are fantastically read by R C Bray. The books centre around Joe Bishop who discovers an AI that he names Skippy, and they then saveEarth from an alien invasion. They get into lots of scrapes together throughout the series (there are about 10 or so books in this series now!).

This is not my favorite plot and I'm drawing a bit of a blank. Would Frankenstein be considered an artificial being/robot-esque?

Frankenstein's monster is completely biological with no mechanical parts (as far as I remember), so he wouldn't count.

Glancing at your shelves you seem to read a lot of YA fantasy, so here's a couple books that might work for you:
- The Diviners - historical fantasy set in 1920s New York, but there just happens to be one character who's a cyborg
- Crier's War - high fantasy featuring a forbidden enemies-to-lovers romance between a princess and a rebel. This has a lot of Automae (basically robots) but they are crafted using magic/alchemy so it completely reads as a fantasy book.

DEV1AT3 by Jay Kristoff. this one is filled with robots, so yeah, gonna go with this one.

Alicia, have you tried Melissa Meyer's Lunar Cycle books? The first one is Cinder, a Cinderella retelling where Cinderella is a cyborg. It's sci fi, but I've seen a lot of people who aren't huge on sci fi enjoying them since they're also a fairytale retelling.

I LOVE SFF, but I've got close family members who hate it, so I think I've got an idea of what will work for non-SFF fans.

For reluctant SFF readers who are looking for an AI/cyborg/robot book, I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend both:
* the Lunar Chronicles series, starting with Cinder
* the MurderBot series, starting with All Systems Red (bonus: the first four books in this series are novellas, so it's short! so even if you can't stand reading SF, you'll be done quickly. And OMG I love MurderBot sooooo much.)

For people who enjoy YA but don't usually like SF, I also highly recommend the Illuminae series. I loved it, but I've seen some readers complain that it was a bit too juvenile for their taste.

For people who enjoy YA and/or graphic novels, I recommend the nearly wordless but yet emotionally moving book Robot Dreams

For people who enjoy middle grade books and graphic novels, I recommend the Zita the Spacegirl series

I used this prompt as a push to finally read 2001 A Space Odyssey, and it was phenomenal. This is easily in my top ten (maybe even top five) all-time favourites. It is stunning. Now I’m off to watch the film!

Nadine- that post was SUPER helpful. Thank you!

Britany wrote: "Nadine- that post was SUPER helpful. Thank you!"



:-) I hope you can find something you enjoy

SAME girl!

I read The Perfect Wife for this prompt. Really good book.

I'll be reading Silently and Very Fast by Catherynne M. Valente. This a novella about a smart device that becomes deadly. After reading the prompt I was hooked. This is a very recommended book, now I'll read it for this prompt.

I got lazy and went with something from the Star Wars universe since I had it on the shelf. The Mandalorian Armor by K.W. Jeter It had A.I. cyborgs (Vader) and robots

Finished Scythe by Neal Shusterman

My Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I moved my first choice Plum Rains to another prompt and substituted it with A Life Without End by Frédéric Beigbeder. Interestingly, both books have a character who is a social companion robot.

I read "Cog" by Greg Van Eekhout.

Click Here For Murder by Donna Andrews — Turing Hopper is an AI. This book would also have fit this year’s social media category or last year’s RPG.

Just read Hench for this and it was so good. This genre is out of my comfort zone but Hench was so unputdownable. Would recommend.