Mechanize My Hands to War

DEBUT In this near-future dystopian Appalachia, there are two stories. On the surface, it’s about the charismatic leader of a growing militia group using age-old grievances to recruit fighters, train child soldiers, and stockpile explosives, while being hunted by two federal agents he helped to raise. Robots are replacing both factory and farm workers, and hatred of them is a fundamental piece of the militia’s recruitment. The feds use robots as SWAT teams and shock troops, which doesn’t help the situation since it’s easier to hate robots than to delve into the thorny problem of why they exist in the first place. And no one has asked the robots if they have dreams or ambitions of their own. The nonlinear storytelling shows all perspectives: the displaced militia members, the worn-down feds, the ordinary people who can’t cope without robotic assistance, the robots who have exceeded their programming, and the laws and regulations that created the mess. As each facet is turned, readers will find more depth in the story and much to think about long after the book ends.