A Boy and His Bot

by Daniel H. Wilson

When young Code falls down a hole while following a mysterious robotic insect, he lands in a world that defies all imagination. Everything in Mekhos is made from metal and circuitry, including the citizens-who happen to be robots. To find his way home, Code must first cross Mekhos's bizarre and dangerous landscape to reach the Beam Stalk. There, an artifact known as the Robonomicon is being guarded by an evil ruler who has plans to destroy Mekhos. Can Code free the Robonomicon, save the robots of Mekhos from impending doom, and still get himself back to Earth in time to catch the school bus? With its dazzling array of robots and futuristic gadgetry, this rollicking story will hold special appeal for boys and budding sci-fi lovers everywhere.

Genres: Science Fiction, Audiobook, Middle Grade, Fantasy, Robots, Fiction, Young Adult

192 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 8, 2011

About the author

A Cherokee citizen, Daniel H. Wilson grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He earned a Ph.D. in Robotics from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. He lives in Portland, Oregon.

Reviews

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Boy and His Bot by Daniel H. Wilson is a middle grade science fiction/fantasy book that is very delightful. There is lots of robots creatures, a robot town, friendship, enemies, action, and growing up. Kids will love this book, happy ending and all.

[Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daniel H. Wilson knows how to write about robots. From  How to Survive a Robot Uprising: Tips on Defending Yourself Against the Coming Rebellion  to  Robopocalypse , he has taken the same material and re-packaged it in different forms. The tongue-in-cheek “guide” of How to Survive a Robot Uprising was more entertaining than the journal-entry styled Robopocalypse, but mostly because of its humor. In A Boy and His Bot, Wilson takes his knowledge of robots and wraps it in a children’s fantasy book. Somehow, this method worked better than the two books I’ve already mentioned, leaving me entertained and educated, but with a sincerity of story that was heartwarming.

Taking cues from works like  The Wonderful Wizard of Oz ,The Chronicles of Narnia, and  Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass , A Boy and His Bot immerses the reader in a world entirely comprised of robots. Via the stranger-in-a-strange-land approach, this book explores the many characteristics and traits that make robots different from humans. Often, these quirky characters have a lesson about robotics embedded within them. For example, through the “atomic slaughterbot,” we learn a bit about 3-D printing. There are also lessons about “linked” robots, biomechanical augmentation, and programming, even if they might not be apparent to the target audience.

While the fantasy aspect of this book was well done, I had to roll my eyes at the naming conventions of many of the characters and settings. I honestly don’t know any parents, no matter how nerdy they are, who would name their boy “Code.” Similarly, Mekhos (pronounced “Mech-ohs”) is an apt description of the world, but locations like the “Beam Stalk” are obviously pulling from more medieval fantasy tales. Despite all this, A Boy and His Bot is a fun story that will leave you entertained and could spark the interest of a young child to pursue robotics as a career choice.

A surreptitiously educational fantasy set in a world of robots, I give A Boy and His Bot 4.0 stars out of 5.

For more reviews of books and movies like this, please visit www.benjamin-m-weilert.com

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

YAYYYYY SO AWESOME i have to give this 5 stars out of nostalgia but if i were to read this for the first time today it'd be more like 3 or 3.5! Not a knock on the author or anything this book just was meant for little kids and I am. Not one..

I checked my dads amazon account lol and he got this book for me on his kindle NINE YEARS AGO.. almost exactly actually because he got it on march 9. REALLY WEIRD! I remember absolutely loving this book when I was little and it's definitely what sparked a lot of my enjoyment for this kind of story. I don't think I'd read much sci-fi before just because I was like 8 years old so it's definitely left a lasting impression on me. The way the author describes everything that's happening is so interesting to read, he's clearly passionate about the setting and characters and it shows!! I would want to live in Mekhos too honestly
Overall definitely a really good kids book and honestly if I had a billion dollars I would spend all of it making an animated movie or something, it's such a fun story and it deserves to be seen by a million people! That's all I've got for now CAROL OUT

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

So this was a juvenile book that I was lured into reading because of Daniel H. Wilson. While I was a bit apprehensive about this at first, I really loved it. The story was good, the world portrayed was vivid, and I plan to recommend the book to friends with geeky preteens.

[Alex Shrugged · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a children's book, probably early teens or younger.

The story: It is somewhat like a modern Alice in Wonderland where a boy accidentally finds himself in a different world with strange and at times comical dangers. It is his job to save this world from two destructive forces, one that will dissolve all robots and another that will enslave humans both in this artificial world and in the real world.

Any problems with the book? Nothing serious. The narrative is inconsistent, but I doubt most adults would notice much less children, but if you do notice it will draw you out of the story. This has happened to me on a few occasions when I knew more than the author did on a subject and the author made a blunder. The blunder pulled me out of my immersion in the story.

Any modesty problems? None that I recall.

I will probably not read this book again. It's target audience is at a level below teens and teenage level reading is about as low as I will go.

FYI, while reading this book I was reminded of the Leviathan series by Scott Westerfeld. That is a series aimed at children and young teens, but remains a good read for adults as well.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A boy named Code is on a school field trip. He is wandering around when he sees something strange. Following that thing, he ends up falling down a hole and ending up in Mekhos. The strange thing he had seen turned out to be this tiny little robot that he names Peep. As he wanders around Mekhos, Code learns that in order to go home, he must reach the Beam Stalk. But, before he will be able to do that, Code learns that all of the robots will be disassembled. Not wanting to see the robots destroyed, Code seeks a way to save them all. What follows is a very fun story about friendship.

This book was so much fun to listen to. David Ackroyd did a wonderful job with the narration, and several times I found myself laughing out loud at some of the interactions and/or reactions to things that were said. I especially love his early interactions with the slaughter-bot that he designed and had made. The conversation about not being allowed to slaughter and what the slaughter-bot would do then was so comical.

While this book is self-contained, I do find myself hoping for another book set in the same world, whether it is a direct sequel or not. The world of Mekhos is such a neat world that I want more stories set in it.

[Akoss · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young boy named Code is drawn into a world of robots which very existence depends on the human world not ever knowing that it actually exists. In his attempt to find his way back, Code discovers truths about his family especially his grandpa who had gone missing in the past.

This book was a mishmash of science fiction parody and fairytale retelling.
It’s a short book packed with action and the dialogue is a lot of fun. However I couldn’t help feeling like something was missing and that the plot was way too predictable.

If you’re looking for a fun quick science fiction read inspired from Native American folklore then this is for you.

[Matthew J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked Daniel H. Wilson's non-fiction like How to Survive a Robot Uprising, but I'm not as into his fiction. This book is, admittedly aimed at a young audience, and will likely entertain them. I'd argue the best children's literature (and film) is also entertaining for adults, and this didn't really move me. It's sort of a hodgepodge of Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz, but everything's robots. I guess I was kinda expecting a more sciency Science Fiction, but got a very Fantasy story...with robots.
Anyway, if you've got a young kid (I don't know kids, so I'll say like 8 or 10? Definitely "young reader," as opposed to "teen.") who likes robots, they should enjoy this.

[Jessica McCann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Boy and His Robot is a joy to listen to, full of sly humor and surprisingly warm tech energy. I loved the early banter with the slaughter-bot the protagonist built, where invention and ethics collide in a funny, human way. It’s solid science fiction with a vivid robot and technology world, plus an adventure that pulls you in with its twists. The book digs into genuine angst as Code weighs tough choices, and I was curious how it would end because the narrative keeps you hooked until the last moment, delivering a satisfying finish.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

When young Code falls down a hole while following a mysterious robotic insect, he lands in a world that defies all imagination. Everything in Mekhos is made from metal and circuitry, including the citizens-who happen to be robots. To find his way home, Code must first cross Mekhos's bizarre and dangerous landscape to reach the Beam Stalk. There, an artifact known as the Robonomicon is being guarded by an evil ruler who has

[Avery Ellison · Rating 2 out of 5]

They story was not complex but there are some things that would be worth talking about with upper elementary readers if they are curious about AI and mechanical engineering. Overall, there higher quality books on the market to serve this purpose. The writing quality simply was not there and the plot was not complex.

[Cecilia Rodriguez · Rating 1 out of 5]

While on a school field trip, Code stumbles across
a small robot that leads him into a mechanical
world inhabited by robots.
The language and sentence structure used
is a little immature and needs development.

[Readergirl77 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nathan really likes this book. He read it all on his own. He liked a lot of the characters like Gary the Slaughterbot, Peep who is a bird robot, and Code Lightfall. He calls it a rescue adventure story and he thought it was a great book.

[jles · Rating 4 out of 5]

We listened to the audio edition of this book. My children were entranced by it. What more is there to say? They are the target audience and loved it, I enjoyed it as well. Exciting and suspenseful.

[Marc · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is probably made for children, but I am a fan of Daniel H. Wilson. Also, it was a very quick read. I would describe it as a steampunk Wizard of Oz meets Indiana Jones and the last crusade. Had I read this as an adolescent, I probably would’ve rated this novel five out of five stars.

[Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one. Imaginative and fun. Safe for young readers.

[Marcel Kupka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vyjádřím se ukázkou. A ano, vidím v tom Alenku v říši divů... hlavně tu "steampunkovou", kterou natočil Tim Burton:)

Teď se už začal opravdu bát. Nejenže se ocitl sám v podivném nehybném lese plném robotických zvířat – ale teď ještě ke všemu tohle – kovová stěna složená z nohou pádících jako o závod. Od zářící překážky se zvedal vítr, který mu cuchal vlasy. Musím tu zeď nějak překonat, pomyslel si. Pískla jediná zřejmě zná cestu. Najdu ji a pak se odtud dostanu, slíbil si. Zpátky nahoru na pahorek, pak do školního autobusu a nakonec domů.
Kód zvedl větev a pomaličku ji postrčil směrem ke stříbrné pohybující se šmouze. Prásk! Jakmile se dřevo dotklo překážky, rozlétlo se na třísky. Kód zahodil zlomenou větev a pohladil si potlučenou ruku. Uvědomil si, že kdyby se téhle stěny dotkl rovnou, zlomila by mu ruku. A i kdyby dokázal vylézt na nějakou větev, stěna vypadala příliš vysoká, než aby ji přeskočil. Kód se rozhlédl na obě strany, ale nezdálo se, že by stěna měla nějaký konec. Připadal si maličký a osamělý. Otočil se a zadíval se směrem, odkud přišel. Zoufale zatoužil, aby se Pískla vrátila a on nad tím nemusel dumat sám.
Pak ucítil, že mu někdo poklepal na rameno.
„Tohle bylo velice hrubé,“ pronesla široká hmyzí tvář s chvějícími se tykadly. „Dokonce i na surovce žijícího v Podivných lesích.“
Kód pocítil úlek a překvapení současně, ale nezmohl se na jediné slovo. Jediné, co dokázal, bylo dál dýchat. Nad ním se tyčila hladká kovová tvář se smaragdově zelenýma hmyzíma očima. Když promluvila, ostrá kusadla klapala o sebe jako dva pilkové nože.
„No tak?“ vybídl jej tvor. „Neměl bys mi náhodou něco říct?“
Kód úžasem zalapal po dechu, když si uvědomil, že tvář je spojena s jakoby stonožčím tělem, táhnoucím se v oblouku do dáli. Právě tenhle tvor je ve sku-tečnosti ta stříbrná zeď! Pohybující se stěna z nohou zpomalila a nakonec se úplně zastavila. Jedna štíhlá nožka se zvedla a tvor se poškrábal na břiše, jako by byl kočka.
„Omlouvám se,“ vypravil ze sebe Kód a prohlížel si pozorně hmyzí tvář. Připadalo mu velice zvláštní, že tak nestvůrná věc pocházející bůhvíodkud hovoří dokonalou angličtinou.
„Já jsem jenom...“ začal, ale zajíkl se.
„Experimentoval?“
„Já jsem nevěděl, že jste... Chci tím říct...“ Kód ukázal na řadu vysokých štíhlých nohou. „To všechno jste vy?“ zeptal se.
„Přesně tak. Jsem Nekonečka, těší mě! Mrzí mě, že jsem tě vylekala. Ale po tom, jak jsi mě odporně píchl tou větví, jsme si naprosto kvit. Pokud ti náhodou naopak ještě něco nedlužím já.“
„Kde to jsem? Co je to tady za místo?“ zaprosil úpěnlivě Kód.
„Co to má být za hloupou otázku? Je přece naprosto očividné, že jsi v Mechosu. Pokud ti to nevadí, já už budu muset zase jít.“
Odpověď nedávala žádný smysl, ale záhadný tvor se už zase chystal znovu vyrazit tryskem do tmavého lesa.
„Počkejte,“ zaprosil Kód. „Já nejsem odtud. Já jsem se... ztratil. Musím zjistit, kde se tohle místo vlastně nachází, abych se dokázal dostat domů.“
Nekonečka scvakla kusadla k sobě a zachichotala se. „Můj milý malý surovče, Mechos se nachází přesně tam, kde má být, a vůbec nikde jinde. Jak všichni vědí, náš záhyb skutečnosti byl před celými věky vyříznut ze samotného prostoru a času.“
„Jak to myslíte? A kým?“
„Dávnými titány. Staviteli pahorků. Však víš přece, lidmi.“
„Lidmi?“ opakoval Kód.
„Přesně tak. Lidé jsou rasa příšer vysokých jako stromy a silnějších než přívaly Rtuťové řeky. To lidé vytvořili Mechos jako laboratoř. Jednalo se o jakýsi velký experiment. Ty o tom možná nemáš ani tušení, surovče, ale jsi pokus, který se vymkl kontrole. My všichni jím jsme.“
Kódovy myšlenky se rozběhly jako o závod. Stavitelé pahorků! Oni vytvořili tohle místo jako nějaký experiment? K jakému experimentu je zapotřebí celý nový svět, sloužící jako laboratoř?

[Trina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really didn't like this book. The author seemed to forget he was writing about "a completely unnatural"/"man made" world half the time.

Also, page 13. Peep, supposedly urging Code out of the cave, flashes blue, then gold. Then all of a sudden Code knows exactly what the color changes mean!

----"The bee purred and flashed to a bluish color, then quickly turned back to gold. Code was starting to figure out his new companion: blue meant sad and gold meant happy."----

Now, he has had very little time with this thing. Why would it turning blue then gold quickly, tell him that it felt sad for a tiny bit and then was super happy?

The author specifically emphasizes that nothing is natural.

----"Nothing was natural. Everything was made of metal or plastic or glass"----

----"The plants here seemed almost real."----

Now, if everything is fake, how can it smell like "wet grass and dirt and metal"? And why does that garden need mowers? Or "robots designed to trim, sculpt, and cultivate greenery"? Composters? Mulchers? Etc.

Also, why, if the author emphasizes that the tree branches/leaves can't move in the wind because they're metal, does the author later mention them moving/creaking?!?

These kind of things go on and on. The author even has these "Great Garbage Wars" which are, essentially, wars fought by the "King" against a crazy robot and his minions over where they paint smiley faces... Yeah. Note: this crazy robot was specifically mentioned to be simple minded and only able to paint smiley faces. So how could he move stars, destroy galaxies, rebuild a rocket, build thousands of other versions of himself, and fly a rocket?!? That ain't simple minded ya"ll. lol!

So, anyways. I really couldn't get into the world because something wrong was always happening to kick me out!

On the other hand, my 9 year-old brother loved it.

So, verdict is: Great book for children from
8-14. Lousy book for most preteens, teenagers, and adults.

Anyone who needs consistency throughout a book, with physical laws, world constraints and such, will hate this book.

[Charli · Rating 3 out of 5]

SLJ review:

Gr 4–7—Daniel H. Wilson's fast-paced tale (Bloomsbury, 2011) is about traditional values, friendship, and hope. Young Code Lightfall, a bullied loner whose grandfather went missing a year ago, is an unlikely hero. He discovers his inner mettle during a field trip when he follows a small robotic insect, Peep, through a hole in the ground and into the land of Mekhos, a robot world. Once there, parallels to the The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland are clearly drawn as Code meets Gary, an atomic slaughterbot, and races against time to find the legendary Robonomicon to save Mekhos and his new friends before The Great Disassembly. Wilson, whose adult titles include How to Survive a Robot Uprising (Bloomsbury, 2005), revs up the action with deadly consequences and fantastic robots, including an infinipede and delightfully stuffy ladybots. David Ackroyd's narration conveys Code's wonder at the world of Mekhos as well as his desperation to succeed in his mission. His mechanical voices, especially those of Gary and XO, are wonderful. For reluctant readers, sci-fi fans, and those who enjoy their action with a dash of whimsy.—Charli Osborne, Oxford Public Library, MI

[Seth Heasley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Daniel H. Wilson's first foray into juvenile fiction is full of whimsy and charm and comes with one of the more delightful characters you'd ever want to read: Gary the Atomic Slaughterbot. Just check out this encounter between Code Lightfall and the threatening Gary as Code realizes that he can order the bot around:

"Wait. You're my atomic slaughterbot?"
Gary paused. "That's right. And who are you?"
"I'm Code, and I need to ask you for a favor."
"Anything for you, Code." Gary waited for Code's command.
Code took a deep breath and then blurted it out: "No slaughter."
"Come again?"
"No slaughtering. You can't slaughter."
"Once more?"
"You aren't allowed to slaughter anyone. No slaughtering. Can't slaughter. No. Slaughter."
"Not quite sure I understand. Are you saying that I should not slaughter? Or is this a metaphor? Or some kind of riddle? I'm not very good at riddles. Only slaughtering."

In reading this one aloud for Ethan, I used my best Ted "Theodore" Logan from Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure voice. And it was most excellent. dude. Rad!

Full Review on my blog.

[Tom · Rating 1 out of 5]

Listened in the car on audiobook with my family. If I was reading it on my own, I'd never have gotten through it. I know people who know Daniel Wilson, so I wanted to give this a try, even though it didn't look my style. Yeah, even worse than I thought. It was like a mix of The Wizard of Oz, Labyrinth, The Neverending Story, and things like that. But I like those, and I disliked this. It just didn't work for me at all.

Nothing really offensive here. Since Wilson actually knows robotics (PhD and all), I expected more awesome robotishness, I guess, instead of everything aiming at the 3-year-old level. There was just a touch of actual robotics thinking here or there, and some of it wasn't my style still, but I was glad he put in a little of it. Not enough to win me over at all, though.

And yes, I know it was a book for kids. That's almost all I read. I guess when it came to the content of this book, what I hoped for wasn't what I got.

Sorry.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

YA book by the scientific mastermind Daniel H Wilson, possibly best known for his book Where's My Jetpack? This was an interesting, differently-styled read about a boy who follows a small...something into a hole and ends up in a robot universe where his grandfather disappeared to and where an evil robot, Immortalis, is looking to begin the "Disassembly" and end the world that they're in.

It's a humorous sci-fi adventure, with a lot more action in the story than I had expected. Far from perfect, but absolutely one of the better sci-fi books for this age group that does really need them. The ending did annoy me a little more than it probably should have, but that didn't take away from the journey on a whole. Worth your time.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can never understand why some books click children and the greater reading community at large and others do not. This one is a little on the complex side and may be hard to follow for some children, but the same can be said for most of the Harry Potter series.

Anyway, the main character, Code, gets transported to a robot wonderland when checking out an Indian burial mound on a school field trip. His granfather had disappeared there years earlier and finds that he too has become a prisoner of this strange robot world. The ending is a little less than conventional but nonetheless happy.

If you have a child in your life that loves robots, it is definitely a good idea for a gift.

[The Styling Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Boy and His Bot by Daniel H. Wilson – 4/5th grade and up – Science Fiction – I listened to this book because it recently popped up on a review list. I enjoyed actually listening to a solid science fiction book that had a fascinating robot/technology world and an interesting adventure. I loved the angst and decisions that Code has to grapple with throughout the adventure. I was curious how this book would conclude because the author kept you listening/reading until the last moment and then finished off the story with a good ending… Perfect for students who are desperate to read robot books. It is now on my order list. I wish I had this book for the past 10 years whenever I had boys who tell me, all I want is a good robot book and they’ve moved beyond My Robot Buddy by Alfred Slote.

[Lara Goldstein · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted (and expected) to greatly enjoy this book, but it ended up being a huge disappointment. I would be tempted to blame the narration of the audio book (certain character voices were quite annoying), but my main frustration was with the book's conflicted logic, stereotyped characters, and preachy "kid lessons." I think the author was trying too hard to write a "kid" book, instead of focusing on writing a good story that all readers would enjoy. If you want to read something lighter by an established author, perhaps try Brandon Sanderson's 'Alcatraz vs the Evil Librarians" series. Sanderson avoids the pitfall of writing down to younger readers and, instead, provides smart, sarcastic humor that all ages can enjoy.

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

My 9yr old boy really enjoyed this book so I had to read it. Lol. For me it was a little harder to get into the story. I kept getting lost as to what was going on, maybe cause I'm not into robots But about 3/4 of the way I quickly read through to the end. I was really surprised at the ending. An ending that was totally unexpected yet enjoyable. I do like how his self esteem improved and bully's couldn't bother him any more. A great book to help a child with their self esteem.

Teaching/ conversation Topics: bullying, self esteem, science, robots, problem solving, friendships

[Kay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my kind of book but I could see where a 4th or 5th grader really into robots would love this book. But it is a well written story with a very interesting ending.
Code Lightfall goes on a field trip to the ancient mounds in Oklahoma. There is finds the entrance to the world of Mekkos, which is completely made up of robots. He travels through this world on an adventure to help save the robots from "disassembling".

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is hilarious. It's kind of like Stone Soup because you can find a little bit of everything in the book! So far I've figured out that it is made up of Peter Pan (tinkerbell), Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz, Star Wars (the Jawas robot factory), Percy Jackson, Jack and the Beanstalk, Amlia Earhart's Electra airplane, and Star Trek (Nomad episode).

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a highly unusual book, with shades of WALL-E, HITCHHIKERS' GUIDE TO THE GALAXY, Asimov's robot stories, all mixed together with strong doses of humor and adventure. I read it aloud to my six-year-old, who was probably a bit young for it, but who loves robots and thoroughly enjoyed the book. I know that he'll get a bigger kick out of it, reading it for himself in a couple of years.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started slow for me (typical grandpa-goes-missing-and-misfit-kid-goes-looking-for-him-only-to-fall-into-secret-magical-world-that-only-he-can-save storyline), but gradually picked up steam and finished strongly. I really loved Gary, whom I can only describe as a cuddly slaughterbot, if there is such a thing. Solid sci-fi recommendation for grades 4 and up.