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astardanced's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
booksnink's review
4.0
For me I knew this book was never going to be Orion Lost as that book was one that is just unrepeatable so I faced that before I even started this book and would take whatever this book gave.
In this book we follow Adam-2 who has been in a basement for well over 200 years. Everyday as each day came to a close he would mark it off on the wall. Everywhere the eye could see there were marks.
For over 200 years he waited for the Father that made him to return.
Instead he is found by Runa and Linden with a shocking first meeting quite literally. Then came a secondary shock for Adam2 that Edinburgh was absolutely destroyed and that everything he knew had gone.
This book touched on the revolt of slavery with the Funks battling against the humans for their freedom. There is a constant battle with no room to move and no line to be drawn between the two battling kinds.
Adam goes on a journey of acceptance and I thought the ending was very very cleverly done. I loved Adam as a character and he was great alongside Runa and Linden as they learned to accept each other and come together in ways that from how things started in the beginning I never thought it would be possible.
I really did love how Adam-2 pulled the whole ending together and it really did work so well and showed in a number of ways that the need for needless violence and suffering is very little and the need for listening and living together and accepting each other is a must.
I really enjoyed Adam-2 and this book stands proud and powerful on its own and is a fabulous sci-fi middle grade book to add to Alastair’s rapidly growing amazing portfolio of adventures.
In this book we follow Adam-2 who has been in a basement for well over 200 years. Everyday as each day came to a close he would mark it off on the wall. Everywhere the eye could see there were marks.
For over 200 years he waited for the Father that made him to return.
Instead he is found by Runa and Linden with a shocking first meeting quite literally. Then came a secondary shock for Adam2 that Edinburgh was absolutely destroyed and that everything he knew had gone.
This book touched on the revolt of slavery with the Funks battling against the humans for their freedom. There is a constant battle with no room to move and no line to be drawn between the two battling kinds.
Adam goes on a journey of acceptance and I thought the ending was very very cleverly done. I loved Adam as a character and he was great alongside Runa and Linden as they learned to accept each other and come together in ways that from how things started in the beginning I never thought it would be possible.
I really did love how Adam-2 pulled the whole ending together and it really did work so well and showed in a number of ways that the need for needless violence and suffering is very little and the need for listening and living together and accepting each other is a must.
I really enjoyed Adam-2 and this book stands proud and powerful on its own and is a fabulous sci-fi middle grade book to add to Alastair’s rapidly growing amazing portfolio of adventures.
cecereads23's review
5.0
I have no words for this book except it is indeed unputdownable. There was times that I wanted to cry, there was times I wanted to scream and there was times I nearly threw the book.
Chisholm has such a complex world with a complex world of characters each coming with their own trauma, own hurt and own views.
Adam-2 the robot, who had been left for 200 years and he finally goes up to the surface when he meet two children.
The non-binary rep was so good in this book and the fact that Adam-2 did not even question it just said what pronouns would you like me to use. We need more of this Middlegrade.
Chisholm has also proven why we need more middlegrade sci-fi because when it is done right it is amazing. If you liked Orion lost you will absolutely love this book. And I want a fetch.
Chisholm has such a complex world with a complex world of characters each coming with their own trauma, own hurt and own views.
Adam-2 the robot, who had been left for 200 years and he finally goes up to the surface when he meet two children.
The non-binary rep was so good in this book and the fact that Adam-2 did not even question it just said what pronouns would you like me to use. We need more of this Middlegrade.
Chisholm has also proven why we need more middlegrade sci-fi because when it is done right it is amazing. If you liked Orion lost you will absolutely love this book. And I want a fetch.
f33lthesun's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Adam-2, a robot, has been locked in the basement of a lost building for over two hundred years, following a daily routine – until one day he is discovered by two children, and emerges into a world ruined by a civil war between humans and advanced intelligence. Hunted by both sides, Adam discovers that he holds the key to the war, and the power to end it – to destroy one side and save the other. But which side is right? Surrounded by enemies who want to use him, and allies who mistrust him, Adam must decide who – and what – he really is.
Over the past few years, there has been a distinct lack of Sci-fi books for children. Thankfully, this situation is changing. This is Chisholm’s second, and is even better than his debut in this genre, Orion Lost, which was excellent.
Adam-2 is told from two points of view – the robot, Adam-2, and one of the humans, Linden. It is good to finally read a story with a non binary main character (using the pronouns ze/hir), who is integral to the plot.
Adam-2 is not like the other robots, he can think and imagine scenarios, not just follow programmed orders. He can also learn and apply his knowledge. He is also immune to the EMP charges that the humans use to temporarily disable robots they fight against. Adam-2 has to work out what has happened to create, and prolong, the long term war between the humans and robots and find a way to end the war and bring peace.
There are various themes throughout – war/peace, friendships, family, trust and the rights and wrong of developing AI. Via Linden, and the influence hir mother (and her death) has on hir, we witness the struggle to work out the right path to take and also the power of telling stories, both to the teller and the audience.
I enjoyed Adam-2 and thoroughly recommend it. 5 star plus.
Thanks to NetGalley and Nosy Crow for the eARC.
Over the past few years, there has been a distinct lack of Sci-fi books for children. Thankfully, this situation is changing. This is Chisholm’s second, and is even better than his debut in this genre, Orion Lost, which was excellent.
Adam-2 is told from two points of view – the robot, Adam-2, and one of the humans, Linden. It is good to finally read a story with a non binary main character (using the pronouns ze/hir), who is integral to the plot.
Adam-2 is not like the other robots, he can think and imagine scenarios, not just follow programmed orders. He can also learn and apply his knowledge. He is also immune to the EMP charges that the humans use to temporarily disable robots they fight against. Adam-2 has to work out what has happened to create, and prolong, the long term war between the humans and robots and find a way to end the war and bring peace.
There are various themes throughout – war/peace, friendships, family, trust and the rights and wrong of developing AI. Via Linden, and the influence hir mother (and her death) has on hir, we witness the struggle to work out the right path to take and also the power of telling stories, both to the teller and the audience.
I enjoyed Adam-2 and thoroughly recommend it. 5 star plus.
Thanks to NetGalley and Nosy Crow for the eARC.
ros_lanta's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This is a brilliant book - gripping, intriguing, compelling and occasionally thrilling (and chilling). I read the entire novel in the space of around 3 hours.
I say this despite the fact that the post-apocalyptic/dystopia sub-genre is not one that I particularly like, and if I had realised that Adam-2 fit into that genre I probably wouldn't have been as eager to read it. That did somewhat harm my enjoyment of the book, but I'm singing its praises anyway because there was so much that impressed me.
Chisholm is one of those excellent authors who realises that children are intelligent and doesn't talk down to them. The style here is not at all far off what you would find in a YA novel, but it is a middle grade (albeit I definitely feel it is more suitable for kids aged over about 10 or 11).
The central theme in the book is what it really means to be human. This is not an unusual theme in stories concerning robots or AI, but that's because it's so effective.
I love to see LGBTQ+ representation in SFF books, so it's great to read one with a non-binary central character (not the robot!).
An absorbing read.
NB - I was sent an ARC of this book from the publisher. The review is entirely based on my own opinions.
I say this despite the fact that the post-apocalyptic/dystopia sub-genre is not one that I particularly like, and if I had realised that Adam-2 fit into that genre I probably wouldn't have been as eager to read it. That did somewhat harm my enjoyment of the book, but I'm singing its praises anyway because there was so much that impressed me.
Chisholm is one of those excellent authors who realises that children are intelligent and doesn't talk down to them. The style here is not at all far off what you would find in a YA novel, but it is a middle grade (albeit I definitely feel it is more suitable for kids aged over about 10 or 11).
The central theme in the book is what it really means to be human. This is not an unusual theme in stories concerning robots or AI, but that's because it's so effective.
I love to see LGBTQ+ representation in SFF books, so it's great to read one with a non-binary central character (not the robot!).
An absorbing read.
NB - I was sent an ARC of this book from the publisher. The review is entirely based on my own opinions.
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