Rating: 
Summary: what's the fuss?
Review: I don't know what the fuss is about. This book is a story with pictures, with more prose than imagery. The artwork is okay, but it's nothing spectacular. I was mistaken in thinking this book would be filled with exciting robot designs...it's not. The designs aren't particularly inspired, stylized, or dynamic. I would go so far as to label them "dated", but not in some kind of interesting retro sense.I'd give the imagery a B+. However, there's not enough of it either, which adds to my disappointment. It's too bad this expensive hardcover wasn't more of a softcover graphic novel. More pictures would have made it more satisfying. I realize I'm being somewhat unfair. I didn't bother reading it. I'm not going to. I don't care enough and find the overall presentation a bit dull. And the retail price, I think, is absurd for what you get.
Rating: 
Summary: Not for Big Boys
Review: I was looking forward to this title and had heard good things about it. But I was disappointed as I felt I should be reading it aloud to a five year old instead of for myself. While the artwork is decent, it is not nearly good enough to make up for this tale for tots.
Rating: 
Summary: BEAUTIFUL ARTWORK & GREAT ADVENTURE!
Review: I'm very familiar with Mr. Card's work and am just discovering Mr. Chiang's. WOW is the word to describe this incredible work of collaboration. The publisher was very smart to pair these two together. Robota is not your typical warrior-killer-machines killing humans story, but a strong story with a powerful moral to tell. It caught me by surprise in many places and it's the best sci-fi today. I can't wait for the sequel.
Rating:
Summary: Robota
Review: Incredible and thought provoking.
Robota is a very refreshing take on some common sci-fi themes. At first, I thought I had already read this story - after all how many different variations can you do on a killer robot theme? But I was pleasantly surprised. This is a love story, albeit a strange love story, and a tale of revenge.
Chiang's beautiful paintings perfectly compliment the text. These paintings remind me of Hiyao Miyazaki's work and really elevates the book far beyond a mere graphic novel. The story, crafted by Chiang and written by Card, flows off the pages. Each page left me wanting more. The story starts out rather conventionally with a hero without memory trying to recover his past, but from there the plot takes some interesting turns. The introduction of bizarre 'smart' dinosaurs about mid-way into the book was especially tantalizing. And the really neat part about Robota is that the robots are not dumb carbon copied machines but robots with distinct personalities. How cool. In fact, most of the characters are atypical and well portrayed. The tortured past of the hunter warrior named Juomes, is very sad and even the villain Kaantur is sympathetic - that's a testament to Card's writing skills that he can redeem a vile character like Kaantur. To the casual reader these characters may at first seem like cookie cutter types but the story uncovers hidden motives and dark secrets that make them interesting and real. Be forewarned though that there is a lot of information in this book so a second read may be necessary (and well worth it). The only fault, if it can even be considered one, is that this book should have been twice as long! This is an exceptional book - pure eye candy for the mind and thought provoking for readers who want more depth in what they read. Check it out!
Rating:
Summary: The Wait is Over!
Review: Man meets robot. Great storyline, tremendous conflict, and profound illustrations make for a wonderful book. A must-add to your science fiction collection, along with Star Wars and the Matrix. Go to places in Robota that you could never go in real life.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Adventure
Review: Robota is an awesome sci-fi adventure in the world of, you guessed it, Robota. This book is most definitely not a Star Wars, Enders Game, Dune, Star Trek, Tolkien rip off. The book just felt original. Robota is about an amnesiac, Caps, and his quest to find Font Prime, the ruler of the merciless robots who are searching out the remnants of biological life. However, humans are not the only biological species on Robota. Hunter Beasts (large, evolved, Monky/human hybrid creatures), monkeys, Jodphors (dinosaur creatures), and other fantastic creatures are all sentient. Even some of the robots are sentient. I thought this was very cool. There is a war going on between the biological and mechanical species of the planet. It makes for a really good story with plenty of twists. My only problem with the book is the lack of depth at times. Robota often created more questions than answers. Why didn't they explain cubing more fully? What is the jewel? Tell me more about Beryl's sister, Juomes's family, the last human city, etc. However, I feel that this is one of the writer's intents. My imagination ran wild. I just wish Chiang and Card would explain a few more things. Hopefully, there will be a sequel because Robota ended too soon. The book instantly grabs you with the awesome cover art. As you begin to flip the thick pages, you realize that you are holding an incredibly original story. Furthermore, you are sure to be amazed by the great pictures drawn by Chiang. The material quality of the book itself makes the purchase that much easier. This may sounds stupid to some, but I love the thick pages and large hardback binding. It made the book feel different and special. I highly recommend it for fans of science fiction, art, and fantasy. Orson Scott Card is one of the only science fiction writers whose work I read. Frank Herbert is the other. I consider both to be masterful writers. Trust me, Robota is incredible.
Rating:
Summary: Robota
Review: Stunning Artwork and Extraodinary Characters! I received my copy of Robota last week from Amazon, a month before the scheduled release date and I have immersed in it for the past five (5) days. Seriously, I cnnot pull myself away from this great book. This book is truly one of the incredible I've seen in many years. The artwork is amazing! Chiang's paintings simply take your breath away. The collaboration between Doug Chiang and Orson Scott Card has resulted in an outstanding book. Chiang's incredible artistry blows me away and Card has a brillaint grasp of human emotion and personal interactions. The story is completely engrossing. It's no wonder these two guys have achieved such success in their respective careers. What more can I say. I love this book and highly recommend it. I plan on taking good care of it and passing it down from generation to generation like a family treasure.
Rating:
Summary: Stunning book!
Review: There aren't that many artist/ designers who can paint the way Doug Chiang paints his out of this world concept paintings anymore. It is truly a pleasure to see this book finally hit the shelves in the book stores. Highly recommended for anyone who loves fantasy- science fiction art books. Afterall, this book was created out of the passion of one of the great designers who set the stylistic design tone for the new Star Wars trilogy and so many other great films of the past decades.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome story and fantastic art!
Review: This book is totally incredible and unique! I've never read a book like this before. Chiang's artwork is unbelievable and Card's prose is a joy to read. It's quick-paced, never boring and filled with fresh twists and turns that are not contrived. I'm not generally a fan of this genre, but when a friend showed me the book I was totally won over! The artwork and story really captivated me and, as Robert Zemekis said on the back-cover quote: "...Robota transported me to places I could never go in real life." I especially loved the interesting creatures and personalitites. They aren't your usual rubber-stamped variety, but wonderfully rich. Juomes the hunter beast and Beryl were especially intriguing. This book left me wanting more!
I'm glad to hear that Chiang and Card are developing the story in other media. If those projects turn out as great as this, I'll be the first in line! I strongly recommend this book!
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Book!
Review: This is a wonderful book, and I enjoyed very much the read. I was surprised and pleased at the plot twists and the way all the threads of the storyline were pulled together. Moreover, I enjoyed Doug Chiang's artwork: his great sense of vision when creating this world of Robota, his artistic concept, excellent compositions, and his beautiful color harmonies. This book is a must for anyone and everyone's library!
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