Amped by Daniel Wilson

Amped

By Daniel H. Wilson

Doubleday

$25.00, hard cover, 274 pages, 978-0-385-53515-1 (2012)

            I read this author's previous book, Robopocalypse, which I enjoyed very much. It was for that reason that I was looking forward to his next novel. Robopocalyse was a unique novel featuring a man-versus-machine end of the world scenario that included sentient robots that also assisted humans. It was a wonderfully creative novel and I read somewhere that it will be made into a movie. If so, I'm sure it will be highly entertaining.

            Unfortunately, Amped was a disappointment. The book is about amplified humans with electronic devices inserted into their brains to help control learning disabilities, assist users with prosthetic limbs, and repair neurological disorders. All is well until the Supreme Court rules that these amplified humans are not protected by the same basic laws as others. (Think mutants v. humans in the X-Men movies and you’ll get an idea of the problems faced by “amps”.) This begins a new class war between ordinary people and “amps.” In the middle of this struggle is Owen, an amp with secret powers that were given to him by his father, the doctor who originally implanted the device.

            Most of the things liked about Robopocalypse were missing in this novel. The interaction between humans and amps was not nearly as fascinating as the collaboration between humans and robots in Robopocalypse. Instead, especially when Owen begins using his amplified powers, the story lost its meaning and reverted to a comic book superhero plot.

          The author is being compared to the next Michael Crichton, but for me at least Amped failed to live up to its potential.

          Buy it on Amazon in hardcover here. and Kindle here.

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