Customer Reviews

The Automatic Detective

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Martinez is back in top form! I had been rather disappointed in "In the Company of Ogres" for its lack of plot although it had plenty of wisecracks, and disappointed a bit in "A Nameless Witch" for being a bit too solemn - but here in "Automatic Detective" we are back to having novel characters, a fast-moving plot, AND all the wisecracks, in a book as original as Martinez' first, "Gil's All-Fright Diner."

Saying that it's original doesn't mean there isn't any history to it. In order to get the most possible fun out of reading this book, you have to read some of the inspirations behind it. Most obviously, Isaac Asimov's "Caves of Steel" and any Dashiell Hammett or Raymond Chandler - but also Asimov's "I, Robot" stories. For the Hammett, seeing the movie will do; for the Asimov, you definitely need to read the books; the movie called "I, Robot" will NOT cut it. One of the things to note in the robot stories is the sexism of the times back then implicit in the characterization of Susan Calvin, the robot engineer - so that you can see just how much fun Lucia Napier really is! Also, besides those, you should read Alfred Bester's story "Fondly Fahrenheit" (it's been anthologized lots, for example here: Virtual Unrealities: The Short Fiction of Alfred Bester). All reet!

I can detect other influences here - classic Harry Harrison and Larry Niven, including Gil the ARM, for example - but I don't want this to sound too much like an academic analysis, so I'll leave you to do those comparisons yourself.

As the editorial and other reviews mention plenty about the plot, I won't repeat it all here. Instead, I'll just give you some examples of the things I particularly liked. The sly turns of phrase:
"Moriarty Asylum for the Criminally Inventive was the cold, dark box where they locked away all the great evil geniuses."

The characters: Jung, who is a gorilla full citizen - his favorite reading is Jane Austen - is changing from his cab driver's uniform, complete with bow tie, into clothes to go out to a nightclub, and says to Mack, "Let me get out of this monkey suit."

The critters: a yellow fuzzy hybrid of a dachshund and a pillbug, which rolls into a ball and plays with kids.

There's also a little girl genius, thugs both robot and human, little green men, aliens, a shrink for robots... lots of great characters. The plot gets solved as satisfyingly as any mystery, and there's a great ending in the classic tradition (which also happened to remind me of the ending of Will Shetterly's "Chimera" Chimera - if you like this book, try that one too!)

Family reading alert: safe for teens, even young ones, if they happen to have the vocabulary to have long since made their way through all the available juvenile fiction and are starting to browse the grown-up science fiction area. There's no sex, very little that anyone could characterize as bad language, and while there is the violence one might expect in a hard-boiled detective mystery, it is mostly robot-on-robot violence and not too graphic. I mention this not because I think there's anything wrong with sex, cursing, and violence if they have a legitimate place in the plot, but I know that many parents would like their kids to have limited exposure to those, especially if they already get too much on TV.

In short: great read, fast-paced, funny, and I'd love to see a sequel.

This fun and offbeat novel is not necessarily unique because of its mix of sci-fi and detective noir, which has been done before. It's unique because of Martinez's unconventional milieu and setting, as this book takes place in a world that could only be described as retro-sci-fi. The story is set in a near-future based on the 1940s or 50s and harkens back to the sci-fi pulps that were actually written in that era, when even the most adventurous authors could have never imagined our modern wired world and instead concocted clunky flying cars and huge fightin' robots. Thus Martinez has grounded the novel in the true era of detective noir and its weirdly outdated future. The story features a super-advanced robot named Mack Megaton who becomes a reluctant detective in order to find some human friends who have been kidnapped in a bizarre conspiracy, while hanging out with pulpy characters like criminal masterminds, streetwise molls, and grizzled cops.

The best parts of the story concern Mack's thoughts on moving from cold robot logic to slippery human sentimentality, and Martinez does a great job with this subtle philosophical theme. Meanwhile, the action is fun and fast-moving, and fits perfectly within the pulpy world that Martinez has created. But the novel is also a bit monochromatic as the retro-sci-fi backdrop can't quite hold together an ambitious conspiracy among aliens, mutants, norms, and robots; and there are a few plot holes here and there that do some damage to the storyline, particularly regarding Mack's run-ins with the cops. But readers who are willing to forgive a few lapses in focus will still find a fun and very unique story with cool characters and a lot of rip-roaring action. [~doomsdayer520~]

Isaac Asimov's CAVES OF STEEL was the first science fiction/detective story hybrid that I read, and that was well over 20 years ago. I've always liked this genre mix, so I was happy to find THE AUTOMATIC DETECTIVE.

This action-comedy is an entertaining read, but sf devotees will gripe about the shredding of "real" science. In fact, the "science" of the book seems to be lifted right out of Silver Age GREEN LANTERN and other comic books.

Though Mr. Martinez treats the ideas he borrows respectfully, he does rely upon them too much. After all, his plot is an over-used formula, so he should fill it with more fresh variables of his own.

If this had been trimmed by about 80 pages, the pacing and the humor would have made for a more enjoyable reading adventure. Too many of the action scenes seem repetitive, though the briefer ones are exciting the first time through.

Despite its flaws, THE AUTOMATIC DETECTIVE manages to convincingly create a sentient robot, exploring with intelligent humor some of the themes only hinted at by STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION'S Data, who also strove to understand his own gift of free will.

Bring it to the beach or to an airport. Definitely an amusing way to fill some leisure time, planned or otherwise.

I mean, we all know that every science fiction writer sooner or later does a humorous novel about a wisecracking, hard-boiled robot detective in a city full of mutants whose shape changes unpredictably, but this one is better than any other humorous novel about a wisecracking, hard-boiled robot detective in a city full of mutants that you've read in the last year. Trust me on this. It has a street lights made of glowing industrial waste, AND a gorilla. Go read it.

The premise of THE AUTOMATIC DETECTIVE lured me with the promise of sci fi noir. I was looking for bot smashing action and mutant shenanigans. I was not disappointed.

I also found much more in the pages of this novel.

The author manages to imbue Megaton with the divine spark. Mack is created as a killing machine; he chooses to be greater than the sum of his parts. Although his shell is a facade of indestructible alloy, his psyche is as vulnerable as his fragile core.

After his neighbors are kidnapped, Megaton develops into a complex, flawed being. With each choice and confrontation, the Automatic Detective grapples with existential conundrums. He becomes more human than most of the biologicals he meets in Empire City. He is a paradox made up of ones and zeroes; a bot possessing both guts and a soul.

Yes, the book is funny and full of witty plot twists. But THE AUTOMATIC DETECTIVE has more than laughs. It has heart.

This is the third offering I've read by Mr. Martinez. It's also my new favorite. Pick it up. If you're like me, you'll wish the story wouldn't end.

I have a penchant for crime stories featuring unusual protagonists, and the faux-pulp period cover of the book, with its robot gumshoe, caught my eye. It's certainly not the first blend of the science-fiction and detective genres (I suppose Assimov's Caves of Steel takes that honor), but it's a fairly enjoyable example. The story takes place in the retro-future "Empire City" -- imagine a kind of sprawling Los Angeles meets Seattle by way of '50s pulp magazine covers. Lots of flying cars, robots of all description, and distinctive city sectors (some with climate control domes, others cesspools of toxic waste, it brings to mind the Luc Besson film, The Fifth Element. One of the flying cars is piloted by Mack Megaton, a combat robot prototype who has been granted probationary citizenship after passing a test demonstrating free will comparable to humankind. (Come to think of it, The Fifth Element's protagonist is also a cab driver....)

One morning, Mack rescues his neighbors from a menacing thug, and when they disappear soon thereafter, he decides to play detective and track them down. Soon, he is tangled up in a larger conspiracy involving mutants and who knows what else. But Mack had friends -- a gorilla fellow cabbie, an understanding therapist, a white mouse police detective, and a tasty blond genius who seems to have a thing for robots. His attempt to track down the missing neighbors with a little help from his friends is a nice update on pulp fiction conventions. The story zips right along with snappy pacing, plenty of banter, and as several very inventive fight sequences. If you're looking for a light sci-fi read or an unusual detective caper, this should do the trick -- it's not jam packed with ideas, but it is diverting.

This noir mystery is a wonderful read with it's tongue in cheek style. I loved Megaton, he is such a wonderful character and I wish there were more stories. If you like mystery, science fiction, humor and alot of laughs, this book is for you.

Megaton is a robot built to be a device of mass destruction, however, he is sentient and decides he is not willing to kill and create mayhem. He has filed his papers for citizenship and has to watch his p's and q's. But when his neighbors are kidnapped he feels he has to find them. Megaton has no friends so the kids next door are precious to him.

Megaton is pulled into their apt one morning when he hears weeping. But is forced to leave at their request, the next day they are gone and Megaton takes a break from his job as a taxi driver to look for them, when the police prove to be to busy. Along the way he meets the lady, the kidnappers, and his own sense of who he is.

I loved it and I laughed and had a very good time with the book, you will to.

Empire City is the place where the future is today! It's the only place in the world where norms, mutants, and bots with the free will glitch can live in harmony! (and I'm now using that line as an excuse. i.e., I messed up on a work project? Darn, it's that dang free will glitch) But what happens when a family that our hero (a bot nearing citizenship status)cares about disappears? As he turns detective (hey! It may be violent, but it beats being a cabbie!), he finds conspiracies and adventure at every turn.

This book is very, very funny also. As a detective, the bot, Mack, apparently has a seriously overactive cynicism chip. But we love him. He was created by a criminally inventive mind to be a weapon that could destroy the world, but Mack just wants to get by -- just can't see a reason to go with his original programming.

This is truly in the spirit of Robert Asprin, and a number of other humorous fantasy writers, but actually rather better, in my opinion. The author did a great job. I enjoyed this book enormously!

If you like this genre, you will absolutely love this book!

The author did so many things right with this. THE AUTOMATIC DETECTIVE has a solid premise, witty dialogue, an intriguing robot hero and an action-packed plot. The city of the future envisioned here is an intriguing mix of space alien and human culture. The story did a great job of arousing my interest, but did a poor job of sustaining my attention because I felt the author was sacrificing the opportunity to write meaningfully in favor of going for the cheap, detective novel cliches in hopes of getting a quick laugh.

The main character is Mack, a robot designed to be an offensive weapon. However, Mack has developed the Free Will Glitch and is driving a cab, hoping to qualify for citizenship in Empire City. He's got to be careful and not squish any "biologicals" and knows that the police are keeping an eye on him in case his original smash-and-destroy programming runs amok. But when the human family that lives next door to him is kidnapped, Mack swings into action to track them down and rescue them, for reasons that are not clear to his logic processors.

Dynamite stuff--I was charmed by this premise. However, the author insisted on following the noir detective template so closely that it damaged the consistency of his character and hurt the final believability of his plot. By the time the author came to the grand finale, the story was like one of my Dad's old cars--a battered old junker bound for the scrap heap. The science fiction elements were just thrown in to "make" the story work. Every time Mack reached in a pocket and pulled out yet another gadget not mentioned before but immensely convenient in the current fix, the "YOWIE" turned instantly to "owie". It's still fun in a comic book sort of way, but the author missed a chance to explore his robot hero's true character and tell us something of what it is like to be human. I think this could have been better, funnier and edgier, but it's not bad entertainment as it is.

A book written from the first person view of a self aware robot with a conscience; this book was hard for me to put down. I hope the author runs with this as a series (he's set it up for one) as it's futuristic but old fashioned detective style is very entertaining.