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Good morning! Today, we have a special treat for you - we've got Suzanne van Rooyen on the blog to talk about her Top Ten Robots as part of the blog tour for her brand new book, I Heart Robot. There's also a giveaway, so be sure to enter via the Rafflecopter form at the end of this post.
Also, don't forget to check out all of the other wonderful stops on this tour, hosted by Chapter by Chapter! You can find the tour schedule by clicking the banner above.
And now, on to the Robots!
About the Book
Title: I Heart Robot
Author: Suzanne van Rooyen
Publication Date: March 31, 2015
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC
Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Tyri wants to be a musician and wants to be with someone who won’t belittle her musical aspirations.
Q-I-99 aka ‘Quinn’ lives in a scrap metal sanctuary with other rogue droids. While some use violence to make their voices heard, demanding equal rights for AI enhanced robots, Quinn just wants a moment on stage with his violin to show the humans that androids like him have more to offer than their processing power.
Tyri and Quinn’s worlds collide when they’re accepted by the Baldur Junior Philharmonic Orchestra. As the rift between robots and humans deepens, Tyri and Quinn’s love of music brings them closer together, making Tyri question where her loyalties lie and Quinn question his place in the world. With the city on the brink of civil war, Tyri and Quinn make a shocking discovery that turns their world inside out. Will their passion for music be enough to hold them together while everything else crumbles down around them, or will the truth of who they are tear them apart?
Purchase Links: Chapters Indigo | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | TBD | iBooks
Book Trailer
About the Author
Suzanne is a tattooed storyteller from South Africa. She currently lives in Sweden and is busy making friends with the ghosts of her Viking ancestors. Although she has a Master’s degree in music, Suzanne prefers conjuring strange worlds and creating quirky characters. When she grows up, she wants to be an elf – until then, she spends her time (when not writing) wall climbing, buying far too many books, and entertaining her shiba inu, Lego.
Connect with the Author:
Suzanne's Top Ten Robots!
I've always had a soft spot for robots in fiction, particularly androids who seem to struggle with coming to terms with the concept of humanity, or of what 'being human' really means. Here are my top ten robots.
Which robot is your favourite?
1. Cameron from Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
Cameron has a scene in one of the episodes where she watches a ballerina on TV and starts to imitate the dance. The fact that a robot south out and appreciated an artform enough to attempt it, made a huge impression on me at the time and it was this scene that influenced the major idea in I Heart Robot, that being, can robots create art/music like humans?
2. Marcus Wright from Terminator: Salvation
Another tortured soul robot who's more human than machine. The fact that this character was played by Sam Worthington has nothing to do with it, nope, not even at all.
3. Dorian from Almost Human
This series was far too short lived! I instantly fell in love with Dorian, a police android who had a synthetic 'soul' and often appeared more human than his flesh and blood partner.
4. Ava from The Machine
I loved this little known film and found Caity Lotz's android character subtle and complex. I really enjoyed the scientific and psychological perspective explored through this character.
5. Gigolo Joe from A.I. Artifical Intelligence
Jude Law's character had me smiling from the get-go. The idea of using robots for certain kinds of entertainment also influenced I Heart Robot, particualrly Quinn'd backstory.
6. David from A.I. Artifical Intelligence
Another stunning example of an android grappling with the concept of what 'being human' really means and struggling to come to terms with being other, which can be a metaphor for anyone who has ever felt different and marginalized.
7. Ethan Woods from Extant
I've never been so creeped out by a kid as I was with this robot boy. Again, the theme of what it means to be human and what is normal human behaviour arises and is examined in a way I haven't seen on TV before.
8. Data from Star Trek
A classic favourite and one of the first robot characters I ever came to know.
9. Rodney Copperbottom from Robots
This was a wonderful movie and my list wouldn't be complete without mentioning this little bot who had the all-too human longing to see the big wide world and give meaning to his life.
10. Chappie from Chappie
This is sort of cheating since the film hasn't released yet, but Chappie is a reprogrammed police droid who starts thinking for himself in the film directed by a fellow South African, Neill Blomkamp. Since I cannot wait to see this film and loved the trailer, Chappie makes my list.
The Giveaway!
Thanks to Suzanne for taking the time to give us her Top Ten Robots, and thanks to you for stopping by! Let us know who your favorite robot is in the comments!
--Ashley & Paul
