O’siyo. Cherokee writer Daniel H. Wilson’s new sci-fi novel Robogenesis came out this past June, and has already made the New York Times best seller list. Stephen Spielberg is creating a movie based on his first novel Robopocalypse. At this point, when it comes to Native sci-fi writers Wilson is perceived as being in “a league of his own.”
Discussion Questions for this post
Second novel Robogenesis By Daniel H. Wilson.
Excerpt: The New Frontier for Native Literature by R Winn Tribal CollegeJournal
“Its name is Archos and if you’ve read Cherokee writer Daniel H. Wilson’s 2011 novel Robopocalypse, you’ve likely reconsidered the virtues of technology. Archos is a supercomputer that turns a not-too-distant world’s proliferation of docile robots into an onslaught of killing machines. Governments are wiped out, millions perish, and urban areas are helpless to stop the robots’ “New War.” Humankind’s best hope for survival is an off-the-grid Osage stronghold where humans resisting the assault find sanctuary. The book is a terrifying, engrossing thriller written by a man with a Ph.D. in robotics and a gift for creating rich characters with distinct voices.
Novel Robopocalypse By Daniel H. Wilson.
It is a New York Times bestseller that Stephen King called “terrific page-turning fun,” and Stephen Spielberg is creating a movie based on the novel. Robopocalypse’s sequel, Robogenesis, hit the shelves in June, and the two books—along with his 2012 standalone novel, Amped—have proven Wilson to be the leading voice in the proliferation of Indigenous science fiction writers…
The book[Robogenesis] begins in the seconds following Robopocalypse’s conclusion, as the survivors from the first novel soon learn that the New War is far from over. Like its predecessor, this novel is told from multiple points of view and the characters we loved in the first book are back—Cormac Wallace, a reluctant leader and chronicler of the human resistance; Mathilda Perez, a teenager whose eyes were replaced with a technological upgrade; and Lark Iron Cloud, a jilted Cherokee youth who heroically led the Osage resistance.
Wilson’s knowledge and expert descriptions of robotics are matched by his talent for capturing both the grit of the conflict and the veracity of humankind’s desire to survive with their humanity in check. We’re living in a time that’s witnessing a range of American Indian voices unlike any other in history. These artists are challenging, and thereby changing, the boundaries of what constitutes a Native text and nowhere is that more prevalent than in the world of science fiction.” Read more.
“We’re living in a time that’s witnessing a range of American Indian voices unlike any other in history. These artists are challenging, and thereby changing, the boundaries of what constitutes a Native text and nowhere is that more prevalent than in the world of science fiction.” ~Ryan Winn~ Tribal College Journal
Discussion Questions for this post
- Daniel H. Wilson has a Ph.D in which field of study?
- According to the article how many books has Wilson written?
- Name some of the other Native authors mentioned in the article.
- Which American sci-fi film was dubbed in Navajo?
- The article states, “ American Indian audiences are unified behind mainstream media that depicts their individual cultures in a positive light.” Explain this statement using your own words.
