This is a children's book therefore it is short. The concept is one of a world (our world effectively) in which there is magic (wielded by Wizards) and also Robots (who have come from the future).

The main characters are a schoolgirl named Ada Luring (and her mum Sara) and a boy wizard named Geller (son of the Wizard Elder).

Geller has been asleep for 500 years and his nightmares have awoken him. His father sends him on a mission with a group of Wizards aiming to destroy the 'first robot'. Things don't go to plan and Geller is left behind by the other wizards. He escapes, with help, and returns to the underground hideaway of the wizards. He discovers the existence of Ada and is drawn to her.

Ada is a 'techno-nerd' and doesn't fit in at school. Her mum is trying to build the first intelligent robot to win a competition, which means Ada doesn't get much attention from her, so has 'free reign' on how she goes about her daily routine.

The robots need to save the world in which they exist, in the future. They need the help of Ada and ultimately Geller. Somehow the book contrives to get them all together to give them this chance.

The story is quite fast paced, so although it is short, you do get your story's worth. I would certainly recommend it to young school children. It may even encourage some weaker readers that enjoy wizard or robot stories, particularly as it has will.i.am as one of the authors.

The only off putting thing I found was the numbers at the start of EVERY line, even if mid-sentence. It may well be that it was because it was a proof copy, in which case, it shouldn't affect anyone reading the final version.

I think I need a finished edition to be able to fully read this. The layout and having numbers at the beginning and sometimes end of every line confused me and made it hard to keep up and not lose my place.

What? Do my eyes deceive me? A book by will.i.am? Yes it's true!

I think the book was aimed a little lower in age than what I was expecting and the e-arc I received made it hard to read as it has numbers preceding each sentence, possibly a piracy prevention?

Saying this the story was a good one, the flow was perfect, just not what I was expecting!

Unfortunately I was unable to review the book.
I did try, I think I get to about 20% but the poor formatting was just too hard for me to read.
There were number everywhere, and bizarre spacing. From what I read I did enjoy. It was really easy to follow but with more than enough action to keep me occupied.

I was really looking forward to this, but I struggled with it, not just because of the wonky formatting which put numbers all over the place. It just seemed to jump all over the place - first we were way in the past, then we were in the future and then we were way in the future, with robots disappearing way into the past. It was just like Will.i.am, ideas fizzing all over the place, but that doesn't make a readable story. There was not enough description to take you to the place where you were supposed to be and then you were whizzing off somewhere else. Way too pacey to let the story settle and build up tension. The writing is also more for MG readers than YA.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in order to provide an honest review.

What a book! I was initially a bit wary about how successful a book that mixed science fiction and fantasy would be, but any reservations I had were blown away pretty quickly.

Following the intertwined fates of Ada and Geller as they battle to save the Earth, with assists from robots (present and future, and, I suppose technically, past) and an ancient magical entity, the novel jumps from the 15th century to the 31st century and the brink of the apocalypse.

The protagonists navigate many twists and turns, including their disappointing parents and the complexities of being a grieving teenager. They are compelling characters, set within a convincingly realistic landscape (even the apocalyptic one!).

I would absolutely recommend this book, not only to its intended YA audience, but also to adult fans of science fiction and fantasy. I loved it!

You know how sometimes you don't quite believe what you're seeing? That was my first reaction to this book. Just break it down for a second. "Wizards and Robots"? These are two things that generally merit a closer look on the bookshelf but in the same book. The clever acronym; WaR? That makes me smile. A metallic cover? What more can I say but "oooh, shiny!" And then the final touch, written by will.i.am - now I won't say I'm a fan of everything he's ever done, in fact, I'd say he's been guilty of some cringe-worthy endeavours at times, but I can't help respect him for trying and he's got a pretty decent success rate too. He's someone who is happy to throw the rulebook out the window and try things, and the world needs more people like that. I mean come on, that's how you get things like wizards and robots sharing a book. So, aware that this was probably going to be a love it or hate it read I made a start. And I loved it.

The first few chapters are a little odd. The ties between them are vague at best, but they lay a foundation for a story that keeps getting better. Don't think the fun is limited to wizards and robots either. We get time-travel, aliens, a new social network that I won't be surprised if will.i.am actually ends up releasing, holopets, drones, smart clothing which I can also see becoming a reality as soon as will.i.am gets the chance, hacking, and lashings and lashings of awesome sauce over the story.

Oh yes, the story. That holds up remarkably well. One of my biggest concerns going into this book was that it would rely too heavily on the fun attributes and not bother with something decent to tie them all together, but that's not the case. This is a remarkably strong storyline, with impressive characters who are superbly written. The plot develops well, weaving multiple threads into something that is engaging and flowing.

This is a book that will put a smile on many a young reader's face. And on quite a few adults too. This is definitely one of will.i.am's better projects.

Sorry, but I am unable to read this book as the formatting is terrible. There are numbers in the middle of the text on every single line. If the formatting is repaired I will happily read and review. I am, unfortunately, forced to give a 1 star rating as a star rating is required for me to be able post this comment.