This is, by far, one of the oddest concepts for a book ever. It centres around Ada, daughter of the first woman to create robots (enemies of wizards) and her fight to change the past in order to save the future. Basically, it's a giant mashup of every science fiction concept known to man, mixed with a sprinkle of fantasy. It's oddly compelling, but very jumbled. 

The story itself, because of this mix, is strangely all over the place. It feels like there's just too much going on, and a number of subplots are left underdeveloped - although it's fast paced and full of action to keep you engaged throughout. 

The characters also suffer slightly from the pace by being underdeveloped. They're all very one dimensional, with little emotional depth. Geller is perhaps the best developed of the bunch. A young wizard sent to kill Ada and stop the war between robots and wizards, you can see his struggles and feel real empathy for him. I also enjoyed his relationship with Ada. 

The conclusion feels a little rushed, and could have done with being a bit tighter and tying up more loose ends. However, that said this is quite an interesting, if sometimes silly, little jump into the light science fiction genre.

Review Publishing on: 25th January 2018.

Sara Luring is the founder of robot's, the age-old foes of wizards. The wizards have sent a team to hunt down Sara and stop robots from being created. Geller, a wizard and Ada Luring, Sara's daughter must learn to work together with the robots to change the past and secure the future. But they don't have much time before a mysterious enemy launches its attack on Earth...



As a pre-warning, I've tried to be objective but I found this book very difficult to read due to it being a really poorly formatted e-book arc. This means I was (extra) irritable when things I dislike came up. The first thing that irritated me was the love at first sight. Without speaking to the other person, or even actually meeting (She is watched through a video) there's a romance in this book. This is both unrealistic expectations for a children's book and also slightly creepy. There was also no development upon meeting - it seemed like the authors had thought they needed a romance and just dropped them into the pairing with no lead up to feelings. 

WaR made a good effort for merging the Sci-Fi and Fantasy genre and made good points as to how and why technological advancement and magic can be contained within the same world. I enjoy how they are linked to one another, but I'm still confused about what and who Spawn are. I think the focus on wizards and robots overshadowed the plot line in places and some plot points were dropped. It also maybe took on a bit too much from each genre. It was a very packed book full of tropes (Robots can't harm humans they're programmed!) and aspects from the genre's that just clustered into the pages. 

The main story arc was clearly thought out in terms of main events and timelines and it does tie together into a bow at the end. But there was a lack of development outside the main story arc. I also didn't feel it was that original except that the characters had been made into robots or wizards. I couldn't quite put my finger onto which book it reminded me of, but it was reminiscent (for me anyway!). The ending also seemed rushed and left you feeling a bit anticlimactic. 

Positives
+ Good effort for merging Sci-Fi and Fantasy

+ Storyline merges and ties into one another

Negatives
- Love at first sight (and no development)

- Felt rushed into the ending

- Actual plot didn't seem all that original

- Includes too much from both genres - a clutter of a book



I received WaR: Wizards and Robots* by willi.i.am and Brian David Johnson from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an unbiased and honest review.

Sorry, but I was unable to finish reading this as the formatting made it very difficult for me to read the book. The one star rating is due to the inaccessibility of the file rather than an indication of the quality of the story. Not posted the review anywhere else as this wouldn't be fair to to the author.

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.

I'm very disappointed to report that I am unable to read WaR due to the terrible translation of the book's formatting as it has arrived on my Kindle. There are numbers amid every sentence, and often pages of numbers between chapters, and it is very difficult to keep track of what is happening when and and where due to this. Apologies, but by chapter 4, I'm afraid the effort of mentally arranging it all was taking away from being able to concentrate on the story. What I did manage to read, though, despite the voice/tone seeming more MG than YA, seemed interesting.