As he learns about the war and the destruction of the Humans by the Funks, he becomes more sympathetic toward them.

Bought this for my children but decided to read it first as it's about artificial intelligence and the future of the world. I really loved Orion Lost, the authors other middle grade sci-fi book so this book had a lot to live up to - and it was just as much fun whilst still delivering on some great life lessons which was one of the things I enjoyed so much about Orion Lost! The fear and prejudice the humans and robots have for one another fits into the reasoning the war began and what is getting in the way of brokering peace.There is poignancy in the opening of Adam-2 as Chisholm gives us Adam alone in a stark basement, obediently carrying out his daily routines of food, homework, play, conversation, story time and bed. This book touched on the revolt of slavery with the Funks battling against the humans for their freedom. Alastair lives in Edinburgh with his wife (who is lovely), two children (who are lovely but very loud), and a cat who is yowling at him even though there is clearly food in her bowl, look, it’s right there, *look*. That’s why he’s waited in his bunker for more than two hundred years, maintaining a routine and keeping faithful.

The story is set 200+ years in the future in a world where humans and robots with advanced intelligence are at war. The advantages of both solutions are obvious: They are compact, lightweight and precise, and enable the painter to keep the pressure always under control.

He finds it deep in a civil war that has been raging almost as long as his imprisonment, humans versus Funks, thinking robots. It’s a book that will make young readers think, many ethical questions arise, which would provoke discussion. I loved the inclusion of a non-binary character and their preferred pronouns, especially in a book where gender wasn't one of the main themes. When 2 humans break into his basement, he goes with them to their camp and has to prove he is not like the robots that simply want to kill humans.