Roof Paperback – February 28, 2014

I was supposed to be reading this with a group but I decided that I was going to start it early and listen to the audio book. It normally takes me a few weeks to get through an audio book because I just don't have the time to dedicate to it. It was addicting and I listened to it in one sitting. The narrator did a fantastic job and really grabbed my attention and never let it go. I feel it is best when you listen to the audio because it gives you the full experience.The story was absolutely fascinating. I couldn't stop listening. I wanted to know what happened and how each character was going to react. I loved the character Robbie. He was an unlikely hero and I slightly love him. Peter was the perfect point of view for the story. He was kind and smart. I really enjoyed his voice and loved the story line.My favorite moments of the book was Robbie's jokes. They made me smile and know that something was different. It gave you a new perspective of him.I look forward to reading more work by this author because I love his style. I will recommend this to all of my reading buddies.

This is the first book I've read by John Hancock, though I've heard the name before.Let me start by saying John has made this book something special for his readers. He has included illustrations at the beginning of each chapter (they are in color for those of you lucky enough to use a color device). The illustrations are well done and set the mood of the book itself.The story is a first-person narrative of a man who works in a company that is slowly replacing all the employees with robots. Or, I suppose you could look at it as the story of robots who are being gainfully employed in positions that used to be held by inefficient humans.The content is philosophical and poignant, full of the reality of the human condition. Unlike other books in this genre, though, John manages to throw in some humor, giving this book just a hint of a Douglas Adams feel.It's hard to pick out something I don't like about the book, but here is my only concern: At the end of the book, the dialogue did some of the philosophical heavy lifting for me and narrows the door of what could happen after the climax. I would have rather left the book thinking about implications of the events without knowing how things worked out overall.All in all, this is a clever book that you should buy, read, and enjoy.

If only it was a bit longer....:) also enjoyed all the amazing art work. Will look forward to more work by this author.

As an avid reader and lover of dystopian fiction, I'm constantly on the hunt for something original, thought-provoking and emotionally moving, BUT I still want to be entertained. It's a tall order to fill, but John Hancock's ROOF has achieved that in spades. This is the book folks-the one that makes your heart bleed and stays with you forever!Peter Harkness is a young, overlooked genius toiling away at his corporate job in a world where the human workforce is quickly being replaced by robots. Peter's world is vanishing as the greed of the Corporation strives to annihilate humanity; yet Peter forms an unlikely friendship with a robot named Robbie. The story of this friendship set amidst a raging war is one that makes you contemplate what it means to be human and to have a soul.ROOF is an easy and quick read, with tension that will drive you all the way to the end. Although classic dystopian themes are at the forefront of the story, it's not stuffy or pretentious and best of all it leaves you with a heart warming, meaningful message. So did I cry? Oh yeah, I bawled like a baby at the end and that for me equals 5 stars every single day of the week. I highly recommend this book to both teens and adults.

I listened to the audio book. If you have not listened to many audio books, give this one a try. This one shows audio books at their best. It has a great story and an engaging narrator. The larger view of the story can be viewed as corporation greed and corruption. The smaller view is much more interesting and that is what the author focuses on. People being replaced in their jobs by robots.Peter is the main character, a man in fear of losing his job. He watches his coworkers being replaced. I really liked Peter. I enjoyed his relationship with the robot Robbie. Robbie is my favorite character. His jokes were some of my favorite parts of the book. He is very likable.After reading a couple of the author's other books, I was waiting for a twist. I was not disappointed. In fact, I was delighted. This is my favorite book by this author. I honestly am going to recommend it to all of my book friends whether they love science fiction or not. I think it is broader than the sci fi genre. Completely entertaining, stop reading this and star reading the book. You will not regret it.

I was lucky enough to be a beta reader for the original short story titled ROOF. I loved the premise, and thought the story was the best of the collection that I was reading at the time. John Hancock decided to withhold it from the collection, and eventually expanded the original tale into this book. I glad he did that. This version is even better.Corporate greed taken to the extreme results in a workforce of obedient machines, and a human population that is unemployed, starving, and desperate. It’s a situation made for revolution. How that revolution happens is the unique part of this story. It’s not what you’d expect. My favorite element is the one that the book is named for. Revolutionaries take to the roofs of the tallest building, not only to hide, but to build a workable community. Hiding in plain sight works because all law enforcement is now mechanical, and they don’t think for themselves. No one told them to look up. No one thinks to put security cameras on roofs. It’s perfect.It’s a great plot, with a number of unexpected twists and turns. I really like Peter Harkness and think the ending is a fitting one for the character. This was a great deal of fun to read.