In the near future the world is in turmoil with economic collapse, droughts, fuel shortages and rising conflicts between nations. The United States Army is trying its best to keep an all-out global crisis from happening and they are using the Remote Infantry Corps, or “Tin Men” to do it. These Tin Men are nearly indestructible robot peacekeepers “piloted” remotely by American soldiers. Terrorists and anarchists join forces hoping to find vulnerability in the Tin Men and take them out; and if the modern world crumbles in the process, all the better.
Christopher Golden can write some thrilling action once he gets his elaborate setup going but character development and logic often suffer. I found myself skimming action scenes and gunfights (Why do the robots only have boring ol' guns? Where are the lasers or rail guns? Even some sort of smart bullet would have been welcome.) There are lots of characters who don't have much to do but get blown up. While I did have to choke down some disbelief and endure some strange romance between two robots, the action kept me reading to the end.
Golden writes comic books as well and it makes sense; this book is definitely an action comic series made into a novel.