Daniel H. Wilson

For other people with the same name, see Daniel Wilson.

Daniel H. Wilson (born March 6, 1978) is a Cherokee citizen and the multiple New York Times bestselling author^[1] of techno-thrillers such as Robopocalypse, The Andromeda Evolution, and How to Survive a Robot Uprising, as well as a former television host and robotics engineer. He currently resides in Portland, Oregon.

Daniel H. Wilson
Wilson in 2025
Born	(1978-03-06) March 6, 1978 (age 47) Tulsa, Oklahoma, US
Occupation	Writer
Nationality	Cherokee Nation, American
Alma mater	Carnegie Mellon University University of Tulsa
Period	2005–present
Notable works	How to Survive a Robot Uprising, Robopocalypse, The Andromeda Evolution
Website
www.danielhwilson.com

Early life

Daniel H. Wilson was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma,^[2] the elder of two children. He is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation.^[3]

Education

Wilson attended Booker T. Washington High School, graduating in 1996. He earned his B.S. in Computer Science at the University of Tulsa in 2000, spending one semester studying philosophy abroad in Melbourne, Australia at the University of Melbourne. He completed an M.S. in Robotics, another M.S. in Machine Learning, and his PhD in Robotics in 2005 at the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His thesis work, entitled Assistive Intelligent Environments for Automatic Health Monitoring, focused on providing automatic location and activity monitoring in the home via low-cost sensors such as motion detectors and contact switches. He has worked as a research intern at Microsoft Research, the Xerox PARC, Northrop Grumman, and Intel Research Seattle.^{[citation needed]}

Bibliography

Novels

• A Boy and His Bot, middle reader (New York: Bloomsbury Children's, 2011)
• Robopocalypse, techno thriller (New York: Doubleday, 2011)

  Daniel H. Wilson on Bookbits radio talking about Robopocalypse.

• Amped, techno thriller (New York: Doubleday, 2012)
• Robogenesis, techno thriller (New York: Doubleday, 2014)
• The Clockwork Dynasty, techno thriller (New York: Doubleday, 2017)

• The Andromeda Evolution, techno thriller (New York: Harper, 2019)
  • (Authorized sequel to Michael Crichton's novel The Andromeda Strain)
• Hole in the Sky, science fiction (New York: Doubleday, 2025)

Non-fiction

• How To Survive a Robot Uprising: Tips on Defending Yourself Against the Coming Rebellion, humor (New York: Bloomsbury, 2005)
• Where's My Jetpack?: A Guide to the Amazing Science Fiction Future That Never Arrived, humor (New York: Bloomsbury, 2007)
• How to Build a Robot Army: Tips on Defending Planet Earth Against Alien Invaders, Ninjas, and Zombies, humor (New York: Bloomsbury, 2008)
• The Mad Scientist Hall of Fame: Muwahahaha!, humor (New York: Citadel, 2008)
• Bro-Jitsu: The Martial Art of Sibling Smackdown, humor (New York: Bloomsbury Children's, 2010)

Short fiction

Collections

• Guardian Angels and Other Monsters, short story collection (New York: Vintage, 2018)

Anthologies edited

• Robot Uprisings, co-edited with John Joseph Adams (New York: Vintage, 2014)
• Press Start to Play, co-edited with John Joseph Adams (New York: Vintage, 2015)

Stories^[4]

• "The Nostalgist" (Tor.com, 2009)
• "Parasite" (in 21st Century Dead: A Zombie Anthology, edited by Christopher Golden, St. Martin's Press, 2012)
• "Helmet" (in Armored, edited by John Joseph Adams, Baen Books, 2012)
• "Freshee's Frogurt" (in Diverse Energies, edited by Tobias S. Buckell and Joe Monti, Tu Books, 2012)
• "Foul Weather" (in "Nightmare Magazine", edited by John Joseph Adams, 2012)
• "The Executor" (in The Mad Scientist's Guide to World Domination, edited by John Joseph Adams, Tor, 2013)
• "Small Things" (in Robot Uprisings, Knopf Doubleday, 2014)
• "Kismet" (in Help Fund My Robot Army, 2014)
• "The Blue Afternoon that Lasted Forever" (in Carbide Tipped Pens, edited by Ben Bova, Tor, 2014)
• "God Mode" (Lightspeed Magazine, 2015)
• "Bastion" (in Resist: Tales from a Future Worth Fighting Against, Broad Reach Publishing, 2018)
• "Miss Gloria" (in Guardian Angels & Other Monsters, Vintage, 2018)
• "Blood Memory" (in Guardian Angels & Other Monsters, Vintage, 2018)
• "Special Automatic" (in Guardian Angels & Other Monsters, Vintage, 2018)
• "One for Sorrow: A Clockwork Dynasty Story" (in Guardian Angels & Other Monsters, Vintage, 2018)
• "Jack, the Determined" (in Guardian Angels & Other Monsters, Vintage, 2018)
• "All Kinds of Proof" (in Guardian Angels & Other Monsters, Vintage, 2018)
• "A History of Barbed Wire" (in A People's Future of the United States, One World, 2019)
• "Iterations: Seat 13F" (in DUST: Multiverse, 2020)
• "Crystalline" (in Lightspeed Magazine, 2023)
• "Ocasta" (in New Suns 2: Original Speculative Fiction by People of Color, edited by Nisi Shawl, Solaris, 2023)
• "SuperMAX" (in Uncanny Magazine Issue 53, 2023)
• "WhaleSong" (in Uncanny Magazine Issue 65, 2025)

Comic books

• "Earth 2: World's End" (26 issue weekly series, with Marguerite Bennett and Mike Johnson, DC Comics, 2014)
• "Earth 2: Futures End" (one-shot, art by Eddy Barrows, DC Comics, 2014)
• "Earth 2: Society" (7 issue monthly series, art by Jorge Jimenez, DC Comics, 2015)
• "Spring" (in "Zombies vs Robots Annual Y0", illustrated by Sam Kieth and edited by Chris Ryall, IDW, May 2012)

Graphic novels

• "Quarantine Zone", illustrated by Fernando Pasarin (DC Comics, 2016)

Apps

• "Mayday! Deep Space", developed with Mountain Machine Studios and voiced by Osric Chau, Bitsie Tulloch, and Claire Coffee (January 7, 2015)

Critical studies and reviews of Wilson's work

Press Start to play

• Sakers, Don (October 2015). "The Reference Library". Analog Science Fiction and Fact. 135 (10): 105–108.

Film adaptations

How to Survive a Robot Uprising

How to Survive A Robot Uprising, published during Wilson's final year of graduate school in late 2005, was optioned by Paramount Pictures. A screenplay was written by Tom Lennon and Ben Garant, and produced by Michael De Luca. Mike Myers was attached to star.^[5] The book's sequel to How to Survive a Robot Uprising, called "How to Build a Robot Army", was also optioned by Paramount Pictures. However, the options eventually expired.

In October 2010, the book was re-optioned by writer-director Steve Pink with Jack Black in mind to star.^[6]

Bro-Jitsu

In May 2007 (before publication), Bro-Jitsu was optioned by Nickelodeon Movies (a subset of Paramount Pictures) and Wilson hired to write the screenplay.^[7]

Robopocalypse

In November 2009, Wilson sold his novel Robopocalypse to Doubleday, with Jason Kaufman (editor of Dan Brown, among others) coming on as editor. One day before rights to the novel were purchased, Wilson sold film rights to DreamWorks SKG, with Steven Spielberg officially signing on to direct.^[8] On March 7, 2018, Michael Bay replaced Spielberg as director over Spielberg's scheduling conflicts.^[9]

Amped

In November 2010, Wilson sold his novel AMPED to Doubleday, again working with editor Jason Kaufman.^[10] Film rights to the novel were sold to Summit Entertainment, with Alex Proyas (Dark City, The Crow, I, Robot) attached to direct.^[11][12]

The Nostalgist

In 2014, Wilson's short story was adapted into the short film The Nostalgist written and directed by Giacomo Cimini. The short film premièred June 19, 2014, at the Palm Springs International Shortfest.^[13]

Alpha

In 2014, it was announced that Lionsgate Studios has acquired the distributing rights to Wilson's screenplay for the upcoming sci-fi film Alpha. Anthony Scott Burns is attached to direct, and Brad Pitt is reportedly involved in production as well.^[14]

Television host

Wilson hosted a series on the History Channel entitled The Works, which debuted on July 10, 2008. Ten episodes of The Works aired, in which Wilson explained the hidden workings of everyday items, including Sneakers, Guns, Beer, Garbage, Robots, Skydiving, Power Tools, Steel, Motorcycles, and Tattoos. He has also appeared as himself in Modern Marvels and Countdown to Doomsday.