Junkers

Junkers #1

by Benjamin Wallace

Breaking things is their business.

As robot reclamation specialists, it’s their job to stop rampaging robots that are no longer covered by a manufacturer’s warranty. But while Jake and tight-knit his team are accustomed to dealing with a murderous nannybot, a killer scarecrow and the occasional vindictive dishwasher, they’ve never seen anything like this. All of the machines in the city are going rogue.

It’s up to these hardworking heroes to stop them and find out what’s behind the robot uprising that everyone promised could never happen.

Genres: Humor, Science Fiction, Fiction, Action, Fantasy, Robots, Audiobook

211 pages, Paperback

Published June 15, 2016

About the author

Benjamin Wallace lives in Dallas, Texas where he complains about the heat—a lot.

Reviews

[Jordan Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yes, there are much better novels in the genre of the robot apocalypse...or rather robopacolypse. There are more realistic, more believable, and overall much better written books, screenplays, and theories when it comes to the subject of a robot uprising (here's looking at you Daniel Wilson and T2), but rarely are they so ridiculous or as less serious as Junkers.

Junkers at its core isn't really all that amazing of a book if we are being honest. Like PANW before it, it's decently written in the sense that it lacks any major grammatical errors, is formatted correctly, and keeps the story moving along. However, also like PANW, it's lacking in the depth department. Characters aren't all that well fleshed out or very deep and when the main "apocalypse" happens, it isn't nearly as exciting as it could be.

Then again, there's not anything wrong with a short, semi-humorous look at an often feared and even more theorized future. Like I said, it's hard to find a book in this subject that doesn't take itself too seriously and while Junkers could have been expanded a couple dozen more pages, or cut out the overused insult of "dick", I can't say that I hated the story. Sometimes wea ll need something fast, light hearted and funny, and Junkers did a decent job of filling that hole.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun read. Benjamin Wallace is really good with plot twists and turns. I was hoping it was about people living or wandering around in the junky wastelands of a post-apocalyptic dystopia, i.e., my favorite genre. Alas, it was about a team of robot reclamation specialists who are affectionately called "Junkers." The Junkers
were, however, trying to stop a robot uprising against humans in a world saturated with robots. That was a little dystopian in its own right so overall a cool book.

I do wish the author wouldn't re-use names, like Mason, between his series. It is a bit confusing when you read about characters in one series and then pick up a book from a different series only to find people with the same names but different lives. Nevertheless, a fun romp through a robot uprising that isn't exactly what it seems to be.

[Ralph · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars - A hilarious read, great dialogue, and just the right length.

The Internet of Things (IoT) becomes the Internet of Terror when our connected devices and robots turn against us and go on a killing rampage. The jokes come fast and furious when two fierce competitors vie to be the one that neutralizes the wayward robots. Will they be able to save the day and perhaps win each other's hearts?

[Akshay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Junkers (Junkers #1) by Benjamin Wallace

Junkers opens a new series with a tone that blends post-apocalyptic adventure, dark humor, and character-driven camaraderie. Benjamin Wallace’s style in this book leans heavily on accessibility—clear prose, tight scenes, constant forward momentum—while layering a distinctly comedic grit that differentiates it from the more self-serious entries in the wasteland-survivor genre.

The worldbuilding is a hybrid of salvage-punk and post-collapse Americana, populated by opportunistic factions, mutant threats, and ridiculous personalities who feel exaggerated but intentionally so. Wallace crafts a wasteland that isn’t just deadly—it’s reliably absurd. This tonal balance is one of the book’s greatest strengths: every encounter is unpredictable not just because of danger, but because the humor sharpens (rather than undermines) tension.

Characterization is carried primarily through the banter between the protagonists, Profit and Cole. Their dynamic—cynical veteran vs. scrappy newcomer—provides not just comic relief but thematic contrast. The novel frequently interrogates what “value” means in a ruined world, and how people define themselves when society’s old markers are useless. This gives the comedy surprising emotional weight.

Where the book falters is in pacing. The first third is tightly constructed, but the middle wander through a series of loosely connected episodes that—while entertaining—occasionally stall the momentum of the main plot. Additionally, the villains, though fun, lack the narrative complexity that would elevate the stakes further. Wallace’s strength is character chemistry, not antagonistic subtlety.

Overall, Junkers succeeds as a high-energy, low-pretension post-apocalypse adventure fueled by personality, humor, and unexpectedly thoughtful themes about survival and purpose. It’s a book that doesn’t pretend to be more than it is—but what it is, it executes impressively well.

Spoiler-Filled Plot Summary

The novel follows Profit and Cole, two salvagers—or “junkers”—who make their living scavenging ruins in a world decades after societal collapse. Profit is the cynical professional; Cole is his enthusiastic but reckless protégé. The book begins when Cole retrieves a seemingly worthless piece of tech with unusual power signatures, setting off a chain of events that draws multiple factions into pursuit.

One of these factions is the Order of the Processor, a techno-religious cult that mistakes Cole’s discovery for a sacred artifact. Their fervor escalates into direct attacks on the junkers, forcing Profit and Cole to flee across the wasteland. Along the way, the pair encounter a mutated beast pack, a deranged settlement that worships circuit boards, and a dangerous “salvage guild” that wants the artifact for its black-market value.

Midway through the book, the protagonists discover that the artifact isn’t a weapon—it’s a partial AI core containing pre-collapse data. Though corrupted, it houses fragments of an old automated defense network. Profit realizes that if the wrong faction reboots it, they could gain control of ancient weapons capable of reshaping what’s left of civilization.

The duo attempts to sell it discreetly, but are betrayed by a supposed ally, leading to their capture by the Processor cult. A chaotic, comedic, and violent escape sequence follows—one of the book’s highlights—where the AI core inadvertently activates a defense drone that slaughters half the cultists before malfunctioning.

In the climax, Profit and Cole must choose between exploiting the AI for personal gain or destroying it to prevent anyone else from weaponizing it. After a heated argument (and a near-death encounter with a fortified scrapyard warlord), they decide to sabotage it. The core is permanently damaged during the final confrontation, triggering an explosion that wipes out the warlord’s compound.

The book ends with the duo broke again—but alive—walking into the wasteland as Profit grudgingly admits that Cole’s reckless optimism might be the only thing keeping them both from becoming monsters in the desolation.

Critical Strengths


Character Chemistry: The Profit–Cole pairing elevates every scene.
Consistent Humor: Satirical, sharp, and well-timed.
Inventive Wasteland Encounters: Always weird, dangerous, or hilarious.
Thematic Underpinning: Meaning, value, and survival explored through junk culture.


Critical Weaknesses


Wandering Mid-Plot: Episodic detours slow the central arc.
Thin Antagonists: Fun, but not memorable or layered.
Occasional Predictability: Resolves some conflicts too neatly.


Notable Highlight Quote

“In the wasteland, everything has value to someone. The trick is living long enough to find out who.”

[Chuck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whitty and fun

Good, fast paced story with no major breaks in action. Not the best plot development. However well balance material. Fun to read!

[Ziggy Nixon · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars. Please don't get too locked up on this very flawed rating system as this book more than delivered on everything it promised and everything I wanted / expected. A one-sitting (barely), good-time-had-by-all airport-bookstore scifi romp that you'll be glad you picked up with your Coke and pack of peanuts!

First and foremost, it does contain humor. Good gods, if I had a dollar for every book that I've read that promised 'rip-roaring, side-splitting laughs' that DID NOT DELIVER, I'd be a much wealthier man! But 'Junkers' has its own quirky sense of the haha's that definitely earned more than a smirk on my part. Not Pratchett level by any stretch of the imagination but enough to have my brain flash a few memes now and then (as in "I understood that reference!"). Good stuff Mr. Wallace!

And no, it's not Scalzi-esque or Crouch-like in terms of its science fiction-y approach and it won't leave your brain bleeding as you try to comprehend what is going on (yeah, I just recently tried a few Peter Watts books). But it moves at warp speed, delivers a very good if not great story and is, above all else, entertaining! The prose is more than passable, the action sequences are good to very good and for the most part the story-line makes sense and flows organically. Or maybe with all the robots, inorganically, I don't know. And tbh it didn't even really need the back-story about (waves vaguely) things that is almost totally missing ... which is great for a book such as this! Plus, it's on Kindle Unlimited, so applause and a round of affordable non-craft beers for everyone!

Is it perfect? No, of course not, but it doesn't try to be. The 'rag-tag group of misfits' is a little odder than I would have made them (I still don't get why the arrogant programmer was even included). And the final bit with the giant (no spoilers) which was piloted by (no spoilers) didn't make sense at all (um, you have to have some computer-y bits attached to be able to no spoil it don't you?) but hey, at that point, I think we were all tired of just shooting toasters.

Most importantly?
- One, I think you should read this book. Yes, you. Now.
- Two, I'm going to read the 2nd one today myself. Watch this space.
Can't ask for much more than that, can you?

[Ryan H · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I had mixed feelings about this one. It had glimpses of greatness and at other times lacked just that little something. The humour and witty sass department was great. The characters were always quick with a one liner or joke. On the other hand there was little to no character development not giving much depth to the characters. I can appreciate this because it went great with how this story was told but I think it could have had more development adding to the story. This was a light and quick listen about the robot uprising and it kept a really good pace and this is why I was conflicted about the character development because I think it would have slowed down the storyline considerably. I found that when the action scenes came up they could have been more intense and I loved the idea of a robot uprising. I also loved the quick descriptions of the robots doing human daily tasks too. I loved the shoutouts the author gave to vintage things that might even seem out of place in today’s society. It was a nice touch. The narration was done very well. There were different voices given to each character that fit well with their personality. You could really tell there was a hint of sarcasm when he was saying those witty one liners. Even the male narrator’s female voices were done well. All in all, a good performance that added value to this story. I did like this audiobook but like I have stated before was just missing something. Perhaps if it was a little longer it would have been better. It does keep your attention though so if you are looking for a quick and light read then this is for you. I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for a honest review via Audiobook Boom. This in no way affected my opinion of this work.

[Norma · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Play the game right and a pawn can become royalty."
It's not great literature and the characterisation is thin, the story line is crazy and totally unbelievable, but, boy, is it funny with mental pictures delivered with cartoon clarity.
Jake inherited a small independent team of Junkers, retrieving and repairing robots gone wrong. Except, with no work for ages, there's no pay for the employees and most of their gear is broken, too - even the clock strikes 13. Then a job with the hope of much needed cash: a scarecrow robot had murdered it's farmer. And that is just the beginning...

Near continuous action with momentary pauses for a love-hate romancing, Junkers is constructed mostly from repartee dialogue. And in this narrator Doug Tisdale Jr. is superb. Each character is identifiability voiced whilst the in between text is read at a pace and timbre well suited to the text. An excellent performance. The whole is a delicious delight of fighting frivolity.
My thanks to the rights holder who, at my request, freely gifted me a complimentary copy via Audiobook Boom. A quick and ridiculous fun filled read, I enjoyed it immensely.

[Ben Bass · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Robot Uprising Is Here - And it's hilarious!

For such a short book, Junkers is a lot of fun.

I read the "Robopocalypse" by Daniel H. Wilson and was so disappointed that I almost gave up on the genre as a whole. But along comes Benjamin Wallace with his team of Junkers - Jake, Kat, Mason, Savant and Glitch - and I'm back in the game!

Life is supposed to be easier when robots do all the work, right? Then why are they murdering people? The story starts out with a murder, is followed up by a murder, and ends with another murder or two... and, yet, I found myself laughing and eagerly consuming page after page of this story.

It's fun, lighthearted, and full of characters that I couldn't help but like - and want more of in the future. Junkers is the Robot Uprising we should all be reading... and we should also be calling our movie representatives and asking for this to be optioned. Seriously, folks, Benjamin Wallace's wit and sense of humor make him a national treasure.

[Jay Batson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, this is fun.

Junkers isn't really a sci-fi book. It's a book to read when you need something light. Where the humor is in both the story line, and in the dialog. When there are characters both lovable and irritating, which makes them all kinda lovable.

It's a book you *know* will basically come out ok, but where there will be silly, dumb, fun bad-outcomes for some of the characters / elements.

But in the meantime, you can relax, know you're picking up a book that will be satisfying, and kinda not want to end. Which is why it's awesome that there is another "Season 2" to read immediately afterward!

(Four stars because the bar ought to be high for 5-star books. Like, you read the last page, say "Whoa, I need to read that again right now" kinda high. Junkers is good; recommendable; I'm happy I read it. But it's not that 5-star, life-changing book. Nonetheless, read it!)

[Colin Rowlands · Rating 3 out of 5]

The robot apocalypse is a commonly used theme in scifi, but this less serious and humorous take on the subject gives it a fresh twist that works well. The varied cast of characters is led by Jake, a fairly down-at-heel everyman character who is struggling to keep his business going in a very corporate world and he is aided by a fairly motley crew that mostly help him in the fight.

The narrator's general tone was clear and pleasant, for the various characters he managed to convey a suitable level of distinctiveness without going over the top.

Overall, this was a fun book and I will look out for more from this author in the future.

[Note - I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.]

[Bonnie Dale Keck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kindle Unlimited for 1 and ARC for 2, which is why I pulled 1 to check it out from the beginning.

Then the machines possibly rise, it's not going to be Terminator type, just billionaires on 2 sides, a not really an ex, a workshop full of employees and a shop badly in need of funds, glow in the dark 'junk', and okay it might still mean cyber-pocalypse that could become all too real. Can Jake and his team {Kat, Mason, Savant and Glitch} from a broken down bunch of bits at Ashley’s Robot Reclamation Of Green Hill {ARRGH} keep ignoring 3% owner Uncle Aaron and his crazy girlfriend while possibly having to save the world, and their lives?

Junkers - Junkers Season 2

[Peter Middldton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I dont know what the other people have been reading, but I dont think I read the same book. Sure, we can each have our opinion, but its my view that character development in this book (or any other Benjamin Wallace book, for that matter) is sub-par.

Mind you, I love Benjamin's style of writing. Not taking yourself or any genre seriously has been my life's story, so anyone else doing the same is ok, in my books. As good as the Duck and Cover books, if not better, this book doesnt take itself seriously and was never meant to be anytning but a great little read. And, that is what you get.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

[Trever · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyable and often laugh-out-loud funny, this near-future story of a company of rogue appliance "Blade Runners" reads like a blend of the A-Team and Laurell and Hardy. Our wacky group is forced to upgrade from chasing down errant AI dishwashers and lawnmowers to fighting a fullblown robot AI apocalypse as more and more "smart things" start going nuts. Don't look for deep characters or complex relationships, but if you're in the mood for some SF laughs and heroes who punch the villain and get the girl, this is the ticket, at least for the short 4 hour running time of the audiobook version.

[Trike · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is legitimately hilarious. I laughed aloud several times. It is completely over the top, which is perfect. I want to see this made into a movie, stat. The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars is that it falls down on the mystery a bit when our main characters make a leap of logic to accuse someone of starting the robot uprising. Other than that minor quibble, this is great fun. I love that they go from suspect to suspect, accusing them of being behind the robopacolypse, only for that person to get killed right in front of them. Perfect.

Narrator Phil Thron does an excellent job. The included outtakes at the end were also v. funny.

[Victor · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun read, it doesn't feel like the book aspires to be too much more than that. But it succeeds in the endeavor. The premise that any machines made complex enough to perform human labors will occasionally go "renegade" and kill people is kind of funny. The accompanying solution of destroying these machines which one can presume are exhibiting some level of sentience, is darkly hilarious, and very human.

From the scarecrow with a minigun shooting corn kernels to the glowing penile prosthetic, the book was a fun quick read.

[Sean Duggan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent read, but not filling

I enjoyed the book. I'll get that out of the way. But it's not one to take seriously. The characters are caricatures. The action becomes forgettable after the first few scenes, and the detective work basically consists of accusing one obvious suspect after another and ruling them out after they either deny their guilt or get killed. And it's shorter than the page length would indicate. Still, it's a decent airline book, and cheapish at 99 cents.

[Joseph Inzirillo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Wallace's writing style. Humor and action. This is actually the second book I've read of his. The first was from the Duck and Cover series which is my favorite by him so far. Junkers is a great look at what could happen in the future and does this with that kind of tongue in cheek humor that makes Wallace fun to read.

He just released Junkers season 2 so I'm definitely looking forward to that.

[Dave Agans · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a world where robots do just about everything, sometimes one goes rogue. Or even several. Enter the Junkers, a rag-tag team (what else?) of robot wranglers who take on the jobs too dangerous for anyone else. This first book in the series is really funny, mostly from the hilarious banter among the team. But there were some laugh-out-loud moments, like the battle scenes with renegade office machines who’s tactics are limited by their specific office tasks. Story 5, Craft 5, Humor 5

[Lynn Keith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seriously Twisted Fun

It's not often I come across an author who makes me laugh so hard I squirt soda out my nose. The last one was Christopher Moore. Now I have found Benjamin Wallace and I have a whole lot of wonderful laughs ahead of me! Junkers is a fabulously funny story that I thoroughly enjoyed and am happy to anyone who likes to laugh at science fiction silliness.

[Beth Hale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this author

Ive read the Duck and Cover series, the Shattered Alliance series and Dean Stockwell. The Dad series didnt grab me but it was a weird time of life when i read those. The post apocalypse ones were my favorite. He treats us as intelligent readers not having to over describe everything, keeps the characters in focus with surprises and i LOVE his action writing. I suggest starting with Post Apocalyptic Nomad Warriors.

[Brian Powell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, not great

It was OK. I read this because I loved Post Apocalyptic Nomadic Warrior and I was hoping for another great funny read. This was superbly average. The characters weren't great, but you root for them. The villain is lame, but passable. Just really an average read in every way.

[Nicolas Knight · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pop scifi good for a few hours of mindless read.

It's not pushing any envelopes, testing any boundaries or even trying to find the walls of that box.

The plot is exactly what it says on the tin with 0 plot twist and 0 surprises.

The action is mostly entertaining and at least the main character never pretends to be smart so it's no shock that he isn't.

Good popocorn book.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book. Genuinely made me laugh out loud.

A great book with great, flawed characters. You can't stand some of them, and you love others. I wanted to kill Savant several times, but didn't want him to fail either.

This is the first book that made me laugh out loud for a long time. Highly recommended :)

[Ami · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read!

I love to read well written action/adventure tales that are also humorous. Benjamin Wallace has nearly perfected this combination and Bunkers is one of many successes. The characters are great and most have found a place in my mind as favorites. I highly recommend it. Now I'm off to get Bunkers 2, I'm so excited!

Read via Kindle Unlimited

[Rob Paczkowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this prior to being on Good Reads. So just saying I love this author and all his books. Just check him out. Trying anything if you are into the unusual humor. Love it all. But this is actually his 3rd book of the series ( short story.) Junkers, The Missing season, C.H.U.M. Great filler until his next masterpiece!

[Jake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun and fast read

Well Benjamin Wallace didn't disappoint in this book, it was a fun read. I enjoyed his take on the robot "uprising". The characters were all very enjoyable. And I can't wait to read junkers season 2.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun and creative adventure filled with likeable and interesting, if simple, characters. You won't find anything here earth-shattering or amazingly creative, but you will find a fun romp with a side of Science Fiction fit for a good Saturday afternoon film.

[RJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here we have a humorous romp through the future of smart machines. This is a great change of pace story; fun characters and a quick read. I enjoyed the book thoroughly. This audiobook was given by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review via Audiobook Boom.

[odedo1 Audio book worm. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is pure joy.
Benjamin Wallace wrote this fun story beautifully, it’s simple to follow, great characters and completely possible.
Together with Doug Tisdale Jr. narrating this book could not go wrong !

Truly recommend for all.


Accepted this audiobook for free for an honest review.