Book excerpt: It's an ear-splitting, gut-crunching, armor-crashing, booby-trapped fight to the death and the fastest-growing sport on television -- the world of hard-driving robot combat. Millions watch as these metallic maulers, handmade with a vengeance by technical wizards, slash, buzz, and hammer each other into a crowd-pleasing pulp in awesome displays of motorized muscle. This is the only A to Z guide to the fascinating world of mechanical warriors -- from the best Bots in the business to the inventors who created them. Whether you want to build and fight your own robot, learn more about the sport, or get a close-up, behind-the-scenes look at every bit of the action, this comprehensive book delivers it all -- the guts, the gears, and the pulverizing glory! Book jacket.