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inthebelljar's review against another edition
5.0
While reading this short story collection, it occurred to me that I would be marking this as a favorite book here on Goodreads. So many of these stories hit close to home in such meaningful ways, exploring gender and trauma and relationships and being human.
Or not being human.
Which was, honestly, very touching and relatable as someone who, for many reasons (neurodivergency, trauma, gender, etc.), can find solace in relating to non-human entities and characters, and has for a long time.
Although I can't say every story was 5 stars, as a whole, this collection felt perfect to me. The mixture of fantasy and science fiction throughout worked so well, and the worlds felt so whole - it was like visiting these gorgeous, fully-realized realities. These worlds were not created just for the story that took place within them.
The characters, the writing, the worlds - all of this was so well-done that I have to give this 5 stars and a place on my favorites shelf. So many of these stories felt like unspoken words from my own heart and it was cathartic and wonderful to read, even if some hurt; it was an experience and one that meant a lot to me.
Or not being human.
Which was, honestly, very touching and relatable as someone who, for many reasons (neurodivergency, trauma, gender, etc.), can find solace in relating to non-human entities and characters, and has for a long time.
Although I can't say every story was 5 stars, as a whole, this collection felt perfect to me. The mixture of fantasy and science fiction throughout worked so well, and the worlds felt so whole - it was like visiting these gorgeous, fully-realized realities. These worlds were not created just for the story that took place within them.
The characters, the writing, the worlds - all of this was so well-done that I have to give this 5 stars and a place on my favorites shelf. So many of these stories felt like unspoken words from my own heart and it was cathartic and wonderful to read, even if some hurt; it was an experience and one that meant a lot to me.
magenta_menace's review against another edition
4.75
an incredible collection that spans the wide horizon of speculative fiction. rustad captures both human ennui and transhumanist longing in these stories, with a sort of vulnerable tenderness that is not typical of the genre. my personal favorite stories in the collection were “tomorrow when we see the sun,” “the android’s prehistoric menagerie,” and “where monsters dance.” definitely a collection worth the read for trans sci-fi and fantasy fan.
bookwyrmknits's review
hopeful
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
I picked up this collection because I enjoyed the author's contribution to A PEOPLE'S FUTURE OF THE UNITED STATES so much. (It was one of the highlights of an otherwise mostly bleak anthology.) I'm really glad I did! This collection is full of hopeful, positive, and very queer stories. There's so much good SFF queer rep here: just about everything is shown, from lesbian and gay couples, to bisexual and (many) transgender characters, and ace/aro characters. In addition, there are autistic characters, and a little bit of disability rep. (I don't think the autism is called out, but it's pretty obviously there in a few places.)
This is one of the rare short story collections where I didn't dislike a single piece. Sure, I liked some of the stories more than others, and there were a few that I don't think I fully understand, but I enjoyed reading each piece.
"This Is Not a Wardrobe Door"
I hadn't expected the collection to start with a fantasy piece, but I'm a huge fan of portal fantasy so I loved this story. I really liked getting to see both sides of the portal, and appreciated the ending a lot.
"Tomorrow When We See the Sun"
This story unfolds as it goes, with a lot of the world building spaced out through the piece. I liked where it went, bittersweet ending and all, and am very curious to read the other stories published in this world.
"The Sorcerer's Unattainable Gardens"
I really like this one, and the storytelling style. I think it's best to read it without spoilers, so I won't explain why I liked the style. Just read it for yourself. It's not too long, and it's both sweet and imaginative.
"The Android's Prehistoric Menagerie"
Super sweet story! I thought in the first chapter or two that this was going to be a dystopian, but it's filled with too much hope and life to be called that (even though it's set after the world as we know it ends). I really liked this one. While I would like to see the characters more, I think this is the perfect length story.
"For Want of a Heart"
I'm not sure what exactly to think of this story. I really like the concept and the worldbuilding, but the resolution was not exactly what I would have liked. Honestly, while I can see the main character behaving the way she did it was also a very selfish act and that makes it hard for me to properly say I "liked" it since I didn't like the MC.
"Once I, Rose"
The way this story unfolded was really neat. I'm not going into details because it's best to discover it for yourself, but there are two main ways to see the ending playing out (after the story ends) and I choose to believe the happy version.
"Where Monsters Dance"
This sweet "not a fairy tale" actually is a fairy tale, kinda. One where the monsters are the good guys, and some "good guys" are monsters. I really liked this story. (Nice LGBTQ+ rep too, with a lesbian MC and trans love interest.) CW: misgendering of secondary character
"A Survival Guide For When You're Trapped In A Black Hole"
God, how to describe this one? Beautiful. Heartbreaking. Worth a read, but be sure you're in a mentally good place first—especially pet owners. CW: pet illness and death
"Thread"
Neat concept and set-up, though I only partially understand the actual setting. I liked it even though I can’t really describe what happened or why.
"Under Wine-Bright Seas"
Very cool almost-mermaid story! I loved the mix of gender fluidity and disability rep in this even though it’s short.
"Of Blessed Servitude"
This one is weird, kind of a Western/Spec Fic combo. It also throws in some anti-LGBTQ+ dytopia-ish laws (used against the good guys) and it gets a bit gory in places. Neat to read but weird and hard to describe.
"To the Knife-Cold Stars"
This story follows on after the previous story in the collection, but focuses on the other character in that story. This one is less gory, but has more depressing thoghts as a result of an offscreen death of a loved one. The MC is not quite suicidal, but is close at points.
"Finding Home"
Sweet short about finding home and family, and what that means. This one proves that I can enjoy portal SF as much as portal fantasy.
"Winter Bride"
This is a fairly classic faerie story using the Wild Hunt as a backdrop, though it doesn’t always go in the direction I expect. I enjoyed it a lot.
"To the Monsters, With Love"
A fun short that flips the good guys and bad guys around. I wasn’t surprised by the direction this one went, but it was still entertaining to read.
"Batteries For Your Doombot5000 Are Not Included"
Very sweet short about retired superheroes and supervillains trying to save a friend. I liked this one a lot, and would happily read more stories about these characters. Possibly my favorite story in the collection... it was fun and happy and sentimental and just very good.
"…Or Be Forever Fallen"
Weird and a little creepy. Minor body horror. And I am a bit confused about what happened, but it was neat to read.
"Iron Aria"
I've read stories before that anthropomorphize natural objects, but this story is one of the better ones. I love the way the ocean and the mountain had personalities and how their thoughts were there but not human. I also liked Kyru as a character, and his journey toward being who he truly is.
"What Becomes of the Third-Hearted"
This is an interesting take on the end of the world, but it felt more fantasy than science fiction. (Not a problem, I just always got surprised when this collection took a fantasy turn given the title and cover.) I appreciated the weirdness and the hopeful tone. CW: brief mentions of cancer and death of a parent
"The Gentleman of Chaos"
I really enjoyed this one! It's a great story of growth and self discovery and how being who you truly are can be freeing. Highly recommended (though it gets a bit bloody at times).
"How to Become a Robot in 12 Easy Steps"
I really enjoyed this story a lot; it was easy to connect with the MC's difficulty fitting into a society that expects one thing when you feel another. Even though the MC is depressed for most of the story, this was still a hopeful note to end the collection on, since they're surrounded by a large support group of side characters. CW: depression, suicidal thoughts, homophobia
This is one of the rare short story collections where I didn't dislike a single piece. Sure, I liked some of the stories more than others, and there were a few that I don't think I fully understand, but I enjoyed reading each piece.
"This Is Not a Wardrobe Door"
I hadn't expected the collection to start with a fantasy piece, but I'm a huge fan of portal fantasy so I loved this story. I really liked getting to see both sides of the portal, and appreciated the ending a lot.
"Tomorrow When We See the Sun"
This story unfolds as it goes, with a lot of the world building spaced out through the piece. I liked where it went, bittersweet ending and all, and am very curious to read the other stories published in this world.
"The Sorcerer's Unattainable Gardens"
I really like this one, and the storytelling style. I think it's best to read it without spoilers, so I won't explain why I liked the style. Just read it for yourself. It's not too long, and it's both sweet and imaginative.
"The Android's Prehistoric Menagerie"
Super sweet story! I thought in the first chapter or two that this was going to be a dystopian, but it's filled with too much hope and life to be called that (even though it's set after the world as we know it ends). I really liked this one. While I would like to see the characters more, I think this is the perfect length story.
"For Want of a Heart"
I'm not sure what exactly to think of this story. I really like the concept and the worldbuilding, but the resolution was not exactly what I would have liked. Honestly, while I can see the main character behaving the way she did it was also a very selfish act and that makes it hard for me to properly say I "liked" it since I didn't like the MC.
"Once I, Rose"
The way this story unfolded was really neat. I'm not going into details because it's best to discover it for yourself, but there are two main ways to see the ending playing out (after the story ends) and I choose to believe the happy version.
"Where Monsters Dance"
This sweet "not a fairy tale" actually is a fairy tale, kinda. One where the monsters are the good guys, and some "good guys" are monsters. I really liked this story. (Nice LGBTQ+ rep too, with a lesbian MC and trans love interest.) CW: misgendering of secondary character
"A Survival Guide For When You're Trapped In A Black Hole"
God, how to describe this one? Beautiful. Heartbreaking. Worth a read, but be sure you're in a mentally good place first—especially pet owners. CW: pet illness and death
"Thread"
Neat concept and set-up, though I only partially understand the actual setting. I liked it even though I can’t really describe what happened or why.
"Under Wine-Bright Seas"
Very cool almost-mermaid story! I loved the mix of gender fluidity and disability rep in this even though it’s short.
"Of Blessed Servitude"
This one is weird, kind of a Western/Spec Fic combo. It also throws in some anti-LGBTQ+ dytopia-ish laws (used against the good guys) and it gets a bit gory in places. Neat to read but weird and hard to describe.
"To the Knife-Cold Stars"
This story follows on after the previous story in the collection, but focuses on the other character in that story. This one is less gory, but has more depressing thoghts as a result of an offscreen death of a loved one. The MC is not quite suicidal, but is close at points.
"Finding Home"
Sweet short about finding home and family, and what that means. This one proves that I can enjoy portal SF as much as portal fantasy.
"Winter Bride"
This is a fairly classic faerie story using the Wild Hunt as a backdrop, though it doesn’t always go in the direction I expect. I enjoyed it a lot.
"To the Monsters, With Love"
A fun short that flips the good guys and bad guys around. I wasn’t surprised by the direction this one went, but it was still entertaining to read.
"Batteries For Your Doombot5000 Are Not Included"
Very sweet short about retired superheroes and supervillains trying to save a friend. I liked this one a lot, and would happily read more stories about these characters. Possibly my favorite story in the collection... it was fun and happy and sentimental and just very good.
"…Or Be Forever Fallen"
Weird and a little creepy. Minor body horror. And I am a bit confused about what happened, but it was neat to read.
"Iron Aria"
I've read stories before that anthropomorphize natural objects, but this story is one of the better ones. I love the way the ocean and the mountain had personalities and how their thoughts were there but not human. I also liked Kyru as a character, and his journey toward being who he truly is.
"What Becomes of the Third-Hearted"
This is an interesting take on the end of the world, but it felt more fantasy than science fiction. (Not a problem, I just always got surprised when this collection took a fantasy turn given the title and cover.) I appreciated the weirdness and the hopeful tone. CW: brief mentions of cancer and death of a parent
"The Gentleman of Chaos"
I really enjoyed this one! It's a great story of growth and self discovery and how being who you truly are can be freeing. Highly recommended (though it gets a bit bloody at times).
"How to Become a Robot in 12 Easy Steps"
I really enjoyed this story a lot; it was easy to connect with the MC's difficulty fitting into a society that expects one thing when you feel another. Even though the MC is depressed for most of the story, this was still a hopeful note to end the collection on, since they're surrounded by a large support group of side characters. CW: depression, suicidal thoughts, homophobia
Content Warnings
Minor: Cancer, Death of parent, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Animal death, and Body horror
howard's review against another edition
3.0
These were mostly just okay with a few standouts. I felt like there was too much description and not enough action. Second person was used a lot as well which isn't my favorite storytelling medium. The final story was pretty heavy and I wish it had been placed anywhere else so it wasn't the very last feeling I got from the book.
amethyst_hearts_books's review against another edition
2.0
I wanted to like this collection, but it just wasn't my thing.
clara_ward's review against another edition
5.0
I love stories that offer new perspectives, and this book can bend your mind--and bend it again with each successive story. I liked the last story best (How to Become a Robot in 12 Easy Steps), but I think I appreciated it more for having bent my mind around the other stories that came before it. Definitely worth reading as a collection.
choirqueer's review against another edition
5.0
This book was REALLY REALLY GOOD and also REALLY REALLY messed with my head. Based on the title and the first story, I was ready for a book of stories that would be really good and also make me feel...happy. This, in fact, was a book of stories which were extremely good and also made me feel...like curling up in a ball and hiding under the bed forever. Get ready to feel every possible emotion and then a few impossible ones, and then to realize maybe you actually are a robot after all when all your circuits overload.
Overall I absolutely loved this, I came away feeling like I dearly would love to be friends with the author, and I'd love to read anything else they ever write (even if I need to cry for a week after reading it).
There was a lot of very heavy content in here and I didn't make notes on everything to warn for, but some content warnings include: graphic physical and psychological violence, child abuse, intimate partner abuse, transantagonism (in the context of characters who are villains displaying transantagonistic behavior to show how bad/evil they are), suicidality, one story where a dog dies, and one where sexual violence is described but does not actually occur.
Overall I absolutely loved this, I came away feeling like I dearly would love to be friends with the author, and I'd love to read anything else they ever write (even if I need to cry for a week after reading it).
There was a lot of very heavy content in here and I didn't make notes on everything to warn for, but some content warnings include: graphic physical and psychological violence, child abuse, intimate partner abuse, transantagonism (in the context of characters who are villains displaying transantagonistic behavior to show how bad/evil they are), suicidality, one story where a dog dies, and one where sexual violence is described but does not actually occur.
kaa's review against another edition
5.0
I don't usually rate story collections five stars, because there are always at least a few stories that don't quite achieve that rating. Even though I enjoyed all of the stories in this collection, for instance, there were several that weren’t quite as amazing as the rest. However, So You Want To Be A Robot is more than just the sum of its parts. The stories come together to create an amazing book about humanity, gender, trauma, and recovery. There's a lot of darkness in many of the stories, but I think ultimately it's a very hopeful collection.
My favorite story was "How to Become a Robot in Twelve Easy Steps." I'd read it previously, but even the second time it nearly made me cry. This is a story that cut my heart to pieces, stomped all over those pieces, and then managed to restore it even stronger than it was before.
Highly, highly recommended.
My favorite story was "How to Become a Robot in Twelve Easy Steps." I'd read it previously, but even the second time it nearly made me cry. This is a story that cut my heart to pieces, stomped all over those pieces, and then managed to restore it even stronger than it was before.
Highly, highly recommended.
bookdeviant's review against another edition
4.0
Avg overall rating was 3.73 stars
Rounded up to 4 stars
Favorite stories were:
- The Sorcerer's Unattainable Gardens
- Under Wine-Bright Seas
- BATTERIES FOR YOUR DOOMBOT5000 ARE NOT INCLUDED
- Iron Aria
- The Gentleman of Chaos
Rounded up to 4 stars
Favorite stories were:
- The Sorcerer's Unattainable Gardens
- Under Wine-Bright Seas
- BATTERIES FOR YOUR DOOMBOT5000 ARE NOT INCLUDED
- Iron Aria
- The Gentleman of Chaos
cmd_prompt's review against another edition
5.0
Average rating: 3.8 stars
Favorites: The Sorceror's Unattainable Garden, When Monsters Dance, How to Become a Robot in 12 Easy Steps
This Is a Not Wardrobe Door - 3.5 stars
Tomorrow When We See the Sun - 4 stars
The Sorceror's Unattainable Gardens - 5 stars
The Android's Prehistoric Garden - 3.5 stars
For Want of a Heart - 3.5 stars
Once I, Rose - 4 stars
When Monsters Dance - 4.5 stars
A Survival Guide for When You're Trapped in a Black Hole - 2.5 stars
Thread - 3.5 stars
Under Wine-Bright Skies - 4 stars
Of Blessed Servitude - 3.5 stars
To the Cold Knife Stars - 3.5 stars
Finding Home - 3.5 stars
Winter Bride - 4 stars
To the Monsters, with Love - 3.5 stars
BATTERIES FOR YOU DOOMBAT500 ARE NOT INCLUDED - 4 stars
...Or Be Forever Fallen - 3.5 stars
Iron Aria - 4 stars
What Becomes of the Third-Hearted - 4 stars
The Gentleman of Chaos - 4 stars
How to Become a Robot in 12 Easy Steps - 5 star
Favorites: The Sorceror's Unattainable Garden, When Monsters Dance, How to Become a Robot in 12 Easy Steps
This Is a Not Wardrobe Door - 3.5 stars
Tomorrow When We See the Sun - 4 stars
The Sorceror's Unattainable Gardens - 5 stars
The Android's Prehistoric Garden - 3.5 stars
For Want of a Heart - 3.5 stars
Once I, Rose - 4 stars
When Monsters Dance - 4.5 stars
A Survival Guide for When You're Trapped in a Black Hole - 2.5 stars
Thread - 3.5 stars
Under Wine-Bright Skies - 4 stars
Of Blessed Servitude - 3.5 stars
To the Cold Knife Stars - 3.5 stars
Finding Home - 3.5 stars
Winter Bride - 4 stars
To the Monsters, with Love - 3.5 stars
BATTERIES FOR YOU DOOMBAT500 ARE NOT INCLUDED - 4 stars
...Or Be Forever Fallen - 3.5 stars
Iron Aria - 4 stars
What Becomes of the Third-Hearted - 4 stars
The Gentleman of Chaos - 4 stars
How to Become a Robot in 12 Easy Steps - 5 star