Take a photo of a barcode or cover
7_minutes_of_weeping 's review for:
Service Model
by Adrian Tchaikovsky
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This story follows Charles (later referred to as Uncharles), a robot valet who inadvertently kills his human master and embarks on a quest to find a new purpose in a world where humanity is failing and robots are struggling to maintain order.
On the surface, this was a fun post-apocalyptic sci-fi read about a robot on the hunt for a new master. But it explores some great themes of purpose, free will, and the meaning of existence. I really enjoyed the start of this book, found it to be entertaining throughout, and even found myself chuckling due to how comical the interactions between the characters were.
What I didn’t catch on to straight away were the classical references and writing styles of the chapters that I now find to be absolutely genius. Each part is actually a reference to the writing style of an author and talks about classical themes of those authors (Agatha Christie, Franz Kafka, George Orwell, Jorge Luis Borges, and Dante). I can clearly see how each part references these authors, and this was done so well!
What I struggled with was the repetitiveness of the story, which I guess was to be expected with robots, but after a while, it became frustrating. I also really wanted more from the ending for the characters, which I am sure is just a personal preference.
Overall, I enjoyed this book, and I am a sucker for any book that can make me laugh. It’s deeper than it looks, which I also appreciate. If you are looking for a fun sci-fi story, I recommend giving this one a go!