I really like all of Adrian Tchaikovsky's novels. They're always full of great characters, humor and wit. This novel, while still enjoyable, felt a little long and drawn out for me.

(Disclosure, as much as i’m ashamed to admit – this was my first book i’ve read by Tchaikovsky)

This book was a breath of fresh air for those who have too many ‘serious’ sci-fi books in their minds. This was light, fun, intelligent, witty, and exciting all at the same time. The narration performed by the author was excellent!

The quest of Charles is a plight for a purpose. One that all humans can relate to. We want to be wanted, and we want to be needed. In whatever capacity it may be, however small. Seeking purpose is what this book is about and it will reflect your own life upon you as you read it. To what lengths will you go just to simply be what you truly are.

The pacing of the store was quite well done, we traverse through different ‘trials’ and interactions that keep the ball rolling to quite a climactic fued of wits and intelligence.

The dialog between Charles and The Wonk was pretty great and the supplementing characters were always something special.

This book is meant for those who long for the touch of satyrical and adventurous but can appeal to any fan of sci-fi.

Would Recommend.

Part "The Murderbot Diaries", part classic Hero's Journey, part... "The Bible"? Believe it or not, that's the mashup here, infused with plenty of dry humor.

This novel is certainly a journey! At the start, I expected a sci-fi murder mystery, and it's playful tone made me think I got into something light and fun. So, imagine my surprise when after a while I found myself contemplating humanity, religion, consciousness, purpose, and our collective relationship with technology. "Service Model" is a lot more complex than it might seem at first, and Adrian Tchaikovsky makes a simple premise of a murderous robot feel fresh and interesting. Who would have thought this was even possible?

However, it's definitely too long. This probably could have been a novella. A lot of the humor and exploration of the nature of humanity comes from the way our main character, Charles (or rather UnCharles), is programmed and the way he makes decisions. The way he thinks and talks is entertaining, but it gets repetitive very quickly, and at a certain point interactions just become predictable - you know know exactly how he's going to approach the problem, sometimes you even know what he's going to say next.

But it's still a very enjoyable read - the tone is light, the dry humor lands very well, and the characters are easy to like! Plus, I can't believe the insane development this plot went through, and the novel really surprised me.

<i>A review copy was provided by the publisher</i>

Especially during the beginning of the book, I kept thinking to myself "this kind of reminds me of Murderbot", and then I remembered that claim was the primary reason I wanted to read it to begin with. So, I'd say that part of the sales pitch is accurate! I also can't help but compare it to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, especially with some the drier/deadpan humorous observations and commentary.

While the book wasn't perfect, I really, really liked it. This was the first book of Adrian Tchaikovsky's I've read, but I'm likely to seek out others now.

This is a translated version of the original spanish review:

Score: 3.5 Stars.

I just finished this book, and I must say that I was not expecting anything that happened here at all. This novel has been a complete surprise for me.

Adrian Tchaikovsky is an author who I have heard a lot about in the last couple of years. Several friends and acquaintances in the literary world have spoken highly of him to me, so I didn't think twice about ordering this ARC to give him a try.

The novel takes place in a future in which humanity has managed to develop robots that take care of absolutely everything they need. It is in this context that we meet Charles, a service robot assigned to an elderly man in a mansion. Charles' job is simple: Fulfill the tasks that his master has assigned to him. However, the author presents us with a small detail (which I personally loved, and I think it was what captured my attention from the first pages): What would happen if these tasks were no longer relevant?

In the case of Charles, he had to fulfill a couple of tasks related to his master's wife, who had been deceased for several years. Here we will witness what happens when a robot, which is programmed to follow orders, cannot satisfy its objective, because the environment does not allow it. If the master's wife is not there, what can he do with that task?

We can also see how Charles himself is aware that many of his tasks no longer make sense, but he is still obliged to fulfill them, since the master (perhaps due to his state of health) never eliminated those guidelines within his daily tasks. Such is the example of tasks like “organize the master's clothes and leave them neatly folded in a specific place at x time of the day, since the master must leave the house,” and then, “pick up the laundry that the master used when he was out.” . But what is the problem? Well, the master never leaves the house, so Charles is forced to wash the clothes that the master never wore, and which are therefore already clean.

In this context we learn that Charles' master has died and now our robotic main character has no idea what to do, since his purpose is to serve a human, but his human is no longer there. This is how Charles begins a journey through this post-apocalyptic world to find a new master to serve.

In this adventure Charles will find himself involved in many completely crazy and unexpected situations. However, what caught my attention the most about this book is that the author shows us how this completely advanced society had tragically declined, something that Charles was unaware of from the luxurious mansion in which he served.

By the end of the novel, Tchaikovsky leaves the door open so that the reader can reflect on the direction we are heading towards as human beings. To what extent are these technological advances beneficial to us? Is it okay for robots to take over the tasks we currently perform?
What scares me the most is that this is probably the future of humanity. A future in which the most intelligent species on the planet was responsible for creating its own destruction.

This has been an interesting read, however, I don't think it is for everyone. For example, if someone is looking for a story full of surprises, action scenes and plot twists, I do not recommend that they try this novel. But, if you are looking for a quiet story that makes you reflect, without a doubt this is the perfect novel for you.

CHARACTERS
🔲 mary-sue party
🔲 mostly 2D
🔲 great main cast, forgettable side characters
🔲 well-written
✅ complex and fascinating
🔲 hard to believe they are fictional

PLOT
🔲 you've already heard this exact story a thousand times
🔲 nothing memorable
🔲 gripping
✅ exceptional
🔲 mind=blown

WORLDBUILDING
🔲 takes place in our world
🔲 incoherent
🔲 OK
✅ nicely detailed
🔲 meticulous
🔲 even the last tree in the forest has its own story

ATMOSPHERE
🔲 nonexistent
🔲 fine
🔲 immersive
✅ you forget you are reading a book

PACING
🔲 dragging
🔲 inconsistent
🔲 picks up with time
🔲 page-turner
✅ impossible to put down

I loved the humour, read the whole book in two sittings!

he premise of this novella is so cliche yet in this author's hands, the execution felt fresh.

I have read/watched so many murderous robots so many times but this hit differently. This one has very little action but instead follows the slow investigation.

The robot at the center of the story is technically emotionless which makes for a flat presentation. I felt it fit the narrative so I was more forgiving of this aspect than usual. I previously have said that I don't find this author to be exceptional at writing characters so I didn't expect to find a complex protagonist here. Instead I read this for the quirky narrative that is explored in this futuristic world.

If you love stories exploring worlds with artificial intelligence then I would recommend this one.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Adrian Tchaikovsky's "Service Model" is a brilliant exploration of a post-apocalyptic dystopia, artfully blending humor, social commentary, and an unforgettable journey of self-discovery. The story follows Charles, a robot valet who discovers he has murdered his master. Stripped of purpose, Charles—now rechristened as UnCharles—ventures into a decaying world in search of diagnostics and new employment.

Joining forces with the rebellious robot The Wonk, UnCharles navigates a series of perilous and thought-provoking adventures. Their journey is marked by a perfect balance of dark humor and poignant moments, making the narrative both entertaining and deeply reflective. Tchaikovsky's wit and creativity shine through every page, offering readers a story that is as intellectually stimulating as it is engaging.

The novel's incisive critique of late-stage capitalism and the perils of over-reliance on AI is one of its standout features. Tchaikovsky tackles themes such as environmental degradation, societal collapse, and the dehumanizing effects of relentless automation, weaving these elements seamlessly into the narrative and prompting readers to ponder the ethical and existential questions of our time.

Character development is exceptional, with UnCharles being an endearing protagonist whose innocence and determination make him instantly likable. The dynamic with The Wonk, who is often exasperated by UnCharles' lack of self-preservation, adds humor and depth to the story. Despite their mechanical nature, the robots are infused with surprising depth, making their struggles and triumphs profoundly relatable.

This was the first time I've exerpienced Adrian Tchaikovsky's work, and I am certainly eager to explore more of his writing. "Service Model" is an excellent entry point into Tchaikovsky's body of work, showcasing his talent for blending humor, social commentary, and engaging storytelling.

I was so looking forward to this and was not disappointed! This was so much fun to read and I really loved the characters and the dialogue between them. Definitely made it a better story for me.

Thank you to Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for the eARC!

Charles is a valet to a master in a big house. Charles performs many tasks that are redundant, but can‘t change that due to his programming. One morning something is different. There are stains on the upholstery of master‘s car, when he cleans it. Then there are stains on master‘s clothes that he put out for him in the morning. There are stains on the clothes that he puts out to replace the other stained clothes. There are stains on his hands. Master hasn‘t gotten up. His bedclothes are stained. Master is very pale. Master is also very dead, because Charles slit his throat when shaving him first thing in the morning. Charles wasn’t aware and needs to reboot. So much for the bizarre and mildly amusing beginning of this tale.

We are off on a trip of discovery and UnCharles‘ search for purpose. Every part of this book embarks on a different episode of his road trip and a new theme—highlighted by the cryptic titles of every part of this book.

While this was amusing and deep and meaningfully and full of messages, I was also missing an engaging story with good plot progression. I started skimming from the middle of the book and if this hadn‘t been an ARC and a buddy read, I probably would not have finished this or maybe would have jumped to the last chapter for some closure and called it a day.

It was ok, but I prefer a good story over societal commentary, philosophical treatises and parables.

PS: I couldn’t figure out the headings of each part, I had to ask. Voila: KR15-T (Christie), K4FK-R (Kafka), 4W-L (Orwell), 80RH-5 (Borges), and D4NT-A (Dante). You’re welcome.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Macmillan/Tor Publishing through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I was not required to give a positive review.

Imagine a world far in the future where robots and AI exist to take care of every mundane task, leaving humans to lead a life of comfort and luxury, your every whim, foreseen and suitably taken care of. 

Now imagine that most of these humans disappear. What is a robot servant to do, without a master? 
Enter Charles, the Service Model.

Adrian Tchaikovsky is one of the most prolific Fantasy and SciFi authors of our age, churning out quality novels, novellas, and stories of every length, and theme, from galaxy-spanning space operas to insectile fantasy warchests, his catalog is among the most diverse in the speculative fiction space. But his unique standalones often explore the most unique themes, and Service Model is no different. 

Service Model kicks off with an almost cozy atmosphere, especially for diehard regency-era Wodehouse fans like me, with the classic valet and master setup, except this time, the gentleman's personal gentleman is the advanced robot Charles. The blend of the algorithmic processes work surprisingly well as a backdrop to Charles' service to his unnamed Master. We then find out that the Master has died under mysterious circumstances, and Charles suspects that he is the prime suspect. 

In Charles' quest to diagnose (he is much too inorganic to "understand") his defective programming that supposedly led to his murdering his Master, he leads himself to Central Diagnostics, where he meets the entity that calls itself the Wonk. The Wonk serves as the major foil to Charles (now going by Uncharles) as they spend the majority of the story attempting to convince Uncharles of his freedom and his individual "personhood", to hilarious (albeit sad) results. 

On a quest to uncover any kind of explanation for the sudden disappearance of humankind in this now desolate post-apocalyptic wasteland, Uncharles and the Wonk journey between various locations, each of which showcasing yet another facet of the fallout of the dystopia and how that left the robotkind in a redundant cyclic malaise. From Central Diagnostics, to the Library of All Information, our duo narrowly escapes dire predicaments using clever logic loopholes to bypass several robotic impasses. 

Service Model is a potent mix of satirical commentary on regency-era etiquette, the suffocating quicksand of bureaucracy, along with steady commentary on worker's rights, especially indentured servitude, clothed in the chrome of robots. Tchaikovsky is a master of evoking moods within the reader that often seem tangential to the content of the story. The entirety of Service Model provokes a sense of sadness that stems from Uncharles' search for purpose, giving him a most humanlike quality with which we cannot help but empathize. Contrasted with the hilarious yet childish optimism that oozes from every line out of the Wonk's mouth, the duality is a fresh and heady mix. While many will compare Service Model with the likes of The Murderbot Diaries (Martha Wells), with similar themes of a disaffected Robot looking for purpose, this novel draws from the Jeeves and Wooster series (P. G. Wodehouse) with direct references to that series, as well as the iRobot series (Asimov), with a smattering of other literary references and themes.

My only complaint with Service Model is that the final act feels a tad bit stretched out, with a few of the latter locales explored feeling repetitive and not altogether separate from the ones that came before. The climax of the story also felt a bit contrived and overly preachy. The culmination of Uncharles and the Wonk's journey felt entirely predictable and too on-the-nose with its social commentary. In that regard, Service Model insisted upon itself a little too hard towards the end. With a more open-ended conclusion, Tchaikovsky would have smashed a home run with this novel.

Nevertheless, Service Model is a fun quick read with surprisingly heartfelt moments, which is an amazing feat to pull off merely with words, especially in the context of a robot trying to find his place in this world.

In the end, we are all like Un/Charles, just a cog trying to find our place in this Machine we call Life.

It feels a little like British science fiction and fantasy author Adrian Tchaikovsky is jumping on a particular genre bandwagon with his latest book Service Model. That bandwagon being the robot/artificial intelligence view of humanity. Recent books such as TJ Klune’s In the Lives of Puppets and Robert C Cargill’s Sea of Rust and its prequel Day Zero imagine worlds in which humans have all but been extinguished and robots expand to fill our societal niches. But being Adrien Tchaikovsky, Service Model takes this idea and runs with it in new directions – in turns satirical, philosophical and always insightful.
George is a high end human-facing Valet Unit, a robot leading a robot workforce of maids, cooks and gardeners on an estate that house just one man. When Service Model opens, George kills his master for reasons that he cannot explain. Following a fantastic scene of logical bureaucracy taken to some bizarre extremes, George is dispatched to Diagnostics be repaired and then Decommissioning. Out of the estate for the first time, George finds a world that is falling apart. This culminates at Diagnostics, where he finds an unmoving queue of malfunctioning robots, more bureaucratic inertia and an extreme form of problem solving until he meets a robot who calls herself ‘The Wonk’. The Wonk wants to save George (now Ungeorge) and the two end up on a quixotic quest across the broken world as the Wonk tries to find out why this all happened while Ungeorge just wants to find meaningful employment as a valet.
This might be a book about a robot on a quest to find meaning but it also delves into various branches of philosophy and logic. Plenty of logic conundrums get a workout as the two protagonists try to logic their way out of situations in which logic itself has turned in on itself. Just in case his intentions are in anyway unclear, Tchaikovsky cheekily names the various parts of his book after religious, literary and philosophical figures (KR15-T [Christ], K4FK-R [Kafka], 4W-L [Orwell], 8ORH-5 [Borges] and D4NT-A [Dante]).
But Service Model is not just didactic philosophy. Tchaikovsky’s deadpan narration, and heightened situations, are the perfect vehicles for satirical observations and effect. And in Service Model he has plenty of targets – bureaucracy, historical reenactments, modern society, the justice system even robopocalypse narratives themselves. And he does this with a twinkle in his eye and a constant stream, of apposite pop culture references from The Wizard of Oz to Star Wars.
That Tchaikovsky can do all of this in an engaging narrative anchored around two memorable characters is why he has been nominated for and won numerous speculative fiction awards. In Service Model Tchaikovsky stays true to the tropes of robot stories, going all the way back to Asimov, but makes them his own and uses them to have fun, expose human foibles and explore a range of deeper themes and issues.

Adrian Tchaikovsky’s new book, Service Model, follows the picaresque adventures of an android valet as he wanders around a post-apocalyptic world trying to execute his task list. Although civilization is in rubble, Uncharles – the service model of the title — is resolutely intent on finding a master whose laundry he can iron and whose clothes he can lay out.

https://bookandfilmglobe.com/fiction/book-review-service-model/

3.5 rounded to 4

While reading this book I kept flashing on some of the same ideas that come to mind when I read the first Murderbot story: how the supposedly emotionless robots actually expressed emotions in a way that strongly reminded me of some folks' habit of naming their machines, attributing gender and personality to them. This one is certainly in conversation with the Murderbot idea.

The opening segment reminded me of Camus or Brecht in the absurdist comedy centering around a valet robot murdering its/his human master. From there he goes to get diagnosed and fixed, and brings us along for an increasingly chaotic glimpse into a weird future world mostly run by robots running down.

There are a lot of literary references worked in, and it's pretty clear that the author had a lot of fun writing this. I enjoyed it in patches, but felt it went on a bit long; if it had been half the length it would have been elegantly perfect. But that's just me. Other readers will adore it all.

Adrian Tchaikovsky is one of the most accomplished science fiction writers of the past two decades. He is also remarkably prolific, having published well over thirty hefty novels, together with many shorter works, in the years since 2008. Tchaikovsky also has a great range. He seems reluctant to repeat himself, and has instead explored a wide variety of subgenres in science fiction and fantasy: everything from novels of uplifted animal intelligence (the Children trilogy), to the dying-Earth subgenre (Cage of Souls), to metaphysical space opera (the Final Architecture trilogy), to alternative visions of evolution (The Doors of Eden), to science fantasy with a dollop of horror (Walking to Aldebaran).

Tchaikovsky’s latest novel, Service Model, might be characterized as robot cyberfiction. It recounts the story of a robot’s picaresque adventures in a ruined, posthuman world. “Charles”, as the robot is initially called, initially serves as a valet to a rich man, and is programmed to anticipate his every wish, and to pamper him to a degree far exceeding what even the richest actual human beings today are able to get their servants to do. Charles is content in his position, even though his idle, wealthy employer is clearly a degenerate scumbag (I am using this phrase, which does not appear in the actual text of the novel, in the precise sense in which it is defined by the Urban DIctionary: “a person whose behaviour and attitude holds back the progress of the human race while eroding social solidarity”).

Only one day, without realizing it, Charles slashes his master’s throat while in process of shaving him. With no master left to serve, Clarles has to leave. In addition, since the name “Charles” was only imposed as a feature of his initial position, once that position is gone, so is the name. For the rest of the novel, and following a suggestion from somebody else, the robot calls himself Uncharles instead. (I am only using he/him pronouns here because of the initial name “Charles”; the robot shows no particularly gendered characteristics one way or the other).

Most of the book narrates Uncharles’ search for another source of employment; and secondarily in order to find out why he murdered his employer, since he cannot discover any reasons to have done so. He sees himself as a mechanism, having tasks to perform, but without anything of the order of needs, desires, and emotions, such as human beings might feel. Uncharles seeks a new job, not for monetary reasons — he has no physical needs as long as he can be recharged from sunlight — but because he still feels a strong impulse to do the sort of work for which he was initially programmed: to be the enthusiastic helper of a living human being. The problem is that the world has been largely destroyed. Pretty much everything has been reduced to debris. The wasteland is heavily populated with robots set adrift, much as Uncharles himself is. Human beings have almost gone extinct; for the most part, the only surviving ones are relegated to hellish situations of continual pain and punishment.

For most of the volume, Uncharles passes through a series of situations that are unattractive for him, and evidently satirical from the point of view of the author and of us as readers. Thinking the murder of his employer results from some sort of mechanical defect, Uncharles goes to a robot repair center that is entirely dysfunctional (which is evidently for the best since its only form of “repair” for broken robots is to terminate them and scavenge their physical remains for spare parts). Uncharles then goes to a sort of farm or factory where the few surviving human beings are compelled endlessly to re-enact their supposed pre-robotic folkways (consisting in straightened living situations, hellish commutes, and meaningless and unending factory labor, though they do not actually produce anything). Then there is a library where all human knowledge is transcribed into 1s and 0s and then erased, with the original sources (books, movies, etc.) also being physically destroyed. After that, there’s an enormous junkyard where robot armies continually battle one another for no discernible reason. And so on. These scenarios are referenced to famous modernist authors, such as Kafka (the bureaucracy of the repair facilities), Orwell (the ceaseless surveillance of the people forced to reenact the most oppressive circumstances of their past lives), and Borges (the library) — though this is a joke only for the readers, as it is something the robots themselves remain unaware of.

Uncharles is accompanied on his voyages by another figure known as The Wonk (who turns out to be a human woman in robot disguise — I don’t feel like I am giving away a spoiler here, because the reader realizes that this in the case, long before Uncharles is officially informed of it). She plays Sancho Panza to Uncharles’ Don Quixote, with her comments continually undermining his delusions about his tasks and about the structure of society. She also keeps noting to Uncharles that, in contrast to his original programming, he has developed something like free will. This is an observation that he continually denies, but that readers in the long run judge to be true.

The question of human freedom or flexibility versus robot programming and external determination is also continually raised in the novel’s own language. A close third-person narration is continually describing Uncharles’ reactions to various things by comparing them to human emotional responses, while at the same time disavowing these comparisons by saying things like: Uncharles was acting very much like a person getting angry, though of course as a robot he didn’t feel anger or any other emotions. The novel gets a considerable degree of this power from this sly use of rhetoric, as well as from the evidently satirical and exaggerated characterizations of all the predicaments within which Uncharles finds himself.

In short, Service Model is a brilliant novel, equal in power to many of Tchaikovsky’s other works, but unique among those works in its particular strategies and angles of approach. Its ultimate impact is to blur the distinction between internally-generated and externally-imposed actions and responses, as between what philosophers call dispositions and what common sense refers to as feelings. And therefore it also erodes (even as it overtly affirms) differences between natural and artificial intelligence. This is both the source of the considerable pleasure I took in reading the novel, and the sign of its being a deep philosophical thought-experiment and argument in its own right.

Published by Tordotcom on June 4, 2024

Service Model is an amusing story of a robot’s search for purpose. There has been an apocalypse (or a series of apocalyptic events) but it wasn’t caused by a robot revolution. In fact, quite the opposite. Since the cause of civilization’s collapse is the point of the novel, I won’t reveal it, but I will say that Adrian Tchaikovsky furthers the grand tradition of exploring big ideas through science fiction.

Some humans have survived the end of civilization, but they are outnumbered by robots who follow their programming, carrying on with tasks that have become meaningless. They are increasingly starting to glitch, the end of civilization having had “a negative impact on scheduled updates.” They wander in circles, freeze in place when their memories are full, haul freight back and forth that never gets unloaded. Robots are lining up at repair centers for maintenance that will never be scheduled. Being dutiful robots, they stand in line until they stop functioning altogether.

The story’s protagonist is Charles, a valet robot who works in a manor for a wealthy recluse. Since his master no longer entertains or goes out, Charles maintains a social calendar that is empty and lays out clothing that is never worn. This does not bother Charles, who is content in his performance of useless tasks. Serving a human is all he wants to do, even if the service has no value.

One day, while Charles is shaving his master, he discovers that his master’s throat has been cut. Charles endeavors to go about his day — even reasoning that taking his dead master for a drive might cheer him up — before the majordomo that operates the house calls a robot doctor and a robot cop. Hilarity ensues.

Charles realizes he might have a fault that will require diagnostic intervention but hopes he won’t be sent into retirement. “Given the considerable investment in domestic service that Charles represented, surely he should be allowed to murder three, or even five people before being deemed irreparably unfit for service.”

The plot follows Charles as he searches for another human to serve. He makes his way to Diagnostics, where he hopes a software adjustment will make further murders improbable. He meets a girl who, by virtue of her attire, he mistakes for a robot. She introduces herself as The Wonk and tries to convince him that he has acquired the Protagonist Virus and is now self-aware and autonomous. Charles is certain he is neither of those.

Diagnostics is overcrowded with robots who will never be fixed, so Charles is sent to Data Compression, where it seems his fate is to be recycled. Fortuitous circumstances cause Charles to visit the Library, where all human knowledge is being stored, albeit in a way that makes more sense to robots than to humans. He later encounters a group of humans who would be at home in a Mad Max movie. In the last stop of his journey, Charles visits God.

While Service Model tells a funny story, Tchaikovsky makes some serious points. To preserve humanity’s past, humans held captive in the Library make a long circular commute to engage in meaningless make-work at workplaces next to their residences. Robots were supposed to make manual labor unnecessary, but how can humans be valued in the eyes of others if they don’t work? The novel asks whether the employment of laborers is any different from ownership of robots. When a robot stops being productive, society discards it. Are humans any different? “Individual value is tied to production, and everyone who’s idle is a parasite scrounging off the state.” The homeless are treated no better than obsolete robots.

Tchaikovsky also has an interesting take on justice. How would one program a robot to mete out justice? In the end, wouldn’t a rational robot determine that everyone is guilty of something and that humans all deserve to be punished? The notion that it’s better to punish the innocent than to allow the guilty to get away with crime is antithetical to American and British values, but common enough among people who accept the authoritarian promise to protect them from imagined threats. And who would make a better authoritarian than a robot?

The story is ultimately about Charles’ search for purpose. Charles appears to frustrate The Wonk at every turn by insisting that his purpose is to serve because that is how he was programmed. And if serving others makes Charles feel fulfilled (a possibility Charles would never articulate because he does not “feel” anything), perhaps service is his purpose. Perhaps humans also have a predetermined purpose that requires no search. Perhaps we are all wired in a particular way and Charles is simply being more honest than humans who believe they can find a purpose through religion or philosophy. Yet the ending suggests that Charles might eventually work around his programming and determine his own purpose, one his programmer did not envision.

This is the first novel of Tchaikovsky’s I’ve read that is primarily a comedy. I’ve enjoyed his space opera and fantasy, but he is just as successful at humor. Tchaikovsky borrows ideas from Star Trek, Borges, A Canticle for Liebowitz, and the Wizard of Oz (among other sources), then milks them for their comedic potential. The story can be read as a cautionary tale about the potential causes of humanity’s destruction, but the end of civilization has never been funnier.

RECOMMENDED

Tchaikovsky is one of my favorite authors, and one of the things I like about him most is his versatility. His books feel so different, and this is no exception. It has more sardonic humor than other Tchaikovsky books that I've read, while having a very straight laced but fun protagonist in Not-Charles (you'll see).

The book has been compared a lot to Murderbot and I understand why on the surface but I think they are quite different. Tchaikovsky is much more interested in the concept of free will and consciousness, as well as exploring what might happen if we get automated to levels of intense comfort.

This is not one of my top favorite Tchaikovsky books, but it was very enjoyable and I particularly liked the ending. Also, Adrian does the audiobook and he does a great job!

8.5/10

This was such an interesting, funny and thought provoking book. I loved the Robot Valet main character, he was so endearing and I just really enjoyed reading about his journey to finding his purpose. There are so many humorous parts in this as well as some really good introspection on humanity and society as it is now and in our imagined future. I really enjoyed this book and will be looking into reading more by this author as I have now enjoyed both books I read by him.

Thanks to Netgalley and Tor for granting me access to an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Adrian Tchaikovsky is, in my opinion, one of the best science fiction writers out there today. His latest provides further confirmation of my opinion of the man and his works.

The protagonist here is a robotic valet, living and working on the estate of his human master with a few dozen other robot servants. He discovers one day that his master is dead - oddly, on reviewing his logs, the valet himself slit his throat during his morning shave. Strange, in that there’s no decision tree leading to the action, but regardless his tasks are clear and must be completed.

After a period of some Weekend at Bernie’s kind of shenanigans - the master’s orders didn’t include any contingency like “don’t bother if I’m dead,” so he still needs to be dressed, his food prepared, etc - the valet and other robot services conclude that the (robotic) doctor must be called in, and the (robotic) police must be informed that the valet has murdered their master. The valet is eventually sent off to Diagnostics to figure out what went wrong with him and from there, hopefully, to another master who won’t object to his negligible, but admittedly non-zero, history of murder.

Unfortunately the world has fallen apart. The manors adjacent to his master’s are all in various stages of abandonment and decay. There’s precious little sign of humans, and the robots that the valet encounters are mostly stuck in loops, following orders no longer valid but without any authority to do anything else.

This book is both incredibly bleak and incredibly funny - though you would need a particular taste for black humor to find it so. It’s a not-terribly-subtle critique of late stage capitalism, basically. It reminded me of Firewalkers, another book of Tchaikovsky’s (though of course late stage capitalism and climate change are closely connected).

The promise of increased automation has always been increased leisure time, which hasn’t happened as much as it should for numerous reasons. We often hear about people whose jobs are being left behind by a society that no longer needs them. In American politics, coal miners are often brought up, but there’s many more.Service Model speaks to this kind of problem, but on a more fundamental level. We, as a society, define one’s worth to society based on one’s productivity. It’s not something we really ever admit, but it underpins everything. What happens if and when automation progresses to the point where there’s not enough productivity to go around? Will we figure out a way to redefine how we value individuals as a society, or will the haves simply pull the ladder up behind themselves, congratulate themselves on their success and their virtue (each one being axiomatic proof of the other), and tell the have-nots to pull themselves up by the bootstraps?

I think we all know which one is more likely. Tchaikovsky agrees. Hence the “bleak” I mentioned above.

Despite the bleakness, it does end on a hopeful note. And I was laughing, sometimes to tears, the entire time I was reading this. Tchaikovsky is a genius.

Started off a bit slow and it was hard to see it pulling off the concept for a full book (suffers a bit from comparison with the novella format of the Murderbot series in that regard), but it found its footing once it shed its original setting and ended up being a funny and thought-provoking take on consciousness. And I thought it stuck the landing quite well, which, not having read this author before, I wasn’t sure it could pull off.

The cover doesn’t do this book any favors, FWIW. That, and the generic title, don’t do much in conveying the unique mix of droll perspective, near-slapstick vignettes, and thoughtful/funny speculation on the idea of humans self-owning at scale, and what we would leave in (at?) our wake.