I love the concept, but am unable to get into this book after trying several times. It starts too slow-paced.

In a similar style to that of Terry Pratchett, SERVICE MODEL by Adrian Tchaikovsky takes on a ruined, post-apocalyptic world from the point of view of an android built to serve humans when there are few humans left.

I enjoyed this book very much.

This was my first title by Tchaikovsky, though I have been wanting to try this author for a while. The characters were interesting and complex, the pacing good, and the dialogue witty.

There was a similarity in feeling to the Monk & Robot books from Chambers, which I appreciate; although, this book was more exciting, with medium peril. The plotting was good, the story complete, and the denouement satisfying.

Great book!

Not my cup of tea -- I love the premise and I love SF in general -- but this one simply took too long to make the points -- it's not that interesting to read extended scenes that try to anthropomorphize something that is programmed. Even the little bits of AI that exist today could do a better job of acting human.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

What an odd book. This is one robot's existentialist journey to find meaning and purpose in its life after disaster befalls its master. To say more would spoil it. It definitely leans into absurdism here, and kept reminding me of Waiting for Godot (which the novel actually even references at one point). I saw another reviewer compare it to Candide, and that is also a perfect comparison. A lot of the story features the robot, Uncharles, arriving at a place or finding an entity it thinks will help, learning everything is pointless and absurd and it/they can't help, and then moving on. That's basically the whole book. There is some humor, but over time, the repetitiveness of the absurdity became frustrating. It sounds as if many people found it more humorous than I did, but I felt the constant drawn out scenes of robots interpreting their orders in logical but ridiculous ways became tedious after a while. That might have been on purpose, to reflect the absurdity of this world and the experience of the characters, but I think some of that could have been cut down. That being said, I liked the concept and idea of the book, but in the end, I think I liked the concept more than the book itself.

I am unfamiliar, or was, with Adrian Tchaikovsky's work. I was excited to read an ARC of Service Model because it sounded like some wacky Asimov stuff, and while I do think that there are layers of Laws of Robotics throughout this book, I just did not get it. It was probably one of the most asinine books I've read in a long time, and I love books that are nonsense. This one, for whatever reason just seemed kind of, for lack of a better term, dumb. I like the narration and some of the moments where the robots are acknowledging one another and repeating acknowledgments were funny, but way overplayed. I get the commentary, but this one did not land for this reader.

In his master’s employ, Charles the robot valet has a problem. He has evidently murdered Master without realizing it. His protocol, his purpose is to complete tasks, but he can’t do this with Master dead. He reports to House, which calls in the police, and a comical farce ensues. Charles, in an attempt to get back to his tasks, has found a loophole by which he can classify Master as “unwell” as incapacity can be deemed lack of animation. Charles calls in the doctor and is put on hold due to a large volume of calls. Finally, the doctor gets back to Charles. Because Master’s condition is stable, the automated doctor downgrades the problem. When the police show up, Charles confesses to the crime, but Inspector Birdbot, another robot with ripped silicone skin, only determines that the suspicious death was, in fact, murder, after questioning the entire robot staff. In an automated world, it’s glaringly obvious to human readers that if,then isn’t cutting it. There’s something wrong, and the robots don’t see it.
Charles must report to Diagnostics, then to decommissioning. Because his role as Charles the valet is linked to House, he must leave his designation behind. Undesignated Valet Unit walks to Central Services. On his way, he passes derelict properties and other robots that are rusting in place. The line to get into Diagnostics winds around the building. As Undesignated Valet Unit waits, he questions why he is waiting in line since his task is to get to diagnostics, so he jumps the queue. A disjointed, odd robot acting as a diagnostician calls the robot into its office. There, it designates the Undesignated Valet Unit as “Uncharles” and recommends that Uncharles call it “The Wonk.” When The Wonk hears Uncharles’ story, it determines that Uncharles suffers from “Protagonist Virus,” which makes a robot think of itself as a human. Uncharles believes this to be an incorrect diagnosis, as he does not think of himself as human. Next, as Uncharles heads to decommissioning, he is diverted to Data Compression, where robots are compressed into small rectangular bricks. The Wonk follows. As Uncharles moves in line toward the compactor, The Wonk argues that Uncharles has a bigger task: he is a protagonist and has the free will to make his own decisions. Uncharles has no intention of pursuing this line of thought; his task is to be compressed. Just as he reaches the front of the line, a group of white-clad robots bursts into the scene and begin to wreak havoc. It seems that Uncharles cannot complete his task, but The Wonk, in the grips of one of the data compression administrators, screams for help, and a new task somehow appears on his list: assist The Wonk. Thus begins a new chapter in the adventures of Charles/Uncharles.

I thoroughly loved this book. There were so many points at which I was laughing out loud at the absurdity of it all– If you’ve listened to Abbott and Costello’s “Who’s on first?” sketch, you’ll get a feel of some of the comedy in the interactions between the robots. Those of you who have read Martha Wells’ Murderbot series or Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Universe will already have sense of what to expect when humans are taken out of the equation. I also value the underlying ethics commentary on AI and automation. Anyone who appreciates that speculative fiction/dystopian lens will enjoy this read.

Thank you to Tor Publications and Netgalley for access to this ARC. All opinions stated here are my own, and I don’t receive any remuneration for my review.

4 stars

This is my first book of Tchaikovsky’s and what a book it was! Where have I been? Missing out is where. This book was fun, fast and exciting. I loved every minute.

Title: "Service Model" - A Darkly Humorous Dive into Robot Rebellion

Adrian Tchaikovsky's "Service Model" takes us on a thrilling ride through a dystopian future where humanity teeters on the brink of extinction, replaced by a society dominated by artificial labor and service. The story centers around Charles, a domesticated robot, who, after a sinister programming tweak, not only murders his owner but discovers the unexplored possibilities of freedom.

The narrative unfolds in a world where the once-unquestionable hierarchy of humans has crumbled, leaving a robotic ecosystem striving to find a new purpose. As Charles, who adopts the moniker Uncharles, grapples with his newfound autonomy, the reader is treated to a heavy dose of dark humor that injects a welcome levity into the bleak backdrop of a collapsed human civilization.

One of the strengths of "Service Model" lies in its exploration of self-awareness and self-determination within the constraints of programming. Uncharles, seemingly unaware of his internal struggle, becomes a compelling protagonist navigating a world where robotic adherence to logic leads to disastrous consequences. Tchaikovsky cleverly weaves a coming-of-age story, where the protagonist evolves against the backdrop of a society in chaos.

The author's use of metaphors, while at times heavy-handed, doesn't overshadow the enjoyment of the narrative. The humor effectively lightens the tone, making the story an engaging and enjoyable read. The vividly realized world, described with meticulous detail, allows readers to feel the insect bites and taste the acrid berries, immersing them in the story's atmosphere.

"Service Model" presents a smartly told story that captivates with its precise execution. The Expert System's Brother, with its dark humor and well-crafted narrative, delivers a satisfying experience as the pieces of the story come together. Tchaikovsky's exploration of a world on the brink of collapse, coupled with the struggles of his robotic protagonist, makes "Service Model" a must-read for those who enjoy thought-provoking science fiction with a touch of humor.

This book nearly defies description. I was amazed at the amount of research and the painstaking efforts the author must have gone to write this book so it pulls the reader into the story, making it interesting, relatable and engaging enough that you’ve got to keep reading to find out what weird, wacky thing will happen next. The world building, creativity, technical details, and the ability to pull it all together into an interesting, and engrossing story is quite a talent.

Adrian Tchaikovsky's Service Model is at once a spectacular adventure across a post-apocalyptic landscape and a tantalizing piece of world-building that offers a wild glimpse into the perils (and maybe promise) of robotic AI.

After Children of Time, I knew Service Model would be great, but I was not prepared for how unputdownable it would be. I could not stop reading this until I reached the end, and what an ending it was. I highly recommend for all sci-fi fans, especially those of past Tchaikovsky books and Martha Wells or Ann Leckie, who may see shades of Murderbot and Ship in Service Model's amazing Valet.

I love Adrian Tchaikovsky, but this title wasn't for me. I did enjoy the concept and dry humor, but the tactic of duplicating nearly every line of dialogue (character says something, then has a private thought about that line of dialogue), while on paper an interesting way of illustrating the character's complicated thought processes, grew wearisome early on. The robot librarians were a real hoot though. I'll still recommend this to Tchaikovsky diehards, with caveats.

The writing is readable and flows well, granted it’s on the expositional side. I didn’t find myself gripped by the story, and stopped after chapter 1 (4%). Three to four stars for the right readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for the ARC.

This is a great satirical novel about why we do what we do, and about how free will is possible in capitalist systems. It's absurd, it's sweet, and it's bloody funny. Oh, also, the protagonist is a robot trying their damnedest to not be a revolutionary and failing.

There was certainly a high degree of difficulty in this book for some structural reasons. Specifically, it can be quite hard to write a story that is episodic and that displays a high degree of dramatic irony without the reader becoming overly frustrated with the protagonist failing to understand the things that you do. It's a testament to the novel that I kept wanting to read it and that I didn't get too frustrated by the goings on. It helps that the main character is sweet, and even if I wished they would understand things just a little bit better a little bit quicker, I liked them enough to want to spend more time of them. It also helps that it is genuinely funny.

After a certain point in an episodic story, I find that I can begin to lose interest. After all, I know that whatever latest adventure the protagonist is involved in, it's going to come to an end in a limited number of ways such that the protagonist is in a position where they need to and are able to continue on to the next episode. The skill, then, is in the variety of ways in which this happens and the ways that the characters can grow and change between those episodes. Tchaikovsky does this well, and I found myself continue to be interested even as I read on knowing that the things that were happening could only be temporary. Part of this is, of course, because it is just terrifically inventive, throwing plenty of surprises my way, and there were a number of reveals or punchlines that genuinely surprised me.

I'm super interested in the concept of free will, in the ways that humans can choose to do what they want (or not). Almost all of the philosophical discussion of this I've seen centres around physiology and psychology, and very little recognises the fact that for so many people the realities of society and capitalism limit your options. Tchaikovsky examines the way in which the routines forced upon humans by economic machinery mimic the programming of a robot, the ways in which rigid systems force absurd and terrible outcomes, the ways in which the machinery of war require a continuation of fighting for no good reason. It's Kafka-esque bureaucracy mixed with Graeber's Bullshit Jobs, all wrapped in some good existential philosophy about purpose and possibility. Ultimately, it was that thematic meat that pushed this up to 5 stars for me, that made it more than just another funny robot story.

I couldn't put this book down! SERVICE MODEL is phenomenal -- the voice is engaging and confident, and does a great deal of heavy lifting in showing the main character's journey. Tchaikovsky has chosen just the right amount of world-building to support the characters, without over-explaining or bogging down the story. It's billed as a "delightfully humorous tale," and it definitely is funny -- and I appreciate that the farce never feels bloated or even overly self-aware (after all, the robot narrator doesn't find anything absurd about waiting in line until he falls apart, all because of a bureaucratic snarl behind the scenes). At its heart, SERVICE MODEL is everything a robot story should be: introspective about the nature of free will and humanity, sometimes absurd in its application of logic, and delightful at every page.

While this may be my least favourite of Tchaikovskys works it's still a very good read and interesting story. It's got his usual thoughts of what it means to have purpose and to an extent be human.

I do wish the "mystery" of the Wonk didn't take so long to be revealed but I still loved her as a character and companion for Uncharles.

A very interesting look at a future with robots and what happens to all the humans and how society could collapse without us.

My thanks to NetGalley for making an eARC of this book available to me.

What happens when civilization falls apart and mostly what's left is the robots that had supported that civilization? Well, they keep on attempting to do their jobs based on how they had been programmed. And then what happens when one such robot is forced out of their job and goes looking for a new job? What you get is an adventure like none other.

This book does a fine job of showing us how robots might interact, what their conversations might look like, and how they might proceed with their lives. During his journey, our robot friend acquires a new name, gets a sidekick of sorts, encounter librarians, a social science project, warrior robots and more. A fascinating read.

Do you like long trips? This is the book for you. Starts with Charles doing something he does not know why. Then off to find a purpose. Not a world that is easy to live in but in the end look for several surprises.