Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky explores existentialism through a robot looking for his purpose after the fall of a modern human society. The characters are likable, the writing is entertaining and witty, the imagery is crisp, and the audiobook narration fits perfectly. So why was I so depressed while listening to this book?

I have never read anything by Adrian Tchaikovsky. I started Service Model based solely on the description that it is like a mash-up of Murderbot and Redshirts. I will take a slight detour here to mention that I have read the entire Murderbot series and adore Murderbot. I have also read Redshirts by John Scalzi (I’m assuming that’s the referenced novel here), but I do not remember it enough to draw any comparison. I have read several Scalzi books, though, and have a general sense of his satirical style.

Murderbot this story is not, unless you count that both Uncharles and Murderbot are robots. Murderbot as a character is riddled with anxiety and struggles with the concept of itself as an individual. Uncharles is a robot in the strict sense - he is programmed to do a set of tasks, and realizes that he finds fulfillment in completing those tasks. Uncharles’ journey is more a commentary on society than it is an exploration of what it means to be human or self-aware or have a conscience - all themes in the Murderbot series.

I do think that Service Model overall will appeal to fans of Scalzi’s satirical books. It doesn’t have the same in-your-face humor that characterize Scalzi’s books nor the pop-culture references. The style is distinctly more witty and absurd. It is like watching a Monty Python movie rather than a Saturday Night Live sketch.

I know, I’ve spent a lot of words comparing this book to other books based purely on one sentence from the publisher’s marketing. That one sentence was the hook that drew me to this book, though, so I thought it fair to spend some time unpacking it. Murderbot = misleading marketing hype. Redshirts … probably a fair assessment based on style.

The story of butler-robot Uncharles (formerly Charles, until he is let go from his household position because of murder) takes place across a ruined society in multiple acts, each one illustrating the various failings of humans. Along the way, Uncharles meets The Wonk who becomes his sidekick. The duo as characters works so well together. I cared about Uncharles, but ultimately he is just the observer in this world looking for a way to fulfill his purpose. Things happen to Uncharles, and while they are wacky, absurd things, he would just accept them as they are if not for The Wonk.

The Wonk is Uncharles’ curiosity, his morality, his… well, everything not in his programming. Uncharles doesn’t really develop as a character in the traditional sense over the course of the story. Instead, he develops a relationship with The Wonk, and The Wonk points out ways he could develop. The dynamic between Uncharles and The Wonk gave this novel its heart. I think without the pair of them, the story becomes depressing in an absurd, existential crisis way. Have you seen the “Can’t Help Myself” art installation of the industrial robot constantly cleaning up a liquid mess that just comes out of its other end? Service Model without The Wonk feels like that art piece.

Tchaikovsky obviously knows his philosophy, and this story beats you over the head with how smart it is. Not in a bad way though - the concise prose, witty dialogue, quirky and endearing characters, excellent scene and world-building all contribute to a satire that engaged and entertained me while expressing some heavy themes and criticisms on our current society. This could easily be slipped into a high school section on philosophy in an English class (do they still do that?) as a modern application of existential themes. There were a few sections that seemed to drag the pacing down, but not in a significant way.

Speaking of Tchaikovsky, he narrates his own book and what a pleasant surprise! The nuance and dry wit in his performance is outstanding. While there may not have been a plethora of different character voices, Tchaikovsky’s accent, cadence and tone all were perfect fits for the story. I highly recommend the audiobook if you like listening to books.

A word of warning though - while the situations may be absurd, and Uncharles is the protagonist, he is not an optimist. This story can get really dark if you are not in the right headspace for it. I really did feel a helpless depression as Tchaikovsky examines our current zeitgeist through the lens of a robot who no longer has a use. I don’t think the story gets preachy, but it does paint a pretty bleak picture for the future of humanity.

I highly recommend Service Model and the various parables of Uncharles if you are in the mood for a story that is going to make you think, but in a dryly humorous way. I think fans of Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series (especially the later books in the series) will enjoy this book. Fans of philosophy in their sci-fi will also enjoy this book. I was reminded of Candide by Voltaire (it’s been years - see high school English class above - but I think it has the same vibe).

Let me start with saying that I am a HUGE Adrian Tchaikovsky fan. Sure, his style can be verbose, but I love settling into an extensive and exotic world-building exercise.

That said, I struggled with Service Model. I got about halfway through and despite all attempts to engage with Uncharlie and his companions, I simply could not. Tchaikovsky's verbosity was used here to put us inside the "personality" and drive of an AI, rather than building a world, a culture or a theme, and it never hit home for me. It was too introspective for a character who, without some unauthorized alterations to its programming, by design should be incapable of introspection.

Just because this one novel didn't hit home for me, I certainly won't shy away from Tchaikovsky's works in the future. However, this one isn't one this sci-fi nerd can recommend.

I had never read (or listened to) an adrian tchikovsky book before but I found out later when I was telling everyone in my family how good this was that he is one of my brother's favorite authors and I can see why. The story was compelling with interesting relationships and details and a overarching mystery that I was still wondering about until the end. Additionally, the author offers a commentary on society that seems both accurate and timely. I will be looking for more of his books. The reader of the book is the author himself - and he was perfect for it.

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

Unpopular opinion time! Sadly, as thoroughly as I’ve enjoyed Adrian Tchaikovsky’s fantasy novels, I’m afraid I’m just about done with his science fiction. I had high hopes that the humorously described Service Model would be the book to turn things around, but even with so much going for it, I’m personally not feeling the spark.

At the center of this tale is Charles, a robot who was meticulously programmed and designed to serve the aristocrats of the future. As such, his entire existence revolves around being the dutiful valet, completely devoid of emotion because feelings are deemed impractical and therefore pointless. All he needs is the drive to do his work, which he takes great pride in until, one day, Charles commits the ultimate sin for a robot: killing his human master.

But now that the unthinkable has happened, what else might he be capable of? Rebranded as “UnCharles”, our robot protagonist desperately looks to the outside world for a new purpose. He soon encounters a defective robot called The Wonk who becomes his traveling companion. Much to The Wonk’s chagrin, UnCharles harbors no desire to explore his newfound freedom; he simply wishes to find another human in need of his valet services. But as the two robotic travelers soon discover, the world has become a very different place. In the aftermath of a great sweeping apocalypse, it is now a wasteland devoid of much humanity, making UnCharles’ quest a lot more difficult.

To start, I think the central concept of a dystopian society that relies heavily on artificial intelligence and labor is an interesting one, though I’m not sure I’m on board with the execution. The story is neither here nor there in so many ways, starting with the humor hinted at in the blurb but which failed to completely materialize. Occasionally some wit would shine through in the form of satirical elements, but most of the time these felt forced. Then there are the references to literary classics and religion that feel similarly like they’re in a state of limbo—touched upon, but not explored deeply enough to have the philosophical impact the author was clearly going for.

And while I realize UnCharles is supposed to be frustrating by design, I could not get into his character at all. Supposedly incapable of feeling emotion, he nonetheless ponders his existence a lot, though his voice maintains an air of aloofness by keeping the reader at arm’s length. This inconsistency makes his motivations feel murky, resulting in a difficult time empathizing with his struggles or even feeling invested in his journey. Speaking of which, the plot structure presented in five distinct parts ostensibly illustrates the different stages of his trials, but only comes across disjointed, unevenly paced and, at times, even pretentious and a little bit preachy.

All that is to say, Service Model had potential, but it falls short of Adrian Tchaikovsky at his best. The novel’s struggle to find its footing left me wishing it had a more cohesive story and more impactful characters. Despite this, I look forward to the author’s future work but will be more cautious with my expectations.

Thank you to NetGalley and Adrian Tchaikovsky for this audiobook!

I think, to start with reading Tchaikovsky's books, this was a bad one. It was really mundane, and extremely hard to get through. I honestly don't have a lot to say about this book, just that I tried to finish the audiobook as quickly as possible.

3.5 rounded up to a 4

Do you like satire, philosophy, and sci-fi?? This is for you!

Thank you to MacMillan Audio for an ALC to listen to, the narration was immersive and I really loved the voice of Un-Charles. The Wonk was my favorite character and while I thoroughly enjoyed the book, it could have been about half as long.

4 out of 5 Stars

Service Model is heartfelt, funny, absurd and so kind. I loved how the personality developed slowly and it was a great exemple in my opinion of "show, don't tell".

The pacing can be a bit little slow at times but never boring. It's another great story from Adrian Tchaikovsky.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this Arc.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced audiobook! I honestly really wanted to enjoy this book as I hear so many good things about Adrian Tchaikovsky’s writing and books, but I, for the life of me, could not get into this book; I ended up DNFing at 16%. The premise seemed good and interesting and I really enjoyed how the book started off; a murder-mystery involving robots? Sounds so good! But as the story continued, I felt like it just dragged on and on, and part of this likely comes down to the narrator for me. No offence to the narrator, but I found how he was reading the book to be… a bit too theatrical for me? It’s hard to describe, but yeah, I just couldn’t get into it. Maybe I’ll pop back to this one with a physical copy and try it again.

If you’re a fan of the Murderbot series by Martha Wells, this is book is right up your alley! Thank you again NetGalley!

In a future where humans are completely reliant on personal A.I. devices, a home service robot named Charles discovers the slain body of his owner. With no one to attend to, he runs away into the world outside the home he’s rarely left, in desperate search of a new human to care for. But … where are all the humans?

Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky was so fun to listen to. Narrated by the author, the characters are witty, and hilariously flawed. The story itself is fast paced and filled with fantastic sci-fi pop culture references. A fantasy mystery & adventure of sorts that is ultimately about robots finding self-will and humanities responsibility to the future of A.I.

I highly recommend it. Perfect for fans of reads like ‘The MURDERBOT Diaries’, ‘Annie Bot’, ‘Klara and the Sun’, and the ‘Monk and Robot’ series or movies like ‘Brian and Charles’ and ‘A.I.: Artificial Intelligence’.

I listened to the audiobook as an advanced listener copy.

This book is told through the point of view of a robot, so the writing is quite... structured? It is very well written, it is so obviously a programmed machine talking, which is perfect for this story. Unfortunately, that made the audiobook difficult to listen to as it feels like you're listening to a robot (the narrator did a fantastic job!) and my brain kept tuning out. So, this audiobook isn't the best way for me to read this story and I ended up not finishing it, but that is not the narrator or the story's fault, simply my own brain that couldn't handle it.

I will be picking up a physical copy of this book as I do want to finish reading it, the character is fun and the story is interesting, I will be looking at the author's other books as well!


Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this book.

What a clever, witty, humorous, insightful, and poignant sci-fi story. The reader follows a sophisticated valet robot as he grapples with suddenly being without a master - because he inexplicably murdered him. He is banished from his valet position and sets off on a journey to fulfill his task queue, and we see through his observations that society appears to have collapsed.

Our protagonist robot Charles, who is soon renamed Uncharles, has various encounters with other beings (robots and humans alike) in different contexts - bureaucrats, law enforcement, supposed bosses, elite scholarly types, psuedo-religious entities, commoners, military, and other robots and people caught in their own predicaments. As Uncharles travels along through estates and institutions and wildernesses - all in various states of chaos and decay - we are treated to his interactions and observe how absurd and illogical existence can be. It feels like a speculative and futuristic version of Candide, echoing how Voltaire satirized the society at the time through the misadventures and gradual disillusionment of the optimistic and sheltered main character.

What I especially enjoyed:
🤖 The Wonk! A supporting character who absolutely steals the show. And I mean, what a great name for an especially quirky alleged robot. In fact, I am putting "The Wonk" in my bank of potential names for future pets.
🎧 The narration! Adrian Tchaikovsky narrates the book himself and it is perfection for the inner monologues of Uncharles and his dialogue with the colorful characters he meets. Highly recommend the audio experience.
🤔 It's amusing but also makes you ponder. It's a different sort of sci-fi read that is really about what it means to be alive (humanity and beyond) and the struggles to construct a more just and equitable society.

This is my first Tchaikovsky book but it won't be my last. Highly recommend for fans of sci-fi, satire, C3PO, cozy dystopian vibes, quirky characters, quests for meaning, and funny names.

Thank you to the Macmillan Audio Influencer Program for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

An absolute delight and funny to boot! The author's narration of the audiobook was marvelous, employing distinctive vocal characterizations that enlivened the story. The plot was intriguing and the characters charmingly drawn. The pacing lags a little later in the book but that was my only complaint. I love how Tchaikovsky resolved this story and I am excited to read all his other books now.

Delightful tale of a reluctant hero, brave heroine and evil villain - and tea.

Reminiscent of The Millennial Man and structured as an epic hero’s quest, this exploration of what it means to be human and the responsibility that comes with it is so satisfying. I loved the sweet humor of this book, a wholly human feel to world that should have had no feelings whatsoever. A wonderful Pinocchio motif with a kick ass sense of justice.

And read by the author! Such a treat!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my copy. These opinions are my own.

Ahoy there me mateys!  This ain't no Murderbot.  UnCharles needs humans.   It is a robot who killed their master but has no idea why.  Their life purpose is being a valet who serves.  And they never wanted to hurt their master.  So they set out from the manor to see if they can find out why they're defective and find a new owner.  Only humanity has disintegrated and finding any humans alive in the wasteland is problematic.

This was a uneven read for me.  My personal preferences feel this would have been the perfect novella. Even though I believe it should have been shorter, there is a lot to love here.  UnCharles' time in the manor was particularly engaging, clever, and humorous.  How UnCharles deals with his processing errors and decision trees were delightful and led to some excellent diversions.  In fact, I loved how all of the robots' thought processing was breaking down without the human interactions that drive them.  The highlight of the book was UnCharles' interactions with other robots

The humor of the beginning does slowly dwindle into a more philosophical bent but the cleverness remains.  The minor problem I had with the ending was who the Big Bad was and the resolution.  The pace was also rough towards the 60% mark.  However, the author narrates this novel and he did a fantastic job that made the listening experience more engaging.  I loved his voices for the various robots and smiled every time he said "UnCharles Confirmed."  This may not be a perfect novel but the time spent with UnCharles was very worthwhile indeed.  Arrrrr!

AI has been around for a while, and it’s been worked into stories as well.

I enjoy reading books that examine the nature of humanity and what makes a created being “human.”

Tchaikovsky really nails this in Service Model and turns it on its head a bit as well.

Despite its slow pacing and the cover that makes it look like a very violent book, it was pretty mild compared to what I was expecting.

The only drawback for me with this one was the pacing. It was pretty slow in parts, and the linear nature of Charles’ journey to find another human to serve felt pretty stunted in places, but I didn’t mind it so much because Tchaikovsky treats readers like they actually have a brain. The storytelling in this one doesn’t hold a reader’s hand, and it very much expects the reader to use subtle clues given in the story to build the world for oneself.

Though I own a few of Tchaikovsky’s other books, this is the first one I read. I believe I’ll be reading quite a bit more if they’re all as masterful as this one.

My thanks to @macmillan.audio for the ALC, for which I willingly give my own, honest opinion.

Service Model follows Charles (later UnCharles), a robotic valet, as he learns that he unexpectedly murdered his human without remembering it or having a reason to do so. This realization and its aftermath sets UnCharles on a journey to find a new purpose that provides the reader/listener with a border view of a dysfunctional and collapsing world and an eclectic and frequently amusing cast of characters.

The story manages to be both humorous while also providing biting commentary that will no doubt be familiar to fans of Tchaikovsky, especially his novellas. Tchaikovsky also does a great job of self-narrating the audio edition. Narration is a skill of its own that not every author can pull off; but Tchaikovsky does well both in terms of the performance of a full cast of interesting characters, and that extra something that a good author narration brings when the author is able to convey all the nuances of their story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing an audio review copy of Service Model. Full review and discussion is available in episode #257 of Narrated podcast: https://narratedpodcast.com/episodes/257

I haven't read the Murderbot Diaries series yet. Based on my experience with Service Model, I have now moved that series to the top of my TBR list. As I did read—and greatly enjoy—John Scalzi's Redshirts, that comparison increased my interest in reading this book.

Service Model starts out mildly funny, and the humor continues in varying degrees throughout. There's an especially funny bit about a particular robot's vocalization. The dystopian nature of the story is revealed slowly . . . even sneakily. Along the way, Tchaikovsky adds in social and political commentary, eventually takes on religion and justice, and sprinkles in a splash of morality. There's even commentary on AI—certainly a current hot topic. As they should, librarians and librarianship get serious snaps.

The story drags for a while, making me of the opinion that it maybe could have been substantially shorter. However, there comes a point at which it becomes quite dark—and more tense, exciting, and active—leading up to the climax.

The author narrates, successfully. My longstanding belief is that authors should not narrate their own work unless they are actors (often comedians) or Neil Gaiman. I'm always pleasantly surprised when an author is a good narrator as well. [Some other authors that are exempt from my rule include Neil deGrasse Tyson, Jill Conner Browne, and Steven Rowley.]

My overall reaction upon finishing Service Model was “Wow!” I had already placed a library hold on the book, which I'm keeping for my partner's benefit. Too, upon finishing, I was quick to preorder a signed hardcover edition for my personal library.

This unbiased review is based on an audio ARC supplied by the publisher—Macmillan Audio. Publication is expected June 4. [3.66⭐]

While this book is compared with Murderbot, I would say the comparison lies in the fact that both characters ultimately want to find a purpose they agree on. Their way of thinking and navigating the world, especially when it comes to interacting with humans, is vastly different.

Service Model is sci-fi, but felt a bit like a horror too if you think about the social commentary that’s being discussed. It’s chalk full of dry and dark humor (I laughed more than I should have at some points!), social commentary, and warnings out the wazoo about where we as species may be headed with all this AI.

Overall, this book is perfect for those who enjoy the journey more than the destination (like me!) and would like to see how one logical robot can break the system. Also the author narrates the book himself and does an excellent job!

Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky
dark funny informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

I received an advance audio copy thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Service Model follows the travels of a robot valet (Charles, a gentleman’s gentle robot) after the death of its master by its own hands. It doesn’t remember killing the Master, or know why it would have done so, but the evidence is clear. Now UnCharles leaves the manor with instructions to go to Diagnostics at Central Services. What he discovers along the way is a society in collapse with very few humans left and most of the robots falling into disrepair and decay.

I really liked this book. It was in turns funny, poignant, and topical without getting too preachy. The audiobook is read by the author and he does a fine job narrating. While the story telling is at time stilted, the POV character is a robot, so I believe this is intentional. UnCharles' quest for new employment allows us to see the remaining human society and a number of different robot groups. These are Asmovian robots, and as with Asimov, when they act contrary to their programming, there are reasons.

About 2/3 of the way in, I wondered if we were going to get answers about the murder that started things off, but it all came together in the end with a satisfying conclusion.