What a delight to have A Psalm for the Wild Built and A Prayer for the Crown-Shy wrapped into one volume.

Monk and Robot is a beautiful collectoin of tow of my favorite stories. I love the cozy world that Chamber has created and these stories bring such a large impact to the reader. Full of hope, love, and finding yourself the Monk and Robot books are a serious must read!

I devoured A Psalm For The Wild-Built by Becky Chambers and immediately gifted it to a friend. The premise is relatively simple— and it’s super short! But, wow, what a deep book. I definitely shed a few tears! Sibling Dex is a monk in search of vocational fulfillment— they leave their home monastery and become a tea monk, where they offer a personally chosen cup of tea and a listening ear to any who need to sit and talk. And while things seem to be going really well for Sibling Dex, they still occasionally feel a twinge of something like existential angst or malaise. One day a robot comes across Dex’s path and asks “What do humans need?” Oh! There are sentient robots in this world! They woke up and left their factories and haven’t been seen for hundreds of years, nbd. Our dear robot, Mosscap, spends time with Sibling Dex trying to understand how humanity has evolved since the great robot exodus, and to check-in to see what humans might need now. The conversations that unfold are heartfelt, charming, and deeply spiritual. They ask questions about life, vocation, identity, and purpose. And the whole story hums with joy. 5 stars.

The first time I read the first half of this book, I wasn’t overly impressed by it. In my second reading, I found it was much more enjoyable, and I am glad I gave it another try. I am glad this was offered in Netgalley as a soon-to-be-released version combining both stories into one. I don't think I would have bothered reading the second story if it weren't for this new version. I found the story very interesting and was able to connect with the characters. The first story stood out for me as a better read, and I probably could have stopped with that one. Unlike Chambers' other series, where you longed for more time with the crew and their adventures, these stories did not leave me craving more.

Just absolutely delightful.

I didn’t get around to reading the two novellas in Becky Chambers’ Monk and Robot -- A Psalm for the Wild-Built and A Prayer for the Crown-Shy when they first came out, but with the upcoming release of the two in a bundled paperback, I was thrilled to dive in. Both are special in their own way and are perfect if you are ever needing a hug in the form of a book.

Even as a combined work, Monk and Robot isn’t a long read, but it’s definitely one that a reader might choose to drag out and spend some time contemplating life while pouring over Chambers’ words. I found myself loving our two main characters and how each of them add a necessary element to each other's lives.

In the first book, we meet Dex, a non-binary monk living on the fantasy world of Panga, which shares a lot of DNA with our own -- there is a church of sorts and humans evolved to the point of creating robots. That’s where our histories diverged, however. The church provides a religion to the people, but there isn’t the rigorous dogma that is associated with the Church throughout our own history. And robots developed sentience in Dex’s world, causing humanity to release the robots from the bondage of their labor. By the time the book starts and we meet Dex for the first time, humanity is aware of the robots, but it is practically ancient history for them.

Dex, meanwhile, is on a spiritual and personal journey. They discover, after a bit of trial and error, that they are an excellent tea service, taking their cart from town to town, offering tea and a comforting ear for people. But is that all there is to life? Are they more than just their job? What’s out there in the wilderness?

Soon, Dex encounters Mosscap, a robot who has been tasked with finding out if humanity needs anything. After so much time away, the robots don’t have to interact with humans, but curiosity has sent Mosscap in search of answers. Primarily, though, that question is addressed in the second novella. The first book is very much focused on Dex as they search for existential answers about their own life. The addition of Mosscap to their journey helps Dex, however, as a sounding board and a view of life outside of their bubble of humanity.

The first book could absolutely exist on its own, but does feel incomplete without Mosscap’s journey. In A Prayer for the Crown-Shy, Mosscap gets their time to shine. In fact, because robots haven’t been a part of humanity’s lives for so long, every town that Dex and Mosscap visit basically turns into a celebrity sighting. The humans of Panga are thrilled to see a robot and Mosscap keeps asking what the needs of humanity are along the way.

Although Mosscap is a robot, we see their humanity throughout the events of the book, particularly as the pair head towards the City, a place teeming with people, a University, and hopefully all the answers Mosscap is looking for. But, along the way, their priorities change and it's clear that robots, just like people, are complicated and complex. Mosscap’s emotions lead them down a road away from the City, and Dex and Mosscap discover truths about themselves in the process.

Both novellas are wonderful little reads and they work fantastic as a pair, so it’s great that Tordotcom is putting this out as a collected work for the first time. NetGalley graciously provided me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review, but as I said, this book is absolutely delightful from start to finish.

Monk and Robot by Chambers is available in Trade Paperback on May 6.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing for the e-arc!
I absolutely adore this series and when I saw we were getting a little combo of both books, I jumped at the chance to read it. Becky Chambers is a fantastic author and I was super excited to read more from her. This is a beautiful wholesome story set in a future where things are just better, with community, peace, and balance. When robots return to the world to ask the question, 'what do humans need?', the journey of discovery and understanding begins. Someone compared this ook to a warm hug after a long day and I cannot think of a better way to describe this book.
Overall I liked the first one more, but the series as a whole is excellent!

The cover for this bind up is BEAUTIFUL.

I just wanted to come here and say that this series is AH-MAZING! It packs a punch with though-provoking questions of being and of our role in society. Even though the themes are heavy, the way that Chambers explores them made me feel like I was being given a hug throughout.

A MUST read.

While the premise was nice, the writing was... not what I expected. I wanted more from the characters because I felt that what was on the front cover and the front flap was not what we were given.

This is one of my favorite series ever and I am so excited that it is now available as a set. I have gifted Psalm for the Wild-Built to multiple friends and family and continue to tout it's praise. It is a series to read when you are feeling overwhelmed with the world. It give a wonderful social commentary and introspective look of one's place in the world. This conversation between a Monk and a Robot on a developed moon warms your soul. It's beautifully written and a book you will want to read over and over again (with a nice cup of tea).

This was such a delightful and introspective book. I loved the social commentary on life, love, and relationships. This book will be a classic for me, and I will be purchasing a copy for my shelf to keep and lend out to friends. This is now going to be one of my go-to recommendations, not just for science fiction lovers, but for all book lovers. This is such a beautiful and universal story, and I can't recommend it enough!

I suggest you take the time to read this story when you are having a bad day, struggling with a having a positive mindset or just in need of something to read while sipping tea. This is a fantastic series. The writing is amazing and the friendship between the monk and the robot is beautiful. I found it so profound but also funny. Loved it!

I really love this series, and am happy to see them in one collection. As we navigate increasingly concerning turns of technology, it's helpful to read stories like this that remind us of our desire for meaning, connection, and community.

Combining both novels of the Monk and Robot duology (A Psalm for the Wild-Built and A Prayer for the Crown-Shy), this collection is a must-have for contemporary readers of science fiction with its hopeful story.

The first book is a delightful novella about an unlikely friendship in a world that may be ours someday, much better than our current one in which a tea monk and a robot (long absent from human life) meet and learn from each other.

The second book in the duology is even stronger than the first, flushing out the wider world of the first book as well as the characters and central dilemmas. Highly recommended.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Tor for this ARC!

I have 2 reviews in one here, as both novellas are included in this ombnibus.

A Psalm for the Wild Built:
I normally write longer reviews but this is all I can think to write:
No matter where you are in life, and no matter what genre you enjoy reading, this is the book for you. It will warm your heart and soul in a way I never thought possible - and it does it all in 147 pages. I read this in an evening and it is one I am positive I will sit down to read over and over.
Thank you, Becky Chambers. Thank you.

A Prayer for the Crown Shy:
I again find myself largely at a loss for words.
These books are among the most incredible I’ve ever read, and they touch a part of my heart and soul I didn’t realize needed soothing. The kicker - they do it in less than 300 pages combined.
These books have mental health and non-binary representation, as well as healthy relationships of all kinds - heterosexual, homosexual, polyamorous, etc. the characters all feel very real and very human, even the robot. They suffer and love and exist as real people do, even if the world is drastically different than our current one.
The writing is stunning, the story is heartwarming, and the characters feel like friends. I will certainly read both of these books over and over - and you all should read them too.

I am so excited to see these two volumes being published in one (but also worried--does this mean there aren't any plans for a third?)
Anyway, I don't own physical copies of these books, so this beautiful cover may be the thing that encourages me to finally get them!

I'll admit, my first feelings upon receiving this ARC was disappointment.

I didn't read before requesting, thinking this was a new installment of Chambers' beloved Monk & Robot, not the first two, in omnibus form.

But, really, there was a reason I was disappointed.

They are SO. GOOD.

Like, Do I Want to Give Up Everything and Become a Tea Monk good.

My library doesnt't have these in its collection, so this will be an excellent opportunity to correct that.

The Monk and Robot is a truly unforgettable gem. The blend of a renewed utopian society and the thoughtful reflections of a robot creates a poignant, heartwarming story that lingers long after the last page.

It’s beautifully written, deeply memorable, and perfect for anyone looking for a story full of hope, wonder, and introspection. I can’t recommend it enough, this book will stay with you in the best possible way.

I found this to be such a lovely, calm, and heartfelt book. Chambers writes comfort sci-fi at its finest; I’ll read absolutely anything that she publishes. The only thing is that I wish this were longer, just for the pure pleasure of reading about Dex and Mosscap’s journey together.