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I, Robot Alien
I, Robot Alien follows Scoots, a robot created by transcendent alien beings and sent to a devastated Earth to guide humanity back from devolution. His mission sounds simple on paper. He must stop humanity’s decline, reverse it, and redirect human evolution, all while avoiding involvement in any significant event. The paradox of that directive shapes the entire story. Through encounters with primitive tribes, a treacherous hummingbird-shaped drone companion named Billy, and generations of humans who view him as everything from saint to monster, Scoots records a centuries-long confession of mistakes, discoveries, and unintended consequences.
I liked how author Joel R. Dennstedt uses Scoots’s calm, clinical voice to highlight the strangeness of human behavior. Scoots cannot eat, sleep, age, or reproduce, and each of these gaps pushes him into awkward and often funny situations. His early fumbling attempts to understand social expectations, especially around food and intimacy, made me grin. His encounter with Myra, for example, forces him to lie for the first time, something he revisits with both guilt and amusement. The writing works best in these grounded moments. I felt the tension between his programmed serenity and the messy reality he walks through. The book never rushes. The measured pace fits a being who experiences centuries as casually as humans experience hours.
What surprised me most is how emotional the story became even though Scoots claims to feel nothing. That contrast hooked me. When he tries to save the broken boy Alexander, only to watch his legacy twisted by Alexander’s son Damon, I felt a pull of frustration and sadness, even though Scoots insists he does not experience those things. The detached narration makes the violence colder and somehow more tragic. The book balances dark turns with odd sweetness, and I really enjoyed that mix.
I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy reflective science fiction with philosophical edges. If you like stories that linger on ideas of perception, evolution, and what it means to guide others without losing yourself, this book will speak to you. It is also a good fit for anyone who likes Asimov-inspired fiction that plays with the spirit of the Three Laws while carving out something more personal and strange.
Pages: 336 | ASIN : B0F9QKYDVL
I, Robot Soldier
I, Robot Soldier follows the journey of One Shot, a war-damaged robot soldier who wakes in the ruins of a world shattered by conflict. When he encounters a traumatized young girl named Amy, he becomes her protector and companion. The story tracks their travels across a devastated landscape, their struggle to survive, and their tentative growth into something like a family. The book blends desolation with warmth, pairing the bleak aftermath of war with touching moments as One Shot tries to understand humanity and Amy tries to remember what hope feels like. From their first meeting in rubble and fire to their escape through underground tunnels and beyond, the story keeps its heart fixed on the odd, tender bond between a child and a machine.
I was wrapped up in the emotional push and pull between the two main characters. The writing caught me off guard with how gentle it could be. One Shot’s voice is direct and plain, yet it still carries this undercurrent of longing that feels almost human. His confusion about feelings, jokes, dreams, and shivers gave the story a sweet awkwardness that made me smile. Amy, on the other hand, is prickly and bold and scared all at once. Watching her needle One Shot with teasing comments about his rattling parts while also clinging to him at night felt so real. Their mismatched rhythms somehow clicked, and the simplicity of their conversations made the emotional beats land harder. The storm scenes, the quiet nights by open gas fires, the moments when Amy whispers her needs instead of barking commands, all stuck with me.
I also found myself drawn to the book’s ideas. It pokes at questions about purpose and identity without drowning the story in jargon or heavy theory. One Shot tries to follow his prime directives, but he keeps slipping into choices that feel suspiciously like care rather than programming. He lies to protect Amy’s feelings. He tinkers with the Cat drone so it can play with her. He dreams. He broods. He wonders about wonder itself. And Amy, for all her toughness, shows how fragile kids can be when the world drops out from under them. I loved how the story played with the idea that they were reprogramming each other. The writing doesn’t lecture. It just lets these two wander through fire and darkness until something warm grows between them. That quiet exploration of found family really moved me.
This book feels like a heartfelt blend of The Road and The Iron Giant, offering the grim quiet of a shattered world and the warmth of an unlikely bond between a child and a machine. I, Robot Soldier is a great choice for readers who love character-driven science fiction. The book feels straightforward on the surface, but it carries a surprising amount of feeling. I’d recommend it to people who want a story about survival, loyalty, and the strange ways we keep each other going in broken places.
Pages: 344 | ASIN : B0D9MFM9QN
LITERARY TITAN 