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.