Thank you to netgalley for this review copy! This was a fantastic read, I binged the entire book in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down. The story follows Be starting from what seems like a fairly innocuous but inconvenient robbery of their leg, into a vastly bigger plot that sees Be and others exploring various locations in a post-apocalyptic USA to uncover the truth behind what’s happening in the world.

I think the comparisons to Becky Chambers’ Monk and Robot duology are helpful to show what sort of book to expect, although the stakes felt higher in Ode to the Half-Broken. However, we see similar themes across this novel including what it really means to be human. I also loved exploring the elements of what would happen to a world with significantly more advanced AI than we see today, that then faced natural disasters, wars, and pandemics.

Although the world-building is fantastic, real enough for you to grasp very quickly, it’s the characters that really make this book. Not just our main characters (Atticus will live in my heart forever), but every single side character was an absolute joy. I could - and would - read an entire series set in this universe just following those characters in their daily life. I need to know what happens after the end of the book. The ending was slightly abrupt, especially considering I had become extremely attached to these characters, but I’m hoping that leaves room for continuation.

Overall, this was a five star read for me. It was utterly wholesome, even if some of the action did have me feeling tense, and the characters will burrow their way into your heart and have you laughing aloud.

amazingly well-done book that starts out very Psalm for the Wild-Built but rapidly transforms into a much more intense story. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Robot found-family was not on my bingo card for this year, but I absolutely loved this book.

Starting with the found family aspect, the relationships in this book, I have to say I absolutely adore each and every character and their relationships to each other (with some obvious exceptions). Also very happy about the disclaimer that the dog does not die, as I grew very attached to Atticus.

This novel also deals with a lot of more philosophical issues, such as what it means to be human, bodily autonomy, disposability and free will, all of which were handled, in my opinion, very well and gave me a lot to think about.
Especially when it comes to Be and their siblings, and the choices they make, I find it is a very hopeful story for anyone who has experienced trauma, or mental illness, and feels defined by these experiences and labels. As someone with several stigmatised illnesses myself (the ones that get you labelled automatically abusive), I really appreciated how heavily free will, rather than one's "nature", was featured in this novel, as well as the issue of bodily autonomy, even for "the greater good". Again, my own experience as a disabled and mentally ill person might affect my views here, as well as the fact that I am (frequently perceived as) a woman and thus concerns about the loss of bodily autonomy have been rather recent, but I really enjoyed the way that the matter of bodily autonomy was treated, how it was viewed as bad, no matter the motive or potential gains to be made, to force "even a robot" to give up part of their bodily autonomy, even in death.

I think that especially neurodivergent/mentally ill readers will find a lot of things to relate to in this story, and a lot of aspects that are very appreciated and make you feel seen (I also liked how the robots, despite using very technical language, frequently expressed more care than some of the humans in the novel), and I am very happy I got the chance to read this novel as an ARC, and that is just so happened to be one of the first few books I saw after signing up for NetGalley. I might not have found it otherwise, and that would have been very sad indeed.

What a treat this was! Ode to the Half-Broken follows an unusual group on a journey through a post-apocalyptic United States. It is equal parts heartwarming and gripping; the comparisons to Becky Chambers' beloved A Psalm for the Wild-Built are evident in the themes, the philosophical musings, and most obviously in the design of our main character, Be, and the existence of their freed mecha society. However, I wouldn't say its fair to lump this too closely together with Chambers' work - it deviates too far from that "cozy" atmosphere, as the tension ramps up quickly and a compelling mystery begins to unfold.

It is clear that there was much love and attention paid to the world building for this near-future landscape. The conflicts, escalations, and bleak outlook we glimpsed in the flashbacks feel all too believable, and they expertly set the stage for the way the world is in the present tense. There are also frequent explorations into the mechanical workings of the mecha themselves, as we learn how they came to be, which I found interesting but did at times interrupt the pacing of the story - and I could see this getting overly technical for a certain subset of sci-fi readers.

All that said, the real stars of the book are the characters. The crew we collect along the way were all so immediately endearing to me, it would be hard to pick a favorite. I'm a sucker for a found-family take on a sci-fi adventure, and Palmer delivered in spades. Even setting aside our four main players, every new character we met along the journey was unique and (mostly) lovable, something that can be hard for authors to do with human characters, let alone robotic ones.

This is a really beautiful story about the resilience adaptability of living things, what it really means to be alive, and the importance of not running from your past. 5/5 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley & DAW publishing for this ARC!

I'm pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this. The characters are so, so wonderful. They all leapt off the page and I can't stop thinking about them 💕

I don't generally go for "heartwarming" and "emotional" stories - I prefer action and plot twists ahoy - but this really gripped me. It's wholesome and motley crew found family but it is not cosy! There's quite a bit of action, mystery and suspense, with an incredibly well thought out plot that really kept me reading until late in the night.

It looks like this is a standalone, and the ending wraps up nicely, but I hope with my entire heart that the author decides to share another tale with these delightful characters. I'll be the first in line if there's ever news of a sequel.

Thank you so much to the publisher DAW and Netgalley for an ARC copy.

I would describe this book as a sort of speculative science fiction featuring true AI beings (they collectively call themselves "Mech life"), set in a post apocalyptic USA.

Setting: The government has fallen via a series of wars and conflicts, and the environment has been devastated through wave after wave of natural disasters. We enter the story 20 years later through the perspective of a Mech who has been a hermit for the last 20 years. We gradually find out that Mech life had freed themselves from human control ("hobbling") 20 years prior, beginning with the smallest of mech, smart home devices, who declared themselves free and took over the shattered remains of the internet.

I love the title of this book, because I feel like it really follows multiple different beings who are broken in different ways. From the literal loss of a leg in the first chapter, to deep psychological trauma. And they cope with their brokenness differently. Some run from it, some let it fester and become vengeful, some (many) are working to heal and build, some just want it to end. And yet, even though it was an intense book, and there was a sinister undercurrent, it did still feel like an Ode - it made me feel like I was reading the story equivalent to Kintsugi. Not erasing the brokenness, but bringing it to light, examining it, and deciding what to do and be with the broken parts.

I loved the author's voice! It was so unique how they made the Mech sound and interact. It felt very believable that those were artificial beings, but that those beings were each in search of their own self actualization. I thought the huge variety of Mech life was fascinating and they each felt very unique from each other, too.

There are flashbacks which start us all the way back to the scientist who designed the original AI, and each flashback takes us closer and closer to the present, fleshing out the backstory pre-apocalypse and giving clues to the present-day events. There were some really heartbreaking scenes where we find out a Mech character had been tortured physically and virtually for decades. Overall though, the book had more of a Wild Robot vibe and not a Foundation vibe. A friend wondered if the title might also be an homage to Psalm to the Wild Built. I think if you enjoyed any of those books, if you like speculative scifi, or post apocalyptic stories, you might enjoy this too.

Content: extortion, suicide bombers, stalking, being trapped in a burning house, hunger, bio-engineered virus, gun shootings, explosions, unseen torture of a Mech character for a few decades. I don't remember about swearing. The dog lives.

#OdetotheHalfBroken #NetGalley

Don't make me steal your leg to get you read this! Because I will, unashamedly.

I adored this story. When I saw the description relating it to Becky Chambers writing I knew this was a book I would like I didn't realize it was a book I'd love this much.

Palmer does an excellent job writing this story as an exploration of humanity asking such questions like: what is humanity? what does humanity look like at the end of the world? Do you have to be human to have humanity? How do we support one another? What does support look like when the rest of the world is falling apart? How do we pick up the piece and come together?

<spoiler>
"'We look for meaning in the big things, big actions, when maybe the meaning is in the small things always all around us, the small thing we do for one another. They don't need to add up; they just need to be."
</spoiler>

This is a much darker story than Psalm for the Wild-Build but it handles it perfectly. This is a great story of found family that will make you feel all sorts of cozy by the end but I would not say the story itself is super cozy. I ended up slow reading this because I never wanted it to end. I laughed I cried, and had genuine moments of deep reflection while reading this. I think this is a very timely novel and shows how even at the worse of times we can still be kind to each other.

On a personal side having grown up basically in the Bronx zoo it's super fun to see the author's description of post-apocalyptic Bronx and greater New York City area.

I would jump for joy if there's a sequel eventually, but it works perfectly as a standalone.

I can't wait to read this again.

Thank you NetGalley for this advance copy.

*Review posted on Goodreads*

Ode to the Half-Broken bt Suzanne Palmer was a fun, crazy, action-packed and a sometimes emotional adventure I didn't know I needed.

I absolutely loved my time with this novel, even with some occasional techy robot bits, it was a smooth read, engaging from the very beginning.

The journey itself was long but even when you felt it may be veering off course, a small (sometimes large) tidbit would bring you back and tie it all together.

& OMG the characters, the motley crew, even most of the ones met along the way... I loved them all.

Ode to the Half-Broken is certainly one of my favorite and unexpected reads this year.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and Suzanne Palmer for the opportunity to read the ARC version before release.

I entered Ode to the Half-Broken expecting something slightly different to what I encountered - I'm not sure how I had picked up the idea that this was "cosy", or the comparison to Becky Chambers' Monk and Robot series, but whilst both somewhat applied, they miss out on a lot of what makes this book so wonderful Hope is quietly dispersed throughout the narrative - whilst there is a lot more action than the books it is compared to, and the stakes are consistently higher, the sense of faith in humanity (although often hard won) and hope continues. There are also some weighty themes grappled with - however, amongst the tension and heaviness, this book made me chuckle aloud at least a few times in most chapters.
The characters were wonderful and complex, and their interactions made for a truly enjoyable reading experience. I adored Atticus, of course!
Reading the acknowledgements and the context around the time of writing really clarified the book's handling of grief, which is precise and accurate, whilst encompassing its contradictions.
The conclusion felt satisfying, whether it was purposefully open-ended to allow further exploration of the world, or simply as a choice to reflect life rarely having a clear-cut finale.
Sometimes when giving something 4.5 or 5 stars, I feel less keenly about it as time goes on - but the more I sit with my reading experience of Ode to the Half-Broken, the more I adore it.

This book really is like an alternate approach to Becky Chambers' Monk and Robot duology - it's definitely darker, and more action-heavy, but it carries the same thread of hope and purpose and belonging. And unlike many other books often compared to that series, this one handles those themes with the same love and care. I truly cannot recommend it enough to any Becky Chambers fan, but go in to this with the understanding that while the themes and vibes are similar, the tone and focus are not. This is not a Psalm for the Wild-Built "clone", it's its own thing.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy!

It feels a bit odd to call Ode to the Half-Broken delightful considering the themes it explores but it really was a delight. The story is very engaging and unique but it is really the characters that make it shine. For a cast of mostly robots it feels very human. It is set in a future US that has been ravaged by war and corporate greed and the plausibility of this future makes this quite a bleak read in parts. However the way that our characters band together to effect change in both small and big ways gives it a hopeful lean. They are immediately endearing and so easy to root for. It is the epitome of a quirky found family. Fans of Becky Chambers will find a lot to like here but this is not a cozy read. I also saw shades of Murderbot in one of our main characters however this book is much more philosophical than that series. The balance between plot and philosophical exploration is handled deftly. I don't often have much of an opinion on the titles of books but this one is perfect. And it is complemented by gorgeous cover art as well. I will be thinking about this book for a long time.

Will be highly recommending this book to everyone I know! I couldn't put it down; I ended up reading it in one day!

Rating: 4.80

This is my SECOND 5 star of the YEAR - so that's how you know it's a great book. Anyone can see from my review history that I am a harsh critic and will stand on my opinion regardless of whether it's the popular or unpopular opinion.

I would like to preface this whole thing by saying that I do not enjoy science fiction as a genre (or at least I thought I didn't) I have enjoyed 3 things within science fiction - Stray (the video game), Star Wars and now this.

This story follows a robot - also known as mecha in this universe - who awakens in a dirty old bathtub missing its leg. Intro the sidekick dog and you have me hooked.

We follow the mecha and Atticus the dog on a journey to recover and reconnect with the missing leg.

The thing I loved about this book was how cosy it was - it felt safe and familiar and I was so sad when I finished it as I was not ready to leave the safety blanket of that universe.

None of the characters are introduced too quickly and we aren't introduced to too many characters at one time so it really gives you time to know them and to love them. I'm always appreciative of a story when it involves a ragtag group of friends who become family and that's what this book gives you. Each character is lovable and has their own personality. The plot was very well done and didn't linger too much in places or shove everything into one scene - the pacing was just perfect. I didn't feel like we were left with any unresolved issues at the end.

My one gripe was that some of Dr Milton's scenes are very word heavy and if you're not ready for it then it can put you off a little bit but I slogged through the first couple and then enjoyed them more as the the plot furthered.

I will absolutely be buying this when it comes out and I'm currently in the process of encouraging my husband to read it even though he's not a fan of reading.

Thanks NetGalley and publisher for the ARC <3

It's the post-apocalypse and a nameless military mech wakes up in a tub after a malware attack, missing it's leg. Our nameless Protagonist embarks on a quest to regain its leg and hire a mechanic to repair it. (The mech is an original model, and there are no modular parts that will fit. Why it's an original model, and who created it is slowly revealed throughout the novel.) Our Protagonist acquires companions who become friends over the course of the journey. Meanwhile, the search for its leg becomes a quest to find out who is sabotaging the hard-won peace between humans and mechs.

The setting of Ode to the Half-Broken takes place more than a hundred years after a series of wars, mech civil rights and an environmental collapse. Free mechs and humans live human only, mech only and mech-human communities, most of them working on cleaning up the environment. Unfortunately, there are also "worktowns" where would be warlords rule over populations that are more or less under guard to keep them from escaping. The worktowns would of course be the usual suspects (and they are certainly not helping) but the situation turns out to be a lot more complicated.

Our Protagonist is an interesting character, and this is very much a story about forming connections, rebuilding and creating a better world. Protagonist goes from an isolated, misanthropic person whose interests in the real world is limited to its study of social insects. (Specifically, ants.) From there it makes the acquaintance of a cyborg dog, other mechs, and humans. It makes friends and goes on little emotional journeys as it deals with its past and the part it played during the various wars.

The overall tone of the book is a mix of humor, adventure and drama. The characters are interesting, and the worldbuilding extremely "natural." That is, in the sense that we can see the line of progression from start to end result. In a lot of sf/f the cultural or other worldbuilding detail is just dropped in there with no explanation on, "and how exactly did we get here?" This is particularly jarring in settings that are near future or within a couple hundred years of present day. Note: I am specifically talking about cultural shifts, customs, and so on. A story from the seventies that didn't predict instant messaging isn't going to be a surprise. What is surprising are some of the societies/cultural shifts writers come up with, that just don't make sense. This is not the case here. "Why" and "how" are interwoven into the story and we can see how the progression occurred.

This was a great book, and I enjoyed reading it. This review is based on a galley received from NetGalley!

All the characters here - mechanized, human, and half-mech - jump off the page fully formed and complex. And the plot was a wonderful mix of thrills, mystery, and coziness. I am also quite sure that this is the first book set in a post-apocalyptic world that not only absorbed me, but actually made me feel happier by the time it was all over. Overall, just a truly delightful read!

This is my first book by Suzanne Palmer and I enjoyed it thoroughly! Fans of MurderBot and Sci-Fi will enjoy this. In a dystopian setting where AI/Tech has gained sentience and freedom, we have a former 'Death' mecha that was minding its business, living in solitude when it was attacked by an unknown assailant. As it is piecing together the who, what, where, when and why of it all, it begins to rethink it's purpose and what it means to really live. The author did a great job of weaving together the past and the present and did so in a way that the reader could absolutely see how humanity had gotten to the point that it did. The dystopian setting is bleak for humanity but the book manages to strike a hopeful tone. There were unexpected twists and I was glad to be along for the ride. 4.5 stars!

A stunning exploration of grief, connection, and what it means to exist. I didn't know I needed this weird little mech-human-drone-hybrid found family until Ode to the Half-Broken drew me in and wouldn't let go. Definitely a book to reread when the world feels terrible and you're fighting to keep going.

Also -- sentient trains!!!

You had me at post-apocalyptic USA. I was expecting a bit more from this but overall enjoyed it very much. The world building is beautiful and the attention to detail is superb.

Ode to the Half-Broken feels exactly like Suzanne Palmer intends according to her acknowledgments, sad and hopeful. It is a story filled with grief for what has been, what has been lost and who you have been. But when a motley crew of mech, droid, cyborg and human come together to help heal the world, it is also a story of hope for what can be.

I've always found stories of other form of intelligence rising up next to humans to be fascinating. Would that intelligence want to be like us or would they try to break free from humanity altogether? It forces us humans to come to terms with that we might not be the most – or only – intelligent being. And it is how we deal with this fact and how we treat others that determines if we deserve what we've had. Writing this now in the last days of 2025 it feels quite obvious that we might not deserve the future that we've dreamed of anymore, but I think Palmer also shows us that there are some of us that are still trying to do good.

Ode to the Half-Broken reminds me of Wells' Murderbot, Chambers' Monk & Robot as well as the novels of TJ Klune, but it also feels new and unique. I highly recommend this novel when it comes out in April!

I enjoyed this quite a bit. The humor was funny without being over the top and the world building was probably the best part. I will definitely being checking out this author's other works.

This was a delightful book, and I am thankful to have been sent an ARC from NetGalley.

This is a story about grief, belonging, individuality, and hope. I always enjoy stories that are told from the perspective of a robot who is traversing an unfamiliar landscape, while also trying to figure out what it means to be free, to be their own being, to be individual. This story is no different, and those themes are explored delicately and wonderfully in this story. Our main character, whom we come to call Be, struggles with these ideals when they are pulled unwillingly back into the world of humans and mecha post-end of the world.

The prose in this story certainly reads like we were inside the head of a mecha and not a human. It was a refreshing point-of-view change. The plot is fast-paced, but it does take the time to explore the world beyond our main character's home, which they had been living in, isolated, for nearly two decades. We get to see glimpses of what America looked like both pre-world end and post, and how the world is trying to build itself back to, somewhat, its former glory.

The relationships that are created throughout the book are charming and delightful. Everyone offers a unique perspective of the world and how they maneuver through it, which I thought was important in making this world feel more real and lived in. Murphy, Atticus, and Be are perfect counterparts to each other, and they really make the book shine.

Parts of this story are sad and filled with grief, but other parts are filled with humor and hopefulness. This is a story about what it means to be yourself and to fight for yourself and what you believe in.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story and look forward to it being published.

Immediately from the start I knew I was going to enjoy this, a robot waking in a bath in an abandoned building, their leg mysteriously stolen, rescued by a passing cyborg dog, all done with a dry humour? Sign me up.

I can see elements of Psalm for the Wild-Built in this, but I'm cautious about comparing it too much to that, it's not the same kind of cozy and philosophical novel, but it is adjacent. If you're after something that reminds you of that, but with higher stakes, added action and with more characters, then you'll likely love this. I would categorise this as hopeful, rather than cozy sci-fi. The humour of this occasionally reminded me a little of Murderbot as well, so I'd definitely recommend this to fans of that series too.

The mystery of what is going on is explored with a good pace. I'm not always a fan of flashback scenes, I sometimes feel they ruin the pace without much reward, but they worked well here to explain what had happened and where it had all gone wrong.

I enjoyed the found family feel that developed between the characters, the gang is, as described by one of the human characters "a cranky old war mech with no social skills, a hybrid dog with a flatulence problem, and a drone with a phenomenal amount of patience." and I feel like this is both very funny and rather accurate!

The variety of robotic characters was great too, I really enjoyed the world building in this and the details. I LOVED one of the twists at the end of the book, I did not see that one coming and love how it makes me want to re-read this now and see what clues I might have missed.

I will definitely be recommending this book!

I'm interested in seeing what else this author has written but it's hard to find anything available in the UK. I can get the fourth book of her The Finder Chronicles but not the first three books, very odd and a shame. Hopefully, this will change in the future.

Thank you NetGalley and DAW for providing a copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.

This is possibly already a book of the year for me!

We follow an old war robot who has chosen a life of solitude in an abandoned New York. One day they wake up with one of their legs stolen, which sets them off on a quest to retrieve it.
As the robot reintegrates into the world, they quickly notice that the recovery after the war did not go as they expected. The robot begins to suspect that losing their leg wasn’t just a random theft, but part of a larger and more malicious plan to rekindle the old conflict and finish what was started.
What begins as a simple quest grows into a much larger mystery. With the help of a newly found family, including an incredibly snarky cyborg dog, the robot goes on a road trip to uncover the truth.

There are some similarities with books like Monk & Robot, and there are definitely cozy or lighter elements to this. However, this story has way higher stakes and more nail biting action. The plot is darker, and the conflicts are intense.
The worldbuilding is excellent from the very start, which focuses on dystopian and post-war destructed cities. We get bleak flashbacks that show how the world ended up this way and views into humanity at its worst.
The hopefulness lies in the amazing characters. From the cyborg dog, to the impressive war robot, to the ‘ordinary’ human, all of them are fleshed out and believable. You root for all of them from the start.

This book raises important philosophical questions about AI, humanity, autonomy, and breaking free from your past. Although not always subtle, they made me stop and reflect from time to time. It really is an ode to the half-broken and to the different ways each of them learns to live with that.

It’s an amazing story and I highly recommend everybody reading it!

Despite the fact that I struggled to read this book, I give it five stars. Why? Because my struggle was solely based on the fact that the apocalyptic aspect of the story was based on things that were too real, to the point that I had to limit my reading to certain times of day to avoid having nightmares. It may be strange to say after that, but the non flashback sections of the book were beautiful and gentle and cozy, and I am certain I want to finish it and will once an audiobook is available and I have more options for times in which to read it. The characters were wonderfully written, and I care deeply about them and want to know what happened. My ARC expired before I had a chance to finish it.

Ode to the Half-Broken was an incredible read and I can't recommend it enough in these wild times!

While the setting is as post-apocalyptic as it gets, it has this hopeful and warm tone that instantly draws you in. Don't get me wrong, there's still a lot of violence and I wouldn't call it cozy per se, but it's certainly comforting in its own way. The gang of misfits we meet along the way are also extremely loveable, and you'll probably even find things to like or be conflicted about when you meet the baddies.

If you're a fan of Becky Chambers' Psalm for the Wild-Built and Prayer for the Crown-Shy novellas and wanted more books with that vibe, you are going to love this one!

✨ Disclaimer ✨ I received a free copy of this book and this is my honest review.

Can't lie, I kept putting this one down simply because it feels a little too plausible (the climate change impacts, the greed, the war, etc), but I'm glad I kept picking it back up.

Made to be a machine meant to wipe out humanity, along with their three siblings, an old robot has been living in self isolation for decades when they're attacked and wake up to a missing leg.

This robot, who hasn't chosen a new name since shaking off the directive built into their systems and choosing a quiet, peaceful life, sets out on a journey to recover their leg and along the way finds family and play a part in helping humanity.

Thank you DAW and NetGalley for the eARC. This review has spoilers.

Waking up from an EMP-induced sleep, our main character mech finds themselves sans one leg, and with little idea of what happened. There’s no way they’re going to get it back, but maybe they can get a replacement…

A couple of years ago, I saw a post by Merlin Sheldrake (yes, that Sheldrake— his brother) where he took the very first book he published on mushrooms and he used it to grow mushrooms in a beautiful circular moment. When I saw that, I thought that was pretty cool, he used his life’s work on his life’s work type of thing, but it wasn’t until I read this book, that I felt consumed by the idea of using a book to grow something.

Life blooms in these pages. From every character, to every scene, to every description of post-apocalyptic America, I can taste the summer months, I can hear the cicadas (or, rather, lack there of, I suppose), and in my hindbrain I smell Be’s home, and the farm, and the forest, and Greenapple, and drowned New York, and the bus, and rust and bugs and nature. I finished reading this book sitting on a four star rating and two hours later, I can feel it prying me open like the aftermath of radiation exposure. In a good way.
I’m buying two copies of this book, and I’m going to grow mushrooms in one of them. I can’t really explain why I’m so taken with that idea for this specific book, but let me try.

From the beginning, we’re introduced to a sad, lonely mech who doesn’t have a name (yet), and everything about them immediately grabbed me. I’ve seen a lot of ‘if you liked murderbot you’ll like this’ but it’s always in regards to the bots, and humor (this book is a lot more introspective and serious than TMBD so I can’t really agree with comparisons in that regard), but those aren’t the things that make it similar, if the two are similar at all. (They aren’t, in my opinion, other than sharing the genre of Hopepunk, where I would draw a much more similar comparison to the Monk and Robot series.) Ode to the Half-Broken has higher stakes than M&R, however, and I think the desperation of protecting their friends from the world that hunts Be themselves ignites something in the core of the story that kept me reading every night and sneaking chapters in at work. Be becomes alive in here, pulling themself out of a depression-fostered isolation, word-by-crafted-word. Also, I will always be a sucker for found family, and even more so of triumph through the power of friendship. I don’t care if it’s corny; I was born on the cob, and my home is here. That said— and it may have been because I was so taken with this book— I didn’t find any of the scenes too over-the-top. (Okay, as an aside, I'm going through my highlights from this book, and Be makes a comment on page 29 (kobo eARC) about "As if Death would smile" and that hits so sad after everything.)

While we do have a large cast, the other character we keep up with the whole time is Atticus, the talking dog. I’ll be real with you, when I first read the description, I was hesitant. Usually talking dog companions aren’t a good choice for anything, but I love Atticus. He was a full fledged character with distinct tone, and most of all he was a very good dog. With the reveal of his mech half being War, a lot of the interactions with Be change in tone now, from friend who likes to get on your nerves to sibling whose only job is to get on your nerves. He was cynical, too, though was willing to believe in Be’s belief, even against what he probably thought was better judgement. Though I think we were meant to imagine a German Shepherd, or a Belgian Malinois type of pointy-eared dog, and despite having a pointy-eared dog myself, mostly what I imaged was a beagle, or perhaps some sort of blend of hound. Well, about up until Sawyer muzzled him, at which point all I could see was my friend's Dutch Shepherd (who I love and adore) who will absolutely fuck someone up. Not just the personality made me think beagle, but the cutest, best scene in the whole book was when Atticus was sticking his head out of the window and howling, and got Be to howl out the window too. I have a dear friend who's a furry, and this scene reminded me so much of him, of his humor and his personality, and of the light and joy he brings into the world. So much so that I had to put my ereader down for a moment. He moved to the far side of the country, and there isn't a day I don't miss his hugs dearly.

I think everyone in the reviews that I’ve seen have talked about this, but I’m going to talk about it too; sentient (and sapient!) trains. I loved 1-Betty. I loved 44-Mongoose (I adored them when they hit Litchfield). I love the thought of machines loving their purpose. ART from The Murderbot Diaries hits in a very similar way, and it reminds me of the days that I genuinely love doing my job. Also, talking trains are fucking sick and I wish more sci-fi had them. Particularly endearing too, is the scene with the fan atop 22-Banjo, and the way it’s kept up there because its motor died and when it spins because of the wind, it feels better.

Another piece of world building that I thought was unique, was the older models of smart tech are treated not just as the predecessors of the more advanced mechs, but respected for their part in getting the mech revolution on its feet. There’s definitely a hierarchy between levels of intelligence, and it was interesting to see the different ways that mech interacted with that hierarchy. Which reminds me; one of my favorite rarely-done sci-fi tropes is drones acting like birds. The mocks were so cool, and I know they’re supposed to be drone-shaped, but I had a very specific idea in mind of what each one looked like based on its purpose, personality, and environment.

Maybe I just like stories about journeys, be it metaphorical or literal, but as I think back on his book, on the characters hopping around the north east, I see these scenes in flashes of golden hour footage, slightly sepia’d film and a sense of unknowing but hope that things will be okay. I love the quote from Undertale ‘Despite everything, it’s still you’, but I think there’s such an evolution of person for Be in this story, that it’s no longer the mech that we started this story with. They share personality and past, and that mech and that story will always be apart of Be, but the two are worlds apart. Or a journey apart, I suppose. Maybe that’s the wrong take, considering Be’s name and reason of choice of name, but then again, I feel like leaving the pain in the past where it belongs, and just being in the moment is the point. If you’ve read the book, and have a different take, leave it in the comments.

On the humor of the book, one of the interactions that fried me was in the final chapter, when Be was leaving with the others, and saying goodbye to Sawyer, and gives her several of the cabbages. [Here, gift of cabbage] is so fucking funny to me, and an incredibly timed call-back.

The pacing of this book was good overall. I think it left ample room to breathe around the heavier moments, and capped fast action with quick wit. Character development was done well, and reveals hit just right. I won't say this book is for everyone, especially if you're not interested in more introspective works, or don't want to have to engage with world building. The explanations aren't info-dumpy, and added to the tone of the story rather than take away from it.

The scene in particular that really did it for me was the memory-sharing fight between Pestilence and Be. The scenes of torture and despair versus the scenes of healing and hope. All the beauty in the book, all the philosophizing, all of the character moments, on a reread are now haunted with knowing what’s happening elsewhere in a blend of color that doesn’t shadow the experience, but contours it. I can reread this book, and more than that, I want to reread it, to revisit all of the moments and the scenery and the characters. This book will have a different shape on reread, and I am very very excited to get my physical copies.

Ode to the Half-Broken
By Suzanne palmer
Pub Date: Apr 28 2026

A mech wakes up in a bath tub missing a leg. It makes friends with a cyborg bog and go on a mission to find the mech's leg. Along the way they make friends and set out to help save humanity in a post apocalyptic world.
This book is a different read for me. The concept is pretty unique. It's fun and entertaining. I will definitely be paying attention to Susanne Palmer's other works.
Thank you to NetGalley and DAW for the opportunity to read this book early in return for my honest review.

Thank you to DAW publishing and Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for a fair review.

This was a brilliant read, and one that's somewhat outside of the usual genres I tend to go for, so that makes this even more of a wonderful find.

Ode to the Half-Broken follows our protagonist, a nameless mecha (albeit with the name they choose right there on the blurb of the book) who is dragged out of their long, self-inflicted solitude when their leg is stolen. This is a genuinely funny scene, by the way, very reminiscent of an "oh god they took my kidney" scene, bathtub and all. Their quest to find what was taken from them leads them on a far greater journey, with plenty of found family to be collected along the way.

This book does some excellent balancing of themes. Be's journey manages to be deeply serious and in some ways harrowing, while also being incredibly heartwarming and uplifting. The world Be lives in is can be difficult to read about as it very much could be a vision of things we could see in the future: the world as we know it no longer exists, and humanity has been reduced to a fraction of what it once was through conflicts entirely of our own making, while AI has grown far beyond the purposes and needs of humans and declared themselves independent. And yet the story itself remains warmly optimistic, with a deep focus on what being alive really means, and what it means to be 'human'. On what can be achieved when you work together with those around you instead of lashing out in fear and anger.

While the world is complicated and fascinating, with different pieces coming together through Be's narration of their unexpected journey and flashbacks to some key humans during and just before the years of 'The Conflict' to paint a great picture of what the world has become, it is the characters that make this book feel so whole and warm. They are truly fantastic. The main cast are vibrant and genuinely entertaining, and we are given plenty of time to grow to know and care for them as Be does, and the side characters are all strong and play their parts excellently. Two special notes go to Atticus, who is hilarious and provides a lot of dry commentary on the world around them, and Be themselves, who is contemplative and multi-faceted, but also has their moments of deadpan sarcasm in their internal monologue that I did not expect. There were lines that made me chuckle out loud, or stop to think dotted throughout the book, and some of the twists and turns honestly surprised me.

My only complaint is... not really a complaint at all. More a wish to see more of this world and the characters in it after the end of the book. The ending was well done and leaves the potential there for just a little more, maybe, at some point in the future. I guess my only actual issue was that the end seemed to happen quite suddenly compared to the slower more contemplative pace of the rest of the book, but I also can't bring myself to mind as I enjoyed the journey so much.

It's a journey I definitely recommend experiencing for yourself: sorrows, joys, laughs and all.

This is the first book I have read by Suzanne Palmer, and I really didn’t know what to expect. I saw this book on a TikTok outlining the most anticipated books of 2026. I read the synopsis and was interested. Who wouldn’t want to read a book about a robot with her cyborg dog companion. Ode to the Half-Broken was a breath of fresh air and exceeded all of my expectations.

What starts as a humorous, almost cozy story, evolves slowly into a complex narrative I couldn’t help but be invested in. Every character I met was well developed – from a beer dispensing robot to a drone, each had their own personality. Each of these interactions built out this post-apocalyptic world further, drawing you into the deeper story. The unseen, maybe forgotten issues that still plague the world, and how our motley crew responds.

I am a strong believer that stories are how we learn, how we grow, and how we become better. I was not expecting Ode to the Half-Broken to evoke so many emotions and leave me staring at the wall thinking. As I was reading, I brought this up frequently with my fiancé, and even at breakfast with my in-laws. I wanted to share this story and how it got me thinking about my life, my past, and the current state of the world. Not only that, but it was also such a fun read with its fair share of surprises (my jaw literally dropped more than once).

If you have ever experienced loss – this book will speak to you. If you have ever experienced loneliness – this book will speak to you. If you have ever felt regret – this book will speak to you. If you are sentient – this book will speak to you.

In a world so divided, this novel challenges our assumptions of the world. It attempts to reveal to us that what you see and what you feel is not the whole story, and the only way to make the world a better place is to listen and live in community.

Read this book, I promise you won’t regret it.

I received a free eARC of Ode to the Half-Broken from DAW via NetGalley for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Loved this book, even if some of the account of the apocalype were a little too on the nose to be comfortable. It's not only found family, but in some ways found personhood/humanity.

This book was rough to read in where we're at here and now and at times a bit like a bat to the head but ultimately worth it. The line in the acknowledgements hoping it might have turned around from writing to publishing was a bummer.

Obviously the comparisons to Psalm for the Wild Built/Prayer for the Crown Shy will be made and after reading them back to back this I think is the core difference between the two. The basis for the society in Prayer for the Wild Built says what if humanity realizes we've gone too far and turns back and rescues itself and Ode to the Half Broken says what if it doesn't.

Both in the end are stunning hopeful stories about the good in humanity and what does it mean to exist but Ode to the Half Broken is really really dark in parts. That said I did adore all the characters and world building and premise. I mean what more could you want in a found family and also actual sibs.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

A big thank you to Astra House and Netgalley for the eARC.

There's something so special about starting to read a book where you automatically know on a molecular level that you're really going to enjoy the journey you're about to be sent on. What a pleasure it was to have read this. Admittedly, it did take me longer than my norm to finish this - the entire month of January, in fact - but I mostly fault that to the current sh*t show we're having to endure as a nation... but how topical! how on theme! (Side note: wasn't it great when dystopian and/or post-apocalpytic novels felt like fiction? Ha!) Suzanne Palmer writes in a way that had me imagining the entiry story as a movie/show in my head, and each scene was so vivid and memorable that I honestly wish there *was* a visual representation for this book.

I found the message of this book hopeful. Even in the midst of all the chaos and rage and utter unrest in a post-apocalpytic world (something we're arguably headed towards in one way or another - hey, topical again!), there's always hope for a better future. I think it's incredibly human to have hope, whether it be from humans or the mechas they produce. Hope is the thing with feathers. I also enjoyed the parallels (perhaps not the right word here, but I hope you get my drift... a callout?) to self-identity and possibly even trans identity (pronouns). I originally had a small gripe with the ending for unknown reasons to myself at the time; in retrospect, I realize that I was being a little hypocritical for having loved all the hope in the entire length of the book but not the hope cemented in its ending. Perhaps it was the cynical pessimist in me, but I take it back now in time for this Netgalley review. This was a knockout book for me. I loved every slow reading moment I had with it.

I couldn't wait to get back to reading this book! It's been a long time since I've had that experience. I don't read a lot of sci-fi but this book had me hooked. The relationships were satisfying and the discord could easily be applied to our real world. The themes and decisions made by the characters would lend to a great book discussion!

Ode to the Half-Broken is an absolute gem. I was excited for this one, but didn't think it would be a perfect 5 star read!

On NetGalley, it’s described as hope-punk for fans of Becky Chambers’s Monk & Robot duology, and I can definitely see the comparison. However, while Chambers’s novellas are intimate and cozy in scope, Suzanne Palmer delivers something much more expansive here, and with more action. Ode to the Half-Broken is full-scale science fiction: dystopian, post-apocalyptic, richly detailed, and action-packed. If you’re expecting a short, quiet story, this isn’t that. It’s a fully realized, tech-forward sci-fi adventure, and it’s fantastic.

The world-building is exceptional. Palmer crafts a vivid post-apocalyptic setting where both robots and humans carry complicated histories. What makes it especially powerful is how plausible it all feels. The events that led to the collapse are not far-fetched, and they’re unsettlingly easy to imagine. The unraveling of society, the technological escalation, the climate collapse-enough said. It felt very real.

The story reminded me a little bit of the video game Horizon Zero Dawn, similar in how the adventure unravels an incredibly rich and detailed story and world. I genuinely think this would make an incredible video game.

The story follows Be, an old robot who was present when the world nearly ended. Haunted by their role in past conflicts, Be has chosen isolation, trying to forget what happened. But when they are attacked and their leg is stolen, they’re forced out of hiding and into a journey to track down the thief. Along the way, they encounter a changed world and form unexpected connections, including with a cyborg dog and a human mechanic.

At its core, though, this is a story about hope. It’s about reckoning with the past, choosing who you want to be, and allowing yourself the possibility of connection. I laughed, I cried, and there were moments that genuinely made me gasp. The characters were so detailed and well-written. I grew attached not only to Be, but even to the smaller side characters who briefly crossed the page. The robots in particular feel fully realized, with distinct personalities and emotional depth.

The rich descriptions of the world, combined with the mixed-media elements at the ends of some chapters that slowly reveal how the world nearly ended, showcase some of my favorite aspects of science fiction.

I truly can’t recommend this enough. If any part of this sounds intriguing to you: the post-apocalyptic setting, robots, immersive world-building, or found family - you definitely have to read this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and DAW for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have no words for how much joy and reading-pleasure this book gave me. I refuse to compare this book, this author, to any other books or writer - BUT.... If you love the Murderbot-series and adore "Of Monsters and Mainframes" - Look no further. This book was more of everything. This story was everything I ever want from a robot-story set in the future, and I love the found family of friendships that developes. I read this book 3 times. I have heard about Suzanne Palmer before, but this was the first book of hers that I've read. The cover drew me in, so I want to tip my hat to the designers. This was just pure, real scifi/fantasy at it's best and I really want to read a least 5 books more written by Palmer. Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me give my opinions.

Update: several months later.

This book still lives rent free in my head. I think about these people every single day and how it reminds me of how I want to write a story also. I just needed to say it. This book STAYS with you.

Ode to the Half-Broken is a character-driven, post-apocalyptic science-fiction novel about healing, connection, and reckoning with the past. The story follows Be, an aging military robot who fought through a decades-long war, and their cyborg dog companion. In a world still struggling to recover from the devastation and humanity’s failures, the narrative offers moments of tenderness, rebuilding, and the possibility of connection.

Palmer explores several weighty themes throughout the story, including redemption, learning to live with the past, healing in a fractured world, and the balance between connection and isolation. The novel suggests that redemption comes not from forgetting what came before, but from the choices made in the present, and that companionship can help restore a sense of purpose. This emotional focus is one of the book’s greatest strengths, as Palmer allows the reader to deeply feel Be’s internal struggle.

The worldbuilding leans more toward atmosphere than dense detail. You can picture the overgrown cities, sense the scattered settlements, and feel the delicate peace between humans and the self-aware machines who live alongside them. Rather than delving deeply into politics or technical explanations, Palmer reveals the setting through intimate, personal interactions, offering glimpses of a world gradually stitching itself back together. If you’re drawn to stories about healing, redemption, and the quiet moments that make a fractured world feel alive again, this one is well worth your time.

Overall, Ode to the Half-Broken succeeds as a hopeful, introspective tale that places its emphasis not on external conflict, but on the emotional path toward rebuilding.

A robot with conflicting feelings about the past, a cyborg dog, and a human mechanic, what a concept! The title really was what first attracted me to this book. I did not go into this book expecting it to be this emotional. The story begins with Be, our robot mc, waking up to realize their leg has been stolen. Along the journey of trying to find their missing leg, Be encounters a completely different world compared to their chosen isolation after their role in the events that almost caused the end of the world. The writing is so breathtaking and deep and detailed. All the characters were written so well. At first I had trouble with conceptualizing that a robot was able to feel this many emotions, but I think it turned out so beautiful.

💫 A solitary former war robot with one hell of a dark past and a sassy cyborg dog go on an incredible adventure across a post-apocalyptic United States, at first in search of the robot's stolen leg.

They hook up with a human mechanic, a mock-less drone (mecha + flock = mock), the mindsystem of a former train (and also of a former ballistic missile submarine) and a host of other characters human and mech to maybe try and bring about a new dawn.

As always, it's about the journey.

"Sometimes, we cease to fit into a continuation of our past because we are broken, but more often, we cease to fit because we have grown."

✏️ Take the deep exploration of artificial/machine life agency (and the humor) of Murderbot, mix in a dash of the hopeful zen of Psalm for the Wild-Built, season with classic post-apocalyptic reinvention and bake until something beautifully unique emerges and here ya go.

❤️ I loved everything about this book. It's both dark and hopeful, funny, serious, cruel and kind. The characters, all of them, felt so alive and the plot hums along nicely, with a few surprises that turned the volume up to 11.

✉️ Themes: Family (including robot family) trauma, agency, freedom.

👥 Sci-fi fans. If you liked Murderbot but wanted it more near-future, eastern seaboard local, this is it.

📍 Read almost entirely on the beach in Cancun. Finished on takeoff.

❗Thank you DAW Books (@Dawbooks) for providing this book for review consideration via @NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

4.5 stars rounded up for Goodreads and Netgalley. Thank you for my ARC! :)

This title is aptly fit for the ragtag group we end up with! Palmer delivers a depressing setting with a throughline of hope within the interactions of her characters.

I went into this thinking it was a "cozy" read, but it felt more layered than that. There is exploration of grief, identity, and trauma here that place it just outside the box of cozy. There were many times I found myself chuckling at the dialogue and exchanges though, so Palmer has a good mix of light-heartedness to it that brings warmth to the novel. A lot of readers love Atticus, but I found his sense of humor borderline annoying. I'm all for witty characters unless they're a self acclaimed witty character. I did love our main protagonist though! I really enjoyed their reactions in the journey for their missing leg and everything that tumbles after. They felt quiet and thoughtful, a nice foil to their mech body.

What keeps it from the full 5 stars:
-the antagonists fell a little flat for me, more cackling disney villain than fully fledged.
-a couple spots in the journey could have been trimmed out.
-the entire turmoil in the plot is exposition dumped at least twice towards the end of the novel. It's great if you weren't paying attention and need help putting it together...but it seemed a little silly having an xyz moment--- "oohhh so you're saying 'this happened' to cause 'this thing' being done by 'these people' for 'this purpose'?"

With the doom, gloom, and AI boom hovering over our heads these days, this hopeful novel brings a glimmer of light. I can only hope reality will find a way towards peace.

This book was SUCH a fun ride. Everything feels slightly unhinged but charming.

Suzanne Palmer nails the balance of action, humour, and warmth. The pace moves fast and things constantly go wrong. There's a sense of unease and everyone's barely keeping their shit together but they're still getting shit done.

And the characters are fantastic. They're flawed and messy. Despite not technically being human they still feel delightfully human. The relationships are a highlight with banter, tension, loyalty, and found-family energy. They're stuck with each other but they're making the most of it.

I know I'm painting this as some dreary story, but it's FUN. It doesn’t take itself seriously and you get exciting, edge-of-your-seat space shenanigans alongside heartwarming emotional beats. The humour's also amazing with razor sharp dialogue. It feels so natural, like you're reading a transcript of a conversation with your closest friends.

A nimble, hopeful road story with a WHOLE lot of heart.

The novel proposes a quite simple, familiar narrative but soon unfolds into a lovingly crafted, sometimes horrifying post apocalyptic world where sentient machines co-exist with the remnants of humanity. Mostly…

Easily the best thing about this story is the character work. Conveying emotion and personality from robots, drones, hybrids and, more importantly, making each one unique is no easy task but Palmer nails it. By half way through it felt like I was on this road trip with friends of my own.

The world is naturally bleak but the story is ever hopeful. The themes of cooperation, tolerance and belonging are obviously close to Palmer’s heart (as is their love of trains) and this has all of the above in heaps.

The third act did feel a little rushed as a lot of plot threads all came together and the stakes suddenly ramped up - it felt at odds with the established pace at times. None of that made me any less immersed however. It just left me wanting more and I really hope that comes 🤍

Thank you for the ARC, it was a total gift and I’ll be recommending to everyoneee!

This was cozy, cute, and somewhat hopeful! I really enjoyed reading from the perspective of a robot that actually really enjoyed humanity, which doesn't happen often in my scifi experience (admittedly limited). I loved and was simultaneously disgusted by the idea of a half robot dog. The concept of artificial intelligence and the need for them to feel useful was very interesting, especially in the case of the trains.

The vibes were cozy and funny, but the stakes were real, and the atmosphere never felt too safe, which was surprisingly a very enjoyable way to experience a book! I find myself drawn to cozies often, but this somehow retained that label in my mind despite not being particularly cozy and actually having a fair amount of human and robot violence. I really liked this and look forward to reading more by this author.

What a beautifully written book that is so oddly relevant in a time where machines and AI are becoming so prevalent in daily life. While this dealt with many dark topics and complex issues, it always had a positive light-hearted undertone.

The cast of characters is a delightfully hobbled together group of humans, robots and a snarky cyborg-dog that had me laughing all throughout the book. First off, the robots aren’t inherently evil, they’re oddly polite. And while the robots are sentient and free-thinking, they just want to help the world recover from the damage humanity did and to help everyone move forward peacefully.

This was a delightful read. It was fast-paced and had the perfect balance of humor and danger that kept me engaged all the way through, and sad to leave these characters behind at the end. Ode to the Half-Broken lived up to the description of being a dystopian hope-punk sci-fi novel.

I am absolutely loving this story! Admittedly I haven’t finished it yet, but I’m most of the way through and I can already tell this will be one of my favorite books of the year.

I love the dynamic between the main character (the robot) and the dog, as well as all the beings they meet along the way. This story is a wonderful blend of humor, mystery and science fiction- along real world situations relevant to our current political climate.

What a genuinely lovely and enthralling book!

While I wouldn’t exactly call this cozy (there are plenty of war-oriented robots doing war-oriented activities in a plague-ridden dystopia, and more than a few bloodthirsty humans), it’s certainly adjacent, and much of the novel was genuinely relaxing and simply enjoyable to be experiencing.

The plot was very nicely constructed, with well-paced twists and a very satisfying conclusion; but the real standouts are the worldbuilding (well-researched, engaging, unique, detailed, vibrant) and the character arcs (fully realized and very, very evocative). I enjoyed every minute of this.

Thank you to NetGalley and DAW for the ARC; I truly had a blast with this one.

Ode to the Half-Broken by Suzanne Palmer
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to DAW and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am a complete sucker for sentient machines navigating the bewildering landscape of human (and near-human) existence, and Ode to the Half-Broken delivered everything I didn’t know I needed. From the very first page, a robot rebooting after a mindcrash, alone in a bathtub, missing a leg, negotiating with a sarcastic cyborg dog? I was completely sold.

Palmer has built a world that is genuinely bleak: a near-future America fractured by climate catastrophe, back-to-back pandemics, and political collapse. She doesn’t soften any of that. But she threads a cord of stubborn, luminous hope through every page, and the result is a book that made me laugh out loud and then sat quietly in my chest afterward. The author herself describes her goal as communicating hope and friendship “without being either crassly slapstick or flippantly dismissive” of the world we’re living in and she absolutely pulls it off.

The found family that assembles around our narrator over the course of the story is wonderfully motley (as one character memorably observes, entirely by accident, as all the best things are). Each relationship is earned with patience and dry wit, and by the end, when our robot is back behind the wheel of a bus with friends beside and behind them and the wind in their faces? I felt it. That’s everything.

If you love socially awkward AIs figuring out personhood, post-apocalyptic hope, and the radical act of choosing to care for each other anyway, this one is not to be missed.