A Psalm for the Wild-built (monk & Robot #1)
A new novella for seekers of small comforts.
It’s been centuries since the robots of Panga gained self-awareness and laid down their tools; centuries since they wandered, en masse, into the wilderness, never to be seen again; centuries since they faded into myth and urban legend.
One day, the life of a tea monk is upended by the arrival of a robot, there to honor the old promise of checking in. The robot cannot go back until the question of “what do people need?” is answered.
But the answer to that question depends on who you ask, and how. They’re going to need to ask it a lot.
Becky Chambers’ new series asks: in a world where people have what they want, does having more matter?
“Written with all of Chambers’ characteristic nuance and careful thought, this is a cozy, wholesome meditation on the nature of consciousness and its place in the natural world. Fans of gentle, smart, and hopeful science fiction will delight in this promising series starter.” — Publishers Weekly
““[A]n engaging work that is comforting without being saccharine...it all comes together delightfully. — Locus
“The first book in Chambers’ new series feels like a moment to breathe, a novel that exists to give readers a place to rest and think.” — Booklist
Winner of the 2022 Hugo Award for Best Novella
Nominated for the 2022 Locus Award for Best Novella
Nominated for the 2022 Nebula Award for Best Novella
A Stonewall Book Award - Barbara Gittings Literature Award Honor Book, 2022