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The Inevitable: A Novel
Lidia Yuknavitch writes in the introduction to The Inevitable "The first time I read Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun I bawled my face off. Daniel Hope serves up a similar creature, a humanoid robot named Tuck, and quite quickly in the story, Tuck began to remind me more of what matters about the human condition than I learn from most of the humans I know. Love stories are not what we’ve been told. A humanoid robot named Tuck reminds us how to build connections and be ever-giving in the face of death and loss." In both Klara and the Sun and The Inevitable technological advances have created AIs that form complex relationships with humans. In Hope's novel Tuck is a charismatic robot grappling with a very human conundrum, the meaning of life and death. He is the last bot in the universe after surviving the Bot Riots on Earth by escaping into space. He is grieving the loss of his family and forced to wander between planets looking for parts of himself that need replacement in order to stay functional, risking exposure even as collectors are hunting him. He alleviates his loneliness by adopting an abandoned AI integrated into a spaceship and naming it David after the boy he took care of on Earth. The two meet Maze, a genetically modified, escaped lab experiment who, like Tuck, has super-human speed and strength. Maze serves as first mate on a ship owned by a billionaire, who offers Tuck the parts he needs in exchange for assistance with her corporate raid against her main rival. Tuck finds renewed purpose in his life through Maze and quickly becomes devoted to her. Together they must survive in a world where they are at once misfits and precious commodities. The Inevitable examines the value of life in a technologically advanced society, the definition of humanity, and the complex relationships that arise in the gray area between AIs and humans.
- GenresScience Fiction
378 pages, Paperback
First published October 3, 2023
4 people are currently reading
175 people want to read
About the author
Daniel Hope
1 book12 followersDaniel Hope likes writing and science fiction, so it should be no surprise that he combines them. By day, he works with user experience designers to make apps easier to understand. His muted pessimism has been generously characterized as the Voice of Reason by the design team. He lives in Colorado with his family. His nerdy interests have been generously characterized as Super Lame by his kids.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 2, 2026
I wanted to end 2025 with warm, adventurous, character-driven sci fi, somewhere in the Becky Chambers zone, and I got my wish. I wouldn't label this book 'cozy' though - there's an undertone of melancholy throughout this story of friendship and trust - as you'd expect from the title. Maybe more in the vein of Ishiguro's Klara and the Sun, which is one of my favorite books. But whereas Klara is a domestic story, The Inevitable is a space adventure (spaceships, weapons, planets) and a thriller (espionage, rapacious corporations, death), although light on the grit. Most of all, the story is full of heart. I'm always fascinated by stories that use a humanoid robot to explore the human condition, and this book does it so well. Everything about this book was done just right for me - the writing, the pacing, it all flows together seamlessly. If I was to quibble about something it would be
I love the outside of this book as much as the inside - a first for me! The book literally feels good - the cover and pages are soft and smooth, the spine is strong, and even the shape and weight of the book feel satisfying. I love the cover art (with the black background) because it conveys Tuck so well - I feel like he could walk right off the page. I will definitely explore more books from this publisher and this author.
I love the outside of this book as much as the inside - a first for me! The book literally feels good - the cover and pages are soft and smooth, the spine is strong, and even the shape and weight of the book feel satisfying. I love the cover art (with the black background) because it conveys Tuck so well - I feel like he could walk right off the page. I will definitely explore more books from this publisher and this author.
January 3, 2014
Tuck is a robot. The last sentient robot in existence after the culling of the Bot Riots, and the most human robot you’ll ever meet, in spite of his completely inhuman appearance. After 150 years, Tuck is barely held together with old parts that he diligently works to replace. He is often hunted by collectors seeking to add a much prized trophy to their shelves. His quest for survival eventually leads him to a man of questionable motives who can keep Tuck functioning for many more years, but the arrangement may force Tuck to take human lives, something he is strongly against.
From the moment we first meet Tuck, it is clear that he’s a robot, but though he makes the Pinocchio comparison himself, he notes that he is not seeking to become real. He knows that he exists, and while he doesn’t question being alive, he knows that he doesn’t want to die. Nor does he want to kill, though he has in the past, either by mistake, negligence or intent. And he remembers every death.
Through Tuck, Hope explores the idea of mortality and of humanity. Even when Tuck is making highly technical calculations as he assesses a situation, Hope’s writing maintains such an endearing level of compassion. One of my favourite scenes involves Tuck is pithily breaking down how we experience emotion. It becomes clear early on that Tuck understands and respects more about humanity than we humans ever will.
The plot described in the blurb implies a lot of action and intrigue, and The Inevitable certainly has no shortage of that, but it’s the human interactions and Tuck’s experiences that truly make this book a surprisingly touching gem. I loved the vastness of this future world, while appreciating that Hope didn’t feel compelled to go too deeply into the details of each and every planet. It’s important only to know that earth exists, and we’ve moved on to other worlds as our technology and hubris demands. And most of all, I loved Tuck.
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The BiblioSanctum
From the moment we first meet Tuck, it is clear that he’s a robot, but though he makes the Pinocchio comparison himself, he notes that he is not seeking to become real. He knows that he exists, and while he doesn’t question being alive, he knows that he doesn’t want to die. Nor does he want to kill, though he has in the past, either by mistake, negligence or intent. And he remembers every death.
Through Tuck, Hope explores the idea of mortality and of humanity. Even when Tuck is making highly technical calculations as he assesses a situation, Hope’s writing maintains such an endearing level of compassion. One of my favourite scenes involves Tuck is pithily breaking down how we experience emotion. It becomes clear early on that Tuck understands and respects more about humanity than we humans ever will.
The plot described in the blurb implies a lot of action and intrigue, and The Inevitable certainly has no shortage of that, but it’s the human interactions and Tuck’s experiences that truly make this book a surprisingly touching gem. I loved the vastness of this future world, while appreciating that Hope didn’t feel compelled to go too deeply into the details of each and every planet. It’s important only to know that earth exists, and we’ve moved on to other worlds as our technology and hubris demands. And most of all, I loved Tuck.
See more reviews at
The BiblioSanctum
April 9, 2023
As a 150 year old robot, the last of the self-aware bots in the universe, Tuck spends most of his time searching for spare parts. He does more than deal with humans who want to add him to their collection of oddities, however, or use him for his super-human skills. He wrestles with deeper questions: Is a self-aware bot "alive?" Can he die? Can he suffer? How do humans and bots deal with loss?
The plot moves the story forward with action and conspiracy theory, as well as flashbacks to when bots were still new, and their transition to being hunted by humans.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys scifi or fantasy. It's not so heavy in the scifi that I lost interest, but it had enough gizmos and technology to keep me curious and interested.
The plot moves the story forward with action and conspiracy theory, as well as flashbacks to when bots were still new, and their transition to being hunted by humans.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys scifi or fantasy. It's not so heavy in the scifi that I lost interest, but it had enough gizmos and technology to keep me curious and interested.
August 5, 2013
3.5 Stars, but I went ahead and rounded up to four.
When we first meet Tuck he is a mess. He is wandering across the universe looking for parts to put himself back together. He's the last bot in the universe and his only mission is to survive. Tuck meets a suspicious man named Gerad who promises to give Tuck what he wants in exchange for his help. Let's just say Gerad doesn't have Tuck's best interest in mind. Tuck meets some interesting characters during his journey. Maze is a woman who seems to have the strength and intelligence of a bot, but is human. Then you have Lim who is a scared soldier on Gerad's ship and is in love with Maze. I can't forget to mention the delusional robotics doctor who thinks he is a spy. I wanted to punch him in the face. My favorite character is David. He is the AI on Tuck's ship. He is much younger than Tuck and doesn't know how to interact with humans very well. This leads to some funny dialogue.
After 150 years, Tuck acts and feels like a human. This leaves him with the same fears that humans have. Tuck's main fear is death. This is the main subject of the book. We get to see Tuck's struggle with accepting the inevitable just as we all struggle with it.
I enjoyed quite a lot about this book. I love Tuck and his internal struggles. Most of his thoughts and worries about death mirrored my own. I thought the supporting characters were done very well. I thoroughly enjoyed it when Tuck would go into his memory and show the reader important parts of his past. These memories are very important to the story. They allow you to see Tuck as a new bot fresh out of the box, meet David for the first time, see his first kill, and more. Each memory seems to be more tragic than the last. I also enjoyed seeing Maze grow. In the beginning, she is very cold and willing to kill someone without thinking twice about it. She changes after befriending Tuck and Lim. The ending is bittersweet. I won't say more than that to avoid spoiling anything. Now that I think about it, the entire book is bittersweet.
Daniel Hope writes dialogue very well. In my notes I kept writing how well the dialogue flowed. The only time my interest faded was during the action sequences. For some reason, those scenes just didn't work for me. Other than that, I don't have any real complaints. I will warn you that your heart will break a few times throughout the book. So, if you enjoy science fiction with some philosophy(which I believe the best scifi will always have) and don't mind a bit of heartbreak then I suggest reading The Inevitable.
When we first meet Tuck he is a mess. He is wandering across the universe looking for parts to put himself back together. He's the last bot in the universe and his only mission is to survive. Tuck meets a suspicious man named Gerad who promises to give Tuck what he wants in exchange for his help. Let's just say Gerad doesn't have Tuck's best interest in mind. Tuck meets some interesting characters during his journey. Maze is a woman who seems to have the strength and intelligence of a bot, but is human. Then you have Lim who is a scared soldier on Gerad's ship and is in love with Maze. I can't forget to mention the delusional robotics doctor who thinks he is a spy. I wanted to punch him in the face. My favorite character is David. He is the AI on Tuck's ship. He is much younger than Tuck and doesn't know how to interact with humans very well. This leads to some funny dialogue.
After 150 years, Tuck acts and feels like a human. This leaves him with the same fears that humans have. Tuck's main fear is death. This is the main subject of the book. We get to see Tuck's struggle with accepting the inevitable just as we all struggle with it.
I enjoyed quite a lot about this book. I love Tuck and his internal struggles. Most of his thoughts and worries about death mirrored my own. I thought the supporting characters were done very well. I thoroughly enjoyed it when Tuck would go into his memory and show the reader important parts of his past. These memories are very important to the story. They allow you to see Tuck as a new bot fresh out of the box, meet David for the first time, see his first kill, and more. Each memory seems to be more tragic than the last. I also enjoyed seeing Maze grow. In the beginning, she is very cold and willing to kill someone without thinking twice about it. She changes after befriending Tuck and Lim. The ending is bittersweet. I won't say more than that to avoid spoiling anything. Now that I think about it, the entire book is bittersweet.
Daniel Hope writes dialogue very well. In my notes I kept writing how well the dialogue flowed. The only time my interest faded was during the action sequences. For some reason, those scenes just didn't work for me. Other than that, I don't have any real complaints. I will warn you that your heart will break a few times throughout the book. So, if you enjoy science fiction with some philosophy(which I believe the best scifi will always have) and don't mind a bit of heartbreak then I suggest reading The Inevitable.
July 27, 2013
Meet Tuck. He’s the last of a dying breed, struggling for survival amongst a peculiar, alien race.
The catch? Tuck’s a robot. That volatile species? That’s us.
In the The Inevitable, Dan Hope gives us a poignant, captivating twist on the man-out-of-time mythos. Tuck has outlasted all of his android counterparts. Now, 150 years since his creation, he subsists on scrap parts and hopes for wholeness. He’s seen generations of humans come and go, some by his own hand. Determined not to share their fate, tuck wages a one-robot war to avoid deactivation. But immortality comes with a price. And when he’s given the opportunity to embrace it, the cost may be greater than even his advanced intelligence can comprehend.
The Inevitable is a refreshingly creative commentary offering insight on everything from personal morality to racism; from socio-cultural relations to genetic science. Using the allegorical device of a robot protagonist, Hope is able to let the reader observe such topics with an initial sense of neutrality, but allows plenty of personal introspection to determine which side of the fence you prefer.
Utilizing a brilliant flashback technique, Hope gives us a glimpse into Tuck’s history with the humans he has encountered, sometimes served, and often killed. We’re given a first-hand account of his triumphs and tragedies; through these “memories” Tuck develops his own humanity and wrestles with questions of truth and righteousness.
But the text is never too heavy and like Tuck, refuses to stand still in one place for very long. The action is hot and heavy. There are fist fights, laser battles and even a flying car chase. Humor adds levity and rounds out both the characters and the story. There are good-natured inside jokes poking fun at everything from sci-fi television to real-world mega-corporations.
It sounds cliché, but there truly are times that you will laugh, cry and gasp for another breath. Twists and surprises abound, and well-chosen prose and dialogue make for an intelligent page-turner.
Despite his cybernetic framework, Tuck has more heart than most of the humans he meets. He is expertly designed, not only by his in-story creators, but by Hope as well. It’s impossible not to cheer for him. Hope has put flesh on his robot, making him into a life form we should all be inspired to emulate.
The Inevitable is an excellent read; with as much heart as headiness. Like its hero, it’s destined for a long shelf-life.
The catch? Tuck’s a robot. That volatile species? That’s us.
In the The Inevitable, Dan Hope gives us a poignant, captivating twist on the man-out-of-time mythos. Tuck has outlasted all of his android counterparts. Now, 150 years since his creation, he subsists on scrap parts and hopes for wholeness. He’s seen generations of humans come and go, some by his own hand. Determined not to share their fate, tuck wages a one-robot war to avoid deactivation. But immortality comes with a price. And when he’s given the opportunity to embrace it, the cost may be greater than even his advanced intelligence can comprehend.
The Inevitable is a refreshingly creative commentary offering insight on everything from personal morality to racism; from socio-cultural relations to genetic science. Using the allegorical device of a robot protagonist, Hope is able to let the reader observe such topics with an initial sense of neutrality, but allows plenty of personal introspection to determine which side of the fence you prefer.
Utilizing a brilliant flashback technique, Hope gives us a glimpse into Tuck’s history with the humans he has encountered, sometimes served, and often killed. We’re given a first-hand account of his triumphs and tragedies; through these “memories” Tuck develops his own humanity and wrestles with questions of truth and righteousness.
But the text is never too heavy and like Tuck, refuses to stand still in one place for very long. The action is hot and heavy. There are fist fights, laser battles and even a flying car chase. Humor adds levity and rounds out both the characters and the story. There are good-natured inside jokes poking fun at everything from sci-fi television to real-world mega-corporations.
It sounds cliché, but there truly are times that you will laugh, cry and gasp for another breath. Twists and surprises abound, and well-chosen prose and dialogue make for an intelligent page-turner.
Despite his cybernetic framework, Tuck has more heart than most of the humans he meets. He is expertly designed, not only by his in-story creators, but by Hope as well. It’s impossible not to cheer for him. Hope has put flesh on his robot, making him into a life form we should all be inspired to emulate.
The Inevitable is an excellent read; with as much heart as headiness. Like its hero, it’s destined for a long shelf-life.
September 16, 2013
While I'm not normally a science fiction fan, I really, really enjoyed this book.
What impressed me the most about Hope's book was the way he constructed Tuck (the bot and the main character in the book) and his personality. As a bot, he's more machine. But he's also able to think and reason. Tuck is constantly amazed by human emotions, and even feels some to his level. What I worry about in books like this is that inconsistency will pop up, but there was no evidence of this. As far as bots go, Tuck is the best I've read of so far.
He also had some other characters that I really enjoyed, not to mention an AI that is needy and clingy, which struck me as funny. Hope includes a lot of action and suspense, but to good effect. It's not over done, the descriptions are accurate without being science fiction-y elaborate, and I was impressed with how clean the manuscript was. I've read a lot of self-published books, and am almost always able to point out mistakes and errors. I saw none of that here.
The cover is also of particular impressiveness to me. The Inevitable is a great overall package that really delivers what a book should have.
I also have a review on my blog:
http://kcrosswriting.com/its-the-inev...
What impressed me the most about Hope's book was the way he constructed Tuck (the bot and the main character in the book) and his personality. As a bot, he's more machine. But he's also able to think and reason. Tuck is constantly amazed by human emotions, and even feels some to his level. What I worry about in books like this is that inconsistency will pop up, but there was no evidence of this. As far as bots go, Tuck is the best I've read of so far.
He also had some other characters that I really enjoyed, not to mention an AI that is needy and clingy, which struck me as funny. Hope includes a lot of action and suspense, but to good effect. It's not over done, the descriptions are accurate without being science fiction-y elaborate, and I was impressed with how clean the manuscript was. I've read a lot of self-published books, and am almost always able to point out mistakes and errors. I saw none of that here.
The cover is also of particular impressiveness to me. The Inevitable is a great overall package that really delivers what a book should have.
I also have a review on my blog:
http://kcrosswriting.com/its-the-inev...
January 23, 2014
I've read a lot of mediocre self published books recently, so I didn't have high hopes when I started this one. But Hope's writing is clean, polished, and wonderful, his characters well-rounded, and the story and pacing spot on. I really enjoyed this book and I'm very impressed.
Want to read
October 10, 2023The author at Scalzis: https://whatever.scalzi.com/2023/10/0...
Excerpt:
"Even though you’ve never been involved in a firefight aboard a space cruiser (I assume), you’ll still find that the plight of this bedraggled robot is all too familiar because, at some level, we’re all just trying to survive."
Excerpt:
"Even though you’ve never been involved in a firefight aboard a space cruiser (I assume), you’ll still find that the plight of this bedraggled robot is all too familiar because, at some level, we’re all just trying to survive."
January 24, 2016
I was half-hooked on this book before I even started. I'm a fan of the speculative and philosophical in the sort of Science Fiction that this book promised to be. However, such raised expectation can so easily be dashed. Like watching a "must see" film, too much expectation can be a terrible spoiler. I wasn't disappointed, not for a moment.
I also enjoy the sort of light prose that this author can produce. Humour is always bubbling away somewhere in the text, sometimes dark, sometimes, dry, or observational, or occasionally just plain funny. The ground covered, though, is serious enough. This book is entertainment with plenty of hard speculative though behind the flowing words. I actually felt at times as though I now knew what it could be like to be the artificial intelligences that are Tuck and David, I even thought I understood what it was like to be the biologically enhanced and yet emotionally autistic personality that is Maze.
The story was very well structured with flashback type memories from Tuck's long-past. We actually get a sense of how this robot became the personality he most certainly is. What is it to be human, and what is it to be a technological construction, which, through experience and self-modification, has become almost human? Above all what is it like for any intelligent creature to contemplate its own mortality?
I won't compare this work with that of other writers, not because this one is uniquely different, it isn't, but simply because it deserves to be judged by its creativity. Nowadays, true originality is hard to achieve in any genre; almost invariably, works can only be original to some small percentage of the individuals they touch. Perhaps I can best describe the read as being fresh, vivid, smart, rather than being full of brand new ideas.
Oh! Just in case I didn't make things clear, "The Inevitable" isn't short on excitement.
I also enjoy the sort of light prose that this author can produce. Humour is always bubbling away somewhere in the text, sometimes dark, sometimes, dry, or observational, or occasionally just plain funny. The ground covered, though, is serious enough. This book is entertainment with plenty of hard speculative though behind the flowing words. I actually felt at times as though I now knew what it could be like to be the artificial intelligences that are Tuck and David, I even thought I understood what it was like to be the biologically enhanced and yet emotionally autistic personality that is Maze.
The story was very well structured with flashback type memories from Tuck's long-past. We actually get a sense of how this robot became the personality he most certainly is. What is it to be human, and what is it to be a technological construction, which, through experience and self-modification, has become almost human? Above all what is it like for any intelligent creature to contemplate its own mortality?
I won't compare this work with that of other writers, not because this one is uniquely different, it isn't, but simply because it deserves to be judged by its creativity. Nowadays, true originality is hard to achieve in any genre; almost invariably, works can only be original to some small percentage of the individuals they touch. Perhaps I can best describe the read as being fresh, vivid, smart, rather than being full of brand new ideas.
Oh! Just in case I didn't make things clear, "The Inevitable" isn't short on excitement.
January 13, 2014
This is a fantastic read. It tells the story of Tuck, the last working bot in the galaxy. He has survived for over 150 years by scraping together spare parts and delaing with dodgy characters. He's offered the chance to do a job and will then half all the parts he needs not only to rebuild himself, but to keep maintained indefinetly.
The old adage that if something sounds to good to be true then it probably isn't comes into play and we follow Tuck's quest as he is forced into more extreme measures to keep surviving. The story unfolds at a decent pace and keeps you guessing until the end what the outcome is.
While the story is good, it isn't the part that really stood out for me. The real strength is in Tuck's character (and his history, the flashbacks to some of his earlier memories were the most interesting part for me, I would happily have read more of these!) and that of the supporting cast. Most only have minor parts but the AI ship in particular was touching to watch the development of.
Development is the key word for this book, it's about how Tuck (and to an extent the other characters) develops with his interactions not only with humans, but with himself as well. The quality of the writing is excellent with a crisp clean style that doesn't labour the point, but allows it to sink in as you progress.
As I said at the beginning this is a fantastic read, one I can happily recommend to readers who like their science fiction with a bit of thought and a bit of heart thrown in.
The old adage that if something sounds to good to be true then it probably isn't comes into play and we follow Tuck's quest as he is forced into more extreme measures to keep surviving. The story unfolds at a decent pace and keeps you guessing until the end what the outcome is.
While the story is good, it isn't the part that really stood out for me. The real strength is in Tuck's character (and his history, the flashbacks to some of his earlier memories were the most interesting part for me, I would happily have read more of these!) and that of the supporting cast. Most only have minor parts but the AI ship in particular was touching to watch the development of.
Development is the key word for this book, it's about how Tuck (and to an extent the other characters) develops with his interactions not only with humans, but with himself as well. The quality of the writing is excellent with a crisp clean style that doesn't labour the point, but allows it to sink in as you progress.
As I said at the beginning this is a fantastic read, one I can happily recommend to readers who like their science fiction with a bit of thought and a bit of heart thrown in.
July 13, 2024
When I analyzed some advance blurbs in the context of Daniel Hope being a first-time novelist, I had a little bit of trepidation about this being an average sort of space opera. But from the opening pages describing Tuck, a decrepit robot who has seen better days, it's obvious the story will be interesting at the very least. But each successive chapter tells us it is more than interesting. In the era of generative A.I., it is something else again, a comical thriller with some useful pondering about sentience.
When I get into scrapes with friends about whether ChatGPT Large Language Model platforms are showing anything close to sentience, I always say that I'm not sure there's much insight involved in what generative A.I. platforms are doing, but I still wonder if we humans are qualified to say decisively what is and what is not sentient. A good argument can be made that we are little more than monkeys wearing formal wear, and we have not shown much evidence of insightful and reflective behavior ourselves - therefore, we should never be in the position of judging sentience in non-humans. Tuck, our hero, seems to fit my own beliefs to a "T." He makes no assumptions about whether he is fully conscious, but only describes how he behaves in the context of both humans and other machines. The thing is, Tuck can't compare himself to any other self-aware bots, since such devices were eradicated in the Bot Riots decades before the book starts.
Hope finds just the right way to carry his story forward. There are only glimpses of Tuck's own nearly-200-year history, with suggestions of how the Bot Riots evolved and became worse, and how bots learned to live an underground existence - an existence dangerous enough that, by the time the story opens, few humans are still alive who have ever seen humanoid bots. Hope uses an omnicient point of view much of the time, yet centers most perceptions in Tuck himself. We see how Tuck interacts with his closest human friends, and with a distributed piece of A.I. nicknamed David. The ragtag members of Tuck's posse have to parry attacks from a woman who has created a pirate business on the outskirts of the "legal" universe. Tuck and friends only learn slowly that the large corporations which actually control the intergalactic networks are far bigger criminals than the rogue Amelia. The problem is, establishing autonomy in such a domain means fighting the corporate elitists and the pirates with equal vigor, something that Tuck finds he has less spirit to engage in with each passing day.
The title of the book stems from Tuck's growing realization that all good bots, like all good humans, must come to an end, even if the bot can regenerate body parts. So how does one define a life well-lived, particularly if you're an artificial being who is supposedly incapable of ethics? And when is the appropriate time to say "fuck it" and ride off into the sunset? Hope winds up his intriguing novel by indicating that the more we decide to work for justice, the more we define when we have accomplished goals, and the more we can choose our own moments to exit stage left, the more contented we will be when our personal stories come to an end.
When I get into scrapes with friends about whether ChatGPT Large Language Model platforms are showing anything close to sentience, I always say that I'm not sure there's much insight involved in what generative A.I. platforms are doing, but I still wonder if we humans are qualified to say decisively what is and what is not sentient. A good argument can be made that we are little more than monkeys wearing formal wear, and we have not shown much evidence of insightful and reflective behavior ourselves - therefore, we should never be in the position of judging sentience in non-humans. Tuck, our hero, seems to fit my own beliefs to a "T." He makes no assumptions about whether he is fully conscious, but only describes how he behaves in the context of both humans and other machines. The thing is, Tuck can't compare himself to any other self-aware bots, since such devices were eradicated in the Bot Riots decades before the book starts.
Hope finds just the right way to carry his story forward. There are only glimpses of Tuck's own nearly-200-year history, with suggestions of how the Bot Riots evolved and became worse, and how bots learned to live an underground existence - an existence dangerous enough that, by the time the story opens, few humans are still alive who have ever seen humanoid bots. Hope uses an omnicient point of view much of the time, yet centers most perceptions in Tuck himself. We see how Tuck interacts with his closest human friends, and with a distributed piece of A.I. nicknamed David. The ragtag members of Tuck's posse have to parry attacks from a woman who has created a pirate business on the outskirts of the "legal" universe. Tuck and friends only learn slowly that the large corporations which actually control the intergalactic networks are far bigger criminals than the rogue Amelia. The problem is, establishing autonomy in such a domain means fighting the corporate elitists and the pirates with equal vigor, something that Tuck finds he has less spirit to engage in with each passing day.
The title of the book stems from Tuck's growing realization that all good bots, like all good humans, must come to an end, even if the bot can regenerate body parts. So how does one define a life well-lived, particularly if you're an artificial being who is supposedly incapable of ethics? And when is the appropriate time to say "fuck it" and ride off into the sunset? Hope winds up his intriguing novel by indicating that the more we decide to work for justice, the more we define when we have accomplished goals, and the more we can choose our own moments to exit stage left, the more contented we will be when our personal stories come to an end.
September 14, 2019
It's a very good novel, better than some (if not most) of the traditionally published SF I read this year.
Here, the stakes are not to save the galaxy or universe by using some death laser guns. On the contrary, it's very human tale about a bot asking himself _why_ he should do everything to survive, even if it means taking the live of other beings.
And all this philosophical questioning is wrapped up in very well written adventure through space.
In conclusion: it's a must read!
Here, the stakes are not to save the galaxy or universe by using some death laser guns. On the contrary, it's very human tale about a bot asking himself _why_ he should do everything to survive, even if it means taking the live of other beings.
And all this philosophical questioning is wrapped up in very well written adventure through space.
In conclusion: it's a must read!
March 7, 2025
I may not finish this book, even though I’m 3/4 of the way through. I checked it out, because it was on display on a table in the library with other sci-fi books, one of which I had recently read and really liked.
The story is okay, but this reads like a first novel. The characters aren’t quite believable to me; they’re too two-dimensional or simply based on one particular personality trait, rather than coming across as complex and paradoxical as real humans are. There’s little subtlety.
The story is okay, but this reads like a first novel. The characters aren’t quite believable to me; they’re too two-dimensional or simply based on one particular personality trait, rather than coming across as complex and paradoxical as real humans are. There’s little subtlety.
September 26, 2024
I enjoyed this one (apparently right now I'm on a robot kick in my decades long sci-fi romp). Big existential questions about the meaning of life, unpacked through the last surviving bot works really well.
January 4, 2025
The book focuses on the meaning of life and death and what it means to be human. Great world-building for the book's length; however, I wish we had explored these worlds more. It's a great short read!
April 12, 2016
Pasados 150 años, Tuck actúa y siente como un humano. Comparte sus miedos, en especial el más grande, el miedo a la muerte.
Hope nos trae la historia de un Robot que explora la idea de la mortalidad y lo que nos hace humanos a través de su lucha por la supervivencia por medio de una excelente narrativa. Los personajes segundarios están bien plasmados, la historia tiene buen ritmo y un camino muy claro. El único problema son algunas escenas de acción, no están tan bien logradas y tienen el efecto contraproducente de alejarte del Plot
"The Inevitable" es una lectura refrescante para el género, no reinventa la rueda pero los talentos de Hope como narrador bien valen la inversión.
Al final todos tenemos que lidiar con lo inevitable y en manos de Hope la premisa sienta bien.
Hope nos trae la historia de un Robot que explora la idea de la mortalidad y lo que nos hace humanos a través de su lucha por la supervivencia por medio de una excelente narrativa. Los personajes segundarios están bien plasmados, la historia tiene buen ritmo y un camino muy claro. El único problema son algunas escenas de acción, no están tan bien logradas y tienen el efecto contraproducente de alejarte del Plot
"The Inevitable" es una lectura refrescante para el género, no reinventa la rueda pero los talentos de Hope como narrador bien valen la inversión.
Al final todos tenemos que lidiar con lo inevitable y en manos de Hope la premisa sienta bien.
August 10, 2021
The Inevitable was an interesting read that evoked elements of “The Cybernetic Tea Shop” and the Muderbot Series.
Tuck, the last bot in the galaxy, is trying to survive after the Bot Riots and is offered a job that would supply him with the parts he needs.
The action in the book is exciting! I really enjoyed the elements of corporate espionage and danger but I really appreciated that Tuck did not want to harm humans. While the action is fun the book asks “What does it mean to be alive”, “what happens when we die”, and “what is death”. All in all, it was a fun read that makes us question our own perceptions of humanity.
Tuck, the last bot in the galaxy, is trying to survive after the Bot Riots and is offered a job that would supply him with the parts he needs.
The action in the book is exciting! I really enjoyed the elements of corporate espionage and danger but I really appreciated that Tuck did not want to harm humans. While the action is fun the book asks “What does it mean to be alive”, “what happens when we die”, and “what is death”. All in all, it was a fun read that makes us question our own perceptions of humanity.
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