Letters to Our Robot Son

by Cadance Bell

‘impressively ambitious’ —The Guardian

An unexpected story of life, family, hope, and redemption—at the end of the world (maybe).
 
Arto wakes up in a desolate world devoid of humanity—he’s a robot, he knows that much—but he has no memory of how he got here. With a mysterious letter and a cheeky kitten as his only companion, he embarks on a quest to understand his existence.
 
As Arto navigates this unfamiliar landscape, he stumbles upon a cantankerous robot who claims to be his sister. 
 
And that's a problem, because she might be the reason there are no more people.


PRAISE FOR LETTERS TO OUR ROBOT SON:

‘Bell is a mercurial genius, a fearless imagineer, whose bold ideas fizz off the page with spry wit and distinct rhythm. Letters to Our Robot Son is a superb work that summons the speculative spirit of Philip K. Dick, HG Wells and Charlie Brooker. Told with warmth, tenderness and courage, it’s an unmissable journey that will move, challenge and inspire.’ —Craig Silvey, author of Honeybee and Jasper Jones

‘Epic in every possible way. Big ideas. Big adventures. Big heart. Big questions. Cadance Bell reminds us why stories matter – particularly the ones we tell ourselves. She is a tale teller; a world conjurer; a narrative alchemist. Letters to Our Robot Son is as playful as it is prescient, and an intergalactic love letter to found families.’—Beejay Silcox, author and literary critic

‘Cadance Bell has pulled off an extraordinary feat in Letters to Our Robot Son: a terrifying, funny, profound and ultimately hopeful story of what makes us human – and why we must question that. A rollicking adventure with a heart-busting character at its core that tussles with some of the biggest and most important questions of our time.’ —Kate Mildenhall, author of The Mother Fault and The Hummingbird Effect

Genres: Science Fiction

Kindle Edition

Published April 29, 2025

Reviews

[Craig and Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Big thanks to Ultimo Press for sending us a copy to read and review.
What fun it was to indulge in this futuristic and dystopian narrative, a journey to understand existence and the past is presented to the reader.
Arto awakes as a robot and clings to a letter written by his dad.
Encountering a world now dominated by robots and advanced technology he needs to know what happened and why the world is lacking humanity.
The adventure is marred by myriad of good and bad types of robots.
Finding and adopting a black kitten links him emotionally and physically not only to the cat but perhaps his past.
By chance he stumbles across Indi, she claims to be his sister and has knowledge.
Meeting a few surviving humans and observing how they have adapted to life in this new age sparked his curiosity and evoked sentiment.
The fragility of the environment, social issues and heartaches are all explored and elements of humour elevate the plot.
Such a creative and imaginative mind has written this and it serves as a blueprint of where our destiny may lie.
I was able to visualise the story for most parts which helps me ingest and enjoy.

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Letters To Our Robot Son is a beautifully written and emotional read from Australian author Cadance Bell and it was just the book I needed right now. It’s been a while since I read a sci-fi novel and the wonderfully heartwarming and engaging robot Arto was the perfect way to re-enter this genre.

When Arto wakes up he finds a world where humans have disappeared and he has no memory of what happened. His only clue is a note from Mum and Dad, two words that he is unfamiliar with and so begins his journey to understand and survive this utterly unfamiliar place. With an incredibly cute kitten sidekick and a cranky robot called Indi who claims to be his sister, Arto wants to find some answers. The problem is who should he trust when he has no memory?

Letters To Our Robot Son was a wonderful robot road trip with family, hope and redemption at its core. Cadance’s descriptions vividly conjured this world for me and I could picture it as a movie in my head. Arto was the perfect protagonist as he saw everything with a kind of wonder and naivety that was so captivating and endearing. His wonder was also marvellously tempered by Indi’s sourness and sharp edges.

I was absolutely gripped as this band of misfits journeyed to find answers and the encounters along the way added a good level of tension and mystery to the book.

[Nyxalphis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I always feel bad when rating books lowly, but unfortunately, I honestly wasn't able to connect with the authors writing style and struggled to finish.

The premise of this book intreaged me and still does. However, I never found myself truly enjoying any of the characters and had trouble finding a cohesive narrative I could immerse myself in.

Overall, it's not something I'd find myself wanting to read again.

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

The descriptions of the setting and the story were interesting, but unfortunately it felt like the narrator was reading a children's story, which made me wonder- is this YA? If so, perhaps that should be clearer in the synopsis. My first DNF ever. I just couldn't move past the narrator sounding like a buffoon. Sorry to the author! I'd love to see a written version.

[Helen Ahern · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a thought provoking read and I am still thinking about it and the future it portrayed.

[Lee Young · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. Hardly made it past Chapter 1. Stig Wemyss has to be in the Top 5 of horrible narrators. The book might have been good, but his over-the top style of narrating was insufferable!

[Reader · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not a fan overall.
Seems to have been written in order to get a movie made from it. The frequent pop slogans made the reading very jarring. When the robot lost power and then became a secondary unit it was disorientating for the reader; I assume this was the point.
The idea of microplastics and an enzyme directed at their breakdown which caused the collateral effect of human deaths is as fabulous but only featured in one chapter and could have been explored further. Also enjoyed the cat.

[Jessica]

DNF 🫣 I tried really hard, but the writing and the twee pet cat just wasn't for me.

[Anne-maree Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Confusing and muddled. just when you think it is improving, the story line becomes difficult once more. I found a lot of the language jarring and the characters implausible.

[Pam Saunders · Rating 1 out of 5]

Two stars is generous. I didn’t find any of the characters believable and the robot/ AI world didn’t seem to ring true. I plodded along but for me it didn’t get better.

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Letters to Our Robot Son by Cadance Bell
I really enjoyed this story — and that’s saying something, because I’m not even a cat person!

The first half took a while to get going, but once it hit its stride, the second half flew by and left me wanting more. Arto, the main character, is fun and incredibly sweet, and his sister Indi brings depth to the story — though I did find her a little frustrating at times. It’s Indi’s arc that made me wish the ending had lingered a bit longer.

Highly recommended, and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more from Cadance Bell.

[Jenny Delandro · Rating 4 out of 5]

A robot “wakes” up and a voice tells him to get out of the house he is in… he knows his name is Arto.. everything is a curiosity…
He is distracted by a letter … he reads it and while processing this new information, he realises there are gaps in his knowledge and he doesn’t understand most of it. The voice becomes more insistent… not knowing why he complies and is just in time see a giant robot destroy the house he was in..
He tries to communicate with it but the robot moves on to the next house…

He finds a kitten and it adopts him..
There are many small robots cleaning and gardening and building new houses… he can link into the city’s internet which teaches him some things.. he finds out where to charge his batteries for example.

Then he sees a flying craft get shot down ….
he is excited because he believes humans could be on board..so he goes out to help.. the robots who shot it down ignore him…
What he finds is a much bigger robot who actually talks to him!
She is damaged from the crash and she is trying to drag herself to a maintenance facility nearby.. she tells him her name is Indi and she is his sister!

What happens next is amazing.. a great story that ebbs and flows around these two robots, as one seeks to find humans to befriend and help them and the other one tries to facilitate their destruction.

At first, Arto follows her, not completely understanding her actions or the way she speaks, but soon he realises she doesn’t think like he does and after she helps one group of humans they found, to kill and destroy buildings used by another group, by helping to build a giant robot, he decides to power her down..

Arto loves his cat and his new human friends..
They are worried about more humans trapped in an underground facility that was supposed to protect them

Arto decides to activate Indi to help him but she goes berserk and destroys Arto. She takes control of all the robots and creates a pile of robots across the gate that supposed to release the people from Ark 15. She thought the cat would feed itself but Indi finds the cat curled up in Arto’s hand, dead.

This changes something in her.. Arto’s friends can still talk to the people so Indi plugs herself into the circuits and somehow activates a robot in the facility with her memories.

What a clever reason for the almost absolute demise of the human race!
Completely plausible!


Indi creates a way out for the people after she finds out that her father stayed with the children in the facility and told them him about his family…
It has been 80 years since the Ark was closed… all other adults chose to be placed in stasis, otherwise they would die
An old woman calls out to Indi, she was a childhood friend before Indi was made a robot and tells her that in fact Indi was stolen from her parents and although they tried to find her they couldn’t.. so they built Arto to help them but they ran out of time and hid him in a wall … before this Indi thought they sent her away as punishment, that they didn’t love her.

She finds out Arto has a backup main processor, called guardian protocol so he can be reactivated in a new robot body…

Suddenly the narrative changes and Arto is awake, he doesn’t know where Indi is, and he remembers she is not a good sister..
He just meets some people from the Ark, together with some of his friends and the books ends.!!

But the author does hint that there is more to tell about this new world..
When will Arto read the pile of letters for him.. I can only assume they written by his father, and brought out of the Ark by Indi( I wonder why her letters are unopened)
What is Indi up to.. it is hinted that she had travelled to all Arks around the world and I wonder if she created a melted robot grid across their gates too!??

Great story

[Marles Henry · Rating 3 out of 5]

The synopsis for this book references Arto, a state-of-the-art robot, and his kitten, M.U.F.I.N., who are traversing a post-human Australian landscape. It sounded sweet, like a fun adventure. Yet what comes out of these pages is something more abstract, bittersweet and a future that is on the precipice of wiping out humanity. Arto woke in a world with no recollection of the past. His programming did not allow him to remember the past, only to go through the motions of walking, talking and interacting with a world that has been frozen for so long, littered with robots undertaking tasks and chores, around skeletons in neighbourhoods. The letter from his ‘mum’ and ‘dad’ was ambiguous. The other robots interacted with him just like they have been programmed to. Then a little black kitten warms to him instantly. And then the strange ships fly overhead. Are there humans on these ships? Where are the humans? What has happened?
The naivety and innocence in Arto broke my heart. The state of the world, and depiction of parts of Sydney, the Blue Mountains and surrounds were stark and shocking. Humanity and the environment were a lost cause, the fight for remaining resources was fierce. The battle for survival for those remaining, and the will of the robots was unforgiving. Through Arto, we feel a yearning to belong and when he met his ‘sister’, robot Indi, it seemed doomed from the start. Indi was never forthcoming of what the was programmed to know to do. She knew all along of Arto’s mission, and she used him so inconsiderately, just like she was programmed to – she was a poster robot for the worst traits of a human that was a real and present threat to the remainder of humanity. Using a robot to explore this will of humanity and the reaches of artificial general intelligence was clever, and the scenes with the Arto and M.U.F.I.N. were so tender that you could forget this was between a sentient being and a black mewling furball. The sentiment from this relationship humanised Arto, in a time where the humans were losing their own humanity.

[Amy Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

.....📚 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 📚.....

Letters To Our Robot Son by Australian author Cadance Bell is a post-apocalyptic science fiction novel, but one that gives hope that the world may be rebuilt.

Arto is a sentient robot who has awakened in a desolate world with no memory of his identity, holding only a letter from his mum and dad, in a world without humans. He stumbles upon a lost, cheeky kitten and selects it as his best friend for the adventure of a lifetime, trying to make sense of his existence. While exploring, he encounters another robot. She says she's his sister. And that's the problem, because she might be the reason there are no more people.

This Australian sci-fi novel features a loveable protagonist in Arto, who contemplates the concept of humanity with awe and naivety while caring for his kitten and considering his own existence. Themes explored in this novel include the effects of climate change on the world and its inhabitants, as well as the impact of capitalism on society and the environment. Despite presenting various challenges, the novel conveys a message about hope for the future and the resilience of life.
These themes are woven together with humour and sweetness, making the story a heartwarming read for sci-fi fans. An unexpected story of life, family, hope and redemption – at the end of the world.
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Thank you to @ultimopress for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Dr_AU571N · Rating 3 out of 5]

A robot, Arto, wakes up and with no memory and no people around, only other non-sentient robots carrying out tasks such as cleaning. Starting with just a letter written from his 'father' Arto starts a journey to find out what has happened.
I enjoyed that this book was set in Australia and includes references to Australian flora and fauna. Simliarly the premise for what had caused the apocalypse was also quite interesting, the plastic-eating microbes which started attacking microplastics within humans. This necessitated humans turning to an underground city to survive.
I was on the fence between 2 and 3 stars but the setting of Australia bumped it up to 3.
I didnt think it was quite convincing how Arto's sister, suddenly has a change of heart upon the death of MuFIN. I thought this happened quite quickly and just didn't seem like it would be enough to change her mind/programming. Also when his sister is underground she conveniently runs into an old lady who knows her from childhood, who instructs the others to give her everything she needs, including explosives!
The story jumps between above ground, in buildings, train stations and underground, and i had trouble following/picturing the environment, or where the story was taking place at any time.
Overall it was ok, and i would recommend for younger/teen readers.

[Clare Rhoden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating premise. There's a hint of sweetness that gets disrupted by the relentless logic of robot-ry, which slightly diminished my enjoyment. But maybe that's the deliberate contrast between cutesy robot Arto and the awful state of future AI-humanity.
A very thought-provoking read, with deceptively middle-grade or YA tones. Ah, maybe that helps cause the unease: a story that should be affirming but is almost future-horror...
An author to watch.

[Tamara Jones]

I have not given this a star rating as I would have loved this book a child, and I think the narrator wouldn't have bothered me as much as a child as well. Listening as an adult it was a bit jarring and felt immature. I wonder if it may benefit from clearer categorising into children's or young adult genre?

[Steph · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded down. I have mixed feelings. Arto is a robot who wakes up with no memory of who he was, and embarks on a journey through a post-apocalyptic Blue Mountains to find out. I enjoyed Arto as a character, and the side kick of MUFiN. The world and how it came to be that way was also interesting.

However, I found the plot wasn't cohesive, it jumped around a lot when it didn't really need to. The ending felt like an attempt at a redemption arc for the main villain, but it was unsatisfactory as her new actions didn't repair past actions. The side characters throughout also just felt like NPCs with no real personalities, there were just too many and they mostly existed to bump along the plot. The pseudo-tech talk was also a bit too much in some parts and it took me out of the story.

Overall it was okay, and I'd read a sequel, but I would have liked to feel more connected to the story.

[D · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars
Robots (sentient and otherwise), remnant humans and sci-fi are not usually my thing however, I found Letters to My Robot Son to be a well paced, interesting, thought provoking and imaginative novel. I also
appreciated the humour embedded along the way.

[Marisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was ok, i think would be a great entry into science fiction. I liked the setting of the blue mountains, very easy to read and very palatable