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Homo Machina
The year is 2098. Humanity is no more.Earth is a ravaged, radioactive wasteland. On Mars, a small group of synthetic humanoids survive—their memories of the apocalypse wiped, seeking to understand their role in the fall of humanity.
Until Sol-5 receives a message. A message from a possible human survivor, and a plea to go to Earth to find her.
But what he finds there will change everything.
The humans were wiped out for a reason.
Homo Machina is the new post-apocalyptic thriller from the pen of award-winning author PA Vasey [Harbinger, Trinity Trilogy].
Until Sol-5 receives a message. A message from a possible human survivor, and a plea to go to Earth to find her.
But what he finds there will change everything.
The humans were wiped out for a reason.
Homo Machina is the new post-apocalyptic thriller from the pen of award-winning author PA Vasey [Harbinger, Trinity Trilogy].
- GenresScience Fiction
271 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 9, 2025
301 people are currently reading
1004 people want to read
About the author
P.A. Vasey
6 books23 followersI’m a full-time cancer physician (Medical Oncologist). I was born in Newcastle, UK and moved to Brisbane, Australia in 2004. My professional writing credits include over 200 publications including peer-reviewed research papers, journals, book chapters, conference contributions and electronic outputs in the field of Cancer Research.
I’ve always loved sci-fi and dreamed about being an author in this genre as long as I can remember. My reading faves include ‘old school’ legends such as Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, Dan Simmons and Frank Herbert, but I devour almost everything by Alastair Reynolds, Neal Stephenson and Kim Stanley Robinson. Recently I’ve gotten into Richard Morgan and Ann Leckie, and try really, really hard to like Peter F. Hamilton. Also, every time Lee Child brings out a new Reacher I set aside a weekend to just immerse myself in that fabulous character’s mind and world.
It may be a cliché, but yes, I am a Star Wars, Marvel and Tolkien tragic, so if not working or reading or writing, you’ll find me rewatching these movies… and trying to out-quote my two daughters (I usually don’t win).
Finally, I keep fit by cycling as much as I can, and I meditate to stay sane and keep everything in perspective and balanced. My wife, Andrea, can tell you how successful I am at the latter…
I’ve always loved sci-fi and dreamed about being an author in this genre as long as I can remember. My reading faves include ‘old school’ legends such as Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, Dan Simmons and Frank Herbert, but I devour almost everything by Alastair Reynolds, Neal Stephenson and Kim Stanley Robinson. Recently I’ve gotten into Richard Morgan and Ann Leckie, and try really, really hard to like Peter F. Hamilton. Also, every time Lee Child brings out a new Reacher I set aside a weekend to just immerse myself in that fabulous character’s mind and world.
It may be a cliché, but yes, I am a Star Wars, Marvel and Tolkien tragic, so if not working or reading or writing, you’ll find me rewatching these movies… and trying to out-quote my two daughters (I usually don’t win).
Finally, I keep fit by cycling as much as I can, and I meditate to stay sane and keep everything in perspective and balanced. My wife, Andrea, can tell you how successful I am at the latter…
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
July 1, 2025
Got this novel in a Goodreads giveaway. Decent sci-fi novel which doesn't get too bogged down in the complicated science of the plot. But, overall, there's nothing about this novel that got me too excited to sit down and read it.
September 8, 2025
Saturn's Children, by Charles Stross, is the best example of a story in a post human setting.
And this did nothing to topple that distinction.
The author makes shallow and unoriginal perspectives on the nature of humanity within the context of post human and human characters . The conversations when not cliches are simplistic and derivative.
The characters are simply written and two dimensional...so flat that they only exist as either obvious plot devices or mouth pieces for differing views.
Can it be done better? Yes, read Murderbot or the early works of Neal Asher, and you will find better insight written in a subtler way with more interesting characters.
I won't give away the ending, but for all the lofty concepts in the central argument of the value of humanity, it resolves in a clunky irrational way. The characters that use a strategy asserting a nihilist view are so silly that it borders on comical, make a happily ever after decision
The author creates beings committing genocide to keep genocide from happening, which is just stupid and a waste of time. In the end, it wraps up with all the resolution of the last 30 seconds of a Star Trek TOS season 3 episode.
In fact, the Trek episode The Savage Curtin is a more precise and a better examination of the concepts.
If you really love post human fiction, have nothing else to read and can spend the money.....then maybe get this.
But that's on you.
And this did nothing to topple that distinction.
The author makes shallow and unoriginal perspectives on the nature of humanity within the context of post human and human characters . The conversations when not cliches are simplistic and derivative.
The characters are simply written and two dimensional...so flat that they only exist as either obvious plot devices or mouth pieces for differing views.
Can it be done better? Yes, read Murderbot or the early works of Neal Asher, and you will find better insight written in a subtler way with more interesting characters.
I won't give away the ending, but for all the lofty concepts in the central argument of the value of humanity, it resolves in a clunky irrational way. The characters that use a strategy asserting a nihilist view are so silly that it borders on comical, make a happily ever after decision
The author creates beings committing genocide to keep genocide from happening, which is just stupid and a waste of time. In the end, it wraps up with all the resolution of the last 30 seconds of a Star Trek TOS season 3 episode.
In fact, the Trek episode The Savage Curtin is a more precise and a better examination of the concepts.
If you really love post human fiction, have nothing else to read and can spend the money.....then maybe get this.
But that's on you.
September 26, 2025
Julian is running through the woods in a panic with only one thought: survival. The year is 2095, and he and a small group of humans live on an Earth that has been destroyed. They are under attack by synthoids, synthetic soldiers in head-to-toe red armor. In a last-ditch effort to get to safety, they head for a bunker with the last survivors.
Sol-5 is a synthetic humanoid living in Phobos, Mars, in 2098, along with others like him, including Archos-9, Aria-2, and Kurk-1. The humans who worked in the research station there created them, but now they’re all gone. They don’t know what happened to them, but they want to know if they’re responsible for humanity’s extinction. Suffering from amnesia, they occasionally get flashes of memories. Sol believes he has been dreaming, and during one of those dreams, he receives a message from Nuavan, a human woman living in San Francisco. She wants him to go to Earth to find her.
Sol and Kurk travel to Earth in an effort to find Nuavan, and unbeknownst to them, Aria and Gen-12 follow them. Their ship crashes, damaging Aria, and while they’re fighting about it, a hologram of Nuavan approaches them. She leads them to a hibernation facility where they begin their voyage to find answers about the fate of humanity and their place in the universe.
In Homo Machina: A Post-Apocalyptic Hard Sci-Fi Genetic Engineering Thriller, P.A. Varney has created a future where humans have gone extinct. Sol and others like him are the only sign of life in the galaxy. All he remembers is waking up to Mars in ruins, and when he tried contacting Earth, there was no response. Aria is convinced that Kurk and the other synthoids created for battle are responsible for what happened to the humans. Sol reminds her of humanity’s history of classism between the Elites and the Disenfranchised and how they were always at war with each other. He warns her that they shouldn’t make the same mistake. The mission of their trip back to Earth is to find Nuavan, who they believe has the answers they’re so desperate to find.
I was drawn to this novel because I enjoy futuristic novels that center around robots and interplanetary travel. In this science fiction novel, the humans are gone, and the legacy of their downfall lies in the synthetic beings that they created. The post-apocalyptic Earth has been reduced to a radioactive wasteland, and the only ones with knowledge of what happened have had their memories erased. Sol and Aria are beginning to question what it really means to be human because they think they themselves are evolving. They eventually learn the shocking truths about humanity’s extinction and the dark purpose behind it. I was hooked from the beginning when the humans were in the middle of an attack by an unknown enemy. Their chances of survival were low, and I was curious to find out how they got to that point.
This futuristic novel imagines a possible future for humans and the ethics of genetic engineering. Vasey presents the philosophical question regarding whether humanity is worth saving. The revelation about humanity’s fate is alarming but leaves readers wondering whether survival is always worth the cost. Sol is a well-developed character, and even though he’s not human, he’s relatable because of his struggle with his emerging emotions. The language contains some science terminology, but in the world-building, I like how he describes outer space:
Sol gazed through the transparent front screen as the deep blue sky gradually transformed into an obsidian canvas adorned with stars that blossomed like scattered diamonds on a velvet sheet.
Homo Machina by P.A. Vasey is a compelling science fiction thriller and cautionary tale against the dangers of unchecked ambition by those in power. Through Sol’s journey, Vasey explores themes of identity, survival, and free will as it pertains to humanity. Fans of intelligent science fiction that blends suspense with existential reflection, similar to the works of Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke, should put this one on their To Be Read list.
Ultimately, to be human is to exist at the intersection of the physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual. It’s a rich, complex experience filled with reason and passion, connecting us to each other and the universe in profound and enduring ways.
Sol-5 is a synthetic humanoid living in Phobos, Mars, in 2098, along with others like him, including Archos-9, Aria-2, and Kurk-1. The humans who worked in the research station there created them, but now they’re all gone. They don’t know what happened to them, but they want to know if they’re responsible for humanity’s extinction. Suffering from amnesia, they occasionally get flashes of memories. Sol believes he has been dreaming, and during one of those dreams, he receives a message from Nuavan, a human woman living in San Francisco. She wants him to go to Earth to find her.
Sol and Kurk travel to Earth in an effort to find Nuavan, and unbeknownst to them, Aria and Gen-12 follow them. Their ship crashes, damaging Aria, and while they’re fighting about it, a hologram of Nuavan approaches them. She leads them to a hibernation facility where they begin their voyage to find answers about the fate of humanity and their place in the universe.
In Homo Machina: A Post-Apocalyptic Hard Sci-Fi Genetic Engineering Thriller, P.A. Varney has created a future where humans have gone extinct. Sol and others like him are the only sign of life in the galaxy. All he remembers is waking up to Mars in ruins, and when he tried contacting Earth, there was no response. Aria is convinced that Kurk and the other synthoids created for battle are responsible for what happened to the humans. Sol reminds her of humanity’s history of classism between the Elites and the Disenfranchised and how they were always at war with each other. He warns her that they shouldn’t make the same mistake. The mission of their trip back to Earth is to find Nuavan, who they believe has the answers they’re so desperate to find.
I was drawn to this novel because I enjoy futuristic novels that center around robots and interplanetary travel. In this science fiction novel, the humans are gone, and the legacy of their downfall lies in the synthetic beings that they created. The post-apocalyptic Earth has been reduced to a radioactive wasteland, and the only ones with knowledge of what happened have had their memories erased. Sol and Aria are beginning to question what it really means to be human because they think they themselves are evolving. They eventually learn the shocking truths about humanity’s extinction and the dark purpose behind it. I was hooked from the beginning when the humans were in the middle of an attack by an unknown enemy. Their chances of survival were low, and I was curious to find out how they got to that point.
This futuristic novel imagines a possible future for humans and the ethics of genetic engineering. Vasey presents the philosophical question regarding whether humanity is worth saving. The revelation about humanity’s fate is alarming but leaves readers wondering whether survival is always worth the cost. Sol is a well-developed character, and even though he’s not human, he’s relatable because of his struggle with his emerging emotions. The language contains some science terminology, but in the world-building, I like how he describes outer space:
Sol gazed through the transparent front screen as the deep blue sky gradually transformed into an obsidian canvas adorned with stars that blossomed like scattered diamonds on a velvet sheet.
Homo Machina by P.A. Vasey is a compelling science fiction thriller and cautionary tale against the dangers of unchecked ambition by those in power. Through Sol’s journey, Vasey explores themes of identity, survival, and free will as it pertains to humanity. Fans of intelligent science fiction that blends suspense with existential reflection, similar to the works of Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke, should put this one on their To Be Read list.
Ultimately, to be human is to exist at the intersection of the physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual. It’s a rich, complex experience filled with reason and passion, connecting us to each other and the universe in profound and enduring ways.
July 23, 2025
It’s going to be hard to write this review without giving too much away.
Part of what I’m thinking, having just finished this book, is a line that was in the first Jurassic Park movie. Jeff Goldblume’s character, after watching what the scientists were doing in recreating dinosaurs, asks something along the lines of, “I see what you could do, and what you would do given the chance—but is anyone asking if you should?” Human creativity and ingenuity seems a basic trait of our species. What we have dreamed up, and then created, is often beyond belief. But should we? Is anyone asking that question about AI, especially as that relates to bio-technologies and robotics? Does anyone have any idea where it is all headed? Are all the consequences clear in anyone’s mind? The simple question is, “Why?” Why are humans so enamored with AI? Why is it being created? Why do we need it? I’d guess there are some humans out there who are asking the philosophical/why questions and trying to come up with answers. But where are they? Who are they? Is it possible that we are so inundated with, “Isn’t-AI-amazing” voices that we are all just getting used to it, rather than challenging it with some intelligent “should we” questions and discussion? And another “why” question: Why are their voices not being heard over the cacophony of voices who are promoting AI? I think Homo Machina may be one of those philosophical inquiries into this issue, in the form of a novel. It’s hard to read this story for simply entertainment purposes. The “should we” questions it begs are too huge and disturbing to gloss over.
Part of what I’m thinking, having just finished this book, is a line that was in the first Jurassic Park movie. Jeff Goldblume’s character, after watching what the scientists were doing in recreating dinosaurs, asks something along the lines of, “I see what you could do, and what you would do given the chance—but is anyone asking if you should?” Human creativity and ingenuity seems a basic trait of our species. What we have dreamed up, and then created, is often beyond belief. But should we? Is anyone asking that question about AI, especially as that relates to bio-technologies and robotics? Does anyone have any idea where it is all headed? Are all the consequences clear in anyone’s mind? The simple question is, “Why?” Why are humans so enamored with AI? Why is it being created? Why do we need it? I’d guess there are some humans out there who are asking the philosophical/why questions and trying to come up with answers. But where are they? Who are they? Is it possible that we are so inundated with, “Isn’t-AI-amazing” voices that we are all just getting used to it, rather than challenging it with some intelligent “should we” questions and discussion? And another “why” question: Why are their voices not being heard over the cacophony of voices who are promoting AI? I think Homo Machina may be one of those philosophical inquiries into this issue, in the form of a novel. It’s hard to read this story for simply entertainment purposes. The “should we” questions it begs are too huge and disturbing to gloss over.
September 19, 2025
This book completely blew me away. From the very first chapter, I was hooked by the sense of mystery and unease. The ruined Earth setting feels so vivid, I could almost smell the dust and decay. Sol is such a compelling character caught between duty, curiosity, and fear and I found myself rooting for him even when he seemed uncertain about his path. The interplay between Sol, Aria, Kurk, and Gen-12 gave me chills; each voice felt distinct, each motive layered.
What I loved most was the philosophical depth. This isn’t just action and explosions (though the battle scenes are pulse-pounding). It’s also about what it means to be alive, to inherit the mistakes of the past, and to wonder whether evolution is a curse or a gift. Nuavan is one of the most intriguing characters I’ve read in years. Is she human? Is she something else? The ambiguity makes the story linger in your mind long after you’ve closed the book.
By the end, I wasn’t just entertained I was unsettled, provoked, and oddly hopeful. This is science fiction that matters, the kind that challenges and thrills in equal measure.
What I loved most was the philosophical depth. This isn’t just action and explosions (though the battle scenes are pulse-pounding). It’s also about what it means to be alive, to inherit the mistakes of the past, and to wonder whether evolution is a curse or a gift. Nuavan is one of the most intriguing characters I’ve read in years. Is she human? Is she something else? The ambiguity makes the story linger in your mind long after you’ve closed the book.
By the end, I wasn’t just entertained I was unsettled, provoked, and oddly hopeful. This is science fiction that matters, the kind that challenges and thrills in equal measure.
September 20, 2025
I didn’t expect to be this moved by a science fiction novel. Yes, the action is sharp, the battles tense, and the politics complex. But underneath it all, there’s a beating heart. Sol’s doubts mirrored my own questions about purpose and destiny. Kurk terrified me because he represents the worst of unchecked ambition. Gen-12 surprised me with flashes of wisdom, almost like the conscience of the group.
And then there’s Nuavan. Every scene with her (or her simulacrum) gave me goosebumps. The blend of human fragility and something more transcendent was haunting. The farmhouse sequence will stick with me for a long time the imagery, the atmosphere, the revelation.
This is not just a book for sci-fi fans. It’s a book for anyone who wants to be challenged and entertained at the same time. Brilliant.
And then there’s Nuavan. Every scene with her (or her simulacrum) gave me goosebumps. The blend of human fragility and something more transcendent was haunting. The farmhouse sequence will stick with me for a long time the imagery, the atmosphere, the revelation.
This is not just a book for sci-fi fans. It’s a book for anyone who wants to be challenged and entertained at the same time. Brilliant.
September 20, 2025
The depth of this book can’t be overstated. I thought I was picking up a post-apocalyptic adventure, but I got so much more. The ruined Earth is only the surface; what lies beneath is a commentary on power, survival, and the endless cycle of history.
The scenes with the simulacrum are haunting, and I loved how the author made something so mechanical feel sinister and alive at the same time. Nuavan is the kind of character who will stay with me for years. I’m still not sure whether to see her as savior, victim, or something in between.
The dialogue flows naturally, never forced, and the action sequences are paced just right. The exploration scenes are vivid enough to feel real, but not bogged down in description.
What I respect most is that this book trusts the reader. It doesn’t handhold. It challenges, it provokes, and it makes you think. That’s rare.
The scenes with the simulacrum are haunting, and I loved how the author made something so mechanical feel sinister and alive at the same time. Nuavan is the kind of character who will stay with me for years. I’m still not sure whether to see her as savior, victim, or something in between.
The dialogue flows naturally, never forced, and the action sequences are paced just right. The exploration scenes are vivid enough to feel real, but not bogged down in description.
What I respect most is that this book trusts the reader. It doesn’t handhold. It challenges, it provokes, and it makes you think. That’s rare.
October 11, 2025
Unreadably Bad
My apologies to the author if he's a real person who reads these reviews: I have great respect for anyone who can write a novel, finish a novel, publish a novel. That said, I couldn't make it through the first chapter. This reads like gAI tossed a thesaurus in a blender.
"The countryside was burned chartreuse pockmarked by dark impact craters gilded with rolled edges. Trees were lifeless sicks of charcoal. Swathes of hardened and rutted mud had changed the pastures from their verdant patchwork into an unforgiving landscape."
That's in just the first page, and oh my heck reading it half a dozen times I cannot figure out what that word salad is.
My apologies to the author if he's a real person who reads these reviews: I have great respect for anyone who can write a novel, finish a novel, publish a novel. That said, I couldn't make it through the first chapter. This reads like gAI tossed a thesaurus in a blender.
"The countryside was burned chartreuse pockmarked by dark impact craters gilded with rolled edges. Trees were lifeless sicks of charcoal. Swathes of hardened and rutted mud had changed the pastures from their verdant patchwork into an unforgiving landscape."
That's in just the first page, and oh my heck reading it half a dozen times I cannot figure out what that word salad is.
August 21, 2025
An amazing tale of Survival
Finally a well thought out realistic feeling saga of Man and Machine. Each time some new procedure or modification to either side, the explanation s were logical and could have mapped that far in the future, especially given a superior race of advanced synthoids had started long before we were here. And for once, I don't see the need for "the next book". Leave it to your imagination as to what happens now. On to another exciting chapter in another town in another universe.
Finally a well thought out realistic feeling saga of Man and Machine. Each time some new procedure or modification to either side, the explanation s were logical and could have mapped that far in the future, especially given a superior race of advanced synthoids had started long before we were here. And for once, I don't see the need for "the next book". Leave it to your imagination as to what happens now. On to another exciting chapter in another town in another universe.
September 19, 2025
I’ve read a lot of post-apocalyptic sci-fi, but this one feels different. The world-building is haunting, but it’s the characters that kept me glued. Sol is relatable, Kurk is terrifying, Aria has a quiet strength, and the mystery around Nuavan ties everything together beautifully. The pacing never drags, even when it slows down for reflection it feels intentional, like the calm before a storm.
The ending hit me hard, and I found myself thinking about it the next day at work. That’s the sign of a good book.
The ending hit me hard, and I found myself thinking about it the next day at work. That’s the sign of a good book.
June 28, 2025
Overall, this was a good book. But it felt like there was a lot going different story lines going on and it all didn’t fit together super well. There was an element of things feeling awfully convenient for the characters in that the right opportunity was available at just the right time. That isn’t a terrible thing, of course. But it got tired pretty quickly.
The story also flew by in other parts and kind of dragged in others. The pacing was just a bit off.
I would still recommend it though!
The story also flew by in other parts and kind of dragged in others. The pacing was just a bit off.
I would still recommend it though!
September 20, 2025
What impressed me most here was how human the story feels, even though many characters are not fully human at all. The conflicts trust, betrayal, survival, identity are universal. I could see this book being turned into a film or series; it’s that visual and layered. I found myself pausing just to picture the ruined landscapes and eerie simulacrum scenes. Truly memorable storytelling.
September 20, 2025
The book surprised me with how philosophical it was. Sure, there are battles, politics, and ruined landscapes, but beneath all that is a meditation on identity. The synthoids, in many ways, mirror the mistakes of humanity. That’s what stuck with me most the sense that history repeats itself.
It’s beautifully written and deeply immersive.
It’s beautifully written and deeply immersive.
September 20, 2025
I devoured this in two sittings. It’s that good. The character dynamics are tense and believable, and the ruined Earth setting is both eerie and fascinating. Kurk’s ambition makes him a perfect antagonist, while Sol’s vulnerability makes him relatable.
It’s thrilling, thought-provoking, and heartfelt all at once.
It’s thrilling, thought-provoking, and heartfelt all at once.
August 17, 2025
Good decent story
Good decent Sci-fi story with a lot of interesting twist, more then a few Magical occurring moments at critical story points but not excessive. A good read with interesting story takes.
Good decent Sci-fi story with a lot of interesting twist, more then a few Magical occurring moments at critical story points but not excessive. A good read with interesting story takes.
September 15, 2025
Great story
I really enjoyed the book and its characters especially Sol. I only wish I could have been told a little more about how they were made ie. Constructed. But I thoroughly enjoyed the book!
I really enjoyed the book and its characters especially Sol. I only wish I could have been told a little more about how they were made ie. Constructed. But I thoroughly enjoyed the book!
June 27, 2025
A very good read. I especially enjoyed the future war setting between the Elites and the Disenfranchised. I'm definitely going to try this author's other books.
July 6, 2025
Fantastic!
Yes, like others have said in review- I couldn’t put this down.
Great story, great characters.
I totally enjoyed every minute reading this book!
Yes, like others have said in review- I couldn’t put this down.
Great story, great characters.
I totally enjoyed every minute reading this book!
August 14, 2025
Original story line, great writing
A very fast read
Couldn't put it down
Love the concepts and unexpected ending
Great, hardcore science fiction
You won't be disappointed!
A very fast read
Couldn't put it down
Love the concepts and unexpected ending
Great, hardcore science fiction
You won't be disappointed!
August 17, 2025
Disappointing babel.
September 20, 2025
Beautifully written, emotionally rich sci-fi.
The tension between Sol, Kurk, and Aria kept me hooked.
The mystery was perfectly paced.
Couldn’t put it down.
Easily 5 stars.
The tension between Sol, Kurk, and Aria kept me hooked.
The mystery was perfectly paced.
Couldn’t put it down.
Easily 5 stars.
November 2, 2025
I didn’t get past the first few chapters; I wasn't intrigued enough to continue reading this book.
December 23, 2025
excellent read, I really enjoyed it but can someone pls explain the ending to me? I have no idea what it meant & I'm struggling to put the final piece together. pls someone explain bc I'm dumb
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews