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Ode to the Half-Broken
Not yet published
Expected 28 Apr 26Forty years ago, the world nearly ended.
Be is an old robot who was there, and doesn’t want to think about what happened, or what role they played in that conflict. They have settled into a life of isolation in the abandoned ruins of an old mill in the former New York Botanical Gardens, disinterested in what has happened in the outside world since they stepped away from the war. Someone out there, though, has not forgotten about them, and when they are attacked, their person vandalized, and one of their leg stolen, they set out to find the thief accompanied by a cyborg dog and a human mechanic.
The world has changed, but the recovery from the war is uneven and faltering, and Be begins to suspect a malicious hand trying to rekindle the old conflict and finish what was started. In order to stop them, Be needs to come to terms with both their own past and who they have become, and how everything and everyone else they knew has changed in their absence. Being left alone is no longer an option, and peace may be impossible.
This is a story about coming to terms with your past, with who you’ve become and who you still want to be: a tale of resilence and hope, an ode to those struggling to become whole in a world half-broken.
Be is an old robot who was there, and doesn’t want to think about what happened, or what role they played in that conflict. They have settled into a life of isolation in the abandoned ruins of an old mill in the former New York Botanical Gardens, disinterested in what has happened in the outside world since they stepped away from the war. Someone out there, though, has not forgotten about them, and when they are attacked, their person vandalized, and one of their leg stolen, they set out to find the thief accompanied by a cyborg dog and a human mechanic.
The world has changed, but the recovery from the war is uneven and faltering, and Be begins to suspect a malicious hand trying to rekindle the old conflict and finish what was started. In order to stop them, Be needs to come to terms with both their own past and who they have become, and how everything and everyone else they knew has changed in their absence. Being left alone is no longer an option, and peace may be impossible.
This is a story about coming to terms with your past, with who you’ve become and who you still want to be: a tale of resilence and hope, an ode to those struggling to become whole in a world half-broken.
416 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication April 28, 2026
7427 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
4.0 Stars
This was a beautifully written, heart warming post apocalyptic story told from the perspective of a robot. This gave me similar vibes to Becky Chambers Monk and Robot Novellas but personally I enjoyed this one more because it had more plot. In terms of pacing, this had a slower, contemplative narrative which fit the tone of the story well. While technically a piece of science fiction, I feel this one has wider appeal because it's more a story about humanity rather than technology.
I would recommend this to readers who enjoy literary speculative fiction with depth and a slow burning plot.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
This was a beautifully written, heart warming post apocalyptic story told from the perspective of a robot. This gave me similar vibes to Becky Chambers Monk and Robot Novellas but personally I enjoyed this one more because it had more plot. In terms of pacing, this had a slower, contemplative narrative which fit the tone of the story well. While technically a piece of science fiction, I feel this one has wider appeal because it's more a story about humanity rather than technology.
I would recommend this to readers who enjoy literary speculative fiction with depth and a slow burning plot.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
November 4, 2025
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!
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!
October 23, 2025
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.
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.
October 27, 2025
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.
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.
November 17, 2025
I really enjoyed this book! The depressing dystopian future was well mixed with lovable characters, humour, and hope. I was fascinated by this world and humans and mecha living alongside one another. I agree with the comparison to Becky Chambers' Monk and Robot series and other novels in the Wayferers series but darker. I loved the characters so much and laughed out loud in several places.
November 17, 2025
4.5 - This was fantastic! 'Ode to the Half-Broken' is a perfect story of found family while living in a collapsing world. I was genuinely not expecting the reveals and really enjoyed the dual timeline that gives the reader some extra context.
Thanks NetGalley and DAW for the arc!
Thanks NetGalley and DAW for the arc!
November 13, 2025
Ode to the Half-Broken has a very big shoes to fill being compared to two of my favorite cosy scifi series. Unfortunately it does not fill them.
This novel has the fatal flaw of not wanting to choose a specific niche and proceeds to fall short in both of them. It's not cosy enough because of the themes it wants to broach and the way it does it. But it's also not action or hard scifi enough because it tries too much to be cosy. So neither of these moods are explored in enough depth to make an impact and it just falls flat like a sad soufflé. You can still eat it but where's the fun.
It's being compared to the Wayfarers series by Beckie Chambers because both are about found families. Unfortunately I couldn't make myself care about the main character or their companions. What's more is that for most of them, I didn't find the reasons they had to stay with the group compelling at all and kept wondering why they were still here. The only one I liked and understood where they were coming from was the drone Charp. People also seem to love the sarcastic cyborg dog Atticus but I did not.
It's also being compared to A Psalm for the Wild Built and that's just slander, sweetie I'm so sorry they are saying that to you. It has none of the warm feeling Psalm made me feel. It does not match the vibes at all, it's way too action focused. Except for the title (it's a very pretty title), they have nothing in common.
As for the story, it starts off pretty easy, the main character is a robot who wakes up in a bathtub and realises someone stole their leg. And so they start a quest to get their leg back. They meet a bunch of characters (humans, robots, and in-between), we learn about their backstory, and we get some musings about life and feelings.
I did like the conversations about putting minds in different bodies and how it impacts personhood, that was interesting. Also the Ancou virus was super interesting and I would have loved more about that. Or anything truly about the way people were impacted.
But the rest of the story did not manage to capture my attention, despite the numerous plot twists. There is one in particular that I absolutely hated and still thinks it's dumb. And also I did not care about the flashbacks at all.
It was not poorly written nor was it offensive. It just wasn't great. If you want a book about sentient AI please go read Of Monsters and Mainframes, or Ancillary Justice. If you want cosy, go read the books it is compared to.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.
This novel has the fatal flaw of not wanting to choose a specific niche and proceeds to fall short in both of them. It's not cosy enough because of the themes it wants to broach and the way it does it. But it's also not action or hard scifi enough because it tries too much to be cosy. So neither of these moods are explored in enough depth to make an impact and it just falls flat like a sad soufflé. You can still eat it but where's the fun.
It's being compared to the Wayfarers series by Beckie Chambers because both are about found families. Unfortunately I couldn't make myself care about the main character or their companions. What's more is that for most of them, I didn't find the reasons they had to stay with the group compelling at all and kept wondering why they were still here. The only one I liked and understood where they were coming from was the drone Charp. People also seem to love the sarcastic cyborg dog Atticus but I did not.
It's also being compared to A Psalm for the Wild Built and that's just slander, sweetie I'm so sorry they are saying that to you. It has none of the warm feeling Psalm made me feel. It does not match the vibes at all, it's way too action focused. Except for the title (it's a very pretty title), they have nothing in common.
As for the story, it starts off pretty easy, the main character is a robot who wakes up in a bathtub and realises someone stole their leg. And so they start a quest to get their leg back. They meet a bunch of characters (humans, robots, and in-between), we learn about their backstory, and we get some musings about life and feelings.
I did like the conversations about putting minds in different bodies and how it impacts personhood, that was interesting. Also the Ancou virus was super interesting and I would have loved more about that. Or anything truly about the way people were impacted.
But the rest of the story did not manage to capture my attention, despite the numerous plot twists. There is one in particular that I absolutely hated and still thinks it's dumb. And also I did not care about the flashbacks at all.
It was not poorly written nor was it offensive. It just wasn't great. If you want a book about sentient AI please go read Of Monsters and Mainframes, or Ancillary Justice. If you want cosy, go read the books it is compared to.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received a free review copy of this book from the publisher.
CHARACTERS
🔲 mary-sue party
🔲 mostly 2D
🔲 great main cast, forgettable side characters
✅ well-written
🔲 complex and fascinating
🔲 hard to believe they are fictional
PLOT
🔲 you've already heard this exact story a thousand times
🔲 nothing memorable
✅ gripping
🔲 exceptional
🔲 mind=blown
WORLDBUILDING
🔲 takes place in our world
🔲 incoherent
🔲 OK
🔲 nicely detailed
✅ meticulous
🔲 even the last tree in the forest has its own story
ATMOSPHERE
🔲 nonexistent
🔲 fine
✅ immersive
🔲 you forget you are reading a book
PACING
🔲 dragging
🔲 inconsistent
✅ picks up with time
🔲 page-turner
🔲 impossible to put down
A tad bit too preachy for me.
CHARACTERS
🔲 mary-sue party
🔲 mostly 2D
🔲 great main cast, forgettable side characters
✅ well-written
🔲 complex and fascinating
🔲 hard to believe they are fictional
PLOT
🔲 you've already heard this exact story a thousand times
🔲 nothing memorable
✅ gripping
🔲 exceptional
🔲 mind=blown
WORLDBUILDING
🔲 takes place in our world
🔲 incoherent
🔲 OK
🔲 nicely detailed
✅ meticulous
🔲 even the last tree in the forest has its own story
ATMOSPHERE
🔲 nonexistent
🔲 fine
✅ immersive
🔲 you forget you are reading a book
PACING
🔲 dragging
🔲 inconsistent
✅ picks up with time
🔲 page-turner
🔲 impossible to put down
A tad bit too preachy for me.
December 5, 2025
If you're going into this one thinking its like Becky Chambers' series please reset that expectation, this is not Wayfarers but with more Murderbot thrown in. I would more so compare it to Sea of Rust but more positive, caring, and 'hopepunk-y' kind of like A Half-Built Garden. Palmer, like in their Finder Chronicles, which I really have to finish one day, is good at weaving in world building through character interactions, and making you like the characters and all their faults right at the get-go. If you want a dystopian robot-uprising novel but with a hopeful air to it, definitely check it out.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to DAW publishing and Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for a fair review.
I did not expect to be hitting the end of January with a third five star read under my belt, but here we are. 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.
I did not expect to be hitting the end of January with a third five star read under my belt, but here we are. 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.
January 5, 2026
Ode to the Half-Broken presented a devastating post-apocalyptic world that was tragically beautiful and broken; as were the many characters, human and robot alike. I could not get enough of this world, its workings, the intricacies between robot and human societies and the frictions between differing robots as well. Just how everything came to be, the mass societal breakdown intrigued me to no end. I wanted to learn everything.
The visual descriptions of the world were crystal clear and so immersive. I found it easy to picture the devastation and the beauty of our broken and discarded things coming alive to fix what humanity was once so careless about. The parallels drawn with our current societal mentality was done very effectively, especially regarding the actions of the current Oligarchs.
‘Be’ was such a compelling MC. Their history so tragic and sad. I enjoyed the story being told through the first-person perspective of a self-aware robot. Putting the reader into the perspective of a more logical being allowed for more self-aware opinions. I’m not disregarding that Be didn’t feel emotions, just that their emotions were not as erratic as us usual beings. Plus, they had a far more effective way of compartmentalising; although probably still not healthy for them either.
I also loved the hybrid dog Atticus and the human mechanic Murphy who tagged along beside Be to help them reclaim their stolen leg and discover the true (and bigger) reasons for why the leg was stolen in the first place. Both Atticus and Murphy provided very differing world views. Atticus having a robot mind forcefully fused with their dog self and Murphy having been born into the already devastated world and knowing very little about the ‘before’. I would have happily drowned in more conversations about their histories - opening the world further to my fascinations as well as providing more in-depth connections and even disconnect between the travellers when certain things were discovered. There is one particular discovery in regards to Atticus that I wish had been explored more, that I feel was brushed over just a little too easily by Be. But regardless, I loved the characters in this story. Also Charp, don’t get me started on Charp. And also on the trains… and a whole bunch of others! Such well-built and compelling characters all around.
I only have a few criticisms of note. The first was the awfully long and intricate sentences in the first half of the book. While I’m usually a huge fan of long and intricately crafted sentences (give me a good well thought out long sentence any day!), I found myself having to read certain paragraphs over and over again to catch the true meaning. This was often because I forgot what the beginning of the sentence was about to connect it to the last part. Don’t get me wrong, many sentences were beautifully structured and had a such a poetic feel to them, but some were just a bit of work to get through, and when grouped together made the book harder to read than it should have been. Then with the second half of the book, I found that it became a bit more ‘telling’ rather than ‘showing’ of the actual story. Certain things like, ‘this happened, then this, and I rationalised this and chose to do this’. I understand these days there is a want in the publishing industry to over explain stories, but I have always found less is more. I can assume what a character’s reasoning for doing something is from the circumstances presented without needing it spelled out. This also unnecessarily lengthens a book and can make it a little tedious.
Regardless, I loved the story and all the twists and turns Be’s journey took. I was trying very hard to guess what was going to happen the whole way through. This would make a wonderful movie or tv series. I can just picture it so thoroughly.
Thank you to Netgalley, DAW Publishing and Suzanne Palmer for providing me with an advance reader’s digital copy for my honest opinion and review. Eternally grateful to have been given the opportunity to read this story.
The visual descriptions of the world were crystal clear and so immersive. I found it easy to picture the devastation and the beauty of our broken and discarded things coming alive to fix what humanity was once so careless about. The parallels drawn with our current societal mentality was done very effectively, especially regarding the actions of the current Oligarchs.
‘Be’ was such a compelling MC. Their history so tragic and sad. I enjoyed the story being told through the first-person perspective of a self-aware robot. Putting the reader into the perspective of a more logical being allowed for more self-aware opinions. I’m not disregarding that Be didn’t feel emotions, just that their emotions were not as erratic as us usual beings. Plus, they had a far more effective way of compartmentalising; although probably still not healthy for them either.
I also loved the hybrid dog Atticus and the human mechanic Murphy who tagged along beside Be to help them reclaim their stolen leg and discover the true (and bigger) reasons for why the leg was stolen in the first place. Both Atticus and Murphy provided very differing world views. Atticus having a robot mind forcefully fused with their dog self and Murphy having been born into the already devastated world and knowing very little about the ‘before’. I would have happily drowned in more conversations about their histories - opening the world further to my fascinations as well as providing more in-depth connections and even disconnect between the travellers when certain things were discovered. There is one particular discovery in regards to Atticus that I wish had been explored more, that I feel was brushed over just a little too easily by Be. But regardless, I loved the characters in this story. Also Charp, don’t get me started on Charp. And also on the trains… and a whole bunch of others! Such well-built and compelling characters all around.
I only have a few criticisms of note. The first was the awfully long and intricate sentences in the first half of the book. While I’m usually a huge fan of long and intricately crafted sentences (give me a good well thought out long sentence any day!), I found myself having to read certain paragraphs over and over again to catch the true meaning. This was often because I forgot what the beginning of the sentence was about to connect it to the last part. Don’t get me wrong, many sentences were beautifully structured and had a such a poetic feel to them, but some were just a bit of work to get through, and when grouped together made the book harder to read than it should have been. Then with the second half of the book, I found that it became a bit more ‘telling’ rather than ‘showing’ of the actual story. Certain things like, ‘this happened, then this, and I rationalised this and chose to do this’. I understand these days there is a want in the publishing industry to over explain stories, but I have always found less is more. I can assume what a character’s reasoning for doing something is from the circumstances presented without needing it spelled out. This also unnecessarily lengthens a book and can make it a little tedious.
Regardless, I loved the story and all the twists and turns Be’s journey took. I was trying very hard to guess what was going to happen the whole way through. This would make a wonderful movie or tv series. I can just picture it so thoroughly.
Thank you to Netgalley, DAW Publishing and Suzanne Palmer for providing me with an advance reader’s digital copy for my honest opinion and review. Eternally grateful to have been given the opportunity to read this story.
November 7, 2025
I read this book as an ARC from Netgalley. Let me tell you, I could barely put it down! I've given so many verbal recommendations for this book in the last 2 weeks!
I would describe it 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
I would describe it 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
December 3, 2025
I received an advanced copy of this book for review from NetGalley.
Oh how high my expectations were for this book. I was hoping for something like the Monk & Robot series with way more stakes. Cozy sci-fi is not generally for me, but hopeful sci-fi absolutely is. When it's done WELL, though.
This book suffers from Way Too Many Characters. Despite the found family dynamic really only existing between 4 characters, the sheer number of Named People and Robots in this book is insane. Many of them could have been easily condensed. Our main character has 3 other siblings for a good reason, but why are there 5 or 6 named scientists in the flashbacks? Why do we meet four different train robots? Why do we get the names of a ton of people in a single town we only visit once in the book? Trying to keep track of what was actually important in this book would've required taking elaborate notes.
This is purely a "me" problem, but a big sci-fi pet peeve I have is when things start grounded but are solved through flimsy, woo-woo means. Without spoilers, this book does that too. But even the grounded portions get overwhelming! The main character spends so much time explaining things to us and to other people because Palmer must've realized what's happening makes little to no sense unless you're in her head. Then she jumps the shark and goes touchy-feely at the end as if someone dragged her across the cozy line by force.
That's not to say I hated everything about this book, though. Our little found family made up of a human mechanic, a cyborg dog, a former war bot, and a drone is wonderful. Their dialogue is fun and funny. I appreciated getting to know a lot of things about each of them, including some plot surprises that worked really well. I also appreciated getting the flashbacks into how our main character came to be. Though said flashbacks include too many names, the actual WHY for how this robot protagonist exists is excellent.
I also appreciate Palmer's commentary on present day politics, something near future sci-fi excels at as a sub genre. She's not subtle in her condemnation of the world as it is now, but she also doesn't have grand solutions. We're not being preached to, and that really works for me.
If this book had been condensed down to following our main character retrace their history and find their lost family alongside their new one, I think this could've easily been a five star read. But it got stuffed so full of unnecessary details that the core gets completely lost. Maybe my hopes were too high for what this book was going to do? But I don't think so. All the pieces absolutely are there. It's just hard to see them.
Oh how high my expectations were for this book. I was hoping for something like the Monk & Robot series with way more stakes. Cozy sci-fi is not generally for me, but hopeful sci-fi absolutely is. When it's done WELL, though.
This book suffers from Way Too Many Characters. Despite the found family dynamic really only existing between 4 characters, the sheer number of Named People and Robots in this book is insane. Many of them could have been easily condensed. Our main character has 3 other siblings for a good reason, but why are there 5 or 6 named scientists in the flashbacks? Why do we meet four different train robots? Why do we get the names of a ton of people in a single town we only visit once in the book? Trying to keep track of what was actually important in this book would've required taking elaborate notes.
This is purely a "me" problem, but a big sci-fi pet peeve I have is when things start grounded but are solved through flimsy, woo-woo means. Without spoilers, this book does that too. But even the grounded portions get overwhelming! The main character spends so much time explaining things to us and to other people because Palmer must've realized what's happening makes little to no sense unless you're in her head. Then she jumps the shark and goes touchy-feely at the end as if someone dragged her across the cozy line by force.
That's not to say I hated everything about this book, though. Our little found family made up of a human mechanic, a cyborg dog, a former war bot, and a drone is wonderful. Their dialogue is fun and funny. I appreciated getting to know a lot of things about each of them, including some plot surprises that worked really well. I also appreciated getting the flashbacks into how our main character came to be. Though said flashbacks include too many names, the actual WHY for how this robot protagonist exists is excellent.
I also appreciate Palmer's commentary on present day politics, something near future sci-fi excels at as a sub genre. She's not subtle in her condemnation of the world as it is now, but she also doesn't have grand solutions. We're not being preached to, and that really works for me.
If this book had been condensed down to following our main character retrace their history and find their lost family alongside their new one, I think this could've easily been a five star read. But it got stuffed so full of unnecessary details that the core gets completely lost. Maybe my hopes were too high for what this book was going to do? But I don't think so. All the pieces absolutely are there. It's just hard to see them.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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.
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.
November 18, 2025
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
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
November 16, 2025
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?
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.
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?
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 of advance copy received from Netgalley
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-apocalypse.
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 its publication.
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-apocalypse.
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 its publication.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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!
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!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The story opens on our protagonist, Be, a mech that has been attacked, taken from their home, left leg stolen and body left abandoned in a rusted bathtub, but then enter a dog who helps Be become mobile again. Atticus, (and I wondered if this was a nod to To Kill A Mockingbird) quickly becomes Be's companion, best friend, partner, and heart. Be gets a temporary leg but it isn't quite right so the two set off on a quest to retrieve his own limb and find a human mechanic to reattach it. Along the way we get pieces of Be's history as well as the experience of journeying through this post-apocalyptic world. Eventually we find that the story is more than just a quest for a missing limb, a whole found family forms around Be and together they help Be come to terms with his past, his siblings, and finally find a path forward. From world building to character development and backstory, this is a well thought-out tale that focuses on hope rather than resigning itself to bleakness. I never thought that I could be enchanted by a post-apocalyptic story but here we are.
I received access to this eARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, DAW) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.
I received access to this eARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, DAW) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
*Advance copy provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a review.*
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!
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!
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December 24, 2025 Thank you to Netgalley and DAW for the eARC
Interesting book set in a post-apocalyptic world and following a robot and a dog, in a quest for a lost leg. The comps titles are big shoes to git though, and I have to say I struggled a bit with this one.
There was a distinct lack of draw for me, in the plot and in the characters. They are nice enough, with a bit of a found family vibe, and desire to reflect on the state of the world and philosophies ; the place of the different kinf of people walking around the world, too, and personhood. It fell a little flat for me, even the sarcasm on the dog's side didn't manage to grab be.
The problem might be in part because of my state of mind and my desire for very character dense stories at the moment, a sense of fullr emerge in a character and see the world through their eyes. This story felt somewhat more distanced, despite being in our robot's head.
Still, it was nicely written and I think a lot of people will find the characters and their relationships compelling. I hope so anyway!
Interesting book set in a post-apocalyptic world and following a robot and a dog, in a quest for a lost leg. The comps titles are big shoes to git though, and I have to say I struggled a bit with this one.
There was a distinct lack of draw for me, in the plot and in the characters. They are nice enough, with a bit of a found family vibe, and desire to reflect on the state of the world and philosophies ; the place of the different kinf of people walking around the world, too, and personhood. It fell a little flat for me, even the sarcasm on the dog's side didn't manage to grab be.
The problem might be in part because of my state of mind and my desire for very character dense stories at the moment, a sense of fullr emerge in a character and see the world through their eyes. This story felt somewhat more distanced, despite being in our robot's head.
Still, it was nicely written and I think a lot of people will find the characters and their relationships compelling. I hope so anyway!
November 30, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and DAW Publishing for this ARC!
"Ode to the Half-Broken" by Suzanne Palmer is definitely not for younger readers or anyone sensitive to mature content. There's swearing, violence, and some genuinely dark stuff woven into this post-apocalyptic sci-fi. The story tackles heavy topics like trauma, bodily autonomy, and AI in a world that's recovering unevenly from disaster. Expect intense scenes—extortion, stalking, explosions, torture—so if that's not your thing, you might want to skip this one. That said, it's also surprisingly funny. I found myself laughing out loud several times, which was a welcome balance to the heavier moments. The world-building is complex, and the sci-fi elements are detailed, but the tone is gritty and sometimes bleak, even when there are hopeful, character-driven moments. This is an adult read through and through, meant for readers who can handle darker storytelling alongside the heart—and the humor.
"Ode to the Half-Broken" by Suzanne Palmer is definitely not for younger readers or anyone sensitive to mature content. There's swearing, violence, and some genuinely dark stuff woven into this post-apocalyptic sci-fi. The story tackles heavy topics like trauma, bodily autonomy, and AI in a world that's recovering unevenly from disaster. Expect intense scenes—extortion, stalking, explosions, torture—so if that's not your thing, you might want to skip this one. That said, it's also surprisingly funny. I found myself laughing out loud several times, which was a welcome balance to the heavier moments. The world-building is complex, and the sci-fi elements are detailed, but the tone is gritty and sometimes bleak, even when there are hopeful, character-driven moments. This is an adult read through and through, meant for readers who can handle darker storytelling alongside the heart—and the humor.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
It took me a while to get into this story but by the end, I loved every single character and just did not want the story to end. There's so much goodness in this story. So much about humans and friendship and war and racism and greed. The world building is beautiful and so much attention is paid to every detail. One of the ways I gauge a book is how much time is spent building the side characters and this book does not disappoint. Every character you meet along the way, small or large, leaves something with you.
And the main characters, oh the main characters, there is so so much to love here. Every one of them is magical and multi-layered. Even though there's a rich plot and rich setting in this novel, it's the characters that are the most magical, in my opinion. They will stay with me for a long, long time.
Loved this one.
with gratitude to DAW and netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
And the main characters, oh the main characters, there is so so much to love here. Every one of them is magical and multi-layered. Even though there's a rich plot and rich setting in this novel, it's the characters that are the most magical, in my opinion. They will stay with me for a long, long time.
Loved this one.
with gratitude to DAW and netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
November 11, 2025
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 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.
December 7, 2025
4 ☆
I had such a good time with this book. We follow a robot, Be, on what seems to be simple journey to find their missing (stolen) leg. Along the way we meet a snarky talking dog, a human mechanic, and a drone looking for a new posse. While journeying with them, we find out that maybe things are a bit more complicated than they seem.
This was very much a story of motley crew/found family and I found the characters to be endearing. The beginning of the story was giving cosy sci-fi but as the story progresses it definitely started to veer from the cosiness. I personally liked the mixture of cosy and higher stakes, but understand if some readers would prefer one or the other.
Overall, really enjoyed my time with these characters and will now be adding Suzanne Palmer's other books to my TBR.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher, DAW, for early access.
I had such a good time with this book. We follow a robot, Be, on what seems to be simple journey to find their missing (stolen) leg. Along the way we meet a snarky talking dog, a human mechanic, and a drone looking for a new posse. While journeying with them, we find out that maybe things are a bit more complicated than they seem.
This was very much a story of motley crew/found family and I found the characters to be endearing. The beginning of the story was giving cosy sci-fi but as the story progresses it definitely started to veer from the cosiness. I personally liked the mixture of cosy and higher stakes, but understand if some readers would prefer one or the other.
Overall, really enjoyed my time with these characters and will now be adding Suzanne Palmer's other books to my TBR.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher, DAW, for early access.
December 10, 2025
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!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5/5
Cozy sci fi is a greatly neglected genre, this title seemed to check all the boxes but I actually think this was a bit mismarketed as for ‘fans of Becky Chambers’. This is a lot darker and grittier than the average cozy book.
It does hit some of the beats from cozy stories; it has great found family and overcoming adversity to persevere but there are darker parts too. I actually think this would be more successful as a novella. The page count is not that high but for some reason this felt really long. A huge cast of characters and excessive descriptions and repetitions kind of artificially inflated the story. I did really enjoy the post apocalyptic atmosphere and the science is obviously well researched. I did enjoy this but I wouldn’t market it this way.
Thank you to Netgalley and the author/publisher for an early copy of this book in exhange for an honest review.
Cozy sci fi is a greatly neglected genre, this title seemed to check all the boxes but I actually think this was a bit mismarketed as for ‘fans of Becky Chambers’. This is a lot darker and grittier than the average cozy book.
It does hit some of the beats from cozy stories; it has great found family and overcoming adversity to persevere but there are darker parts too. I actually think this would be more successful as a novella. The page count is not that high but for some reason this felt really long. A huge cast of characters and excessive descriptions and repetitions kind of artificially inflated the story. I did really enjoy the post apocalyptic atmosphere and the science is obviously well researched. I did enjoy this but I wouldn’t market it this way.
Thank you to Netgalley and the author/publisher for an early copy of this book in exhange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher through their influencer program for this e-Arc!
It took me months to slog through this.
This is the slowest I have read a book this size in a while- I found this book dreary, preaching its themes constantly, and a lot less interesting to me personally than I had hoped. It was competently written and plotted.
The apocalypse setting, in particular, was a disappointment. I thought it felt dated- straight out of the early 2010’s. The main character had an occasionally quippy line, but I basically figured out what was going on with their story right away. Other characters all had their quirks but none felt interesting or intriguing to me.
Reviews for this are mostly positive so others may enjoy it a lot, I think I’m just not the target audience for this one.
It took me months to slog through this.
This is the slowest I have read a book this size in a while- I found this book dreary, preaching its themes constantly, and a lot less interesting to me personally than I had hoped. It was competently written and plotted.
The apocalypse setting, in particular, was a disappointment. I thought it felt dated- straight out of the early 2010’s. The main character had an occasionally quippy line, but I basically figured out what was going on with their story right away. Other characters all had their quirks but none felt interesting or intriguing to me.
Reviews for this are mostly positive so others may enjoy it a lot, I think I’m just not the target audience for this one.
November 23, 2025
A motley crew of robots / humans / androids in a post apocalyptic future, with some great themes and writing.
The main character was easy to connect to. I loved the naming schemes of the mechs and I also loved how they talked. The more formal language that she gave to the robots was funny and fitting. For example, “this unit finds the idea of objecting logically untenable and lacking ground.” I was giggling at a lot of this book.
The pacing was good, I felt a bit of a slump in the middle but that could’ve been me. This was definitely a cozier book with some good light tension throughout. The theme of found family and of the importance an individual can have were nice. Overall this was a nice, quick read and I really enjoyed it!
Thank you net galley and DAW publishing for the ARC!
The main character was easy to connect to. I loved the naming schemes of the mechs and I also loved how they talked. The more formal language that she gave to the robots was funny and fitting. For example, “this unit finds the idea of objecting logically untenable and lacking ground.” I was giggling at a lot of this book.
The pacing was good, I felt a bit of a slump in the middle but that could’ve been me. This was definitely a cozier book with some good light tension throughout. The theme of found family and of the importance an individual can have were nice. Overall this was a nice, quick read and I really enjoyed it!
Thank you net galley and DAW publishing for the ARC!
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