First published 2008
Freya Nakamichi was built to serve humans as an empathetic companion, but humans vanished centuries ago. Now she lives as a free woman in the 23rd century, though her smaller cousins still treat her like property. The Dominas and their chibi servants make her life miserable on Venus, reminding her daily that size determines status in robot society. After a chibi nearly kills her, Freya jumps at a stranger's offer to pay her passage off world. The job seems simple enough: transport a small package from Mercury to Mars. But the contents might hold the key to bringing humanity back from extinction. Other robots want that package badly enough to kill for it. Freya must navigate the dangerous politics of robot civilization while protecting cargo that could reshape their world. Her journey becomes a fight for survival across the solar system, where being human-sized makes her both vulnerable and uniquely suited for the task ahead.
Genres: science-fiction, dystopia, adventure, robots
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Venus, Mercury, Mars
Period: 23rd Century
323 pages · Hardcover · Science Fiction Book Club