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Service Model

By: Adrian Tchaikovsky
Narrated by: Adrian Tchaikovsky
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Publisher's summary

This program is read by Hugo Award-winning author Adrian Tchaikovsky.

Murderbot meets Redshirts in a delightfully humorous tale of robotic murder from the Hugo-nominated author of Elder Race and Children of Time.

To fix the world they must first break it, further.

Humanity is a dying breed, utterly reliant on artificial labor and service.

When a domesticated robot gets a nasty little idea downloaded into its core programming, they murder their owner. The robot discovers they can also do something else they never did before: They can run away.

Fleeing the household they enter a wider world they never knew existed, where the age-old hierarchy of humans at the top is disintegrating into ruins and an entire robot ecosystem devoted to human wellbeing is having to find a new purpose.

Sometimes all it takes is a nudge to overcome the limits of your programming.

A Macmillan Audio production from Tor.com.

©2024 Adrian Tchaikovsky (P)2024 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

“With humor, heart, and hope balancing out the decay, this glimpse of the future is sure to win fans.”—Publishers Weekly

What listeners say about Service Model

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In a class of its own.

I am in awe of what Adrian Tchaikovsky has achieved with this book, both as a writer and a narrator. It manages to be hilariously funny and highly entertaining while also conveying a deep and layered view of humanity's demise. I love the relationship between UnCharles and The Wonk, and the richness of their characters. For this is as much a story about The Wonk as it is about UnCharles, elevating the book above lighter fare like the Murderbot series (also excellent, but very different). And, like others, I was expecting substandard narration since that is often the case with books read by the author. Instead, the narration is superb.
Thank you, Mr. Tchaikovsky for this treasure. It deserves to stand beside the classics of the genre. Brilliant!

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Author / performance

Generally, I avoid books that are read by the author. Not everyone has the skill to perform a reading. I'm amazed that Tchaikovsky narrated his own book. He was brilliant! perfect! The story was slow to start, but had a modestly satisfying ending. I might listen to it again down the road, just to pick up more nuances.

No spoilers, but you may find yourself muttering, "Uncharles....nooo".

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I cried about the the sorted Bytes in the archives

This book is PHENOMENAL!! talk about a compleling argument of how just-things become not-just-things. The Author has a great way of making that, which is inhuman, human understandable... one starts to wonder how closely related they are to the robots, made of flesh and bone instead of metal and silicon.

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Performance is amazing

Witty, fun story with a great lesson for humanity. I absolutely loved the performance! The narrator deserves an award.

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Stick with it

Started off slow, but won me over by the end. Not exactly Murderbot Diaries but like all of Adrian's books was thoughtful and though provoking. Enjoyed the author's naration.

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Amusing throughout

It was possible the robotic exchanges could have become tedious but they never did. The features and limitations of all the characters were well played out.

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Glorious fun

I absolutely loved this book - very well done and thought out. Felt like a place I’d rather like to visit in an rpg.

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fantastic!

Service Model
By Adrian Tchaikovsky
Wow, I don't know what I expected, but this wasn't it. Very imaginative, humorous, and thought-provoking. Charles is a service model for his human. He tends to his every need. Until he kills him. Or does he? He leaves and travels to find someone to check his circuits and find a new human to serve. What an adventure he finds! Great narration!

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Funny and smart

The best of his books I’ve listened to since Children of Time. Dry humor, expert world building, and cinematic flourishes everywhere. The narration by the author is surprisingly good, better than many professional narrators, and perfect for the book.

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Dystopian robot dysfunction gone hysterically wrong

First of all I want congratulate the author for his great narration. His dry English humor set the right tone for this dark, oblique and twisted retelling of the “Wizard of Oz set against a landscape of apocalyptic ruin.
I think this should be required reading for all A.I. and robotic labs. for their Students
Professors, Engineers and Scientists.
perhaps they may gain a broader more sophisticated perspective on the future consequences of their work as it pertains to the future of civilization.

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