This piece is quietly strong, and the voice is doing some heavy lifting. There's a low-grade ache running through every line that gives it a slow but deliberate emotional pull. For sci-fi, it doesn’t try to wow you with explosions or futuristic jargon; it settles into the melancholy of being unwanted, obsolete, and painfully aware of it, which is some A-tier existential fiction if done well.
I think you're taking a bit of a risk by starting so slowly in a serialized format, especially on Substack, where attention spans are often scroll-deep. But I was engaged, and I'll be looking at more in the series when it's available.
Thank you for reading so carefully. You nailed something I've been wrestling with (how to build tension through melancholy rather than spectacle). Bruno's obsolescence is the real sci-fi here, not the tech.
You're absolutely right about the serialization risk. I'm betting readers will stick with slow-burn existential dread, but it's definitely a gamble against the scroll reflex. Glad it held your attention.
It's called A Star Called Human. It's about robots living under the dying son after all humans are gone and how our creation reflects us. It's going to be a collection of connected but standalone short stories each from a POV of a different bot. I'm 3 stories in so far.
This was great. I was not expecting much from the premise (I'm not sure why), but this gripped me. I'm definitely going to keep reading about this broken android!
Thank you so much, Judith! I know sci-fi can feel intimidating - people expect spaceships and laser battles. But I’m more interested in the emotional stuff. What happens when technology mirrors our deepest human struggles? So glad the story grabbed you!
Wow, what an opening! I loved this. Favourite line was "So, I'm useless and indestructible." The part where he's scrunching his face and trying to cry really got me. There is so much room to explore emotion in this. Looking forward to following along the next chapters.
Thank you so much! That line was one of my favorites to write too. The emotional exploration is definitely going to be a big part of the story. Chapter 2 is up now if you want to continue!
I enjoyed this first chapter. Really relating to Bruno and how he feels like he has no purpose anymore and is just pacing, and feeling both more and less human than the humans.
Thank you so much for such a thoughtful comment, Jenn! I’m thrilled that you could connect with Bruno and that feeling of being trapped between worlds - neither fully human nor fully machine. That existential tension is really the heart of the story I want to tell.
It’s fascinating that you mention how he feels “both more and less human than the humans” - you captured perfectly that paradox I’m exploring. Bruno is in this unique position where he can observe humanity from the outside, but also experiences something we might call emotions in ways that humans don’t always understand.
Bruno’s story is just beginning and there’s so much more to discover about his search for purpose. I hope the upcoming chapters continue to resonate with you.
Hi Anja! Not yet - it’s currently only available here on Substack. But I’d love to explore a paperback edition if there’s enough interest. Thanks for asking!
This is an intriguing beginning. I already feel sorry for this robot. Thank you!
Thank you for reading and for the compassion.
This piece is quietly strong, and the voice is doing some heavy lifting. There's a low-grade ache running through every line that gives it a slow but deliberate emotional pull. For sci-fi, it doesn’t try to wow you with explosions or futuristic jargon; it settles into the melancholy of being unwanted, obsolete, and painfully aware of it, which is some A-tier existential fiction if done well.
I think you're taking a bit of a risk by starting so slowly in a serialized format, especially on Substack, where attention spans are often scroll-deep. But I was engaged, and I'll be looking at more in the series when it's available.
Thank you for reading so carefully. You nailed something I've been wrestling with (how to build tension through melancholy rather than spectacle). Bruno's obsolescence is the real sci-fi here, not the tech.
You're absolutely right about the serialization risk. I'm betting readers will stick with slow-burn existential dread, but it's definitely a gamble against the scroll reflex. Glad it held your attention.
I respect the bravery of taking a risk like that. If it pays off, it will pay off big, I suspect.
This is a festinating concept and has some Parrells to a novella that I'm working on. I'm mostly commenting now so that I know to get back to it.
Thank you! Curious about your novella and those parallels. Take your time getting back to it!
It's called A Star Called Human. It's about robots living under the dying son after all humans are gone and how our creation reflects us. It's going to be a collection of connected but standalone short stories each from a POV of a different bot. I'm 3 stories in so far.
This was great. I was not expecting much from the premise (I'm not sure why), but this gripped me. I'm definitely going to keep reading about this broken android!
Thank you so much, Judith! I know sci-fi can feel intimidating - people expect spaceships and laser battles. But I’m more interested in the emotional stuff. What happens when technology mirrors our deepest human struggles? So glad the story grabbed you!
Wow, what an opening! I loved this. Favourite line was "So, I'm useless and indestructible." The part where he's scrunching his face and trying to cry really got me. There is so much room to explore emotion in this. Looking forward to following along the next chapters.
Thank you so much! That line was one of my favorites to write too. The emotional exploration is definitely going to be a big part of the story. Chapter 2 is up now if you want to continue!
I enjoyed this first chapter. Really relating to Bruno and how he feels like he has no purpose anymore and is just pacing, and feeling both more and less human than the humans.
Thank you so much for such a thoughtful comment, Jenn! I’m thrilled that you could connect with Bruno and that feeling of being trapped between worlds - neither fully human nor fully machine. That existential tension is really the heart of the story I want to tell.
It’s fascinating that you mention how he feels “both more and less human than the humans” - you captured perfectly that paradox I’m exploring. Bruno is in this unique position where he can observe humanity from the outside, but also experiences something we might call emotions in ways that humans don’t always understand.
Bruno’s story is just beginning and there’s so much more to discover about his search for purpose. I hope the upcoming chapters continue to resonate with you.
Is there a paperback of this novel available?
Hi Anja! Not yet - it’s currently only available here on Substack. But I’d love to explore a paperback edition if there’s enough interest. Thanks for asking!