This was a fairly fast-paced, thrilling, yet heart-warming story. A war robot that is now independent, a human girl, and an unlikely friendship of sorts that forms between them. I liked that Jak wasn't this perfectly maintained, flawless robot. Although he was less robotic than I was expecting after he was given free will. That said, with Hannah acting as his moral guide, the two trek across dangerous territory to return her home. A great sci-fi adventure that raises some interesting questions, and makes the reader think. Fans of Asimov will undoubtedly enjoy this one! ( )

Review of eBook

Warbot JAK037, known as Jak to his friends, has only one mission: destroying Dalrea’s enemies. By luck or good fortune or perhaps his own skill, Jak survived many missions; he is the last of his kind still in operation.

Like many of his companions, the robots adhere to the laws instilled within him, but they wish for freedom. So when Jak hears rumors of peace with Carthia, he dreams of peace, of a Mervos without war. But his body is damaged, his battery cracked; his days are numbered. And as the Dalrean leaders simply turn off the older damaged robots, Jak has seen the ultimate genocide of many of his companions.

And then he learns that the peace is just a way of bring war to the humans.

But when he rescues a seven-year-old human, Hannah, he vows to return her to the humans even though he will need to travel past hostile Dalreans and Carthians to accomplish this. Will Jak find a way to return Hannah to the humans?

Told from Jak’s point of view, the unfolding story grabs the reader from the outset. Strengthened by a strong sense of place, believable characters, and an interesting premise that robots may find a way to bypass robotic laws, the story places its emphasis on the characters and how the robots feel about their existence.

The interplay of the robotic laws and the sentient robots’ desire for peace strengthens the reader’s empathy for Jak and his companions; the refusal of the Dalrea to repair some of the robots, turning them off instead, creates tension in the telling of the tale and gives an urgency to Jak’s self-appointed mission of returning Hannah to her people.

Jak’s interaction with Hannah is touching; the quirky characters they meet along the way give the story depth; the plot doesn’t have many twists, but the denouement is sure to surprise readers who will find it difficult to set this one aside before turning the final page.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Traanu Enterprises and NetGalley
#RequiemforaGenocide #NetGalley ( )