Friday 56 & #BookBeginnings: Sad Robot Stories


The general consensus was that the apocalypse had made everything considerably quieter. Robot disagreed.
- p. 5

For Friday 56:
Occasionally, dead sounds floated to his hearing apparatuses, mimicking guttural coughs and laughs. They were sad laughs, like the cracks of a tree being split down the middle by lightning. He saw things too. Shadows. They’d take shape before Robot’s eyes, tempting him to reach out and feel them. They looked like aerial acrobats: at first there was only one on a tightrope, and then there was a family of them swinging and flying through the air, all there to entertain Robot as they loved each other through somersaults. 
 Robot hated them.
- p. 57 (p. 56 is blank)

Synopsis of Sad Robot Stories by Mason Johnson: Robot is one of millions of androids on an Earth that recently saw the extinction of human life. While Robot's mechanical brothers and sisters seem happy, Robot finds himself lost and missing the only friend he had, a human named Mike whose family accepted Robot as a piece of their personal puzzle. Without both the mistakes and the capacity for miracles that define human civilization, is civilization even worth having? Explore this question in the hilarious yet heartbreaking full-length debut of popular Chicago performer Mason Johnson. A Kurt Vonnegut for the 21st century, his answers are simultaneously droll, surprising and touching, and will make you rethink the limits of what a storyteller can accomplish within science fiction.


9 comments

  1. This sounds like an amazing book! I don't read much sci-fi, but my husband does. I know he'd enjoy this story.
    Here's the link to my Friday post: THE DOCTOR'S INDISCRETION.

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  2. That sounds so sad but in a way that makes me want to read the book. Here is my post: Mixed Book Bag

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  3. What an interesting concept. I know a few people who would absolutely love it. I'll definitely have to pass the recommendation on. Thanks!

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  4. Oh, wow, this sounds like an intriguing perspective. Thanks for sharing, and here's mine: “INTO THE DARKEST CORNER”

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  5. This totally does sound like something Vonnegut would come up with. He was amazing at thinking of the most ridiculous stories and somehow telling you everything about humans! I love how beautiful and lyrical the description in F56 is, despite it coming from a robot! Great pick! Thanks for sharing :) I hope you have a great weekend!
    My Friday Memes
    Juli @ Universe in Words

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  6. What a beginning! I would keep reading.....

    Here is my Book Beginning post!!


    What a 56!!

    Here is my Friday 56 post!!

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  7. Why does he hate them? I feel sad for Robot.
    Here is mine from Valens Remembered - http://fuonlyknew.com/2014/05/23/the-friday-56-22-valens-remembered-by-sherrel-lee/

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  8. This is the second time I've been reminded of this book lately, including another post during the ABEA short story discussion, and I really would like to get to it. It seems like a really interesting premise and I like the quotes you shared :)

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© guiltless readingMaira Gall