Back of Book: 

Centuries before, robots of Panga gained self-awareness, laid down their tools, wandered, en masse into the wilderness, never to be seen again. They faded into myth and urban legend.

Now the life of the tea monk who tells this story is upended by the arrival of a robot, there to honor the old promise of checking in. The robot cannot go back until the question of "what do people need?" is answered. But the answer to that question depends on who you ask, and how. They will need to ask it a lot. Chambers' series asks: in a world where people have what they want, does having more matter?

Book Number: One 

Genre: Adult | Science Fiction | Novella | LGBTQIA+ 

Review: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

A cozy sci-fi story that begs the reader to slow down and enjoy the little wonders in life. 

It has been several generations since the robots gained sentience and decided to leave humanity for the wilderness. Dex, a traveling tea monk, has long believed that the robots were just urban legend—until they stumble across a wandering robot who is curious to see how humanity has changed in the last couple of centuries. 

First of all, I love the idea of cozy science fiction. In this world, humans are well aware of all the damage they have done to their planet and were willing to put aside half of the world's land to remain wild and untouched by man. I also thought it was really neat how robots that were originally built to act as slaves in factories gained intelligence and decided that they wanted to be free from man. These are just facts of the society that Chambers leaves us with, and I found this world to be full of such beauty. 

The themes explored in this novel are things that most humans grapple with. Some of them include questions such as "why are we here?" "do we need a purpose to be happy?" and "what are we truly searching for in life?" Dex truly has almost anything that a person could desire, yet they still feel as though something is missing. I think this is a sentiment many people can relate to, and I think Mosscap's philosophies on many of these topics could really sooth many people's worries (at least for a moment). 

The banter between Dex and Mosscap is great. It is so nice to see these two entities converse amicably with each other and work through their differences. They both had wisdom to share with one another, and I feel this serves as a great reminder that help can come from the strangest of sources. 

Overall, "A Psalm For the Wild-Built" was a soothing journey that had me thinking about many aspects about humanity, mortality, and the search for the next great thing. I am pleased with all the social commentary that this book offers and am intrigued to see what the second novella in this series brings to the table. 

Back of Book: 

After touring the rural areas of Panga, Sibling Dex (a Tea Monk of some renown) and Mosscap (a robot sent on a quest to determine what humanity really needs) turn their attention to the villages and cities of the little moon they call home.

They hope to find the answers they seek, while making new friends, learning new concepts, and experiencing the entropic nature of the universe.

Becky Chambers's new series continues to ask: in a world where people have what they want, does having more even matter?

They're going to need to ask it a lot.

Book Number: Two (Last Book) 

Genre: Adult | Science Fiction | Novella | LGBTQIA+ 

Review: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Dex and Mosscap are back—and this time they're trying to find out what it is that humanity needs. 

After exploring the wilderness together, it is time for Mosscap's side of their adventure. Now, it is time to explore the urban areas of the world and interact with all aspects of humanity. They hope to get closer to answering the big question of what humanity truly needs, but it turns out it is a lot harder to sum up humanity's desires than Mosscap first thought it would be. 

Now that the reader knows both Dex and Mosscap from the very first page, I felt that this allowed for a fuller feel to the second installment in this series. We got their fun banter from the get-go, and it felt like eavesdropping on two long time friends, which is a comforting feeling. 

This book was also much more funny than the first one. Seeing Mosscap interact with humanity was a hoot and Mosscap learned many lessons about people along the way. These interactions also did a great job of introducing me more to the futuristic world. I really like how the pebs work rather than having a typical currency, and think this system would be magical as long as everyone played their part. 

This book did a great job of showcasing the importance of the little moments in life. I think this is something that we humans as a species often forget, and it is always nice to get a gentle reminder to enjoy the small stuff, because time really does go by too fast. It also talks about how we always want more from life or feel that others expect too much from us, but its enough just to be us. The impact of books like this can be truly immense, and I really appreciate Chambers for penning these messages. 

Overall, "A Prayer for the Crown-Shy" has some really fun characters and showcases some really powerful messages. I did enjoy the little moments alongside Dex and Mosscap (and got to escape reality for a while), so I can definitely understand the appeal that these books have in the reading community.