A robot butler’s sad, comedic search for purpose.
I went in to Service Model blind, knowing nothing of the book and having only read one other book by Adrian Tchaikovsky (Elder Race, I recommend it). The novel follows a robotic personal valet, a real gentleman’s Gentlerobot, as it discovers the world.
Service Model reminded me of Douglas Adams at times. There’s a hilarious absurdity to most events and dialog, while also being sandwiched by tragedy and introspection. The book straddles the line of a somber setting and still makes me chuckle.