TITLE: A Psalm for the Wild-Built & A Prayer for the Crown-Shy
AUTHOR: Becky Chambers
PUBLISHER: Tor Books
RELEASE DATE: July 13, 2021 (USA) & July 12, 2022 (USA)
PRICE: Individual Hardcover – US $20.99 & US $21.99

The Monk & Robot books are comprised of two novellas. The first in the series is A Psalm for the Wild-Built. Becky Chambers was commissioned by Tor Books to create something in the burgeoning solarpunk genre. Within a year of the initial book’s release, Chambers had written the second novella. Both of these stories are set in some far-flung reach of space on a moon called Panga. At some point in this celestial bodies’ history, machinery was “awakened” and became sentient. The result of this was humanity and robotkind resolving to go their separate ways. Thus, we reach the time period of our story. Centuries after humanity and robots/machinery have gone their separate ways.

Summary: A Psalm For The Wild-Built

The first book, A Psalm for the Wild-Built, begins with Dex. Dex is an agender non-binary person trying to navigate the world of a late 20-something, trying to find their place in the world. With no real destination, Dex sets out as part of their religion’s monastic order, becoming a Tea Monk. Dex traverses the physical and emotional space of Panga, offering folks comfort with their tea services. The tea services are akin to Christianity’s confessional, but rather than attempting to be being an impartial listener, Dex offers folks comfort and acceptance in a different way. By providing people with a tertiary space to simply exist, Dex cultivates their newfound sense of self. However, the life of tea services leaves them wanting, and they choose to abandon it in order to explore the wilderness.

In the wilds of Panga Dex comes across Splendid Speckled Mosscap, just Mosscap for short, a robot. This is the first robot humanity has seen in centuries. Mosscap was elected by their robot companions to check up on humanity and ask the question “what do you need”? While Dex may not be the one to single-handedly answer this question, the two resolve to travel together in search of answers together. Dex learns about the difficulty of surviving on their own in the wild. Mosscap learns about the technology and structure of society that humanity has created without its kin. The two are an odd pair, but their companionship is charming, and their discussions are often fraught with existential reflection. Without exposing too much of the story directly, the book culminates in Dex finding a sense of purpose and wrestling with the concept of existing being enough of a purpose. Meanwhile Mosscap resolves to continue to assist Dex in order to see what humanity is in need of.

Summary: A Prayer For The Crown-Shy

The second book, A Prayer For The Crown-Shy, picks up immediately where the first left off, with the two friends exiting the wilderness and making their way toward the nearest settlement. After Dex shares Mosscap’s existence with the world via the internet, they are consigned to the obligation of traveling to The City and many other places. Their goal is now showcasing Mosscap and engaging in large scale information exchange and more. The two travel to several different settlements, and in the process Mosscap learns much about humanity outside of its previous isolation with Dex. Simultaneously, Dex’s role becomes different from their tea services. Dex has to be more focused on helping society navigate the process of meeting Mosscap and vice versa. The book culminates in the two choosing to exist together and have that be enough, rather than facing the overwhelming obligations that society forced on them, which would also mean the end of their partnership.

Why They Work

These novellas are exceptionally charming. I found the characters of Dex and Mosscap to have rich and interesting perspectives that easily reflect on aspects of our own world. Though it’s not broadcast as the point of these stories, they are both deeply contemplative and reflective for readers. I absolutely love how much these stories take moments like Mosscap observing the blossom of a flower on a tree and turn it into something meditative about the fragility of life. Or how Dex’s tea services are clearly a discussion on how community service can wear on the people serving, but also elevate the people who need those services. There is rarely a moment in these stories that leaves the reader without something to think about. That said, there are clear cut comedic moments that help break up the deep philosophy.

Becky Chambers created a very rich world with fleshed out religion and general rules that allows enough space for readers to interpret and fill in the gaps in an engaging way. The biggest piece of that puzzle, for me, was Dex’s feelings of listlessness and uncertainty of where they belong in the world. In both stories Dex wrestles with wanting to feel like they have a purpose, and how to fulfill that in order to feel whole. And the message from both stories is that it’s okay not to know, and that simply being is good enough. The cozy sci-fi easily holds all of the more complex theoretical ideas that Chambers posits, and makes them easily digestible.

Final Score

Both books are incredible. A Psalm for the Wild-Built is the front runner of the two, but there is no dip in quality that left me wanting. The reassurance that there are always little beautiful things to enjoy and that existing is its own purpose provides such warmth and hope that I truly appreciate. I have yet to read anything else that has made me feel so hopeful.

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Featured Image: Tor Publishing Group