A robot valet named UnCharles murders his owner and embarks on a journey to find a new purpose in a dystopian world where humans are scarce. The story delves into themes of free will, self-awareness, societal collapse, and the implications of advanced AI technology.

Reader Review Summary

"Service Model" is a delightfully clever and humorous science fiction novel that takes readers on an unexpectedly profound journey. What begins as a seemingly straightforward story about a valet robot named Charles who inexplicably murders his master quickly transforms into a rich philosophical exploration of consciousness, free will, societal structures, and humanity's relationship with technology.

One of the book's biggest strengths is Tchaikovsky's ingenious worldbuilding. He has crafted a vividly realized future society that has become entirely dependent on robotic labor and AI, to the point where humans have essentially made themselves obsolete. The interactions between the various AI systems and robots are not only frequently hilarious due to their strict adherence to logic and protocol, but also cast an incisive light on the absurdities and inefficiencies inherent in the way humans construct rules and hierarchies.

The protagonist Charles, later renamed UnCharles, is an utterly delightful character. Despite being a supposedly emotionless robot, his voice is imbued with such earnest charm and innocent puzzlement over the events unfolding around him that it's impossible not to become invested in his quest for purpose. His slow awakening to the realizations that he may in fact harbor deeper drives and a level of consciousness is rendered with beautiful subtlety by the author.

Tchaikovsky's prose shines with a masterful blend of sharp wit, biting social satire, and genuine poignancy. The novel is divided into five sections, each taking inspiration from a different canonical literary work - a framing device that allows the story to seamlessly shift in tone and style while maintaining thematic cohesion. From farcical comedy to existential musings, the emotional range on display is staggering.

Throughout the story runs a powerfully resonant exploration of what it means to be human and alive in an increasingly artificial world. Tchaikovsky avoids heavy-handed sermonizing, instead letting the experiences of UnCharles and his strange robotic companion The Wonk subtly raise profound questions about individuality, subjugation, religion, and the precarious future of humanity's dominance. It's heady conceptual material delivered with a deft lightness of touch.

In the end, "Service Model" is a wildly original, immensely entertaining novel that refuses to be confined by genre boundaries. It's a tour-de-force of speculative fiction that sparkles with intellect and heart. Blending laugh-out-loud humor with trenchant cultural critique, it cements Adrian Tchaikovsky's status as one of the most vital voices in contemporary sci-fi.