Ode to the Half-Broken
Forthcoming April 2026
In the abandoned New York Botanical Gardens, forty years after the world nearly ended, a worn-out robot is attacked, and realizes old evils are stirring
Wrestling with themes of loneliness, connection, and purpose, this hope-punk sci-fi is for fans of Becky Chambers’s Monk & Robot duology—featuring a cyborg dog!
Forty years ago, the world nearly ended.
Be is an old robot who was there, and doesn’t want to think about what happened, or what role they played in that conflict. They have settled into a life of isolation in the abandoned ruins of an old mill in the former New York Botanical Gardens, disinterested in what has happened in the outside world since they stepped away from the war. Someone out there, though, has not forgotten about them, and when they are attacked, their person vandalized, and one of their leg stolen, they set out to find the thief accompanied by a cyborg dog and a human mechanic.
The world has changed, but the recovery from the war is uneven and faltering, and Be begins to suspect a malicious hand trying to rekindle the old conflict and finish what was started. In order to stop them, Be needs to come to terms with both their own past and who they have become, and how everything and everyone else they knew has changed in their absence. Being left alone is no longer an option, and peace may be impossible.
This is a story about coming to terms with your past, with who you’ve become and who you still want to be: a tale of resilience and hope, an ode to those struggling to become whole in a world half-broken.
Reviews
"Ode is not just another cool robot book, much as I love many of those. Palmer has created a symphony to all life and all thought sharing a future, sorely wounded Earth. Make no mistake, this author doesn’t flinch from the existential harm we can and are doing to ourselves and our home, but she boldly moves beyond, demonstrating how our very survival depends not only on understanding our differences, but embracing our diverse strengths and contributions. From toaster to train, from squishy biolife to that of steel, this story brings us together and demands we be our better selves, or else. A magnificent, transformative accomplishment in every sense, Ode to the Half-Broken has my highest recommendation and award nominations."Julie E. Czerneda, author of To Each This World
"I raced through this bittersweet cross-country tale full of loveable, broken (okay, half broken), delightfully snarky people of both the human and machine variety. Ode to the Half Broken is a moving journey from grief and guilt and isolation to reconnection and healing, with plenty of post-apocalyptic action thrown into the mix."Jim C. Hines, Author of Slayers of Old
"Moody and thoughtful but ultimately hopeful; perfect for fans of Murderbot and Monk and Robot."Caitlin Rozakis, New York Times-bestselling author of Dreadful
"A heartwarming exploration of identity and choice, ODE TO THE HALF-BROKEN is full of wit, charm, and electrifying post-apocalyptic adventures. If you're a fan of Murderbot or Fallout (or if you've ever really wanted to know what your four-legged best pal was thinking), hop on the bus with Be and their ragtag band of bots, 'borgs, and biologicals—its a heck of a ride!"L.M. Sagas, author of Cascade Failure and Gravity Lost