The World of Dex and Mosscap

Sometime ago I came across two small books called A Psalm for the Wild-Built (Monk & Robot #1) and A Prayer for the Crown-Shy (Monk & Robot #2) written by Becky Chambers.

In that world, there is a monk named Dex. Dex feels the urge to leave its monastery, become a tea monk, and starts traveling from place to place to listen, to meet people.

At first no one turns up. Then, people start to come, sit, drink tea, eat something, speak a little, or nothing at all. Questions are asked and left open.
Silence is not an issue.

One day, Dex meets Mosscap.

Mosscap is a robot. The first robot to return, centuries after robots quietly left human society and went into the wilderness.

When Mosscap appears, it doesn’t come back to help. It comes back with a question: “What do people need?”

Together they venture into paths, small towns, conversations, long stretches of nothing in particular, and many discoveries and adventures.

Being a robot, Mosscap does not eat, but it loves having a plate of food and a mug of drink to keep company to Dex, and any other humans that turn up.

Dex is not always certain of itself. Mosscap wants to find other robots still out there in the wilderness.

Not everything is perfect, but it is very human.

I finished the first book and went straight away into the second. I am still waiting for the third one. Although it may never come, since Becky Chambers is no longer planning a third book.