The Gone Machine - Preview

The Gone Machine was written in November of 2025 as a follow up to The Lucky Machine, taking a twist into the perspective of a human among all of my bots and their parts. Readers wanted to see an even further expansion of this world, including what cyborg/human life is like. What better way to start than with ano bot sympathizer Sylvan? This novella takes a twist down a very familiar path; unlike the anxiousness of Sterling or Zev in The Warm Machine, or the plucky optimism of Inix in The Lucky Machine, we’re dropped into the depression, the grief, and the regret of a cyborg man just trying to do his best to live. Like the previous two titles before, this title does not require any precious knowledge or prerequisite reading to get you into the world of The Machines. I’m excited to share this new installment with you so you can get to know Sylvan better.

The Gone Machine readers will also enjoy the short format story Dispatch Log 10.57.62.1 along with supplemental illustrations.

Sylvan’s cyborg body is broken, his friend is missing, he’s being haunted, and yet a well-known fashion mogul has offered him the business deal of a lifetime. When Sylvan’s ghost turns out to be a digital passenger in his cybernetics, another apparition appears at his doorstep: a familiar looking robot named Fern. Despite forging powerful allies and working diligently to repay his debt of gratitude, Sylvan can’t shake the persistent reminders of his long-lost housebot, Robbie. The ghost has some of Robbie’s memories, but Fern has Robbie’s body… Is it possible one of them is actually Robbie, or are even bots incapable of outrunning death?

Enjoy this first chapter preview for free! Want the whole thing? Back it now in physical or digital!

If you like: Asimov's robot series, Cargill's Sea of Rust, Newitz's Autonomous, Chambers' A Psalm for the Wild Built, Detroit: Become Human, Martha Wells' The Murderbot Diaries, or any variety of character-driven sci-fi in between, you'll love this book.