Centuries ago, the robots of Panga gained self-awareness. There was no violent revolt; the robots simply put down their tools and migrated peacefully into the wilderness, never to be seen again. 

Today, Panga is a post-capitalist society, where humans live in small, sustainable communities (in the solarpunk style). Robots are now the stuff of myth and legends.

That is, until a tea monk named Dex meets a robot named Mosscap, who has been tasked with checking in on the humans and finding out what they needs.

What follows is a quiet story that mostly consists of conversations between Dex and Mosscap as they travel through the forest, discussing their lives, their hopes, and their beliefs about the world. 

As much as I love a good post-apocalyptic novel, the peaceful utopia of Panga a refreshing delight. 

I found Dex and Mosscap’s conversations compelling and, while there was definitely an undercurrent of existentialist philosophy, it didn’t feel like I was being hit over the head with a textbook. 

I’m still thinking about many of the things that they said, long after I turned the last page.