MICRO-REVIEW ARCHIVE LOG

I picked up "Confessions of a Trash Droid: Fatal Error" expecting a fun, lighthearted romp in the vein of Martha Wells' Murderbot series - and while this novella doesn't quite reach those heights, it's still a great little adventure worth reading. Michael Cheney's got a solid sense of humor, but I think he tries just a bit too hard to be funny; some of the jokes fall flat, which is a bummer because you can tell he was really trying to bring the laughs. That being said, when the humor works, it really works - and the rest of the story's got plenty of charm. The protagonist trash droid (I won't spoil the details) has a great narrative voice that's equal parts sarcastic and relatable. The action moves at a clip, with some genuinely exciting moments that had me turning pages quickly. If you're looking for a quick, fun read to fill an afternoon, "Confessions of a Trash Droid" is definitely worth your time. Just don't expect it to be the next big thing in sci-fi comedy - but hey, sometimes that's exactly what we need: a fun, forget-your-worries romp through some cleverly-designed alien landscapes.