Lost Bits by Kerry Nietz is a science fiction story about a robot named 404 who wakes up in a junkyard after many years of being disabled. He sets out on a journey to find the people and things in his past that once gave him purpose. Along the way he meets up with a variety of other robots of all shapes and sizes, some friendly, some not so friendly. The world around has changed for the worse making his search dangerous and nearly hopeless. Even so, 404 pushes on, desperate to fulfill the purpose he was created for.
I thoroughly enjoyed Lost Bits. On one level it’s a light-hearted buddy story with robots instead of people. Kerry Nietz has an uncanny knack for instilling just the right amounts of technology and humanity into his robot characters to make them believable. They are each confined by the limitations of machines yet they have distinct personalities, complete with dreams and passions, that give them freedom to act in unpredictable ways. The story also harkens back to some of the great fantasy quests with the heroes traveling through many dangers on their way to find a meaningful treasure. There is action, tension, laughter, and mystery in store for the robotic heroes of Lost Bits. I highly recommend this book. It’s a well-written sci-fi fantasy with lots of heart, albeit mechanical hearts.
SCOTT CAHAN 