I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Sunward by William Alexander Published by Saga Press on September 16 2025
Genres: Adult, Science fiction
Pages: 224
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
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The nitty-gritty: A bite-sized story with huge heart, Sunward will satisfy readers who love cozy sci-fi.
If you’re in the mood for a sweet, funny space opera with excellent world building, lovable characters and an intriguing mystery, then look no further. Sunward was such a nice surprise, and the fact that’s it’s a novella makes it even more appealing, at least to me, as I struggle to get through my very big TBR! And I agree with the publisher, this is perfect for fans of Becky Chambers.
Tova Lir is Captain of the Needle, a messenger ship that delivers private messages across the galaxy. Tova’s other passion is fostering “baby bots,” juvenile robots who aren’t quite ready to go out into the world. She’s fostered dozens over the years, including her current charge Agatha Panza Von Sparkles. When their ship stumbles upon a debris field and they discover a dead body, a chain of events is set in motion, including the destruction of the docks on Luna, the appearance of an assassin who is after Tova, the disappearance of all the bots throughout the galaxy, and most concerning of all to Tova, the fracturing of Agatha, who jumped into the data stream to save the ship and now might be lost forever.
Alexander doesn’t waste any time diving into his story, and he smoothly incorporates the world-building as he goes along. Tova is trying to solve several mysteries, which takes her on a treasure hunt of sorts, as interesting clues start to pile up, sending Tova and her ship to various parts of the galaxy. Along the way, we meet some quirky side characters who help Tova in her quest, including several of her earlier baby bots, now “grown up” and doing various jobs; an assassin named Daris; and a parrot named Crimson. Tova is searching for Cosmas, a former foster of hers, who might be the only one who can help save Agatha, but finding them is quite the circuitous path, involving a bot production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night among other odd events.
The other critical mysteries are who is responsible for destroying the Lunar docks, and where the heck did all the bots disappear to? Both questions are eventually answered, and getting there is half the fun. I loved the funny banter between the characters, and while the stakes are fairly high, the author focuses on the feel-good relationships and positives of their adventure and doesn’t bog the story down with doom and gloom. Tova’s love for her baby bots shines through, and she’s distraught over what’s happened to Agatha. I also loved her interactions with the assassin Daris, who is more than she appears. Daris is locked up in the ship’s brig for part of the story, but she and Tova come to realize how much they have in common.
In addition to a strong found family vibe, Alexander infuses his story with the tried-and-true theme of “robots versus humans” and whether bots should have rights or not. It’s a theme seen in lots of science fiction, but here it resonates even more strongly because the bots have so many human characteristics, it’s hard to imagine them as machines. And Agatha, Torque, Halley, Cosmas and the others ended up being my favorite characters, so kudos to the author for writing such relatable robots.
My only hesitation in not rating this higher is that there is a lot going on for such a short book. Especially near the end, the action and situations become over-the-top and a bit on the wacky side. But I loved the way everything wrapped up, and of course the author delivers a happy and satisfying ending.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
Interesting! Based solely on the cover and title, I would never have guessed that this book was cozy or funny! Now that I’ve read your review, I’m eager to try it!
I didn’t talk about the cover or the title in my review, but I agree, I think the cover might confuse potential readers, although it actually does work once you read the story.
I could enjoy this one. Great review! But I would call it a half book. For me, a novella is under 100 pagers.
Yes, it’s probably a “short novel” and not a novella.
I do love a fun space opera. This one is definitely going on my TBR list. 😀
I loved the lighthearted tone, such a nice change of pace:-)
Yes, some books try to pack too much
It could have been a little longer, but overall I had so much fun.
I love the idea of an MC who fosters ‘baby bots’ until they’re ready to go out into the world. This does sound like a wonderfully cosy sci fi premise with a lot going on. The only thing that makes me worry is the fact that you said the ending got a bit ‘wacky’ as I don’t tend to gel well with weird books. Im definitely going to try this out sometime though.
I was so impressed with his world building, as well as his characters. It’s definitely worth checking out:-)
I’m glad you enjoyed this one even if it got a little crazy toward the end. I think 224 pages is the perfect page count, I have a short attention span lately.
Me too, I love books that are 250-300 pages.
You had me at “baby bots”! This is the first time I saw this book around but after reading your review I know I need it!!
I actually grabbed an audio of this on a whim, just because I thought it sounded interesting but wasn’t going to prioritize it or anything. But your review has made me think that I should take a second look, it actually sounds 100% like something I would love!
I’ve been wanting to continue the Becky Chambers series for a while now, so if this has kinda those vibes then I’d probably enjoy it. Love sci-fi found family and if the author can successfully add in some quirkiness and comedy, all the better.
I am so looking forward to this one! Cozy Sci-Fi has been one of my favorite genres to read lately.
Love the cover, sounds like it was a good read even with the misgivings you had. Great review!
https://lisalovesliterature.bookblog.io/2025/09/20/e-galley-review-you-make-it-feel-like-christmas-by-sophie-sullivan/
Cosy sci fi – the cover doesn’t scream it does it! But, not reading a lot of sci fi maybe this one could be for me. I’m up for cosy.
Lynn 😀
Added to my TBR!