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A review by fallingletters
Cog by Greg Van Eekhout
5.0
Review originally published 12 April 2020 at Falling Letters..
I realize now that I didn’t take enough notes while reading to give Cog the review it deserves. I do recall my initial impression: a surprisingly strong and nuanced read, for such an unassuming little book. I was very glad it wasn’t 400+ pages.
Cog is a lovely story with great pacing. The personalities of each robot is clearly differentiated. They contribute to moving the story forward in a meaningful way. Cog’s unique narrative voice is one of the book’s best assets. I laughed out loud at many of his comments, especially about what he’s learning. I kept reading because I wanted to find out what happened to Gina and how Cog would get away from uniMIND.
The straightforward entertainment of the robots’ interactions and the getaway plot would be enough to make this a fun read. There’s a good mix of levity and gravity. van Eekhout further strengthens the story by exploring artificial intelligence, free will, and personal agency. Cog offers plenty to reflect on without being too preachy or allegorical.
This book was a Cybils 2019 finalist. It’s also nominated for the 2019 Andre Norton Nebula Award for Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction.
The Bottom Line: Coming in under 200 pages, Cog still packs in all the elements for a great middle grade read. (Not just for scifi fans!)
I realize now that I didn’t take enough notes while reading to give Cog the review it deserves. I do recall my initial impression: a surprisingly strong and nuanced read, for such an unassuming little book. I was very glad it wasn’t 400+ pages.
Cog is a lovely story with great pacing. The personalities of each robot is clearly differentiated. They contribute to moving the story forward in a meaningful way. Cog’s unique narrative voice is one of the book’s best assets. I laughed out loud at many of his comments, especially about what he’s learning. I kept reading because I wanted to find out what happened to Gina and how Cog would get away from uniMIND.
The straightforward entertainment of the robots’ interactions and the getaway plot would be enough to make this a fun read. There’s a good mix of levity and gravity. van Eekhout further strengthens the story by exploring artificial intelligence, free will, and personal agency. Cog offers plenty to reflect on without being too preachy or allegorical.
This book was a Cybils 2019 finalist. It’s also nominated for the 2019 Andre Norton Nebula Award for Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction.
The Bottom Line: Coming in under 200 pages, Cog still packs in all the elements for a great middle grade read. (Not just for scifi fans!)