REVIEW: “After Bots” by Rachael Maltbie

Review of Rachael Maltbie, “After Bots”, in Liane Tsui and Grace Seybold, eds., A Quiet Afternoon (Grace & Victory Publictions, 2020): 27-34 — Purchase here. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman. (Read the review of the anthology.)

Content note: Death of a partner.

The robots in this story are quite different from the personable robots of Agner’s story immediately preceding Maltbie’s in the anthology. These, it’s hard to tell if they are even robots or if they are just statues of robots. But either someone is moving the sculptures, changing their head and hand positions, or the robots are moving themselves…and Agatha Streusel has got to find out which.

This story was definitely more on the “sad” than “contented/happy” side of things, but it ends on a hopeful note.