On This Page
Description
"A Prayer for the Crown-Shy is a story of kindness and love from one of the foremost practitioners of hopeful SF. After touring the rural areas of Panga, Sibling Dex (a Tea Monk of some renown) and Mosscap (a robot sent on a quest to determine what humanity really needs) turn their attention to the villages and cities of the little moon they call home. They hope to find the answers they seek, while making new friends, learning new concepts, and experiencing the entropic nature of the show more universe. Becky Chambers's new series continues to ask: in a world where people have what they want, does having more even matter?"-- show lessTags
Recommendations
Member Reviews
I think what I love about Becky Chamber's work is that she manages to distil the noise of our everyday life down into essential questions (the essential question) and then present it in a setting where we can see it from a different angle. Our entire world is coming out from a time of trauma and moving into a cataclysmic shift and this question -- what do you need? -- is the one we will all have to answer. It's a basic quest of human life. But it's a genuine pleasure to approach it so gently, in the conversations of Monk and Robot, and in the context of the audience being able to share Sibling Dex's journey and being able to give Sibling Dex grace in a way that we will hopefully be able to accept ourselves.
Advanced Reader's Copy show more Provided by Edelweiss show less
Advanced Reader's Copy show more Provided by Edelweiss show less
Monk and Robot is cozy, philosophical science fiction series that has quickly become a favorite of mine. Imagine engaging with questions about the nature of consciousness, humanity, and human needs… but with the company of a tea monk going through a crisis of purpose and an overexcitable robot named Splendid Speckled Mosscap.
The world Chambers creates is one I would actually kill to live inside. Everything about this show more story—the prose, the themes, the characters—feels like a warm hug and a soft, earnest assurance that you can exist and be uncertain about the answer to big existential questions or even questions about yourself. show less
Mosscap gave Dex a reproachful look. "All parasites have value, Sibling Dex. Not to their hosts, perhaps, but you could say the same about a predator and a prey animal. They all give back—not to the individual but to the ecosystem at large. Wasps are tremendously important pollinators. Birds and fish eat bloodsucks."
The world Chambers creates is one I would actually kill to live inside. Everything about this show more story—the prose, the themes, the characters—feels like a warm hug and a soft, earnest assurance that you can exist and be uncertain about the answer to big existential questions or even questions about yourself. show less
Don’t come for the plot. It’s barely there, but I didn’t miss it. Come for the sweet, serene, thoughtful, peaceful, post-industrial eco-utopia and most of all for the sweet, thoughtful, loving characters who still suffer with the existential problems that all sentient beings are heir to. There is a scene, when the characters go fishing, that made me sob, and it would probably give away too much to go into detail, but it perfectly encapsulates what is so moving to me about Becky Chambers’ work, particularly the Monk and Robot series.
Once in a while a book or books will come along that offer you an opportunity to shift your thinking--if you allow, if you don't come up with a dozen rationales so that you don't have to. Chambers is offering this with both the first Monk & Robot which addresses the issue of the human obsession with 'purpose' in a carefully oblique and unthreatening way (firmly pointing out that the rest of the universe does not have this problem) and now, in the second, with the question, essentially, of 'what is a relationship?' again gently but firmly exploding the usual notions. Chambers has created a society that is very close to being a utopia and that is where many readers will get off the (train, truck, boat) saying that there is no way that show more collectively humans would have either let the robots go free or would have decided to live so differently and that individually there are always people who are just plain dangerous, hungry for power or into violence who would disobey the decisions made by others. We do live in such a time now where violence is, by many, celebrated for irrational reasons and even more bizarrely condoning those with naked hunger for power and control to make a run fort it -- ignoring the will of the majority or even common sense. Which makes it all the harder to take Chamber's gentle tales as seriously. And yet. Perhaps these stories are an antidote? In a way she creates this world in order to make space to consider the core essentials: purpose, relationship while showing a glimpse of how we, homo sapiens, might move on. But no, she hasn't addressed the dark side. Perhaps she will when she is ready. Perhaps not. Which would be ok with me. ***** show less
No review can possibly do this book justice. It is exceptionally well written, the character are fully realized, and their discussions are subtle and will have you engaged and make you think. You’ll be disappointed when it ends. What more can a reader want from a book?
Sibling Dex, a wandering Tea Monk, has agreed to accompany Mosscap, a robot, on his quest to travel across Dex’s home world to find out what humans need. Robots have not been seen in generations, and, initially, it seems that the pair are ill suited for such a quest. However, as they spend months together going from one sector of Panga to another, they realize, as they near the end of Mosscap’s quest, that they really care for one another.
This book draws readers in show more slowly but surely. Readers will come to admire Dex and Mosscap. Chambers has developed both characters so the reader is able to relate to both. Readers will smile along with Dex when Mosscap’s innate child-like enthusiasm for new things, like the leaves on a tree new to it, slows their travels to a crawl.
The most impressive thing about this book is Chambers’ ability to have Dex and Mosscap discuss so many complex subjects in such a short book without sounding preachy. When readers read the last page, they will be surprised that the book is over because they will be disappointed that the book has ended.
You need not have read the first book in this series to enjoy this book. The author introduces a new reader to her characters in such a way as to not bore the reader already familiar with Dex and Mossback while making sure the new reader understands who each character is as well as their relationship to one another.
If you like books that are classified as science fiction, but turn out to be so much more, then this book is for you. If you don’t like science fiction, set that aside and read this book because it nothing like any science fiction book you’ve ever attempted to read.
My thanks to Tor and Edelweiss for an eARC. show less
Sibling Dex, a wandering Tea Monk, has agreed to accompany Mosscap, a robot, on his quest to travel across Dex’s home world to find out what humans need. Robots have not been seen in generations, and, initially, it seems that the pair are ill suited for such a quest. However, as they spend months together going from one sector of Panga to another, they realize, as they near the end of Mosscap’s quest, that they really care for one another.
This book draws readers in show more slowly but surely. Readers will come to admire Dex and Mosscap. Chambers has developed both characters so the reader is able to relate to both. Readers will smile along with Dex when Mosscap’s innate child-like enthusiasm for new things, like the leaves on a tree new to it, slows their travels to a crawl.
The most impressive thing about this book is Chambers’ ability to have Dex and Mosscap discuss so many complex subjects in such a short book without sounding preachy. When readers read the last page, they will be surprised that the book is over because they will be disappointed that the book has ended.
You need not have read the first book in this series to enjoy this book. The author introduces a new reader to her characters in such a way as to not bore the reader already familiar with Dex and Mossback while making sure the new reader understands who each character is as well as their relationship to one another.
If you like books that are classified as science fiction, but turn out to be so much more, then this book is for you. If you don’t like science fiction, set that aside and read this book because it nothing like any science fiction book you’ve ever attempted to read.
My thanks to Tor and Edelweiss for an eARC. show less
This is the second novella in Chambers' Monk & Robot series. Sibling Dex (a tea monk) and Mosscap (a robot) are travelling around Panga, meeting people and allowing Mosscap to ask its question to determine what humans need. It's gentle and thoughtful and there are no simple answers. Well, maybe there are SOME simple answers (sometimes you just really need a squeaky door fixed), but mostly they're not at all simple or clear. In a way, it reminds me of those dire management parable books like Who Moved My Cheese (I guess this would be a philosophy parable) but it doesn't have the forced feeling that they do. I loved this.
**received as an ARC from the publisher
So I’m a bad reviewer and didn’t realize that this book was actually a sequel when I picked it up… but the gorgeous cover artwork and the intriguing premise made me figure I should at least give it a go — and I’m definitely glad that I did! After a few pages figuring out who the two main characters were and why they were travelling, I was quickly drawn into their story which follows the pair as they travel the land of Panga. Sibling Dex (a tea ceremony based monk) guides Mosscap, the first robot to emerge from the Wilds in generations, as they explore the human habituated area of the land. On their journey Mosscap learns much about humanity, and through their unique perspective we are led show more to question some of the strange human tendencies and habits, which lends a contemplative depth to this deceptively short and adventure-based tale. The author’s language is at once accessible in its narrative qualities, but so carefully wrought that turning the pages and following their words felt like a meditative practice. A surprising little gem of a story — especially coming from me, who isn’t generally a fan of the sci-fi genre — which is definitely prompting me to seek out more of the author’s work (the first proper book of the series, as a start)! show less
So I’m a bad reviewer and didn’t realize that this book was actually a sequel when I picked it up… but the gorgeous cover artwork and the intriguing premise made me figure I should at least give it a go — and I’m definitely glad that I did! After a few pages figuring out who the two main characters were and why they were travelling, I was quickly drawn into their story which follows the pair as they travel the land of Panga. Sibling Dex (a tea ceremony based monk) guides Mosscap, the first robot to emerge from the Wilds in generations, as they explore the human habituated area of the land. On their journey Mosscap learns much about humanity, and through their unique perspective we are led show more to question some of the strange human tendencies and habits, which lends a contemplative depth to this deceptively short and adventure-based tale. The author’s language is at once accessible in its narrative qualities, but so carefully wrought that turning the pages and following their words felt like a meditative practice. A surprising little gem of a story — especially coming from me, who isn’t generally a fan of the sci-fi genre — which is definitely prompting me to seek out more of the author’s work (the first proper book of the series, as a start)! show less
Members
- Recently Added By
Lists
2023 Hugo Awards -- Eligible Works -- Novellas
32 works; 8 members
LibraryReads, July 2022
10 works; 1 member
Books Read in 2022
5,164 works; 111 members
Books Mentioned in the A+ Autostraddle Pop Up Discords Nov 2022 & Dec 2022
223 works; 3 members
Books Read in 2023
5,547 works; 145 members
Slice of life speculative fiction
18 works; 2 members
Books featuring monks and/or nuns
166 works; 33 members
Books Read in 2024
4,623 works; 126 members
Top Five Books of 2024
795 works; 264 members
Books Read 2025
70 works; 2 members
Books Read in 2025
4,090 works; 97 members
Best Cozy Fantasy
46 works; 8 members
Books Read in 2026
1,747 works; 62 members
Author Information
Some Editions
Awards and Honors
Awards
Distinctions
Notable Lists
Series
Belongs to Publisher Series
Work Relationships
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- A Prayer for the Crown-Shy
- Original title
- A Prayer for the Crown-Shy
- Original publication date
- 2022-07-12
- People/Characters
- Sibling Dex; Splendid Speckled Mosscap; Ms. Waverly; Leroy (3D printer); Ms. Amelia; Mx. Avery (show all 9); Theo (father of Sibling Dex); Nora (mother of Sibling Dex); Charlotte (niece of Sibling Dex)
- Important places
- Panga (Imaginary place : a moon orbiting the planet Motan); Stump, Panga; Kat's Landing, Panga
- Epigraph
- Praise to the Parents.
Praise to Trikilli, of the Threads.
Praise to Grylom, of the Inanimate.
Praise to Bosh, of the Cycle.
Praise to their Children.
Praise to Chal, of Constructs.
Praise to Samafar, of... (show all) Mysteries.
Praise to Allalae, of Small Comforts.
They do not speak, yet we know them.
They do not think, yet we mind them.
They are not as we are.
We are of them.
We are the work of the Parents.
We do the work of the Children.
Without use of constructs, you will unravel few mysteries.
Without knowledge of mysteries, your constructs will fail.
Find the strength to pursue both, for these are our prayers.
And to that end, welcome comfort, for without it, you cannot stay strong.
—From The Insights of the Six, West Buckland Edition - Dedication
- For anybody who doesn't know where they're going
- First words
- The thing about fucking off to the woods is that unless you are a very particular, very rare sort of person, it does not take long to understand why people left said woods in the first place.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)There was only shouting, cheering, cries of delight as the two of them jumped and played and marveled at the spectacle that would've existed whether anyone was there to witness it or not.
- Publisher's editor
- Harris, Lee
- Original language
- English
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 2,209
- Popularity
- 9,107
- Reviews
- 107
- Rating
- (4.28)
- Languages
- 6 — Catalan, English, Finnish, French, German, Polish
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 11
- ASINs
- 4