Automatic Noodle

In February we'll explore the delightful science fiction novel Automatic Noodle. In the world of Automatic Noodle, robots fought alongside humans in a devastating war between California and the rest of the country, and now form the backbone of San Francisco's recovering economy. When a quartet of deactivated robots come back online in an abandoned ghost kitchen they decide to make their own way doing what they know by making food -- the tastiest hand-pulled noodles around -- for humans. However, conflict ensures when they open their restaurant. Even in a progressive state, bots are distrusted and deprived of their full rights, a position that echoes our own era’s resurgent oppression of trans, queer, and non-white people. To keep their doors open, they’ll have to call on their customers, their community, and each other and find a way to survive and thrive in a world that wasn’t built for them. “I love writing gay robots,” Annalee Newitz says. The Lambda Literary Award-winning author and science journalist clearly had a ball writing “Automatic Noodle” their fourth queer sci-fi book. Publisher's Weekly writes, "Newitz packs this tale with simmering action, endearing characters, and political savvy, topping it all off with generous dollops of humor and imagination. It’s delicious." This 169 page novel is available in local libraries and online sources, and the audio version is narrated by Em Grosland.