I, Robot Alien

In I, Robot Alien, Joel R. Dennstedt tells the story of an alien-built robot sent to Earth with three paradoxical directives: to halt humanity’s devolution, to reverse it, and never to interfere in significant events. Scoots, as the robot protagonist comes to be known, is accompanied by Billy, a hummingbird-like drone and sly observer. Dropped onto a post-apocalyptic Earth where human civilization has regressed to primitive enclaves, Scoots, or The Prophet, as he is also known, is programmed to appear human, integrating into tribe after tribe over centuries. He inadvertently introduces the concept of pets, becomes a prophet, intervenes in pivotal moments—often against his directives—and witnesses humanity’s painful climb back toward civilization, while struggling with his own identity, alien instructions, and the constant surveillance (and possible betrayal) of Billy. Across epochs, Scott’s journey is shaped by encounters with humans both noble and ignoble, by his struggle to belong, and by his ultimate hope (and failure) to guide humanity’s better angels without ever being fully seen for who—or what—he is.

Dennstedt’s novel is a rich meditation on dystopia, set in a world devastated by its technological hubris, now reduced to small, amnesiac tribes. The setting is bleak and beautiful, with nature reclaiming the ruins of lost civilizations and survivors inventing new myths to explain their origins. Dystopian elements are everywhere: the loss of history, the collapse of knowledge, the suspicion of outsiders, and the slow, painful rebuilding of society. Characters are drawn with anthropological precision—Scoots, the outsider who can never truly belong; Billy, the observer/spy; Alexander, the broken king; Damon, the embodiment of destructive regression; and Mother Molly, the wise matriarch. Themes of identity, otherness, free will versus programming, and the paradox of intervention run through the novel. I particularly enjoyed the deft handling of conflict, especially the internal strife taking place in the Robot Alien. His inner world is sophisticatedly drawn, and I found myself rooting for him through every step he makes in the story. The author humanizes this robot and accentuates his growing sense of loneliness. I, Robot Alien is a hugely imaginative yet resonant work that is as suspenseful as it is intriguing. This author is a skillful storyteller who forces you to think about the fate of humanity.