09 May,2026 09:34 AM IST | Mumbai | Nandini Varma
The technology hub of San Fransisco is the venue for the restaurant venture by the robot collective
Annalee Newitz's new title. Pics courtesy/Wikimedia Commons; Gage Skidmore
In American science journalist Annalee Newitz's new title Automatic Noodle (Tor Publishing Group), the year is 2064, a post-War era. California has achieved the status of an independent state. Most of the pre-war population is lost. Staybehind, Cayenne, Sweetie, and Hands are a group of Human Equivalent Embodied Intelligence (HEEI) bots, who have acquired civil rights after the war. They find themselves at an abandoned restaurant, clearing the water brought in by a storm. The owner has escaped, leaving a bad business behind. In order to survive, the bots decide to reopen the kitchen as a noodle shop and turn the business into a successful one, but some problems stand in their way.
The bots learn to cook Biang Biang Noodles
Newitz's futuristic novel is a heartwarming read. It imagines a world where humans and robots coexist and explores what liberation truly means. While the bots are liberated citizens of California, they don't have the same rights as humans. For instance, they are withheld from owning businesses, marrying, and voting. However, they feel and express like humans. Readers will find delight in reading private messages and group chats between the bots. Amidst rising ârobophobia', their efforts to cook the right meal to make a place for themselves in the hearts of the community members is moving.
Some of the most fascinating chapters are the ones that take us into the background of the bots - where they come from and their experiences during the war. Staybehind's story is especially one that stands out. Pick this novel up if you're looking for a fun summer read about recovering and endearing San Franciscan robots.
