Sylvan, a depressed cyborg, has his life turned upside down by a few friendly robots. Even with newfound freedom and a renewed passion for life, Sylvan struggles with grief and regret over the past.
Sylvan’s cyborg body is broken, his friend is missing, he’s being haunted, and yet a well-known fashion mogul has offered him the business deal of a lifetime. When Sylvan’s ghost turns out to be a digital passenger in his cybernetics, another apparition appears at his doorstep: a familiar looking robot named Fern. Despite forging powerful allies and working diligently to repay his debt of gratitude, Sylvan can’t shake the persistent reminders of his long-lost housebot, Robbie. The ghost has some of Robbie’s memories, but Fern has Robbie’s body… Is it possible one of them is actually Robbie, or are even bots incapable of outrunning death?
Love character-driven sci-fi? Enjoy sad, anxious cyborgs and robots? Don't mind a cozy, laid back read? You'll devour this!
If you like: Asimov's robot series, Cargill's Sea of Rust, Newitz's Autonomous, Chambers' A Psalm for the Wild Built, Detroit: Become Human, Martha Wells' The Murderbot Diaries, or any variety of character-driven sci-fi in between, you'll love this book.
This book can be enjoyed as a standalone novella, but includes characters touched upon in The Warm Machine and The Lucky Machine, both part of The Machines series.
With additional returning characters to delight The Machines readers
Sterling, Zev, and Inix
Launching October 29th, 2026, The Gone Machine will be released as an eBook as well as a paperback/hardcover book.
Click subscribe me, and then click the blue 'count me in' button to follow!
Latest from the Creator
Aimee Cozza
26 days ago
We're at 100 followers! Here's a free treat for you - ROBOT MUSIC!
Welp. We're at 100 followers of The Gone Machine project. This is absolutely w i l d. Y'all. 🥹 Thank you so much! As per the winning poll option, I've got a little diddy to share with you... I commissioned this song from Matias Fumagalli (AI free - it was the first thing I asked ;)) and it incorporates sounds and motifs for each main character. Plus I think it's kind of a bop. Now, you get it for free to listen to and enjoy!
Click on the green "Download Your Digital Bonus" link at the top of the page to get to the digital download page!
Click "The Machines" mp3 - composed by Matias Fumagalli to download
Turn up the volume and enjoy!
Not yet following? Get this bonus by following now! It's that easy! :D
I also have for you...
Sterling, Zev, or Inix? Or... Any of the other bots? We shall see!
I thought it would be fun if I put all the bot characters into one of those early 2000s style personality quizzes and then you could see which bot you seem to align with most. I've hosted it on my own website so there's no ads or malware, just pure personality quiz fun. :P You should totally tell me who you get in the latest open poll! I'm super curious as to who people will align with best. I have a feeling it might be Sterling, but I could be wrong...
This is absurd. You folks are still with me, after 2 books into this wild series about robots and cyborgs and you're totally ready for the depressed wet cyborg man to go about his part of the story?
UNREAL.
So, like, pre-launch is new, so this whole, making updates prior to the campaign ever even being live is a totally new thing for me. But it means that instead of constantly screaming on Bluesky, I can tap you folks for some of what you'd like while I'm building the campaign in the background.
I really wanted to do something for a 100 follower milestone but honestly I didn't think? I would get there? At all? I just wanted to be like hey if for some reason we get there then I'd like to give something away. But... We're almost there. Already. And I haven't decided on what to give away.
Help me out here... Vote in the poll below, would you? I'll end it when we hit 100 followers - whenever that is.
I'm also being a little weird on Bluesky (as usual)
Currently "opening the shop" (as Sylvan) daily. If you post in this thread during open hours (times where replies are open) Sylvan will reply... You can ask him anything. Doesn't have to be about the shop or fashion. ;) Let's have a little fun, shall we?
