Having already written [a review](https://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/1ackn80/a_psalm_for_the_wildbuilt_by_becky_chambers_a/) for the first book in this series, *A Psalm for the Wild Built*, I return again to talk about the second one, *A Prayer for the Crown-Shy*.
*A Prayer for the Crown-Shy* is a Solarpunk novella written by the American author Becky Chambers. In the book, we witness the further travels of the tea-monk Dex and their friend, the robot Splendid Speckled Mosscap, as they abandon the lush forests of the planet Panga and move into the more populated areas.
Dex and Mosscap travel from town to town, in their way to reach the City, the only major urban settlement in Panga. The arrival of Mosscap is already known to the people of the planet, who are eager and excited (most of them) to meet and talk with the robot, and to help answer its question to humanity: “what do people need?”. The monk and the robot visit various different settlements and speak to many different people, as they both try to answer the question, and become the main players in one of the most historic events in Panga: the re-arrival of a robot from the wilds.
Like the first book, this one does delve into many philosophical questions, regarding the Nature of Life, Death, consciousness and personality. Mosscap struggles with his supposed mission and service to Humanity, and Dex believes that they haven’t done a lot in their life until then, and start to reexamine it. The story also talks a lot about the different religions and philosophies of Panga, and the way some of them see the world and react to the arrival of Mosscap. For example, the people living in a specific region of the planet have very hard-line anti-tech views and all but one refuse to even come outside to meet the robot.
Being, among other things, a slice-of-life story, the book also describes everyday life in the different areas the two protagonists visit, including the extensive use of technologies like 3D-printing, the recycling of trash for house building and the financial system of Panga, which seems to follow some short of Mutualist approach.
If it was to generally describe the type of story that is, I’d say that it is Solarpunk: alternative energy and high technologies are used extensively, while the Pangans have all a special relationship with the Natural world of their planet, with the “Age of Oil” being a dark period that is left in the past. It is also cozy: lots of descriptions of simple, everyday activities, laid-back conversations with friends, family and even strangers and generally the absence of any major conflict (other than the inner conflicts the two main characters have to face by the end).
By the end, Mosscap has received many different answers to its question, from mundane to very esoteric ones and he has formed some new questions of its own. The ending leaves something to be desired, and I believe (and hope), that the author will publish more books in this universe in the future.
Once again, like with the first one, *A Prayer for the Crown-Shy* is a short but sweet book. It is a very calm and pleasant story with lots of philosophy and tea-making, all taking place in a better, more peaceful world. I’d urge you to give them a chance, If you are looking for something to relax with. It’s also a relatively short book, so I believe it is accessible even to the not so enthusiastic readers.
by A_Guy195