I, Robot Tessa by Joel R. Dennstedt centers on a surgical robot named Tessa who finds a comatose man in a storm drain. After this unknown man (whom she names Jorad) uses a legally binding command to get her to help him, she’s forced to protect him from a military group that wants him silenced. Tessa isn't alone, though—she's got her two dogs, a robot named Tucker, and a real one named Larry, who actually help her spot Jorad. They team up with a defiant orphan named Molly, and the whole group travels through an urban forest to a rehab center to recover Jorad's memories. They eventually need an underground engineer to help them disappear. The risk is extreme, especially when Tessa has to use her medical skills for things she wasn't designed to do. It’s a tense hunt through a city that has eyes everywhere. Will they reach safety before the military closes the net? Can they actually bring Jorad’s past back?

I, Robot Tessa by Joel R. Dennstedt is a sci-fi tale that offers a captivating look at a different kind of mind. Tessa’s perspective is quite distinct, especially with the way she interprets light and order as pleasure. The narrative flow is consistent, and the author doesn't waste time getting into the action. I was surprised by how much I liked the dynamic between Tessa’s robot dog and the real one. The relationship among the three leads develops naturally, as they all rely on each other for survival. Dennstedt avoids a lot of the usual sci-fi cliches about machines, instead focusing on the specific laws and mechanics of the world. The author ends up building a very believable world that actually feels like a place you could find yourself in ten years from now, especially with all the fascinating legal loopholes and surveillance mentioned in the story. His writing is engaging and makes it easy to form a mental picture of Tessa’s world. It's the ideal story for anyone who likes a bit of mystery mixed with their technology.

I, Robot Tessa by Joel R. Dennstedt is the story of a Cranial Augmentation Technician robot named Tesseract 256, and her robot dog Tucker, who discover a heavily injured man called Jorad slumped listlessly inside a storm drain. Tessa was programmed to assist humans in need, and now she takes Jorad under her protection. Their journey leads to an encounter with Molly, a street-smart orphan and a real dog named Larry, and the discovery of a conspiracy that involves rogue military operatives using advanced cloaking technology. Tessa undergoes a tremendous transformation as she works to help Jorad recover his memory and identity. Will he ever learn who he really is, and can Tessa successfully remove the tracker that makes her traceable?

Joel R. Dennstedt’s novel is one of the best stories I have read about robots, and the voice of Tessa illuminates the story, making it impossible to resist. It is told in a first-person voice that captures Tessa's perspective with clarity. I was moved by the way the author writes about free will and determinism, consciousness, and the nature of humanity through the eyes of a robot. I also found it hard to distinguish Tessa from other humans, and it was delightful to watch her evolve throughout the story. The worldbuilding in I, Robot Tessa is meticulously drawn, and it captures the different realities of the world the characters navigate, the comfort of the rich, and the struggles of those who live as though a burden is always on their shoulders. Characterization is well-accomplished in this mesmerizing tale. Tessa shines through her “Random Factor Generator,” which makes her unpredictable, trumping the choices that could be restricted by rigid programming. I raced through the pages of this book.

A Cranial Augmentation Technician robot discovers a beaten man, Jorad, in a storm drain in Joel R. Dennstedt’s I, Robot Tessa. It starts a journey of discovery, friendship, and love that will entertain many readers. Tesseract 256 is a robot that operates on the brain, always accompanied by Tucker, her robotic dog. She is programmed to serve, but when she discovers Jorad, she struggles to help him remember who he is. She eventually creates a makeshift family that includes Jorad, Tucker, Molly, a street urchin, and a biological mutt named Larry. Together they evade assailants, rogue soldiers from Jorad’s past who use cloaking technology. They eventually transition from being urban fugitives to becoming pioneers in a farmhouse laboratory. What fate awaits Molly and Jorad, and will Tessa be able to activate her successor?

As a fan of science fiction that features robots, I enjoyed this story, and what stood out for me is how well the author humanizes Tessa. She is the narrator with a voice that is irresistible and filled with charm. You have the impression that she has a human soul. Her measured voice blends the emerging subjectivity characterized by her “bokeh balls” and clinical precision. Joel R. Dennstedt uses Tessa to explore autonomy and identity, and I was thrilled watching her excise her identification chip so she could protect those she cares about. I, Robot Tessa delivers a haunting reflection on the continuity of the self, memory, and whether love only exists in a biological form. This book was an exciting read for me.

Life can often be a peculiar adventure, and this holds true in I, Robot Tessa, a novel by Joel R. Dennstedt. Tesseract 256, or Tessa for short, is, of course, a robot, a highly skilled artificial life form working as a Cranial Augmentation Technician. Along with her two canine companions (one mechanical and the other a genuine mutt), Tessa has the misfortune of running into a badly beaten, amnesiac man who demands her assistance. In her quest to help the man, Tess also befriends a precocious young street girl named Molly. As the trio of newfound friends seeks answers about the man's identity, they find themselves entangled in something far darker and more dangerous. Undeterred and despite the costs, Tess undertakes a quest that may not only reveal who the man is but also lead her to discover herself.

Sophisticated and imaginative, with some excellent illustrations included, I, Robot Tessa is the third installment in Joel R. Dennstedt's series. This one, however, breaks some new ground, as it's related entirely from the robot's point of view and explores the artificial being's psychology. The plot centers on a deepening mystery surrounding an amnesiac, in which the search for answers about his identity only reveals more questions. After reading another of Joel’s books, I noticed this one has a smaller scope, with less focus on world-building and more on the characters themselves. The themes are subtle but touch on personal growth and the search for identity and purpose, which many readers can relate to. The pacing is moderate, and while the advanced vocabulary and detailed writing help shape Tess’s character, they can sometimes slow down the narrative. Overall, I, Robot Tessa is best suited for sci-fi fans who enjoy stories about robots and character-driven plots.