Review: The Cyborg He Brought Home by A.M. Hawke

Jake is bored of life in Greentree, a settlement of wizards who eschew technology and channel their magic through tattoos. Then a visitor arrives: Cory, a cyborg with coppery hair and metallic hands. Jake is fascinated by Cory's metal parts, curious what it would feel like to touch them. But the others in Greentree aren’t so sure about a visitor they consider unnatural…

Wizards, magical tattoos and a ginger haired cyborg can be found in A.M. Hawke's The Cyborg He Brought Home. The title literally tells the plot of the sci-fi/fantasy mashup.

Jake is a mage, or wizard, the details are a little fuzzy. What isn't fuzzy is he lives in a settlement of wizards called Greentree where there are magic trees and magic tattoos all over folk. Technology isn't revered as magic. While drinking in the local wizard bar, in walks a cyborg. Which sounds like the start of possibly an awesome story but that's pretty much all there is.

We learn the cyborg's name is Cory. He's from a moon colony and on an information seeking trip on wizard colonies. There is instant dislike from most of the magical practicing folk except from Jake.

Jake is fascinated by the mechanical eyes, copper wire hair and Cory's fascination with the simplest magic. The story plot wise? Doesn't offer much. It's about 10K and I'm reviewing an uncorrected, unedited ARC. The entire thing read closer to an outline - there were two scenes: initial meeting and then going home to have sex. The lack of chemistry was an issue for me. I couldn't buy it between Cory and Jake, which hung like a grey cloud for the rest of this very short story.

The world created was an interesting idea. I like that tattoos were conduits of magic. The Nature vs. Machines idea, if developed, could have been something. If the entire story was more developed, it could have been magical. It was more of cool ideas and concepts (wizards in nature, cyborgs living on the moon, MAGIC TATTOOS!) and meh a sex scene. *shrugs*

I will say Cory was the stronger developed character of the pair. I'd have enjoyed reading more back story on him. There were inklings of story possibilities when he spoke briefly on moon life. I believe this was my first trans cyborg I've ever read. It was Jake's first trans partner, so he asked a lot of questions. Cory was cool with them.

"Right, but I mean--you're already half metal. You could look like whatever you want."
"That's true, I could."
"So why keep a scar?"
"Because they're mine, Jake. They remind me of where I've been and what it took to get to where I am now."

The story ends with a possible HFN. It's a first time hook up, so who knows what the future holds for Jake and Cory?

Overall, interesting concepts, but the execution is underdeveloped. If this is ever re-edited or re-released in the future, I'll take a peek.

A copy provided via Netgalley for an honest review.

Find on Goodreads!