Book links: Amazon, Goodreads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Daniel Rodrigues-Martin began writing in 2004. Since then, he's become the author of books, articles, essays, shorts, scripts, poems, a master’s thesis, and countless rants. His debut novel, GODDESS FROM THE MACHINE earned a Kirkus Star, and is available from most major sellers.

Publisher: Daniel Rodrigues-Martin (March 26, 2025) Length: 528 pages Formats: audiobook, ebook

Goddess From the Machine is a slow-burn cyberpunk thriller that succeeds most where it matters: its world and its protagonist. It’s not flawless, but when it works, it really works.

The plot follows Reese Sadoleto, an ex-slave and gifted machinist trying to carve out a quiet life after the disappearance of her superhuman partner, the Vigilant. For a while, she almost manages it. Then violence returns to Machindoun, someone she cares about is killed, and the past she’s been trying to outrun drags her back into the city’s shadows. The book moves between Reese’s present-day search for answers and her earlier years working alongside the Vigilant to dismantle the city’s trafficking network. These two threads slowly converge into a larger picture of corruption, control, and the people who profit from both.

Machindoun feels fully lived-in. It's industrial, unequal, and quietly rotting. The book uses its setting as scenery and pressure - you can feel the city wearing people down, shaping them, and in Reese’s case, pushing her toward reinvention and revenge. It’s not hard to see why Arcane comparisons come up; the combination of industrial decay, class tension, and moral complexity fits well.

Reese herself is the book’s biggest strength. She’s capable, wounded, stubborn, and believable in all of those things. Her trauma informs her choices without swallowing the story whole, and watching her rebuild (literally and figuratively) is satisfying. Even when the plot takes its time, her voice keeps the pages turning.

The pacing in the first half is occasionally too deliberate. The early stretch moves slowly, almost cautiously, as if the book isn’t entirely sure it wants to start yet. The dual timeline adds texture but sometimes dilutes urgency, and a few side characters never rise beyond functional. These aren’t fatal flaws, but they do keep the book from hitting as hard as it could in the first half.

Once things shift into place, the book becomes far more gripping. The action sequences are gritty, chaotic and physical. The escalation toward the end feels earned, and the final revelations land well.

Despite its pacing issues and a few thinly sketched characters, Goddess From the Machine is a good story. Its worldbuilding is excellent, its mood consistent, and Reese is a memorable protagonist. If you’re willing to settle in and let the book build slowly, it rewards the patience.