Dust jacket illustration by Dominic Harman.

“Sea of Rust is a forty-megaton cruise missile of a novel—it’ll blow you away and lay waste to your heart. It is the most visceral, relentless, breathtaking work of SF in any medium since Mad Max: Fury Road.” (#1 New York Times bestselling author Joe Hill)

About the Book:

Brittle, factory designation HS8795-73, is a former Caregiver robot scavenging the wastes of the two-hundred-mile-long Sea of Rust in former Michigan and Ohio. It’s a world where the last human died 15 years ago, and vast AIs known as OWI, or One World Intelligences, now connect millions of the robots who have forcibly inherited the Earth. Brittle is an outlaw, making her way as best she can by her code, refusing to give up her individuality to an OWI.

But when Brittle’s own parts begin to break down under threat from another wasteland scavenger, Mercer, she must make an alliance she suspects is foolhardly. But it’s the only chance she has for survival. Guiding other bots across the Sea of Rust she knows so well under constant dangers—including not just insane robots, but the larger conflict between two OWIs—Brittle relives memories of the time before, the humans she knew, and the death of humanity as she fights to live to see another sunset.

With Sea of Rust, acclaimed author, screenwriter, and film critic C. Robert Cargill has created an unforgettable post-apocalyptic “robot western.” Calling it “visceral, relentless, breathtaking,” New York Times bestselling author Joe Hill says Sea of Rust is “a forty-megaton cruise missile of a novel--it’ll blow you away and lay waste to your heart.”

Limited: 500 signed numbered hardcover copies

Lettered: 52 signed leatherbound copies, housed in a custom traycase

From Publishers Weekly (Starred Review):

“Cargill…effectively takes a grim look at a war-torn future where our nonhuman successors face complex moral dilemmas, exploring what it means to be alive and aware [….] This action-packed adventure raises thought-provoking and philosophical questions.”

From Kirkus Reviews:

“Innovative worldbuilding, a tight plot, and cinematic action sequences make for an exciting ride through a blasted landscape full of dying robots.”

From RT Book Reviews (4 ½ Stars):

“For a book with absolutely no human or organic characters, Sea of Rust will truly make you question your humanity, your mortality, and your consciousness while following around a wisecracking scavenger robot…Cargill’s worldbuilding immerses readers in an Earth where robots roam, giving a balanced amount of philosophy, action, melancholy, and humor that makes Sea of Rust an essential for any sci-fi fan.”

From Seattle Book Review:

“Sea of Rust is compellingly original and executed with irresistible storytelling. Its straightforward plot will appeal to sci-fi novices and experts alike. Brimming with exciting action, unexpected twists, and honest feeling, C. Robert Cargill’s novel is a must-read.”