In a world where gigantic robots are part of a ruling empire’s weaponry, and they enhance Pilots with technology to create cyborg-like humans who operate the machines, a group of talented rebels find ways to take them down. When one of the rebels, Eris, is captured, she receives help to escape in the unlikeliest of places – a Valkyrie Pilot named Sona, who has her own agenda of defeating the empire from the inside. Gearbreakers tells the story of how these two teenagers join forces to accomplish a common goal and begin to develop feelings for each other along the way. 

Eris, nicknamed Frostbringer for the technology she uses to damage and defeat the machines (called Windups), is the leader of her rag-tag group of feral rebels, who call themselves Gearbreakers and live in the Badlands. Everyday is a struggle for these groups, since they are similar to outlaws and do not surrender to Godolia’s will. They are, however, very good at taking down Windups – so much so that each Windup is equipped with two guards to prevent Gearbreakers from destroying them. 

Sona is a cybernetically-enhanced human and part of the elite group of Pilots who are specially trained at the Academy. We eventually learn that she plans to take down Godolia from the inside, motivated by rage and anger from what the regime did to her family and her town years ago. When Eris shows up at the Academy and is taken prisoner, Sona sees her chance to join the Gearbreakers and defeat Godolia. 

This debut novel from Zoe Hana Mikuta is mostly well-paced, although it is slow at some parts. The feelings that Eris and Sona develop for each other was believable – it seems difficult for authors to create a romance among strangers, not to mention enemies. But Mikuta does this very well. And even if most of the characters weren’t 100% relatable, they are very likable. Who wouldn’t be impressed by teenagers destroying 100-foot mechas, only equipped with knives? 

While the premise of gigantic robots isn’t super original (Pacific Rim, anyone?), I really enjoyed where Mikuta took the story. The idea that the Pilots don’t feel pain unless they are connected to the robot adds a psychological component to an otherwise basic concept. We also get different types of mechas and the implications of how this technology advanced over time, and will continue to do so. I also commend Mikuta for exploring what a cyborg-like human might think or act like, and how she would be perceived by those who are not her peers. 

My only criticism of Gearbreakers is that I wish we got more of Godolia’s background and how the way of life came to be. For half the book I kept wondering why they built the mechas in the first place, why Godolia forces were so brutal that people felt the need to form rebel groups and fight back. While there is some explanation, readers are left to extrapolate for themselves. 

Overall, Gearbreakers was a fun read and easy to get into. I loved Eris’s ferocity and Sona’s blunt nature. The last quarter of the book has great momentum and a cliff-hanger ending that makes me grateful for a planned sequel (releasing Summer 2022). I also appreciated the representation for the Asian-American and LGBTQ+ communities. Part sci-fi, part fantasy, and part romance – this story has a little something for everyone. 

Zoe Hana Mikuta joins us for a Cantina Conversation, where we discussed how she came up with Gearbreakers, what life is like for her as a published author at the age of 20, and her writing process. Stay tuned for an upcoming episode of The Nerd Cantina Show podcast and pre-order Gearbreakers, which releases June 29.