The Wrong Unit

This book is very good, but I don't think I'm in the target audience. So please keep in mind that my criticisms have to do with my own taste and aren't about the quality of the book. I'll be recommending it enthusiastically to anyone looking for humorous sci-fi or hopeful post-apocalyptic books, and I see requests of both kinds often on Reddit. I strongly preferred it to the second Bobiverse book. My criticisms: First, it's a pretty Christian book, despite some rough language. I checked multiple times to see if this was explicitly a Christian novel, but it isn't. I've enjoyed books by Christian authors and with Christian themes before (I'm a big fan of [a:Charlie Cochrane 2727135 Charlie Cochrane https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1274344657p2/2727135.jpg], for example), but somehow, the fact that Heyoo kept thinking about religion really didn't work for me. He's a robot who becomes more human-like over the course of the novel. I am guessing that the author meant to show that spirituality is part of being human, but when Heyoo and Wah discuss their actual religious beliefs, what they believe isn't specifically Christian. I just don't know that a character in Heyoo's circumstances would have latched onto Christianity in dark moments. So the religious content does serve a purpose in the story, but it was too much for me.It's also very heteronormative. Again, I understand why this is, sort of; Heyoo has Core's idea of humanity, at first, which includes assigning mates to humans. But since that level of control was the problem with Core, there was an opportunity to include non-hetero characters, in addition to the plot with Sarah and Arch. Some of the new characters could have had same-sex partners, for example. This change could've worked with the same small amount of focus on Brick's love life that exists in the book. Seeing where the world was headed could've been a motivation for lgbt+ people living in Brick's day to get involved in organizing against Core.Okay, those are my complaints. But I do like the book! The central relationship between Heyoo and Wah is wonderful, and it reminds me of the close bond I had with my mother. They are very loving with each other, but also always teasing and joking, and sometimes they both get frustrated with one another. Their journey was amazing but totally believable, and the book's action scenes were all very exciting. I didn't enjoy Arch's chapters as much, because he was not as easy for me to like as Heyoo, but that's just my own preference. I like the female characters very much. Brick has a lot of complexity and comes across as a complete person, who is strong in some ways and vulnerable in others.The way that the actual defeat of Core happens is perfect, since Heyoo and Wah's relationship is the focus of the book. It's a great ending, and it's very heartwarming. I listened to the audiobook narrated by the author, and he was excellent. I've only had the chance to listen to a few books this way over the years, and it's always a treat. I'm glad I listened to this book and I know I'll always remember it. It's definitely a reminder not to take our lives for granted.