What are some of your favorite works of Transformer literature? Could you tell us about some interesting Cybertronian books or stories?
Dear Literature Lover,
Although my line of work generally leaves me with little time for relaxation, my current recuperation in the Realm of the Primes has given me ample time and a unique vantage point to sample Cybertronian literature from many possible universes. The epic poem “Abominus” from one negative polarity universe is an epic yarn indeed, a tale of love, hubris, and redemption set against the backdrop of ancient Iacon. I have recently finished reading Codexa’s great masterwork, The Way We Were, by One Who Saw It, and found it a sobering look at how other races might perceive the worst excesses of my kind.
I admit that, even at my advanced age, I find myself interested in the stories my kind tells its young. Our culture has, across many universes, developed stories meant to impress social and moral values onto young minds to help them grow into productive members of society. However, ‘bots of modern sensibilities might find the original, uncensored versions of these morality tales to be… upsetting. The story of Rust-Tongued Blockade, for instance, tells a story of a dishonest young protoform who rusts every time he tells a lie; when he tells one lie too many, he collapses into a heap of metal flakes and dies. The Cogsnatcher warns young ‘bots not to change shape without reason, lest they attract the unwanted attention of the eponymous monster while they recharge. The Malignus and the Metrotitan cautions overeager sparks not to scan a form they cannot handle.
Finally, The Adventures of Pinion concerns a naughty young organic boy, who, after learning to behave, uses reverse-Pretender technology to become “a real protoform.” This story ends with him spearheading the sterilization and cyberforming of several neighboring organic worlds to expand the Pax Cybertronia. For reasons that should hopefully be obvious, this last tale has largely fallen out of favor.