350 pages
English language
Published Aug. 19, 2020
WINNER of the 2021 Hugo, Nebula and Locus Awards!
The first full-length novel in Martha Wells' New York Times and USA Today bestselling Murderbot Diaries series.
An Amazon's Best of the Year So Far Pick
Named a Best of 2020 Pick for NPR | Book Riot | Polygon
"I caught myself rereading my favorite parts... and I can’t recommend it enough." ― New York Times
You know that feeling when you’re at work, and you’ve had enough of people, and then the boss walks in with yet another job that needs to be done right this second or the world will end, but all you want to do is go home and binge your favorite shows? And you're a sentient murder machine programmed for destruction? Congratulations, you're Murderbot.
Come for the pew-pew space battles, stay for the most relatable A.I. you’ll read this century.
―
I’m usually alone in my …
WINNER of the 2021 Hugo, Nebula and Locus Awards!
The first full-length novel in Martha Wells' New York Times and USA Today bestselling Murderbot Diaries series.
An Amazon's Best of the Year So Far Pick
Named a Best of 2020 Pick for NPR | Book Riot | Polygon
"I caught myself rereading my favorite parts... and I can’t recommend it enough." ― New York Times
You know that feeling when you’re at work, and you’ve had enough of people, and then the boss walks in with yet another job that needs to be done right this second or the world will end, but all you want to do is go home and binge your favorite shows? And you're a sentient murder machine programmed for destruction? Congratulations, you're Murderbot.
Come for the pew-pew space battles, stay for the most relatable A.I. you’ll read this century.
―
I’m usually alone in my head, and that’s where 90 plus percent of my problems are.
When Murderbot's human associates (not friends, never friends) are captured and another not-friend from its past requires urgent assistance, Murderbot must choose between inertia and drastic action.
Drastic action it is, then.
The novella felt like the perfect length for a Murderbot episode so I wasn't sure it would work well in a full novel. Not to worry, Wells keeps it interesting and entertaining in the 5th installment and first novel.
Such a fun read! Action-packed, almost breathlessly so, with much less of the exposition that I think slowed down the later novellas, still plenty of humour, but also deeper relationship-building. Murderbot (aka 'SecUnit', when it wants to be less, I don't know, murderey) remains easily the most relatable character in today's fiction.
"Network Effect," the fifth instalment in The Murderbot Diaries series by Martha Wells, is a triumph that will satisfy both longtime fans and newcomers alike. This full-length novel, the longest in the series, continues the adventures of our favourite misanthropic, soap-opera-loving killer cyborg, Murderbot, while introducing new dimensions to its story.
What makes "Network Effect" so engaging is its masterful blend of humour, heart, and action. The story centres on the evolving friendship between Murderbot and ART, the utterly amoral AI of a large spaceship. Their interactions are hilarious and deeply humane, offering a refreshing take on the concept of companionship between non-human entities. Despite their cranky, sarcastic exteriors, both characters exhibit profound growth, developing feelings, friendships, and a sense of responsibility.
While the external plot can occasionally blur, it is the character development and narrative style that truly shine. Wells crafts a deeply emotional arc for Murderbot, making it …
"Network Effect," the fifth instalment in The Murderbot Diaries series by Martha Wells, is a triumph that will satisfy both longtime fans and newcomers alike. This full-length novel, the longest in the series, continues the adventures of our favourite misanthropic, soap-opera-loving killer cyborg, Murderbot, while introducing new dimensions to its story.
What makes "Network Effect" so engaging is its masterful blend of humour, heart, and action. The story centres on the evolving friendship between Murderbot and ART, the utterly amoral AI of a large spaceship. Their interactions are hilarious and deeply humane, offering a refreshing take on the concept of companionship between non-human entities. Despite their cranky, sarcastic exteriors, both characters exhibit profound growth, developing feelings, friendships, and a sense of responsibility.
While the external plot can occasionally blur, it is the character development and narrative style that truly shine. Wells crafts a deeply emotional arc for Murderbot, making it impossible not to root for this traumatized yet endearing protagonist. The action sequences are thrilling, and there are plenty of creepy moments to keep readers on edge. The novel's spectacular readability lies in Wells’ ability to weave magic into her writing, captivating readers from start to finish.
The return of ART adds a delightful layer to the story. ART's cranky, sarcastic demeanour perfectly complements Murderbot’s own, creating a dynamic duo that is as entertaining as it is compelling. The inclusion of the Preservation team into the action is a brilliant move, setting up exciting possibilities for future stories.
In essence, "Network Effect" maintains the essence of the previous novellas while expanding the universe with greater depth and complexity. Murderbot remains its cranky, sarcastic, and amazing self, navigating one action-packed sequence after another. For those seeking a science fiction series with heart, humour, and plenty of thrills, "Network Effect" is a must-read.
I am LOVING this series, and this novel was no exception.
With all the inner monologue and 4th-wall breaking (and the asynchronous HelpMe.file insertions), I keep thinking "how could this be rendered in video?" (Except I didn't think "render" in my head, because holy cow, is it pretentious.)
And my conclusion is: it would be tough, and very few could do it. I'd love to see it done well, but 99% of book-based video is so "lossy", to appropriate a criticism of JPEG as compared to GIF. ("Lossy" meaning all those delicate plot and character nuances are lost.)
I was a little disappointed with "Fugitive Telemetry" which was written after this book but is set before it. But in "Network Effect" Wells is on form. As good as the first 4 novellas. The longer format gives the whole story a space opera feel. The beginning on the water planet reminded me of the Culture novels. What stands out to me in the Murderbot series is how Wells manages to give established sci fi narratives and tropes a little twist, simply by writing them through the eyes of "the help", i.e. bots and computer systems. Not only is ART back and we learn a lot more about the relationship between it and Murderbot but again, the unique type of connection that Murderbot can have with other systems and bots plays a pivotal role in saving the day. I also really like how alien tech and its effect on humans …
I was a little disappointed with "Fugitive Telemetry" which was written after this book but is set before it. But in "Network Effect" Wells is on form. As good as the first 4 novellas. The longer format gives the whole story a space opera feel. The beginning on the water planet reminded me of the Culture novels. What stands out to me in the Murderbot series is how Wells manages to give established sci fi narratives and tropes a little twist, simply by writing them through the eyes of "the help", i.e. bots and computer systems. Not only is ART back and we learn a lot more about the relationship between it and Murderbot but again, the unique type of connection that Murderbot can have with other systems and bots plays a pivotal role in saving the day. I also really like how alien tech and its effect on humans is depicted in this novel (and the other novellas in the series). It's different from what I'm used to in other sci fi. There's also a lot of snark and action, as usual. An entertaining read.
The first few books of the Murderbot series were very short. This one is the first true novel-length installment and it features all the usual fun:
And of course, all of it is very funny. Murderbot shut down its own governor module, which was installed to make sure it complies to human orders. Now, murderbot only complies to its own motivations and rules. But another task of the governor module seems to have been anger management, and without such module, murderbot is angry most of the time.
I really loved this book, the best so far. I'm ordering the next two installments now.
it's fine. it's written in that pithy voice-y tone that tends to grate during long periods. it's got heart, it's got violence, some neat twists, and a new SecUnit!
i liked it. wished i liked it more.
My kind of fiction for sure, the sentients makes (mostly) logical choices and doing what they do best (being assholes about it) while keeping the humans alive and saving the day.
I guess it gets partially heavy in the action and combat scenes, the science part is soft and hand wavy but the quirky interactions is kinda funny and assholey, just the way I like it. Whatever traces there are of aliens is weird and not delved into, making them feel more mysterious and foreign when compared to bland, humanoid "trekkie aliens". The story reminds one of B-graded scifi shows, broadcasted on thursdays, and gives a hint of nostalgia (heh).
So far this has been the best book in the series even though the first book was a strong contender.
She's perfected the MurderBot recipe: awkward AI-AI relationship, friendly humans, emotional discomfort, clever conflict.
Reading time 3 days, 117 pages/day
One of my favourite book of the series. Packed with action, humour and good sense. What I really like of this series is that the plot doesn't need stupid decisions to move forward. Everyone seems quite competent, but things go wrong and they have to figure things out. I like how humans add value to the party and they are not just dummy next to the computers
3.5
a bit too long for my liking of murderbot stories. the middle especially felt like it dragged on forever. still, yet another wholesome murderbot story, this time with the return of ART!
My review of Murderbot Diaries was that 1-4 should have been released as a single novel. Together they form a fantastic story instead of underwhelming novellas. Network Effect is exactly that -- a long-form Murderbot adventure that showcases what Martha Wells can do when not restricted by word count.
Network Effort is fantastic. Murderbot's distinct narration and voice is still the highlight, but combining it with a unique mix of science-fiction action and detective mystery really makes Murderbot something special. There is a fantastic mix of energy weapons flying around while your brain is engaged with the intellectual challenges, barely keeping up with the AI/construct characters as they try to get ahead of their antagonists.
And finally, the not-friend's return is perfect.
That said, the novel itself isn't. The sense of suspense is never there, and it's mostly a light-hearted romp through a surprisingly grim view of the future. Basically, …
My review of Murderbot Diaries was that 1-4 should have been released as a single novel. Together they form a fantastic story instead of underwhelming novellas. Network Effect is exactly that -- a long-form Murderbot adventure that showcases what Martha Wells can do when not restricted by word count.
Network Effort is fantastic. Murderbot's distinct narration and voice is still the highlight, but combining it with a unique mix of science-fiction action and detective mystery really makes Murderbot something special. There is a fantastic mix of energy weapons flying around while your brain is engaged with the intellectual challenges, barely keeping up with the AI/construct characters as they try to get ahead of their antagonists.
And finally, the not-friend's return is perfect.
That said, the novel itself isn't. The sense of suspense is never there, and it's mostly a light-hearted romp through a surprisingly grim view of the future. Basically, I'm not emotionally invested. It's fun, but it won't hit me in the feels, and so it's a recommended 4-stars but nothing truly spectacular.
ART's return basically makes this book. Murderbot always needed more characters and ART was the only one that was ever very interesting. The Corporate Rim is absent so you get less of that tongue-in-cheek criticism, but instead we get exposed to Alien Remnants (literally) and while thought provoking, didn't ever feel like much of a threat.
Finally, Three's character was a bit of a fail for me. I appreciated how it was foreshadowed via the flashback chapters, but Three was very boring. Murderbot 2.0 was actually more interesting, but of course, a copy of your MC should be!
Hugo Best Novel 2021, and I can kind of see why. The Murderbot stories do not normally speak to me, but this one was actually gripping and had a bunch of interesting turns. The people still feel somehow wrong, but the scifi story here works.
The same good stuff!
“Why do you call it ART? It said it’s name was Perihelion.”
“It’s an anagram. It stands for Asshole Research Transport.”
“That’s not an anagram.”
“Whatever.”
The struggle is real—what do I read while I wait for more Murderbot and ART and Preservation? Nothing. I’ll just quietly pull up a chapter in this book, like Murderbot does with Sanctuary Moon.
