eBook, 156 pages
English language
Published Dec. 13, 2017 by Tor.com.
"As a heartless killing machine, I was a complete failure."
In a corporate-dominated spacefaring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. Exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids, for their own safety.
But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn’t a primary concern.
On a distant planet, a team of scientists are conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied ‘droid — a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module, and refers to itself (though never out loud) as “Murderbot.” Scornful of humans, all it really wants is to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is.
But when a neighboring mission goes dark, it's up to the scientists and their Murderbot to get to the truth.
"As a heartless killing machine, I was a complete failure."
In a corporate-dominated spacefaring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. Exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids, for their own safety.
But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn’t a primary concern.
On a distant planet, a team of scientists are conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied ‘droid — a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module, and refers to itself (though never out loud) as “Murderbot.” Scornful of humans, all it really wants is to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is.
But when a neighboring mission goes dark, it's up to the scientists and their Murderbot to get to the truth.
Captivating sci-fi that explores AI consciousness in a meaningful way. I don’t really like the “novella” business model here. It seems like these short volumes could have been combined into one larger book. Anyhow, it’s better then trying to digest these 1,200 page tomes produced but other authors,
Awkward and indifferent robot that just wants to watch the entertainment feed, especially its favorite show Sanctuary Moon was exactly what I wanted to read. Fun and pretty hilarious. I definitely laughed aloud.
"As a heartless killing machine, I was a terrible failure."
So this was great and I'm about to reread the first as I want to get the nuances of the governor that controls most SEC units (Murderbots). Murderbot, would just like to be left to her TV serials and occasionally keep her humans alive. Those humans are the ones that hired her (she was a she is this one in my head). Murderbot has disabled her governor which would force her to take commands. She doesn't know if this is what cause a past accident but doesn't think so and wants to have control so that she can watch her serials.
This new group of humans that hired her from her owner, is at a mining operation during surveys which has glitches, dangerous, life threatening issues, but luckily Murderbot can deviate from her protocol and saves said humans. She kind …
"As a heartless killing machine, I was a terrible failure."
So this was great and I'm about to reread the first as I want to get the nuances of the governor that controls most SEC units (Murderbots). Murderbot, would just like to be left to her TV serials and occasionally keep her humans alive. Those humans are the ones that hired her (she was a she is this one in my head). Murderbot has disabled her governor which would force her to take commands. She doesn't know if this is what cause a past accident but doesn't think so and wants to have control so that she can watch her serials.
This new group of humans that hired her from her owner, is at a mining operation during surveys which has glitches, dangerous, life threatening issues, but luckily Murderbot can deviate from her protocol and saves said humans. She kind of likes them it seem. They are figuring out that maybe she isn't exactly a normal SEC unit and thank the stars as they would all be dead. In the end, Murderbot discovers that code is being sent to SEC units to override commands and put missions in danger here. When she saves everyone, her secret might be out to her owners and she will be wiped again of any memory, but... these humans decided to buy her. On their planet sentient AIs are free. They think she would come, be a free, but with a guardian, AI unit on their homeworld. Since Murderbot is now free from her mind wiping owners, she decides to go on her own. Off to new adventures. I really wanted to see where she went.
Feb 15, 2021, Mar 6, 2021
May 16, 2022
June 5, 2023
Oct 8, 2023
May 28, 2025
Wow, I made it a year and a half without rereading until now. I have read this book 6 times. It is short, about 160 pages, and it came out in Graphic Audio 2 years ago so had to check that out... and then the TV series came out so I just had to refresh my memory. A fun go to reread for me. I'm actually now thinking of a series reread again but... I have so many new things to read....
This was fun! I think it's a feat in and of itself to compact an introduction to a larger sci fi universe into a novella while also keeping it interesting and not chock full of exposition. While there was a bit of that in this book (I got lost a few times with the terminology that was thrown around), the story was very engaging and made me excited to read more. Despite it being so short, the characters were very well developed and the action was paced perfectly. I did think there was an attempt at humor here and there which didn't land for me, but I do appreciate the more lighthearted tone to the story as opposed to the countless dark, serious sci fi epics that are a dime a dozen. This world has me interested and I'm ready to dive into the next one.
This was fun! I think it's a feat in and of itself to compact an introduction to a larger sci fi universe into a novella while also keeping it interesting and not chock full of exposition. While there was a bit of that in this book (I got lost a few times with the terminology that was thrown around), the story was very engaging and made me excited to read more. Despite it being so short, the characters were very well developed and the action was paced perfectly. I did think there was an attempt at humor here and there which didn't land for me, but I do appreciate the more lighthearted tone to the story as opposed to the countless dark, serious sci fi epics that are a dime a dozen. This world has me interested and I'm ready to dive into the next one.
Entertaining
Muy buena novela corta con mi androide consumidor de series favorito.
Con muy poco presenta muy bien a los personajes y te deja con ganas de saber más.
I had a hard time getting into the book at the beginning. Mainly because of the very easy prose and some world building issues. However, at 45% it finally made click and i had a great time. It has a very satisfactory ending and I enjoyed a lot of parts very much.
An entertaining mystery and caper, hosted by the most charming asocial robot this side of Marvin the Paranoid Android. I’m lucky I read this out of order; having peered into the future in Network Effect, it was easier to weather the uncertain ending of Murderbot’s first adventure.
While the beginning is a bit rocky and jumbled, the characters shine all the way through, and the ending makes everything perfectly worth it. The brevity helps immensely; this story did not need to be any longer than it was, and I'm glad no one pressured the writer into expanding it.
While the beginning is a bit rocky and jumbled, the characters shine all the way through, and the ending makes everything perfectly worth it. The brevity helps immensely; this story did not need to be any longer than it was, and I'm glad no one pressured the writer into expanding it.
I found the writing style difficult to enjoy and quite choppy. The plot line was average for the genre. The tale was not particularly engaging nor was it very interesting. I recommend reading something else...
I found the writing style difficult to enjoy and quite choppy. The plot line was average for the genre. The tale was not particularly engaging nor was it very interesting. I recommend reading something else...
A tasty morsel of sugary sci-fi, consumed rapidly. Skillful development of various systems as characters in constant interaction without becoming incomprehensible.
The star of the murderbot diaries is murderbot, the neuroatypical, disaffected cyborg filled with ennui and a desire to binge TV. Certainly, the series was sold to me that way but much as I liked murderbot, the true heroes of this first novella for me were Wells' fascinating setting playing out the corporatocharcy of the 21st century and a cast of characters that were united as a team to communal ends (as shocking to murderbot as it was to the reader!)
Although the central mystery was decently compelling, most of the tension in this book comes from Murderbot's reluctance to be treated as a person, concern that people will see their face and assumption that all people are dumb, profit-motivated and ready to betray the group at any time. It's rare that the first book in a series isn't the strongest, but I just really enjoyed the later books where …
The star of the murderbot diaries is murderbot, the neuroatypical, disaffected cyborg filled with ennui and a desire to binge TV. Certainly, the series was sold to me that way but much as I liked murderbot, the true heroes of this first novella for me were Wells' fascinating setting playing out the corporatocharcy of the 21st century and a cast of characters that were united as a team to communal ends (as shocking to murderbot as it was to the reader!)
Although the central mystery was decently compelling, most of the tension in this book comes from Murderbot's reluctance to be treated as a person, concern that people will see their face and assumption that all people are dumb, profit-motivated and ready to betray the group at any time. It's rare that the first book in a series isn't the strongest, but I just really enjoyed the later books where more character and setting development really shined.
I love the action. And the attitude of the murderbot. And how he is able to hack his own systems and use those skills throughout the whole series.
I ate the whole series up.
Picked this up on a whim: a chance RT from someone I follow on Twitter. I was expecting it to be lighthearted and funny; was not prepared for it to be thoughtful, smart, touching as well. Murderbot turns out to be a surprisingly complex character, with a sophisticated moral sense, and haunted -- in fine noir tradition -- by ghosts we see only hints of.
Interesting and disturbing to read this in parallel with [b:Lost Children Archive|51344574|Lost Children Archive|Valeria Luiselli|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1580193922l/51344574.SX50_SY75.jpg|62525285]: I found myself marveling that this cyborg has more empathy, reflection, and self-awareness than the human narrator of LCA. Likewise upsetting to read this in 2020, finding more integrity and decency in this murderbot than in forty percent of the U.S. electorate.
Got this book for free with the others in the series from a TOR giveaway.
Pretty standard sci fi novella. Surprised by the high ratings. A good little jaunt but nothing 'out of this world'.
Got this book for free with the others in the series from a TOR giveaway.
Pretty standard sci fi novella. Surprised by the high ratings. A good little jaunt but nothing 'out of this world'.
Purchasable
https://www.ebook.de/de/product/28297712/martha_wells_all_systems_red.html.