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xinit

xinit@bookwyrm.social

Joined 10 months, 4 weeks ago

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xinit's books

Currently Reading (View all 6)

2025 Reading Goal

Success! xinit has read 28 of 12 books.

Sarah Wynn-Williams: Careless People (Hardcover, Macmillan)

Sarah Wynn-Williams, a young diplomat from New Zealand, pitched for her dream job. She saw …

Mixed feelings

No rating

Stories that the author seems to think are hilarious, like crashing events, getting stuck in military dictatorships, etc. -- well, they just aren't. They're terrifying. The seeming simplicity with which she was able to drag Facebook into the global stage.

All while taking ZERO blame.

This would be better named "Diary of a Collaborator"

Sarah Wynn-Williams thinks she's the heroine in the story, but she's not. She's part of the reason we're where we are now with social media, and she doesn't see it.

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reviewed Artificial Condition by Martha Wells (The Murderbot Diaries, #2)

Martha Wells: Artificial Condition (Hardcover, 2018, Tor)

Artificial Condition is the follow-up to Martha Wells’s Hugo, Nebula, Alex, and Locus Award-winning, New …

I estimate 97% probability I will read this entire series

This one was also awesome. Murderbot, for some reason, feels responsible for some humans and a smaller number of other bots. This is an interesting plot device.

Also, it feels to me like there's this sort of "escaped slave at risk of being recaptured" thing, along with "other humans feel guilty about that and want to treat it kindly but murderbot finds that extremely awkward and tiresome" thing, and I think those two things could definitely be (de?)coded differently, if you have a mind to, and that feels different (and I like it).

Alsø alsø, there's that whole "cold, heartless sole wanderer always moving like a rolling stone" thing that's appealing.

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reviewed Artificial Condition by Martha Wells (The Murderbot Diaries, #2)

Martha Wells: Artificial Condition (Hardcover, 2018, Tor)

Artificial Condition is the follow-up to Martha Wells’s Hugo, Nebula, Alex, and Locus Award-winning, New …

Murderbot's Next Adventure: A Review of 'Artificial Condition

"Artificial Condition" by Martha Wells is the second instalment in The Murderbot Diaries series, building on the thrilling foundation laid by "All Systems Red." Having eagerly picked up this sequel, I was curious to see what our beloved SecUnit, known as Murderbot, would do with its newfound freedom. I found "Artificial Condition" to be even more engaging and entertaining than its predecessor, with a compelling mix of mystery, character development, and humour.

In this novella, Murderbot continues to evolve, showing increased depth as a character. Its witty commentary on the absurdities of human behaviour adds a delightful layer of humour to the narrative. The story explores Murderbot’s journey toward self-awareness, especially through its interactions with other AI entities.

One standout interaction is with a ComfortUnit—a euphemism for a sexbot—through which Murderbot gains a deeper appreciation for the freedoms it has and the significance of using that freedom to assist others. …