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All Systems Red: The Murderbot Diaries Kindle Edition
A New York Times and USA Today Bestseller
Winner: 2018 Hugo Award for Best Novella
Winner: 2018 Nebula Award for Best Novella
Winner: 2018 Alex Award
Winner: 2018 Locus Award
One of the Verge's Best Books of 2017
A murderous android discovers itself in All Systems Red, a tense science fiction adventure by Martha Wells that interrogates the roots of consciousness through Artificial Intelligence.
"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.
The Murderbot Diaries
All Systems Red
Artificial Condition
Rogue Protocol
Exit Strategy
Network Effect
Fugitive Telemetry
System Collapse
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherTordotcom
- Publication dateMay 2, 2017
- File size2131 KB
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What's it about?
A murderous android discovers itself in a tense science fiction adventure that interrogates the roots of consciousness through Artificial Intelligence.Amazon editors say...
This red-hot read about a security android with murder in its past launches one of the best sci-fi series ever.
Adrian Liang, Amazon EditorPopular highlight
Yes, talk to Murderbot about its feelings. The idea was so painful I dropped to 97 percent efficiency.4,313 Kindle readers highlighted thisPopular highlight
I hate having emotions about reality; I’d much rather have them about Sanctuary Moon.3,486 Kindle readers highlighted thisPopular highlight
The sense of urgency just wasn’t there. Also, you may have noticed, I don’t care.2,898 Kindle readers highlighted this
From the Publisher
Editorial Reviews
Review
“I love Murderbot!” ―Ann Leckie, author of Ancillary Justice
"The Murderbot series is a heart-pounding thriller that never lets up, but it's also one of the most humane portraits of a nonhuman I've ever read. Come for the gunfights on other planets, but stay for the finely drawn portrait of a deadly robot whose smartass goodness will give you hope for the future of humanity." ―Annalee Newitz, author of Autonomous
“Clever, inventive, brutal when it needs to be, and compassionate without ever being sentimental.” ―Kate Elliott, author of the Spirit Walker trilogy
“Endearing, funny, action-packed, and murderous.” ―Kameron Hurley, author of The Stars are Legion
“Not only a fun, fast-paced space-thriller, but also a sharp, sometimes moving character study that will resonate with introverts even if they're not lethal AI machines.” ―Malka Older, author of Infomocracy
"We are all a little bit Murderbot."―NPR
“Wells gives depth to a rousing but basically familiar action plot by turning it into the vehicle by which SecUnit engages with its own rigorously denied humanity.” ―Publishers Weekly starred review
“I already can’t wait for the next one.” ―The Verge
“Meet your favorite depressed A.I. since Marvin.” ―B&N Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog
“A great kick-off for a continuing series.” ―Locus
"Wells imbued Murderbot with extraordinary humanity, and while this is a fun read, don’t make the mistake of thinking it’s not a profound one."―LA Times
PRAISE FOR MARTHA WELLS
“Martha Wells writes fantasy the way it was meant to be―poignant, evocative, and astonishing. Prepare to be captivated 'til the sun comes up.” ―Kameron Hurley, author of The Mirror Empire and God's War
“The Cloud Roads has wildly original world-building, diverse and engaging characters, and a thrilling adventure plot. It’s that rarest of fantasies: fresh and surprising, with a story that doesn’t go where ten thousand others have gone before. I can’t wait for my next chance to visit the Three Worlds!” ―N. K. Jemisin, author of The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms
"Breathtakingly surprising and fun. For readers who missed earlier entry points to this delightful series, now is the time to get on board." ―The New York Times on The Edge of Worlds
"That rarity―a completely unique and stunning fantasy world." ―Hugo Award-winning author Elizabeth Bear on The Edge of Worlds
About the Author
Martha Wells is the author of a number of fantasy novels, including The Cloud Roads, The Wizard Hunters, and the Nebula-nominated The Death of the Necromancer. Her short stories have been published in Black Gate, Realms of Fantasy, and Stargate magazine, and in several anthologies. She is also the author of the media tie-in novels Stargate Atlantis: Reliquary and Stargate Atlantis: Entanglement and a Star Wars novel, Empire and Rebellion: Razors Edge.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
All Systems Red
The Murderbot Diaries
By Martha Wells, Lee HarrisTom Doherty Associates
Copyright © 2017 Martha WellsAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-7653-9753-9
CHAPTER 1
I COULD HAVE BECOME a mass murderer after I hacked my governor module, but then I realized I could access the combined feed of entertainment channels carried on the company satellites. It had been well over 35,000 hours or so since then, with still not much murdering, but probably, I don't know, a little under 35,000 hours of movies, serials, books, plays, and music consumed. As a heartless killing machine, I was a terrible failure.
I was also still doing my job, on a new contract, and hoping Dr. Volescu and Dr. Bharadwaj finished their survey soon so we could get back to the habitat and I could watch episode 397 of Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon.
I admit I was distracted. It was a boring contract so far and I was thinking about backburnering the status alert channel and trying to access music on the entertainment feed without HubSystem logging the extra activity. It was trickier to do it in the field than it was in the habitat.
This assessment zone was a barren stretch of coastal island, with low, flat hills rising and falling and thick greenish-black grass up to my ankles, not much in the way of flora or fauna, except a bunch of different-sized birdlike things and some puffy floaty things that were harmless as far as we knew. The coast was dotted with big bare craters, one of which Bharadwaj and Volescu were taking samples in. The planet had a ring, which from our current position dominated the horizon when you looked out to sea. I was looking at the sky and mentally poking at the feed when the bottom of the crater exploded.
I didn't bother to make a verbal emergency call. I sent the visual feed from my field camera to Dr. Mensah's, and jumped down into the crater. As I scrambled down the sandy slope, I could already hear Mensah over the emergency comm channel, yelling at someone to get the hopper in the air now. They were about ten kilos away, working on another part of the island, so there was no way they were going to get here in time to help.
Conflicting commands filled my feed but I didn't pay attention. Even if I hadn't borked my own governor module, the emergency feed took priority, and it was chaotic, too, with the automated HubSystem wanting data and trying to send me data I didn't need yet and Mensah sending me telemetry from the hopper. Which I also didn't need, but it was easier to ignore than HubSystem simultaneously demanding answers and trying to supply them.
In the middle of all that, I hit the bottom of the crater. I have small energy weapons built into both arms, but the one I went for was the big projectile weapon clamped to my back. The hostile that had just exploded up out of the ground had a really big mouth, so I felt I needed a really big gun.
I dragged Bharadwaj out of its mouth and shoved myself in there instead, and discharged my weapon down its throat and then up toward where I hoped the brain would be. I'm not sure if that all happened in that order; I'd have to replay my own field camera feed. All I knew was that I had Bharadwaj, and it didn't, and it had disappeared back down the tunnel.
She was unconscious and bleeding through her suit from massive wounds in her right leg and side. I clamped the weapon back into its harness so I could lift her with both arms. I had lost the armor on my left arm and a lot of the flesh underneath, but my nonorganic parts were still working. Another burst of commands from the governor module came through and I backburnered it without bothering to decode them. Bharadwaj, not having nonorganic parts and not as easily repaired as me, was definitely a priority here and I was mainly interested in what the MedSystem was trying to tell me on the emergency feed. But first I needed to get her out of the crater.
During all this, Volescu was huddled on the churned up rock, losing his shit, not that I was unsympathetic. I was far less vulnerable in this situation than he was and I wasn't exactly having a great time either. I said, "Dr. Volescu, you need to come with me now."
He didn't respond. MedSystem was advising a tranq shot and blah blah blah, but I was clamping one arm on Dr. Bharadwaj's suit to keep her from bleeding out and supporting her head with the other, and despite everything I only have two hands. I told my helmet to retract so he could see my human face. If the hostile came back and bit me again, this would be a bad mistake, because I did need the organic parts of my head. I made my voice firm and warm and gentle, and said, "Dr. Volescu, it's gonna be fine, okay? But you need to get up and come help me get her out of here."
That did it. He shoved to his feet and staggered over to me, still shaking. I turned my good side toward him and said, "Grab my arm, okay? Hold on."
He managed to loop his arm around the crook of my elbow and I started up the crater towing him, holding Bharadwaj against my chest. Her breathing was rough and desperate and I couldn't get any info from her suit. Mine was torn across my chest so I upped the warmth on my body, hoping it would help. The feed was quiet now, Mensah having managed to use her leadership priority to mute everything but MedSystem and the hopper, and all I could hear on the hopper feed was the others frantically shushing each other.
The footing on the side of the crater was lousy, soft sand and loose pebbles, but my legs weren't damaged and I got up to the top with both humans still alive. Volescu tried to collapse and I coaxed him away from the edge a few meters, just in case whatever was down there had a longer reach than it looked.
I didn't want to put Bharadwaj down because something in my abdomen was severely damaged and I wasn't sure I could pick her up again. I ran my field camera back a little and saw I had gotten stabbed with a tooth, or maybe a cilia. Did I mean a cilia or was that something else? They don't give murderbots decent education modules on anything except murdering, and even those are the cheap versions. I was looking it up in HubSystem's language center when the little hopper landed nearby. I let my helmet seal and go opaque as it settled on the grass.
We had two standard hoppers: a big one for emergencies and this little one for getting to the assessment locations. It had three compartments: one big one in the middle for the human crew and two smaller ones to each side for cargo, supplies, and me. Mensah was at the controls. I started walking, slower than I normally would have because I didn't want to lose Volescu. As the ramp started to drop, Pin-Lee and Arada jumped out and I switched to voice comm to say, "Dr. Mensah, I can't let go of her suit."
It took her a second to realize what I meant. She said hurriedly, "That's all right, bring her up into the crew cabin."
Murderbots aren't allowed to ride with the humans and I had to have verbal permission to enter. With my cracked governor there was nothing to stop me, but not letting anybody, especially the people who held my contract, know that I was a free agent was kind of important. Like, not having my organic components destroyed and the rest of me cut up for parts important.
I carried Bharadwaj up the ramp into the cabin, where Overse and Ratthi were frantically unclipping seats to make room. They had their helmets off and their suit hoods pulled back, so I got to see their horrified expressions when they took in what was left of my upper body through my torn suit. I was glad I had sealed my helmet.
This is why I actually like riding with the cargo. Humans and augmented humans in close quarters with murderbots is too awkward. At least, it's awkward for this murderbot. I sat down on the deck with Bharadwaj in my lap while Pin-Lee and Arada dragged Volescu inside.
We left two pacs of field equipment and a couple of instruments behind, still sitting on the grass where Bharadwaj and Volescu had been working before they went down to the crater for samples. Normally I'd help carry them, but MedSystem, which was monitoring Bharadwaj through what was left of her suit, was pretty clear that letting go of her would be a bad idea. But no one mentioned the equipment. Leaving easily replaceable items behind may seem obvious in an emergency, but I had been on contracts where the clients would have told me to put the bleeding human down to go get the stuff.
On this contract, Dr. Ratthi jumped up and said, "I'll get the cases!"
I yelled, "No!" which I'm not supposed to do; I'm always supposed to speak respectfully to the clients, even when they're about to accidentally commit suicide. HubSystem could log it and it could trigger punishment through the governor module. If it wasn't hacked.
Fortunately, the rest of the humans yelled "No!" at the same time, and Pin-Lee added, "For fuck's sake, Ratthi!"
Ratthi said, "Oh, no time, of course. I'm sorry!" and hit the quick-close sequence on the hatch.
So we didn't lose our ramp when the hostile came up under it, big mouth full of teeth or cilia or whatever chewing right through the ground. There was a great view of it on the hopper's cameras, which its system helpfully sent straight to everybody's feed. The humans screamed.
Mensah pushed us up into the air so fast and hard I nearly leaned over, and everybody who wasn't on the floor ended up there.
In the quiet afterward, as they gasped with relief, Pin-Lee said, "Ratthi, if you get yourself killed —"
"You'll be very cross with me, I know." Ratthi slid down the wall a little more and waved weakly at her.
"That's an order, Ratthi, don't get yourself killed," Mensah said from the pilot's seat. She sounded calm, but I have security priority, and I could see her racing heartbeat through MedSystem.
Arada pulled out the emergency medical kit so they could stop the bleeding and try to stabilize Bharadwaj. I tried to be as much like an appliance as possible, clamping the wounds where they told me to, using my failing body temperature to try to keep her warm, and keeping my head down so I couldn't see them staring at me.
* * *
PERFORMANCE RELIABILITY AT 60% AND DROPPING
Our habitat is a pretty standard model, seven interconnected domes set down on a relatively flat plain above a narrow river valley, with our power and recycling system connected on one side. We had an environmental system, but no air locks, as the planet's atmosphere was breathable, just not particularly good for humans for the long term. I don't know why, because it's one of those things I'm not contractually obligated to care about.
We picked the location because it's right in the middle of the assessment area, and while there are trees scattered through the plain, each one is fifteen or so meters tall, very skinny, with a single layer of spreading canopy, so it's hard for anything approaching to use them as cover. Of course, that didn't take into account anything approaching via tunnel.
We have security doors on the habitat for safety but HubSystem told me the main one was already open as the hopper landed. Dr. Gurathin had a lift gurney ready and guided it out to us. Overse and Arada had managed to get Bharadwaj stabilized, so I was able to put her down on it and follow the others into the habitat.
The humans headed for Medical and I stopped to send the little hopper commands to lock and seal itself, then I locked the outer doors. Through the security feed, I told the drones to widen our perimeter so I'd have more warning if something big came at us. I also set some monitors on the seismic sensors to alert me to anomalies just in case the hypothetical something big decided to tunnel in.
After I secured the habitat, I went back to what was called the security ready room, which was where weapons, ammo, perimeter alarms, drones, and all the other supplies pertaining to security were stored, including me. I shed what was left of the armor and on MedSystem's advice sprayed wound sealant all over my bad side. I wasn't dripping with blood, because my arteries and veins seal automatically, but it wasn't nice to look at. And it hurt, though the wound seal did numb it a little. I had already set an eight-hour security interdiction through HubSystem, so nobody could go outside without me, and then set myself as off-duty. I checked the main feed but no one was filing any objections to that.
I was freezing because my temperature controls had given out at some point on the way here, and the protective skin that went under my armor was in pieces. I had a couple of spares but pulling one on right now would not be practical, or easy. The only other clothing I had was a uniform I hadn't worn yet, and I didn't think I could get it on, either. (I hadn't needed the uniform because I hadn't been patrolling inside the habitat. Nobody had asked for that, because with only eight of them and all friends, it would be a stupid waste of resources, namely me.) I dug around one-handed in the storage case until I found the extra human-rated medical kit I'm allowed in case of emergencies, and opened it and got the survival blanket out. I wrapped up in it, then climbed into the plastic bed of my cubicle. I let the door seal as the white light flickered on.
It wasn't much warmer in there, but at least it was cozy. I connected myself to the resupply and repair leads, leaned back against the wall and shivered. MedSystem helpfully informed me that my performance reliability was now at 58 percent and dropping, which was not a surprise. I could definitely repair in eight hours, and probably mostly regrow my damaged organic components, but at 58 percent, I doubted I could get any analysis done in the meantime. So I set all the security feeds to alert me if anything tried to eat the habitat and started to call up the supply of media I'd downloaded from the entertainment feed. I hurt too much to pay attention to anything with a story, but the friendly noise would keep me company.
Then someone knocked on the cubicle door.
I stared at it and lost track of all my neatly arrayed inputs. Like an idiot, I said, "Uh, yes?"
Dr. Mensah opened the door and peered in at me. I'm not good at guessing actual humans' ages, even with all the visual entertainment I watch. People in the shows don't usually look much like people in real life, at least not in the good shows. She had dark brown skin and lighter brown hair, cut very short, and I'm guessing she wasn't young or she wouldn't be in charge. She said, "Are you all right? I saw your status report."
"Uh." That was the point where I realized that I should have just not answered and pretended to be in stasis. I pulled the blanket around my chest, hoping she hadn't seen any of the missing chunks. Without the armor holding me together, it was much worse. "Fine."
So, I'm awkward with actual humans. It's not paranoia about my hacked governor module, and it's not them; it's me. I know I'm a horrifying murderbot, and they know it, and it makes both of us nervous, which makes me even more nervous. Also, if I'm not in the armor then it's because I'm wounded and one of my organic parts may fall off and plop on the floor at any moment and no one wants to see that.
"Fine?" She frowned. "The report said you lost 20 percent of your body mass."
"It'll grow back," I said. I know to an actual human I probably looked like I was dying. My injuries were the equivalent of a human losing a limb or two plus most of their blood volume.
"I know, but still." She eyed me for a long moment, so long I tapped the security feed for the mess, where the non-wounded members of the group were sitting around the table talking. They were discussing the possibility of more underground fauna and wishing they had intoxicants. That seemed pretty normal. She continued, "You were very good with Dr. Volescu. I don't think the others realized ... They were very impressed."
"It's part of the emergency med instructions, calming victims." I tugged the blanket tighter so she didn't see anything awful. I could feel something lower down leaking.
"Yes, but the MedSystem was prioritizing Bharadwaj and didn't check Volescu's vital signs. It didn't take into account the shock of the event, and it expected him to be able to leave the scene on his own."
On the feed it was clear that the others had reviewed Volescu's field camera video. They were saying things like I didn't even know it had a face. I'd been in armor since we arrived, and I hadn't unsealed the helmet when I was around them. There was no specific reason. The only part of me they would have seen was my head, and it's standard, generic human. But they didn't want to talk to me and I definitely didn't want to talk to them; on duty it would distract me and off duty ... I didn't want to talk to them. Mensah had seen me when she signed the rental contract. But she had barely looked at me and I had barely looked at her because again, murderbot + actual human = awkwardness. Keeping the armor on all the time cuts down on unnecessary interaction.
I said, "It's part of my job, not to listen to the System feeds when they ... make mistakes." That's why you need constructs, SecUnits with organic components. But she should know that. Before she accepted delivery of me, she had logged about ten protests, trying to get out of having to have me. I didn't hold it against her. I wouldn't have wanted me either.
(Continues...)Excerpted from All Systems Red by Martha Wells, Lee Harris. Copyright © 2017 Martha Wells. Excerpted by permission of Tom Doherty Associates.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Product details
- ASIN : B01MYZ8X5C
- Publisher : Tordotcom (May 2, 2017)
- Publication date : May 2, 2017
- Language : English
- File size : 2131 KB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Sticky notes : On Kindle Scribe
- Print length : 156 pages
- Page numbers source ISBN : 0765397536
- Best Sellers Rank: #1,654 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
Martha Wells has been an SF/F writer since her first fantasy novel was published in 1993, and her work includes The Books of the Raksura series, The Death of the Necromancer, the Fall of Ile-Rien trilogy, The Murderbot Diaries series, media tie-in fiction for Star Wars, Stargate: Atlantis, and Magic: the Gathering, as well as short fiction, YA novels, and non-fiction. She has won Nebula Awards, Hugo Awards, and Locus Awards, and her work has appeared on the Philip K. Dick Award ballot, the BSFA Award ballot, the USA Today Bestseller List, and the New York Times Bestseller List. Her books have been published in twenty-two languages.
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To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the pacing amazing and fast. They also find the characters compelling and the humor witty. Readers describe the writing style as well-written, emotional, and unusual. They find the book very entertaining and sweet. Customers also describe the plot as engaging, punchy, and unique. However, some customers feel the price is not worth the cost of a full length novel. Opinions differ on the length, with some finding it the perfect length and tight, while others say it's too short and shallow.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the plot engaging, interesting, and full of action. They also say the book is a wonderful space story about a group of people sent to find out if a planet is habitable. Readers also mention that the book does not have ambitions of space operas. They say it's short, punchy, and heartfelt.
"...After the four novellas, there is an extremely brief short story that you can find online for free (titled "Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory")..." Read more
"...It’s a nice little book. It does not have ambitions of space operas as of Baxter’s, Clarke’s and many others...." Read more
"...The story is efficiently written and keeps moving, with enough detail that you feel like it’s happening in a developed setting without getting..." Read more
"...There are some exciting action scenes, some fulfilling violence, a lot of intrigue, and some more or less complex plot turns...." Read more
Customers find the pacing of the book well-paced, with strong characters. They also say it's a quick, enjoyable read with an interesting narrator.
"...It makes a nice bridge to the novel which follows, too...." Read more
"...It’s a nice little book. It does not have ambitions of space operas as of Baxter’s, Clarke’s and many others...." Read more
"...Highly enjoyable and recommended read...." Read more
"**spoilers**I thought the book was okay. Being a novella, it was face paced which I enjoyed. I thought the last 15 pages were rushed though...." Read more
Customers find the book really fun and action packed. They also say it's short and sweet, just the way they like novellas.
"...It's fun to get a different perspective on things, and it offers some lovely background characterization of one of the most important secondary..." Read more
"...Seriously, this is a sci-fi story you should check out. It’s fun, unique, quirky, and a pure joy to read...." Read more
"Fun read. Kicks off a series and was more entertaining than I originally expected...." Read more
"...A fun, action-oriented read!" Read more
Customers find the characters compelling.
"...It may honestly be the most relatable character in fiction I've ever met...." Read more
"...It’s not a complex story but characters are decently developed, plot is consistent. It’s a nice little book...." Read more
"I enjoyed the character, story and world. My main gripe is the length for the price...." Read more
"...Murderbot is an incredibly interesting character. It handles horrible situations easily and personal interactions difficultly...." Read more
Customers find the writing style very well written, with excellent everything. They also say the characters are strong and the dialogue is great. They say the future is well imagined and clearly drawn. Readers also find the concept interesting and well executed. They mention the story is engaging, emotional, and all too familiar.
"This is a fast-paced novella that you can read in one sitting. Or in a week, if you’re busy...." Read more
"This book was fun.The narrator has an entertaining voice and has room for growth, which is good since this is the first book in a series...." Read more
"...I find the writing to be effective and dynamic. The language is compact, energetic, very vivid and alive...." Read more
"...That’s where this one shines. All Systems Red stands out...." Read more
Customers find the humor in the book witty, fun, and cynical. They also appreciate the sentient robot and slash ciborg.
"...As to the writing itself, it alternates between engrossing, hilarious, heart-rending, and painfully accurate...." Read more
"...The language is compact, energetic, very vivid and alive. Some sentences are funny gems, and then occasionally, a passage or two will come off as..." Read more
"...more clear in saying that as long as you are aware of that fact, this book is funny, entertaining, and quick to read...." Read more
"I just loved the story. It was so good. Murderbot was really funny about pretty dark things. Can't wait to read the next one" Read more
Customers are mixed about the length of the book. Some find it short, sweet, and to the point, while others say it's a bit short and the ending feels slightly rushed.
"...Books one through four are a series of novellas, not regular length books...." Read more
"...and while I'm generally a fan of longer fiction their length is absolutely perfect...." Read more
"...Felt pretty short and I didn’t care about the plot that much" Read more
"...I find the writing to be effective and dynamic. The language is compact, energetic, very vivid and alive...." Read more
Customers find the price of the book not worth the cost of a full length novel. They also say the book is a blatant cash grab, and the novella-length stories are annoying marketing ploy.
"...They are expensive for their length. Four of these books make up one full length novel.2) Do not read as Science fiction...." Read more
"I enjoyed the character, story and world. My main gripe is the length for the price...." Read more
"...enjoyed this book and would love to continue the series but for the high price." Read more
"...It is extremely lazy, though, preferring to watch soap operas to reading mission briefings...." Read more
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(I've gifted copies of the first volume to five different people so far, and the only reason I haven't given it to more is because I'm just not that sociable as to be regularly exchanging gifts with all that many folks.)
For those of you unfamiliar with the Murderbot Diaries (which I assume is most if not all of the people reading this, as that's generally the point of perusing book reviews) let me curtail the aimless gushing and focus on some specifics: the first four books in the series (this one included) are short novellas, and while I'm generally a fan of longer fiction their length is absolutely perfect. They're all self-contained adventures, but they build together into a longer connected storyline -- sort of like the episodes within a television season. You can read and enjoy each one on its own merits, but you'll probably find yourself wanting to do them all in proper order so you can get the full experience of Murderbot's life. (Yes, the main character is named Murderbot. It chose the name itself, and while the first volume gives you enough information to understand why you will learn more of the story behind that name, and its emotional weight, as the series goes on.)
After the four novellas, there is an extremely brief short story that you can find online for free (titled "Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory") and while a number of people have complained about it, I honestly thought it was a great interlude. And given that it's free and will probably take you less than twenty minutes to read, I don't see why there's any reason to skip it. It's fun to get a different perspective on things, and it offers some lovely background characterization of one of the most important secondary characters in the series. It makes a nice bridge to the novel which follows, too.
The novel reads a lot like the shorter adventures, especially at the start, and in a way it just feels like it's longer because there are more events taking place so it takes more words to tell what happened, rather than that the author set out to specifically "write a novel" as opposed to a novella -- which is nice, because the tone and style and everything remain beautifully consistent throughout the whole series -- but at the same time, the fact that it DOES spend more time on one plot and one group of characters means there is a chance to get a little more in-depth with various things and people, and that's nice too. Some stories/series are more suited to one type of writing or another, but I feel like with the Murderbot Diaries there is no wrong length. Whether you're sitting down for ten minutes or ten hours, you're going to get the same delightfully enjoyable experience out of these books.
As to the writing itself, it alternates between engrossing, hilarious, heart-rending, and painfully accurate. You're going to identity with and relate to Murderbot so much that you'll find yourself (at least, if you're anything like me you will) also thinking of humans as an "other" during the course of your reading, as you mentally (or out-loud; no judgement if you're one of those people who exclaims aloud as you read; I rarely do, but this seems like an appropriate book series for that sort of behavior) shout at them to not do stupid things and just listen to their SecUnit, please!
It's very much a found-family story, albeit a slow-build one, and despite the occasional body-count (really a rather small number, given that the series is about a character named Murderbot) it's ultimately a story of good people and happy endings. Murderbot will sometimes punch you straight in the heart with an emotional moment or observation, but it's the good sort of pain that only the best stories cause. I love these books more than I can fairly describe, and I hope you'll give them a chance because I think you'll love them too.
P.S. for anyone concerned, there is surprisingly little gore for how much violence is inherent in the life of a Murderbot. A fair amount of swearing, yes, and the occasional (usually annoyed, sometimes disgusted, always disinterested) reference to the existence of sex as a human activity that exists, but there are no lengthy passages expounding in great detail upon the injuries or deaths that take place throughout the series. I suppose some people might find the no-nonsense way Murderbot presents such things disquieting, but I don't think even squeamish people are likely to be too upset.
The only trigger-warning I can think to give is to caution people that there are definitely parallels/references to abuse in Murderbot's past and the emotional kick of those might be unpleasantly familiar to abuse survivors. YMMV of course, but I expect that the way current characters deal with Murderbot and its trauma likely makes for a more positive and supportive process than a triggering one, but if that is something to which you think you may be sensitive, please do brace yourself ahead of time.
The story is about a cyborg that acts as a bodyguard to scientists exploring a planet, in a distant future. It’s not a complex story but characters are decently developed, plot is consistent. It’s a nice little book. It does not have ambitions of space operas as of Baxter’s, Clarke’s and many others. It’s basically an adventure book on a sci-fi setting.
I am still thinking about reading other books from Well’s Murderbot series.
The narrator has an entertaining voice and has room for growth, which is good since this is the first book in a series. The story is efficiently written and keeps moving, with enough detail that you feel like it’s happening in a developed setting without getting bogged down in excessive detail.
I liked it a lot and will read the next one.
TL; DR:
These are fun books to read. The writing is wry, witty, and effective.
The only objections to the Murderbot Diaries I can think of, are:
1) They are expensive for their length. Four of these books make up one full length novel.
2) Do not read as Science fiction. These books are more in the "Fantasy Adventure" genre.
More (no spoilers):
They are fun. Read them as comedy based on human nature (and frequently folly), and try to enjoy the occasional, sometimes almost philosophical, musings that arise from the fact that the protagonist is a security robot (SecBot), made from both organic and non-organic parts, living in and interacting with human society, "sort of" like a human.
Its job and single purpose is to protect "its humans" (clients) from all threats (including other humans) in hostile environments.
As the title of the series suggests, the stories are told by the protagonist SecBot. For some reason, I tend to think of the secbot as male, but I guess it really is - well, er, an "it".
It is wary of humans, doesn't really "like" or "dislike" humans, but is not comfortable looking a person in the eye, or even standing close to one.
It is easily bored, and often will resort to watching "Media feeds" on a compulsive level.
It is constantly going through some sort of identity crisis. It finds itself wanting to help humans out when they make "stupid decisions made on the basis of bad information", while at the same time trying hard not to care what its humans / clients are up to at any given moment.
There are some exciting action scenes, some fulfilling violence, a lot of intrigue, and some more or less complex plot turns. I've seen these books labelled as "Science Fiction". As such, the "Science" bit is not particularly impressive. It is superficially described as very distant future tech and serves mostly as an enabler for the robot concepts. I read this series as a funny, although sometimes thoughtful, fantasy/adventure action-comedy epic, and I believe that is what it's meant to be. Story wise, the series is not a very challenging read. Which is fine, really. It's not "Solaris", nor does it pretend to be.
I find the writing to be effective and dynamic. The language is compact, energetic, very vivid and alive. Some sentences are funny gems, and then occasionally, a passage or two will come off as understated and profound.
Highly enjoyable and recommended read. I had to choose between 4 and 5, and for me it's closer to 5, even if the books are somewhat expensive and short.
I thought the book was okay. Being a novella, it was face paced which I enjoyed. I thought the last 15 pages were rushed though. The fight scene happened so abruptly and we never find out who those invaders were. Wasnt even asked as a cliffhanger question.
Top reviews from other countries
an often funny series, sometimes poignant and on point, but it is not great literature or exceptionally crafted sci-fi and doesn’t pretend to be.
The series is not about the science. It is about Murderbot, the misfit construct just trying to find his place in the universe. Other than the price, which is high for novellas, the series is well worth checking out at your local library, borrowing from a friend, finding or searching for on sale or used copies. I did buy all of the audiobooks even though they are a little pricey, but for me they also turned outto be my new go to relaxing sleep book.
One of the most compelling aspects is Wells' masterful writing style. The narrative is tight and well-paced, ensuring that every page is filled with tension, humor, and heart. This is a book that you can easily devour in a single day. In an era where entertainment options are abundant and attention spans are short, crafting a narrative that holds a reader's interest is no small feat. Wells succeeds brilliantly, making All Systems Red a perfect study for aspiring writers. It showcases how to maintain suspense and engagement throughout a story, offering valuable lessons on pacing, character development, and plot structure.
In addition, All Systems Red is being adapted into a television series.