Rogue Protocol: The Murderbot Diaries

Note: I have read all 4 currently installments of this series. The review is not particular to any one book in the series. 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.

This review is similar to my earlier review for the first book in the series, so I'll just repeat it since the same comments apply: I have no complaints about the audiobook adaptations of Martha Wells' "Murderbot" series, and found the voice performance to be excellent, lending Murderbot a unique but relatable voice even as he keeps announcing how much he dislikes humans, finds them annoying, and wishes they'd just leave him alone to view his media. My chief critique has to do with value-for-money, in that these are novella-length stories usually sold at a premium cost, which I'm not crazy about. The earliest stories strike me more as a single big novel chopped into small pieces, each of which is self-contained but still not complete stories in and of themselves as they clearly connect to the others in an obvious chronological sequence.

I -adored- the first Murderbot Diaries, and loved it as a stand-alone story. Of course, I was delighted that Tor.com wanted to continue the story with three more novellas. In some ways, this is a much tighter story than the first two -- there's a single, high-intensity action narrative that picks up shortly after a scene-setting intro. It's a wonderful and creepy locale (abandoned space station!) with a relatively small cast, but the interesting bit for the reader is how much Murderbot has changed while it adamantly denies having changed. I'm trying to think of a less HR-inflected way to say this, but it has to own its own agency in this story. It's not pretending to be simply a tool, or an augmented human, but an actual independent entity. There's a lot of compare-and-contrast with a new character, Miki, a human-form bot who isn't a brilliant and scary shipmind like ART (previous story) or one of the many functional bots that form the background (and many of the acquaintances) of Murderbot and its story, but just a very sweet, innocent (but not stupid) individual. Murderbot trying desperately not to deal with the emotional impact of seeing how its existence might have been if humans had been kinder manages to be heartbreaking and hilarious ("..I would be withdrawing for one minute. I needed to have an emotion in private."). Murderbot is sulky, stubborn, and slowly coming around to the realization that it is actually pretty good at protecting humans, and it is far more invested in the welfare of its Preservation Aux team (from "All Systems Red") than it wanted to admit. It's also got a serious grudge against the villains from that story, which it is much more comfortable admitting. All of which is a rambling way of saying this novella is a blast; it's a fun, fast paced story with a terrific main character. There are a lot of cleverly placed bits of foreshadowing that showed up on the re-read, but the emotional punch is pretty solid. Looking forward to the next one!

Just read it you won’t regret it. Fun fast and so enjoyable. I can’t wait for the next one. Awesome

This is another fun sci-fi novella in the Murderbot Diaries series. It’s the third installment and is best enjoyed when read in order. The rogue SecUnit, now going by the assumed name Rin, once again gets caught up in human problems aboard a transport unit while on a personal quest for information. To stay under the radar, it poses as a sanctioned security unit, but unfortunately ends up working pro bono to keep the humans alive. This is a fun, episodic entry in the series. The story is action-packed and even features another bot friend named Miki. I’m looking forward to whatever trouble Murderbot gets into next on its personal journey. Spice: 0/5 Plot:4.5/5 Writing: 4.5/5 My Enjoyment: 4/5

Actual rating 4.5 stars. Another all-consuming instalment in the Murderbot Diaries. I love how Murderbot is still growing – questioning his own motivations and analysing how others treat him and Miki (a human shape bot that ends up being his sidekick) on this mission to uncover evidence against GrayCris. There is action galore and I did not want to put the book down. I did feel like it ended a little abruptly and there are some issues raised that are going to have to be addressed in the next instalments, though I wish there would have at least been some acknowledgement at the end of ‘Rogue Protocol...’ Murderbot seemed to be a bit all over the place emotionally, and his processing power is stretched to its limits, so it really did seem like we were missing bits. I think that’s why this is my lowest ranked book in the series so far. I loved the human interactions with a new group on this mission, though there was less of an emotional bond on the surface as there was in previous books. Murderbot seemed to take a backward step as he switched back into the SecUnit role, rather than that of Consultant. Miki was a great contrast for Murderbot, and provided the reader, and Murderbot, with a nifty lens to show a path that is open, an identity that can be crafted, oh the possibilities. But we only get fleeting glimpses of it because Murderbot stays on task and moves on once the mission is complete. I like that these novellas are fairly unpredictable in the sense that you never know what wrench is going to be thrown into the storyline, but predictable enough in that it is episodic by nature. I’m still really excited to pick up the next book in the series, but am trying to pace myself out because I am so thoroughly enjoying the Murderbot Diaries. Martha Wells knows how to craft a story, set a cracking pace, and possesses an ironic tone in her writing style that is endearing and engaging. Still highly recommending this series. Next up: 'Exit Strategy.'

This series is so much fun. Murderbot is an artificial intelligence, its vast computational power still not enough to understand the endless puzzle of human emotions and interactions. It has managed to hack its own internal controls, thereby becoming a free agent. Breaking free of its lifelong constraints isn't enough to overcome its need to save its "clients" from their own stupidity - even if it has to put itself in harm's way to do so. Many fast paced action scenes ensue. The plot of each novella is brilliantly constructed, and the mystery running through the entire series is thoroughly engaging. The writing is drum-tight, and the mixture of sarcasm and humour that permeates the books is perfectly balanced against the action. Murderbot is one of the most likeable and unique characters in science fiction. Martha Wells is a master writer and this series just proves her genius.

great stories but should have been released in one book, not multiples at inflated prices

Muito bem escrito, muito dinamico e envolvente.

What are the things that we expect from an adventure featuring our beloved murderbot? Sarcasm— check. Speed— check. Action— check. Suspense— check. Betrayal— check. Sacrifice— check. Revelations— check. Obviously it met my expectations. I would be a GrayCris guy to give it anything less than full. Highly recommended, goes without saying.