This book has been reviewed so many times! Everyone loves it! And I liked it. I’m glad I read it. It didn’t change my life, but it is a well-crafted and fresh novella, easy to read, with great worldbuilding and endearing characters, especially for a novella.
Our narrator, the Murderbot, is a sarcastic, socially awkward robot. Murderbot has hacked the software that controls its actions — space robot gone rogue! Well, kinda – but this Murderbot just wants to watch videos and avoid people, mostly. But it (gender is not a thing for this robot) is forced to act when potentially deadly “accidents” start happening. It gradually becomes clear that Murderbot is the only one who can save the group.
The pace and style is funny, breezy, but well-crafted. The pacing is smart and even. It deals with the issues of free will, autonomy, humanity (or not, as the case may be), and AI with a light touch and a sense of humor: a sci fi skeleton with a warm fuzzy body. Because it’s so short and enjoyable to read, I’ll probably pick up the next one when I need a palate cleanser.
I am delighted that you enjoyed it. I think you will like Artificial Condition too, when you get to it. The danger of a new book taking a group of readers by storm is that later readers come along and aren’t blown away because they’ve already heard so many rave reviews.