Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Wrapping Up the Murderbot Novellas

Artificial Condition by Martha Wells

Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells

Exit Strategy by Martha Wells

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I read Artificial Condition earlier in the year, but finally read the final two novellas in the last month.  Given that, I figured it might be easiest to combine my reviews of the three novellas. Spoilers, naturally. When All Systems Red ended, Murderbot had decided to strike on its own, and find answers.  Artifical Condition follows Murderbot as it goes back to the system and planet where it became the titular Murderbot.  Murderbot has wondered for a long time what happened and what made it […]

I was having an emotion, and I hate that

Artificial Condition by Martha Wells

Exit Strategy by Martha Wells

Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells

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I probably don’t love these as much as a lot of people do, but I do like them. And I think the treatment of AI and non-human emotions, non-human relationships are very interesting. I think that my biggest complaint is simply that the world in which we inhabit is not spelled out enough for me to really connect with the story. I like the character of SecUnit, Rin, Murderbot or whatever you want to call our narrator. I think the voice here is really funny […]

Muderbot and I Share So Much

Artificial Condition by Martha Wells

Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells

Exit Strategy by Martha Wells

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Late last year I read Martha Wells’ All Systems Red the first book in her Hugo, Nebula, Alex, and Locus Award-winning, and bestselling series, The Murderbot Diaries. The series features a human-like android who keeps getting sucked back into one adventure after another, even though it just wants to be left alone, away from humanity and small talk. Its perfect day is holed up somewhere dark and quiet with its entertainment feed. I can relate. I travel the last two weeks of the year to […]

This series is so great, I can’t recommend it enough.

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And the final Murderbot adventure is over. Well, not final, I guess, since there is going to be a Murderbot novel in 2020 (hooray!), but final FOR NOW. The initial arc of Murderbot becoming a person has concluded. We come full circle in Exit Strategy, with Murderbot traveling back to rescue Dr. Mensah, and teaming up with the initial group of humans from All Systems Red. Murderbot’s irrational grudge against Gurathin continues to give me life: “I don’t want to be a pet robot.” “I […]

Humans Are Bad at Security/Did They Think I was Human?

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CBR10 Bingo – Exist Strategy, This is the End I fell in love with Murderbot in the very first paragraph of All Systems Red. I loved the first two novellas without reservation. The third novella, Rogue Protocol, was more of a challenge, and then Exit Strategy wrapped the series up nicely and left room for more Murderbot. I would really like more Murderbot. Perhaps some Murderbot and ART adventures. Murderbot and I both had a harder time with Rogue Protocol because of the human form robot Miki. Miki is the Barney […]



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