The first two novellas in the New York Times bestselling Murderbot series, collected in paperback for the first time!
\”As a heartless killing machine, I was a complete failure.\”
First, read the story that started the Murderbot phenomenon in All Systems Red!
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 (and to watch its favorite show in its downtime.)
But when a neighboring mission goes dark, it’s up to the scientists and Murderbot to get to the truth.
Then, In Artificial Condition Murderbot teams up with a Research Transport vessel named ART (you don’t want to know what the \”A\” stands for), and together, they infiltrate the mining facility where Murderbot went rogue to try to understand its past.
What it discovers will forever change the way it thinks.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 320
Imprint: Tor Books US
Publication date: 17/02/2025
Series: Murderbot Diaries v1
All Systems Red
By Martha Wells
Review by Alethea
Murderbot is a delightful character whose greatest desire is to be left alone to consume entertainment media all day. Unfortunately, its job as a Security Unit, even with the bare minimum effort invested, gets in the way of this goal as it is required to provide security for its human clients on an increasingly hostile planet. On top of this, as if having to do its job isn't bad enough, it has to suffer through the horror of its human clients insisting on treating it is as a person and asking it to talk about its feelings. In the face of this, unknown and almost certain mortal danger is significantly preferable.
All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries)
By Martha Wells
Review by Mida
The Murderbot Diaries follows a Security Unit (or ‘SecUnit’) who, after hacking and disabling its governor module, renames itself Murderbot (it’s not as bad as it sounds) and just wants to sit inside and watch TV all day. Unfortunately for Murderbot, if the company that owns it finds out, it’ll be destroyed. What follows is a delightful mix of drama, space odyssey and excellent pew-pew violence as Murderbot reluctantly protects its useless human clients from a universe that really wants to kill them.
I love Murderbot’s resigned affection for the humans that it protects while being completely indignant that said humans JUST DON’T LISTEN. The internal monologue as Murderbot gets dragged through the narrative when it would rather just be watching its silly TV shows is just delightful – and at times, eerily relateable – and I love the political and philosophical undertones that creep in through the background. Refugee narratives, discussions on bodily autonomy and questions as to whether capitalism is really all that great (the answer is ‘ehhh, probably not!’) are posited as we view this futuristic space-faring society through Murderbot’s eyes. Come for the space gunfights, stay for the angsty robot and its wholesome found family.
This series is unlike anything I have ever read. Each book is small but mighty and packs a surprising narrative punch. Perfect for fans of John Scalzi, Andy Weir or Becky Chambers.
