All Systems Red (Kindle Single): The Murderbot Diaries

All Systems Red is a novella written by Martha Wells, the first in her Murderbot Diaries series.

The titular Murderbot is a sentient robot-human hybrid, a slave to a mega corporation, tasked with protecting the humans it's told to protect.

Unbeknownst to anyone, Murderbot has hacked its governor module, granting it the ability to refuse any orders given by its corporate overlords.

Once again, Murderbot finds itself protecting humans, prospectors surveying a planet, when things start going wrong.

Hijinks ensue.

What impressed me most with All Systems Red was how Martha Wells was able to make Murderbot so believable and so easy to emphasize with.

Firstly, here's a quote:

"""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 us both nervous, which makes me even more nervous."""

I don't know about you but I'm not a horrifying murderbot. I am autistic though and if you replace "horrifying murderbot" with "autist" in the quote above, that's a pretty accurate description of what it feels like at times.

Murderbot's struggle with social anxiety throughout the novella was depicted very well and it really resonated with me.

Secondly, in a sense, we're all Murderbot.

Decided to reread Murderbot diaries due to finding the @murderbotbot@botsin.space account. I've really missed good dark humor.

Immediately off to buy the rest of the series. This is one of my personal favorite style of story, and Martha Wells does a brilliant job of it.

Sensible, rational sci-fi and a perspective that speaks to me. Top marks all around, and more please!

It's good fun. Was a bit shorter than I expected so the ending felt a bit abrupt (reading it as part of a Tor ebook collection so couldn't see how long was left). Murderbot's an interesting character, and the story from their point of view is interesting, especially when there are so many hours of Sanctuary Moon left to be watched. The problem of that perspective is it makes it hard to distinguish the other characters from each other, but overall it's an enjoyable read.

it's just like me fr

Murderbot is the grumpy, reclusive, crunchy outer shell with a golden marshmallow heart MC I've always dreamed of.

Violence: yes Sexual Scenes: no

From the plot alone, this novella would be a bit of perhaps cliche science fiction. What makes it both unique and compelling is that the story being told from the perspective of the "Murderbot" (hence The Murderbot Diaries), a cyborg generally treated by society as a piece of equipment.

Martha Wells's writing does a good job of showing Murderbot's personality, its particular anxieties, its relationships towards humans, and general attitudes towards life. Even if the plot is cliche, Murderbot as a character is the opposite.

3.5 !
oh I did enjoy this book, it was funny and relatable and just charming but! i was seriously gonna give it 4 stars if it weren't for the fact that action never really happens? things get solved way too easily and misteriously and the enemy's goal was never cleared up AT ALL which was a bit too ridiculous to me.

anyway, 3.5 because it was a really fun read, it reminded me how much i enjoy science fiction as a whole, and i liked murderbot (who wouldn't, really).

Very cute and awww and generally great. I'll definitely be reading the rest of the series.

Violence: Yes Sexual scenes: No

Was shorter than I expected. But I enjoyed the concept very much. Looking forward to the rest.

Bit of a quick read, but not going to complain. Personally I liked the storyline, the humour of the murderbot too.

I may or may not be (read : I am currently) throwing money at the other books right now.