All Systems Red: The Murderbot Diaries

This book series got me through the latter half of 2020 (specifically the period of the American election and its fallout) which is no mean feat. I read them repeatedly, over and over again, so many times that I genuinely could not even venture a guess as to how many times I've read the whole series through anymore. I still pull them out in between the other things I'm reading. I adore Murderbot and its adventures. It may honestly be the most relatable character in fiction I've ever met. My single solitary complaint about the entire series is that there isn't more of it and I already have the next part on pre-order, which I await with baited breath. (I've gifted copies of the first volume to five different people so far, and the only reason I haven't given it to more is because I'm just not that sociable as to be regularly exchanging gifts with all that many folks.) For those of you unfamiliar with the Murderbot Diaries (which I assume is most if not all of the people reading this, as that's generally the point of perusing book reviews) let me curtail the aimless gushing and focus on some specifics: the first four books in the series (this one included) are short novellas, and while I'm generally a fan of longer fiction their length is absolutely perfect. They're all self-contained adventures, but they build together into a longer connected storyline -- sort of like the episodes within a television season. You can read and enjoy each one on its own merits, but you'll probably find yourself wanting to do them all in proper order so you can get the full experience of Murderbot's life. (Yes, the main character is named Murderbot. It chose the name itself, and while the first volume gives you enough information to understand why you will learn more of the story behind that name, and its emotional weight, as the series goes on.) After the four novellas, there is an extremely brief short story that you can find online for free (titled "Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory") and while a number of people have complained about it, I honestly thought it was a great interlude. And given that it's free and will probably take you less than twenty minutes to read, I don't see why there's any reason to skip it. It's fun to get a different perspective on things, and it offers some lovely background characterization of one of the most important secondary characters in the series. It makes a nice bridge to the novel which follows, too. The novel reads a lot like the shorter adventures, especially at the start, and in a way it just feels like it's longer because there are more events taking place so it takes more words to tell what happened, rather than that the author set out to specifically "write a novel" as opposed to a novella -- which is nice, because the tone and style and everything remain beautifully consistent throughout the whole series -- but at the same time, the fact that it DOES spend more time on one plot and one group of characters means there is a chance to get a little more in-depth with various things and people, and that's nice too. Some stories/series are more suited to one type of writing or another, but I feel like with the Murderbot Diaries there is no wrong length. Whether you're sitting down for ten minutes or ten hours, you're going to get the same delightfully enjoyable experience out of these books. As to the writing itself, it alternates between engrossing, hilarious, heart-rending, and painfully accurate. You're going to identity with and relate to Murderbot so much that you'll find yourself (at least, if you're anything like me you will) also thinking of humans as an "other" during the course of your reading, as you mentally (or out-loud; no judgement if you're one of those people who exclaims aloud as you read; I rarely do, but this seems like an appropriate book series for that sort of behavior) shout at them to not do stupid things and just listen to their SecUnit, please! It's very much a found-family story, albeit a slow-build one, and despite the occasional body-count (really a rather small number, given that the series is about a character named Murderbot) it's ultimately a story of good people and happy endings. Murderbot will sometimes punch you straight in the heart with an emotional moment or observation, but it's the good sort of pain that only the best stories cause. I love these books more than I can fairly describe, and I hope you'll give them a chance because I think you'll love them too. P.S. for anyone concerned, there is surprisingly little gore for how much violence is inherent in the life of a Murderbot. A fair amount of swearing, yes, and the occasional (usually annoyed, sometimes disgusted, always disinterested) reference to the existence of sex as a human activity that exists, but there are no lengthy passages expounding in great detail upon the injuries or deaths that take place throughout the series. I suppose some people might find the no-nonsense way Murderbot presents such things disquieting, but I don't think even squeamish people are likely to be too upset. The only trigger-warning I can think to give is to caution people that there are definitely parallels/references to abuse in Murderbot's past and the emotional kick of those might be unpleasantly familiar to abuse survivors. YMMV of course, but I expect that the way current characters deal with Murderbot and its trauma likely makes for a more positive and supportive process than a triggering one, but if that is something to which you think you may be sensitive, please do brace yourself ahead of time.

It’s rare to come across science fiction that has the perfect balance of humor to seriousness ratio. The story has the sort of dry humor that is funny without trying to be, just the way I like/prefer it. The laughs are natural and unforced while being unobtrusive to comprehending the norms of the story. On that note, it could do with a great deal of descriptions. Perhaps I missed it but the hoppers, a common vehicle in the story, aren’t exactly described. I could be wrong or maybe it was rapidly glanced over, but it made picturing the interiors and scenes pretty difficult. This was a common theme in the writing and the core reason I deducted a star. Other than lacking essential and comprehensive descriptions of character appearances, environments, vehicles, and other things that enable visualizing science fiction, the story itself is quite good. You easily get drawn in, wanting to know what will happen next. The action to calm and contemplative ratio is absolutely stellar, with it seamlessly bouncing between the two states. The lore is fascinating and just on the edge of unique to not be overdone for the “hey I’m sentient now Mr robot” trope to not get old. MurderBot is an interesting character, a bit sarcastic and pessimistic (okay maybe not a bit), and it’s fun seeing the world through its eyes. Maybe this is why scenery and interiors aren’t described because it’s a very personal, first person presentation of events and experiences. Presumably, the bot would be fully comfortable with the setting, this world being all it knows. I’m glad that there are so many more of these ahead of me. I finished it over the course of two days and it was a simple joy and pleasure to read. Perhaps it didn’t give me as much philosophical pause as other works (I’m sure it will as I continue through the series, the world is fertile for it), but it’s okay for writing to just be sheer fun as well. And this is certainly that.

Novellas can be a tricky thing. They’re not full length books, but they can sometimes still demand the same price. All Systems Red comes in at just 150 pages, so it’s a quick read, but despite the length of the book, the true importance is the impact of the story. That’s where this one shines. All Systems Red stands out. The style and narrative of the story, the voice of the main character, it grips you right from the start and compels you to keep going. There’s humor, there’s action and there’s mystery as this sci-fi tale pokes it’s head into the waters of a very interesting universe. It’s one where hi-tech gadgets are curbed by businesses cutting corners to save costs. A place where planetary explorers get in over the heads with vicious lifeforms and deadly technology. But most of all, it’s a story about a murderbot who just wants to watch tv. “I could have become a mass murderer after I hacked my governor module, but then I realized I could access the combined feed of entertainment channels carried on the company satellites. It had been well over 35,000 hours or so since then, with still not much murdering, but probably, I don’t know, a little under 35,000 hours of movies, serials, books, plays and music consumed. As a heartless killing machine, I was a terrible failure.” And so the book begins with the main character. A robot. A murderbot. Murderbot doesn’t have a name. It’s official designation is simply SecUnit, short for security unit, and it’s tasked with the security of a scientific team on a far off planet. Murderbot is just one cog in the wheel of futuristic commerce. Corporations sell out shares of prospect worlds to parties interested, who in turn rent or buy all the equipment needed to explore that world, which includes security units like Murderbot. Part machine and part cloned human, Murderbot has no gender and, theoretically, no freedom. However, thanks to a hacked governor module, Muderbot has quite a lot of freedom. In most stories, that freedom would lead to a robot killing its masters to seek its freedom. In this story, Murderbot ends up travelling a very different path, which is what makes it fun. Now I don’t want to spoil the story, so suffice to say Murderbot goes on an adventure on this alien world with a team of scientists and it leads to plenty of action and mystery. Yet the key that glues it all together is the humor. Murderbot’s peculiar personality leads to some very fun quirks that makes the story so enjoyable. Murderbot knows it’s a piece of junk made by a corporation using the cheapest parts to maximize profits. This in turns leads to some self-deprecating humor. On the other hand, you have this extremely advanced machine in comparison to what we actually have in reality. Murderbot has a true artificial intelligence and is capable of making its own decisions and having its own wants and desires. So what does an AI do? It watches tv. That right there is hilarious. While novellas can be a hard sell, All Systems Red is a must read story. Seriously, this is a sci-fi story you should check out. It’s fun, unique, quirky, and a pure joy to read. This story in itself is rather self-contained, however there is another book on the way. Hopefully we’ll see even more as I absolutely loved this one. I give All Systems Red a five out of five.

I had seen the TV show but it was good to read the book and experience it again. This book is very well written and the characters are very engaging.

[from Goodreads - spoiler alert] This won the Nebula - but not the Hugo which means - or may mean - that writers like it but not us - or not necessarily us - laymen. So I was pleasantly surprised to find this a real page turner with an interesting narrator and a good story. IMHU are Imitative Human Bot Units. Not a name that trips off the tongue even as acronym. What it means is a cyborg. "Partially constructed from cloned material ... designed to work with both organic and machine parts, to balance ...sensory input." Murderbot is a complex character - well, not that complex. He has a wry sense of humor and finds irony in most situations. But he has a past. This is the first of four parts and we do not learn if he discovers all - or most - of it. Here the reader discovers a bit about what he has done previously in his "life". And why he calls himself Murderbot. As a company owned security cyborg (IMHU) Murderbot feels most comfortable in his armor, complete with faceplate shielding . When the shield is down his face shows emotions quite transparently, apparently. Being almost pathologically shy about this he dislikes removing his armour - in fact he dislikes interacting with humans unless it's job related. A sympathetic touch! Otherwise, Murderbot is his own "man". He has hacked his governor module - not a spoiler as this is revealed in the first sentence in the book. But, he adds, "As a heartless killing machine, I was a terrible failure". In fact he is quite the contrary. Thanks to his hacked governor he is better able to protect his humans - the survey crew he is currently on hire to guard. He and the crew are on an recently discovered planet where the fauna - or flora - can suddenly turn deadly, as can competing crews He is lazy too, spending most of his time enjoying the amazing amount of "movies, serials, books, plays and music" available. Better even than Netflix? Murderbot can wirelessly access data-feeds, up-links, remote cameras and drones etc. Fortunately though, for all involved, when in action - which happens quite frequently - he is really something to watch! Fortunately he can retire to his cubicle when necessary to be repaired, regrown and recharged! In this story he comes to like and to win the respect of his current employers. This is not without drawbacks. He is, after all, a cyborg. "I hate having emotions about reality; I'd much rather have them about Sanctuary Moon" (a TV series). This is a novella, so short, but I dragged it out as it was too much fun to leave entirely. Amazon - being something of an evil corporation - offered this first book at a reasonable price on Kindle but the remaining parts of the series cost twice as much. This seems to be their policy. I hope the price will go down... Recommended to those who enjoys a witty first-person narration, an undiscovered planet, and adventure in the future.

This book appeared in an ad on Facebook and the cover caught my attention. Then I read the blurb and was further intrigued, so I borrowed it from Kindle Unlimited. All Systems Red is a sci-fi novella by Martha Wells. It is about the musings of a manufactured cybernetic organism that refers to itself as a Murderbot because of an incident it was involved in at a time before this story takes place. The being is actually a mobile security system charged with making sure a small group of scientists on a distant planet are safe. I'll say at the outset that I am a little cold on this story. I liked the idea and was hoping it would be better than it is. Unfortunately, there didn't really seem to be a point to the story, and it left me with a lot of questions. There are five more stories in the series and would be willing to read the rest of them, but not at the price the entire series costs. Each book is about 150 pages and the sell for $10. Sorry, but I don't think I am going to pay that much to read the books not on Unlimited. I will also add that, as far as reviews are concerned, I find myself in the minority of readers who absolutely love this book and the rest of the series. Amazon shows an average rating of 4.5 out of five with 13,411 rating/reviews and Goodreads reports a 4.16 out of five with a whopping 129,148 rating/reviews. Perhaps I missed something or just don't get it. I don't know. But I wasn't impressed enough to invest in the rest of the series. An androgynous cybernetic organism who is charged with protecting a small group of scientists is having problems. It has a broken control chip and has more or less gone rogue, but it cannot override its own programming to set aside its mission. So, it avoids any contact with the people it’s supposed to protect and prefers to spend its time alone watching downloaded vids of television shows. When it is called into service to perform is programmed duty, it does so very well, but when the members of the scientific team reach out to it to make it part of the team, it rejects all attempts and sulks in its compartment, feeling sorry for itself. The Murderbot is an antisocial machine/human organism that spends a lot of time hating its job and the people it is programmed to serve. It is supposed to be androgynous, but I didn't see it that way. From the very first page of the book, the prose screams that the being is more female oriented as opposed to neutral. I've racked my brain trying to find a favorite plot point to talk about, but I cannot find one. This is just a sad story about a sad artificial intelligent being with consciousness. I really wanted to love this story, but I neither loved it nor hated it. It's just kind of there. As I said before, I might have missed the point and your milage may vary. If I try to come up with a theme, the entire time I read this book I thought about Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker’s Guide character, Marvin the Paranoid Android. But Adams did it better. This book didn't inspire me to read on in the series and the cost of the rest of the books put me off even more. All Systems Red has enjoyed a lot of acclaim along with the high ratings, winning a bunch of prestigious awards. I find myself somewhat baffled by this because while it isn't trash; I have read many far better stories. It is well written and easy to follow, but there just isn't much there for me.

It’s been a WHILE since I finished a book and even longer since I finished a book and enjoyed it enough to write a review. All Systems Red, a sci-fi novella by Martha Wells, balances an exciting romp across an alien planet with an endearing and realistic cast of characters. The main character, a security Android who calls themself Murderbot, is tasked with protecting a team of scientists doing survey work on an undeveloped planet. Without giving away too much of the plot, things don’t go well and their routine survey mission turns into a race to survive the planet’s own deadly fauna as well as an ominous threat from a little closer to home. All Systems Red is a fun and easy read, told from the first person perspective of Murderbot, a “construct” made up of both organic and artificial parts. Despite being a novella and short by nature, the book is paced perfectly and expertly balances plot with character building. Murderbot quickly, albeit somewhat accidentally, endears themselves to the reader with their often comedically exasperated opinion of humans, their love of serial television soaps, and their insistence that they don’t care what happens, when they demonstrably care quite a bit. It’s a fascinating look at the nature of sentience, what it means to be human, what it means to be Not Human, and how all three of these concepts marry together to create something new. It gave me vibes along the lines of TNG era Star Trek, with a splash of other sci-fi stories with robot focuses such as Blade Runner and Almost Human. I ordered the next few books in the series before I had even finished this one because I knew I was going to want to immediately pick up the next one as soon as I finished. They arrive tomorrow and I can’t wait to see where Murderbot’s journey takes them next.

The Martha Wells novella, All Systems Red, is the first book of The Murderbot Diaries book series. In this futuristic science fiction, the narrator is a security robot who is owned by a company and rented out. The particular robot that the book follows has figured out how to hack the factors that regulate his actions. This gives him full control of his body and his thoughts, making him more human. The robot and his crewmates are on another planet conducting scientific research and experiments when they start to get attacked by another research station with rogue robots. It is up to Murderbot to protect his crew and defeat the rogue robots. The premise of the book is captivating, but it takes some time to understand what they are doing on this planet and who Murderbot's crewmates are. Some of the concepts and terminology can be confusing to the reader. For example, the main robot is called “Murderbot” which sounds more like an assassin robot rather than an unmotivated, introverted, security robot. Martha Wells is a very amusing author and incorporated humor throughout the book. The book made sense as though it could possibly happen in the future. On the other hand, the book was just an introduction to The Murderbot Diaries and did not give the reader a full, high intensity plot to follow. It was just the beginning of this adventure for Murderbot. The book is sold at the price of a full story but in reality it is just to hook you into the series. At the end of All Systems Red, Martha Wells leaves the reader on a major cliffhanger which really entices the reader to continue reading the series. Overall, the concept was really interesting and the book was written well, but this book is just a fraction of the overall series and there are some confusing aspects of the book. If you are looking to get hooked into a series like this then you should definitely read this book. If you want to read a quick book that contains an entire storyline then this might not be the book for you.

Best book I’ve read since Ender’s series. Love the inner voice of the main character, excellent ending, very cool worldbuilding, fun plot.

La grande idée de cette novella, c'est de faire d'un cyborg tueur un narrateur à la fois désabusé et aspirant à la liberté. Le fond de l'histoire est classique, trop peut être pour les amateurs de background complexes et d'univers fouillés. Pour moi c'est une lecture parfaite : ni trop longue ni trop courte, un univers facile d'accès mais avec un fond que l'on devine riche, d'excellents personnages, de l'aventure, de l'émotion. C'est très agréablement écrit, avec un seul point de vue narratif, un rythme soutenu et des touches d'humour qui font mouche. Je n'ai qu'une hâte : lire le reste de cette série.

Um murderbot, uma I.A. com um corpo humanoide, é responsável pela segurança de um grupo de pesquisadores de uma empresa num planeta desconhecido. Que leitura deliciosa! O murderbot é o narrador do livro. Na verdade, ela/ele não tem gênero. Sua narração é irônica e cheia de personalidade. Ela/ele faz muito bem seu trabalho, mas não se interessa pelo contato com humanos. O que adora mesmo é assistir séries de TV. Mas as coisas se complicam. A equipe corre risco de vida. O murderbot tem que tomar decisões difíceis. E, aos poucos, descobrimos mais sobre o passado complicado dela/dele. A grande atração do livro é a voz do murderbot. Os outros personagens cumprem bem seus papéis de coadjuvantes, com destaque para a Dra. Mensah, a chefe da equipe. O texto é fluido, o mistério é envolvente e o ritmo é ágil, sem ser apressado. Quer dizer, no final, tudo é resolvido bem rapidinho. Ficou a sensação de peças faltando. Mas as últimas páginas fecharam muito bem o livro. Deu gostinho de quero mais. Esta é uma série que merece ser acompanhada.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I mean it’s a funny book and I laughed at times, but it wasn’t that good itself. I don’t know if it was because everything went so fast. A book that could have easily been turned into a 300+ page adventure was pushed together into a 150 page book. I get that it’s supposed to be a diary, but every thing went so fast. And things weren’t explained properly either so didn’t know what things was either. I feel like Sci-fi books need a little more explanation to things that doesn’t exist for the reader (or at least me) to understand. And what was with the end? He just left them. I really thought he would stay with the humans! But that aside, I will probably read the next part, because I want to know what he get up to next (now that he left his humans).

The book is more of a novel. It's short, overpriced (at this length) and doesn't really bring anything new to the sci-fi table. And most damningly it didn't make me care for the protagonist. If it managed that then I could overlook the lack of originality.