So Murderbot book 6 came out yesterday. Yes, I admitted I had a problem last time, so I think we should all accept it and move on.
What can I say?
Let’s start with the basics: Fugitive Telemetry is a novella (yay!), works as a standalone adventure, and takes place chronologically before the events of Network Effect.
I want to point this out because it’s the one thing that slightly disappointed me. After the end of Network Effect, I was expecting Murderbot to go off on numerous adventures with ART (because I might love ART even more than I love Murderbot), but that does not happen.
Murderbot is still in Preservation station, protecting Dr. Mensah from GrayCris operatives that become more and more unlikely to come with every passing day when something very strange happens: someone is murdered. So in a move that displeases both parties immensely, Murderbot is hired as a consultant to solve this mysterious event.
As you can expect, sarcasm, passive aggressiveness and shenanigans ensue. I mean, it’s everything I have come to expect from these novellas and more. I look forward to the next one.
Now let’s talk about the real news: Murderbot is getting a TV show apparently, at least a proposed pilot has already made its way into Martha Wells’ hands and I don’t know how I feel about that.
On the one hand, I find it wonderful that they want to adapt this, and I think the novella format really lends itself to adaptations, in that you’re able to get most of it across without having to sacrifice too many details.
On the other hand, I see 2 main issues that are causing me to freak out:
- The best part of these books is being in Murderbot’s head, and listening to its internal monologue. As much voice-over work as they plan to include, I’m afraid it might not translate quite as well into images.
- Murderbot is agender, and I deeply worry about the casting. I feel like casting anyone who is not non-binary would be a mistake (I won’t even listen to the audiobook because I know it’s narrated by a man, and I don’t think a masculine voice works in my mind for this character). Although it’s also a great choice to showcase so many gender-non-conforming actors if this does indeed become reality.
So I’m conflicted – I desperately want to watch this, and I am terrified to have it ruined.
How did you take the adaptation news?