Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

“No. There aren’t that many shows with SecUnits, and they’re either villains or the villain’s minions.”

Artificial Condition by Martha Wells

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When Artificial intelligence is brought up in fiction, the focus is often on the negative aspects, milking them for dystopian drama. The worst scenario of all involves an AI rebellion, where humanity’s own creations gain awareness and decide to turn against us. You know the one – everything is fine one moment, and then suddenly, Skynet is shiv-ving you. A more unconventional direction though is having an AI killing machine gain awareness and instead of rebelling, decides it wants to be alone for a bit. […]

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 […]

Fresh Perspective

All Systems Red: The Muderbot Diaries by Martha Wells

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A big thank you to Faintingviolet for suggesting the Muderbot diaries to me. I’m not a huge Sci-Fi fan, but this book was perfect. Martha Wells masterfully creates an enormous world full of technological advancement and space travel but stays close enough to character to let us non-SciFi loving people into her world. ‘Murderbot’ is a robot with more human qualities than some of the humans we meet, and every introvert’s best friend. When not doing its job as armed security, it prefers to sit […]

Murderbot brings me so much joy

Artificial Condition by Martha Wells

Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells

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The last half of 2018 was such a hellhole for me personally that I kind of just stopped posting reviews and one that I missed out on getting to review was the excellent first book in the Murderbot series. I’m not surprised at how popular the series is here as they seems like the perfect Cannonball Read kind of books. Plus, they’re novellas so it’s really easy to tear through them quickly. —> Spoilers below for previous books! <— Artificial Condition (Murderbot #2) – 5 […]

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 […]



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