Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

“It took a tremendous effort for me not to rip his arm off, and I’d like that noted for the record, please.”

All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries #1) by Martha Wells

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Back in November of 2018 I joined the cult of Murderbot. After I had read and loved The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers Emmalita and narfna had told me that Murderbot needed to be next up in my reading of contemplative, character driven space opera. I was immediately in love. I’ve kept up with the furthering adventures of Murderbot in the intervening years and had decided earlier this year that I wanted to do a full series re-read before I […]

For a being as sophisticated as you are, it is baffling how little understanding you have of the composition of your own mind

Network Effect by Martha Wells

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CBR16 BINGO: Tech, because Murderbot is a construct of robotic and human parts (Obviously) As my Bingo board can confirm, I’ve been zipping through the Murderbot Diaries this summer and having a good time getting to know SecUnit and its “friends.” Book #5, Network Effect, is the longest entry in the series so far, the first “full-length” novel in a series previously comprising novellas. In Network Effect, Dr. Mensah, SecUnit’s favorite human, sends it on a research mission with a couple of new characters–Mensah’s teenage […]

Freedom, unlimited downloads, and new episodes of Drama Sun Islands

Exit Strategy by Martha Wells

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CBR16 BINGO: Cult, because Murderbot fans are a little cult of our own Exit Strategy, entry #4 in the Murderbot Diaries, picks up pretty much where Rogue Protocol left off, with a bunch of humans trying to kill Murderbot. It seems like humans either want to kill our SecUnit hero or make friends with it, and it’s difficult to say which option horrifies it more. Although I was less enamored of the third entry in the series than I was of the first two, I was […]

Seeking revenge, making friends

Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells

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CBR16 BINGO: Scandal, because Murderbot is seeking to uncover all sorts of illegal activities by the GrayCris Corporation Having recently joined the ranks of the Murderbot fandom, I’m eagerly frolicking my way through the series. While the third installment, Rogue Protocol, struck my fancy less than the first two installments, it’s still a good time and I’m itching for more. In Rogue Protocol, the construct known fondly by us readers as Murderbot and by others as SecUnit is still gathering evidence that the GrayCris Corporation […]

Two new Murderbot fans for the price of one!

All Systems Red by Martha Wells

Artificial Condition by Martha Wells

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CBR16 BINGO: Dreams, because Murderbot dreams of being left alone to do its half-assed job in peace. During the spring CBR Book Club, I sheepishly admitted I hadn’t read any of the Murderbot series. I was encouraged to read at least two books before deciding whether to continue. I kind of disagree with that recommendation, though, and would counter that if you’re not at least amused by the opening line of All Systems Red, the series probably isn’t for you. “I could have become a […]

“As a heartless killing machine, I was a terrible failure.”

All Systems Red (Murderbot Diaries #1) by Martha Wells

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In five(ish) words: Free will, space-faring, android, science fiction, charming. I see how “charming” might seem out of place for something called “The Murderbot Diaries” that revolves around our understanding of a security droid’s awakening to and wrestling with purpose, but here we are. This novella packs a lot of meaning and thought-provoking content (and even a little humor) into its pages. This book reads like a space episode of Doctor Who, the type where the Doctor and their companion is stuck on a space […]



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