Network Effect

, #5

by

Trade paperback, 352 pages

English language

Published March 30, 2021 by Tor.com.

ISBN:
978-1-250-22985-4
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ISFDB ID:
2717735

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(10 reviews)

You know that feeling when you’re at work, and you’ve had enough of people, and then the boss walks in with yet another job that needs to be done right this second or the world will end, but all you want to do is go home and binge your favorite shows? And you're a sentient murder machine programmed for destruction? Congratulations, you're Murderbot.

Come for the pew-pew space battles, stay for the most relatable A.I. you’ll read this century.

I’m usually alone in my head, and that’s where 90 plus percent of my problems are.

When Murderbot's human associates (not friends, never friends) are captured and another not-friend from its past requires urgent assistance, Murderbot must choose between inertia and drastic action.

Drastic action it is, then.

4 editions

reviewed Network Effect by Martha Wells (The Murderbot Diaries, #5)

Longer Murderbot does not disappoint

The first novel-length Murderbot book, and it didn’t disappoint. My love for Murderbot grows with every instalment of The Murderbot Diaries, and seeing it have to deal with adolescent humans is delicious. As I am also a big fan of someone else who shows up in this book, Network Effect is real a treat.

Wells is absolutely brilliant at making a relatable character, and her continuing explorations of bodily autonomy, sense of self, personhood, and caring for others are stellar. She also writes kick-ass sci-fi.

Murderbot has never done anything wrong, ever, and I love them.

reviewed Network Effect by Martha Wells (The Murderbot Diaries, #5)

Review of 'Network Effect' on 'Goodreads'

The 5th book in Murderbot's series, and the first full length novel, it tells the story of Murderbot getting kidnapped by ART, who we first met in book 2, Artificial Condition. Murderbot's relationship certainly veers all over the place, but it is always funny. Murderbot helps rescue ART's crew and maybe begins more adventures with ART.

I have to admit finding it a bit harder than usual getting thru this book. Maybe the novella length is perfect for Murderbot. It seemed like about the same amount of things happened in this full novel as happened in the previous novellas, but it just took longer for things to happen. Don't get me wrong, Murderbot was still pretty damn funny. Their observations of human interactions, and their growing disgust at their own, are truly inspiring. And coming across (creating?) another "rogue" SecUnit is pretty fun too.

But there were a lot of …

reviewed Network Effect by Martha Wells (The Murderbot Diaries, #5)

Review of 'Network Effect' on 'Goodreads'

Finally, a full-length Murderbot novel. Fun, funny, fast-paced and heart-warming, it's everything I want from escapist space opera. Murderbot is a lovable sentient killing machine who itself enjoys space operas and doesn't want to deal with its feelings right now.

I think you might be able to read and enjoy it without reading all the novellas that precede it, but I think it's more fun if you read the novellas first. Plus, it spoils some of the reveals in the novellas if you jump straight in here.

I especially recommend it to anyone who is feeling sad right now, and fans of Ian Banks Culture novels. (Ever wanted to read a full-length novel from the point of view of one of the ornery drones? This is a lot like that.)

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