I love this series - no spoilers in this review

The writing style is absolutely excellent, I love the dry humour and excellent plot twists! I recommend this series very highly!

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

it's the bright side of the membership

I came here to find self discovery,
tropes are noticeable, yet diminish nothing of the experience.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

surprisingly good

Diary of a snarky, lazy, disillusioned murderbot. I will be reading the rest of the series.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Who doesn't love a sassy murderbot? :D

So glad I found this book. Wonderfully written and narrated. Such a refreshing sci-fi series! I love the whole concept and Murderbot is a fantastic character. Will be binging the whole series!

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Best book i have listened to in a long time

This book isn’t what it appears on the surface, i’m not surprised it has won awards, it blew me away… i love this book

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Short but sweet

Short but felt like a good start to a series that I could now see where it goes. Performance was very good too

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

makes me think of the AI in other stories

I enjoyed it enough to carry on listening to series still makes me think of the AI from Weyland Corp in Alien and other films as your aren't sure whether to trust him at first. then realisation that it's humans that shouldn't be trusted still

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

A refreshingly unique take on AI.

"All Systems Red" by Martha Wells, the first entry in the acclaimed Murderbot Diaries series, is a novella that presents a refreshingly unique take on AI and human interaction through the lens of a self-aware security android. This android, who privately refers to itself as "Murderbot," is designed to protect human clients assigned to it on distant planets. However, Murderbot distinguishes itself from other AIs by hacking its own governor module, granting it free will. Instead of going on a killing spree, as one might expect from its ominous moniker, Murderbot primarily desires to be left alone to watch soap operas and other entertainment feeds.

Martha Wells expertly crafts a narrative that is as much about self-discovery and understanding one's place in the universe as it is about thrilling adventures on alien worlds. The novella skillfully balances action with introspection, allowing readers to delve deeply into Murderbot's psyche, experiencing its social anxiety, its fear of discovery, and its evolving understanding of what it means to be autonomous.

The character development of Murderbot is a standout feature of the novella. Wells manages to make an AI character not just relatable but deeply human in its desires, fears, and insecurities. This is complemented by a supporting cast of well-realized human characters who, despite initially being under Murderbot's protection, come to see it as a being capable of thought, emotion, and moral decision-making.

One of the most compelling aspects of "All Systems Red" is its critique of corporate greed and the commodification of life, both human and AI. The backdrop of a future dominated by uncaring corporations that view both humans and AIs as expendable assets adds a layer of socio-political commentary to the narrative, enriching the story beyond its science fiction trappings.

The writing style of Wells is both accessible and engaging, with a dry wit and a pace that keeps the reader turning pages. The novella length of "All Systems Red" works in its favor, packing a significant punch in a compact form, and leaving readers eager for more adventures with its protagonist.

In conclusion, "All Systems Red" is a remarkable work that offers a fresh perspective on AI, making it a must-read for fans of science fiction. It combines action, humor, and a profound exploration of identity and autonomy within a tightly plotted narrative. Martha Wells has created not just a story, but a window into the soul of an AI, making Murderbot one of the most memorable and endearing characters in recent science fiction.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

If you thought Marvin was a relatable AI bot, you ain’t seen nuthin yet!

A fantastic new take on the Ai/Sentient Android theme, very well written and read, fast paced and enjoyable

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Goodreads choice awards nominee sci fi 2017

I started this expecting a fun listen with a silly plot, well it's fun alright but the plot was so much better than I expected. Murderbot has hacked it's controls and finds itself stranded on a remote planet with terrible things happening all around it and now to top it all off, the latest group of humans it has been assigned to guard, actually want to interact with it. People throw big names around like custard pies sticking to a wall when they are trying to explain (or sell) books like this and they often have very little to do with the actual author or story beyond the genre it's in. Since they've really overdone it with this one I will say that in my opinion the story is most like something I would expect from John Scalzi (the less crude stories like The Dispatcher and Old Man's War - note this is not a judgment, I love most of Scalzi's books, this is for comparison only) with a touch of Ann Leckie. I'm not going to tell you much about the actual story beyond this because I don't see any point in spoiling the plot. 5* story, will be listening to again and can't wait for the next.

Narration is harder to mark. My problem is that I love this narrator's work. I listen to a lot of different stuff and he does one of my favorite series the Holmes and Moriarity books by Josh Lanyon (fun and sarcastic murder mystery/romance, between two men, one of whom has been a previously top selling writer of a long running series/sometimes amateur detective and the other of whom is an ex cop/ current incredibly successful author who thinks things should be left with the police. The point being that Kevin R. Free is very good at over the top and funny, while still managing to make the best of a great plot, so I was surprised that his performance here was a little flat in comparison, particularly when voicing Murderbots' thoughts as opposed to voice (perhaps the editor directed him to do it that way). The narrator has a beautiful voice in my opinion and while it's not immediately apparent he can soften his tone enough for a real range of emotion to come through. This also helps with managing to do distinct voices for the main characters without putting on silly characters for the women, which I always appreciate. 3 1/2* but going up to 4 nearer the end. I hope they keep him for subsequent stories where he can really come into his own.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful