This book is an excellent addition to the Murderbot Diaries. The story takes place between Exit Strategy and Network Effect and shows Murderbot trying to find a rhythm on Preservation. Of course, that ends up involving a murder investigation and a lot of humans. Though this wasn't the most memorable Murderbot story for me, it still involved the trademark dry humor and relatable introvertedness that I've come to love from this series. I'm happy to add it to my personal and my library collection. 4 of 5 stars.

I got an ARC of this book.

I have read all of the Murderbot books at this point. I have been thinking maybe I had accidentally loved the first book in this series, since every book since was not as wonderful for me. I worried when I requested this ARC that I would be again underwhelmed (compared to the first book, these books are still pretty great even if they aren’t 15 out of 5 stars like the first one. It is just really hard to not compare them).

This is a murder mystery, which is not my usual genre. I actively hate murder mysteries. This means I should have been extra worried about this newest addition to Murderbot Diaries. The thing is, it was such a traditional Murderbot story that I loved it. There was a lot of snark, the first line of the description is all I read before I started the book and that was really just the start of things. There was a lot less watching of TV, but there were some really good references that I enjoyed.

The biggest thing is this book takes place before the full length novel. If you don’t know that going it, it makes everything seem off and can really take away from that enjoyment. It doesn’t have the as human Murderbot, which I appreciate. I love the awkward and the learning how to deal Murderbot more than the Murderbot with too many feelings (though I also really like that one, I was really impressed with the character development of the full length novel). This doesn’t take long to read which was also a bonus for me.

I just feel rambly, but I really liked this one. It stood out to me as a great example of snark and of humans adjusting to Murderbot more than Murderbot adjusting to them. I think that is what sold this book to me.

Another excellent addition to the Murderbot series! Having read these books in publication order, I was a little confused by the plot and what my expectations were, however this looks like it takes place after Exit Strategy and before Network Effect.

This book is basically a sci-fi murder mystery, with Murderbot as our grumpy detective. I really enjoyed a slightly different approach, as Murderbot does not use their ingrained hacking abilities, so this felt very detective-y. I also particularly enjoyed learning more about the ins and outs of Preservation station -- a place that we've been on the periphery of throughout the series.

I have to warn you ... I ADORE THIS SERIES!!!
I haven't been disappointed in any of the books in the series. And this one is another hit!
I would advise reading them in order. Just watching the evolution of Murderbot is fantastic.
I am a long time fan and can't wait for the next book!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

SecUnit is still anti-social and full of snark, And smarter than everyone else. That doesn’t mean SecUnit has all the answers. If that was true, there would be no story.

Is this book scifi? A little. Fugitive Telemetry is actually murder mystery. Sure, SecUnit has superior technology and logical thinking abilities. But a murder mystery is a murder mystery. A space setting does not change that.

I enjoyed the first installments of SecUnit’s story (1-5). In previous books, the I felt SecUnit’s emphasis was on protecting humans. In Fugitive Telemetry it’s emphasis was on solving a crime, which made SecUnit seem self-absorbed. Or maybe SecUnit is just more comfortable being itself – becoming more of an individual. Time will tell.

I missed ART, the AI from previous books. ART is a friend and that is what our favorite SecUnit needs.

I’m pretty sure that Murderbot fans are going to love this book even if I did not. Fugitive Telemetry is entertaining, but is my least favorite of the series.

Thanks to the publisher who provided a copy through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Did you say Murderbot Murder Mystery? DANG RIGHT. This novella started with high tension and continued to build the tension over the course of about two hundred pages. It was a quick read not only due to its length but due to its fast-paced scenes and kick-ass characterisation. I loved it.

Fugitive Telemetry is another extremely well-written adventure in the life of Murderbot, set before the events of Network Effect, but it's all contained on Preservation and explores the everyday security system on the most liberal planet that we know of. It's another comfortable read if you're familiar with Murderbot's snark and the compelling way Martha Wells weaves between different technology levels and planes of action. It's a comfortable, enjoyable read, but simultaneously I'd recommend it to anyone even vaguely interested in Sci Fi. You can't go wrong with Murderbot.

Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for giving me early access to an advanced reader's copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review! I feel extremely privileged because I love Murderbot very much and I would be delighted to continue to review the series for as long as I can.

This book was released on 27 April!! Get your copy today 💚

Fugitive Telemetry is the sixth installment of the Murderbot Diaries. All are short novellas, with the exception of #5, which was over 300 pages. I have enjoyed every one of the books, and I hope that many more are coming. Murderbot is such a cool character, and I love being inside its mind. I love the way it thinks and assesses situations.

This novella takes place on the planet on which Murderbot resides. Murderbot is still watching over Dr. Mensah and a mystery of a sort pops up (a dead body), and Murderbot helps to solve it. We learn more about how the people of the planet view Murderbot and treat it. It makes me wonder how we would do if we were presented with a human passing “bot”. I think it would be a little too much for most of us – the “uncanny valley” would get to us.

As I read this novella, I kept hoping that we would see more interaction between Murderbot and Dr. Mensah. I definitely don’t mean in a romantic way (no thanks), but I would love to see their friendship grow and what Murderbot would think about that. I really enjoy seeing it talk to other people and what it thinks about them.

Most of the books in this series are pretty funny, but this one less so. That was kinda disappointing. I have to say that this one is my least favorite of all of the books so far. It is still a solid entry into the series, but I was hoping for more. It seemed to move a little slow in places, and in a short book, you can’t afford to be slow.

I will continue with the series, and I am looking forward to more.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5/5

I’m a big fan of mysteries, and I like to read mysteries set in places that are new to me – or in this case, imaginary places that are new to me! Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells fills that bill quite nicely.

Our protagonist, Murderbot, is a security droid, currently on Preservation Station as part of Dr. Mensah’s entourage. But Murderbot is a security droid with a difference – it has eluded its previous owners and has an unusual degree of autonomy, a very nice touch in snarkiness, and a PhD in hair-splitting. (One of my favorite quotes, from Chapter 2: “I had promised not to hack Station systems. Nobody had said anything about not setting up my own systems.”)

As this very short book opens, Murderbot has found a dead human in the Station mall. Murderbot tries the classic “if I had done this, I would have done it better, and you’d never have found the body” excuse – which is probably actually true for Murderbot. But it soon realizes that isn’t going to fly, and it is going to have to help figure out what led to the human’s death, and, of course, find the killer. As a seasoned mystery reader, I enjoyed watching Murderbot track down clues (and a few red herrings), communicate with witnesses (both human and not), and finally figure out whodunnit at the end.

But I also felt that the best part of Fugitive Telemetry was watching Murderbot adapt and grow into its new situation, complete with all the benefits and difficulties its increased autonomy represents. I had not read any previous Murderbot tales, but Wells does a good job of skillfully filling in some backstory without slowing things down. I still came away, though, with a bit of a feeling that I had missed a few things, and so now I am very much looking forward to going back and reading the earlier short stories and novellas in the series.

All-in-all, I really enjoyed Fugitive Telemetry, which reminded me of a very nice cross of an Isaac Asimov robot story with a Rex Stout mystery – with Murderbot as a two-in-one combination of ultra-logical Wolfe and sardonic Archie. My only issue with the book is a sneaky feeling that it would probably have been better marketed – and priced - as a long-ish novella. In my case, I was lucky enough to receive an advance review copy. But when I headed to my favorite e-book store to buy it (I liked it that much), it was quite pricey for as short as it is. Hopefully it will drop a bit in price after it’s been out for a while! As for a rating, I don’t tend to give a lot of five-star ratings, but, aside from the length/price issue, Fugitive Telemetry was a delight from start to finish, so five-stars it is! And my thanks to Tor/Forge and NetGalley for the aforementioned ARC…

Murderbot still doesn’t like people, but when one turns up dead on Preservation Station, it’s up to Murderbot to find out who dunnit.

A body is discovered on the uber peaceful Preservation Station and the local security types are clearly out of their depth.
A SecUnit (our pal Murderbot) reluctantly agrees to help the authorities who reluctantly ( at first) let him help.

Martha Wells' newest entry in her award-winning, nerd-charming, trope-bending Murderbot series, Fugitive Telemetry, is a fun entry into an amazing series but it is also the weakest of the bunch. Sure it’s a fun, classic locked-room murder mystery set in space, with our pal Murderbot acting as Hercule Poirot. But, Fugitive Telemetry is a curious entry into the overall series. For starters, it is set between the last two books, so there are no new revelations to be had. Whereas in previous stories, the story happens over numerous days the story here happens over the single course of a day - which robs us of what makes Murderbot so charming. In Fugitive Telemetry, there is no time for Murderbot’s media consumption and snarky commentary on the human condition. He has got a murder to solve on the rather peaceful Preservation Station. Sure the novella ends with a cool showdown, some explosions, a badass robot fight (Murderbot gonna murderbot). And it briefly focuses on Murderbot’s ethical struggle being called into question once again (can a Murderbot not resort to violence?). Murderbot even states: “ All I wanted to do was watch media and not exist. You know I don’t like fun.” It’s just that this entry into the series feels a bit inconsequential after Network Effect.

Still, to be able to spend any time in the Murderbot universe is always a pleasure, even if the story is a little underwhelming compared to the previous entries.

As usual, I loved Murderbot. This book was a little confusing in the timeline though, since it apparently takes place before the novel, Network Effect, and I didn't realize that at first. My biggest complaint about the book is that it went by way too fast! After the novel I thought we would be getting longer books from now on, but any Murderbot is good, and I'm looking forward to reading the next one, and hopefully finding out what happens after Network Effect.

I already do the first book in the series with my grade 12 students. They overwhelmingly love it, and go on to read the rest of the series. I've read all of the books, and this one was just as incredible. The character growth for Murderbot, the pace, the secondary characters - all come together seamlessly for a thought-provoking AND moving story. Once we get back to regular schooling again, it would be so fun to read the entire series over the school year.
Highly recommended and will be added to school and classroom libraries.

This review was originally posted on <a href="https://booksofmyheart.net/2021/05/12/%f0%9f%8e%a7-fugitive-telemetry-by-martha-wells/" target="_blank"> Books of My Heart</a>
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<i>Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i>

The <em><strong><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/191900-the-murderbot-diaries" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Murderbot Diaries</a> </strong></em>series is one of my favorite series ever!  I just love the grumpy Murderbot who wants to be left alone to watch its shows.  Finding a dead human, of course now it will have to get involved in the murder investigation and that means it has to talk to humans!  It saves human lives even when they don't trust it or try to shoot it.

Murderbot is trying to adjust to life on Preservation.  Its primary focus is protecting Dr Mensah. The security team doesn't want it to have access or work with it anyway.  There is the side issue of whether this has anything to do with Graycris, as they expect an attack from them.

<strong>Fugitive Telemetry</strong> is a thrilling murder mystery with a lot more happening.  Of course, Murderbot is able to figure things out more quickly than the humans, since Preservation rarely has this sort of crime but SecUnits run into these situations all too often.

I love everything about these characters. The world building and characters are just fabulous.  I was laughing consistently at the blunt honesty of Murderbot's thoughts.  I listened to the book all in one sitting, unable to stop at all. I highly recommend this series, and always prefer to read in order

Fugitive Telemetry
By Martha Wells
I was totally surprised the idea was totally flipped on idea of the story the robot has become an investigator and has to struggle not only with its own concept of self but the concept others have of it. The mystery is compounded by the murder investigation its assigned when a body is found in a shipping crate. The difficulty is that without the trust of those it works with it finds endless road blocks.

I was so excited when Fugitive Telemetry was announced last year that I immediately preordered it. I also think I literally screamed when I got an email saying I’d been somehow approved for an ARC.

Fugitive Telemetry is set chronologically between Exit Strategy and Network Effect. I highly recommend reading it before Network Effect if you’re new to the series or rereading. I kinda wish Fugitive Telemetry had been published first because it answers a number of questions I had the first time I read Network Effect.

The fiasco with GrayCris is largely over, though Dr. Mensah and Murderbot are still expecting a final attack in retaliation. So when a body shows up in the mall at Preservation Station, that’s what Murderbot expects. Only none of the details make sense and Station Security is being a pain to work with.

Murderbot has spent the past four novellas either pretending to be an augmented human or on the run as a rogue SecUnit. Only now it would like to stay on Preservation Station with Dr. Mensah, and that requires interacting with other humans who know it’s a SecUnit and don’t want it on the Station. It’s one thing when a rogue SecUnit saves your planetary leader. It’s another to let it live among humans.

This is a murder mystery story, but is also a tale of connection and learning to work with other people you don’t like. This is both from Murderbot’s perspective, but also shown in the transformation of attitudes of Station personnel as they work together to find the murderer. By the end of the novella, we’re left with a satisfying conclusion and the possibility of another story at a later date.

This is a trademark of the Murderbot Diaries and something I love about how Wells has structured these novellas. The main plot is always resolved, but there’s some little opportunities left for a future book. I’m super excited to see what other future mysteries Murderbot and Station Security have to work together to solve.

Loved it! Periodttt. If you haven't read the Murderbot series - go do so - and no, you don't need to have read any of the other books to read this one. It stands alone, and you'll get all the ironic, sardonic, wit of Murderbot while he tries to help the humans solve a mystery. The pace is spot on - but I think it could have gone a tad bit longer.

Well I had never read anything in this series before and now I'm spending all my book budget on getting the rest of them.

He’s an anti-social, lethal human-bot construct who has no desire to be human, thank you very much, but he has the biggest personality in the universe- and, trouble of the human-variety tends to land in his lap, constantly. I can’t tell you how eager I am for each new glimpse of Murderbot. The annual wait simply heightens expectation and each new installment does not disappoint.



While Fugitive Telemetry is the sixth of the series, it happens chronologically after the events fourth novella. These might all be separate adventures, but they tie together and lead into the next book so they read best in order.



During Network Effect, there was reference to an adventure that happened off page. I was so glad the author went back and wrote that story. Murderbot is on Preservation Station with temporary refugee status. He doesn’t want to go planet-side and live with Dr. Mensah and her family so, for the present, he acts as her security while she conducts government council business on the station. The threat from GrayCris corporation is still there. He tolerates the scrutiny of the humans who are not comfortable with a rogue SecUnit and follows the rules while feeling a bit at loose ends. Then a murder is discovered.



It is always amusing to see Murderbot forced to work closely with humans especially those who are scared of him or don’t like him so he purposefully antagonizes them. The investigation is conducted by station security, but they only reluctantly accept his help because Dr. Mensah requested it. So, he sets out to prove his superior sleuthing skills and does, but the problem is knotty. I loved seeing him use all his skill and programing to outwit who he was up against. The investigation included some exciting action-scenes especially the build near the end.



All in all, it read fast and exciting. It was over quickly, but was a fully-developed complex story for all that. The Murderbot world is futuristic space and the characters and situations feel right in that backdrop. The author has made a complex, fascinating hero in Murderbot. I heartily recommend this series to sci-fi lovers.

This is another great installment in the Murderbot series and I just can't get enough of these stories. I am so happy there will be more books coming out in the future.

This time Murderbot helps with a murder investigation it has to work with a whole bunch of other bots and humans. It is forced to interact with so many entities, some friendly, more of them suspicious of its nature.

I loved everything in the story - Murderbot's sarcasm and hatred for any emotion, its loyalty and care for its people (and their care for it, each of them showing it in their own way), the complex interactions with humans and other bots. Murderbot is more humane than many of the humans I have read in SFF and I love it with all my heart for it.

The writing is great as usual, tight and detailed at the same time, telling a complex and completed story in a novella length. The text sends clear messages against capitalism, slavery, colonialism but none of it is heavy handed or in your face, they are just there in every every page of the story.

The murder mystery in itself was intriguing and engaging and kept me guessing who the perpetrator was till the very end.

The story has everything I want in SFF - feelings (despite Murderbot's hatred for them), humour and suspense, good guys coming together against the bad ones, breaking down of stereotypes and defying expectations.

Every book in this series has been a delight and this one is no exception.

It's been so long since I've read the other books in the series, but I still ABSOLUTELY LOVE this one. Murderbot for life!