This is the seventh book in the MurderBot series and the first that I have read, rather than listened to. While the book is every bit as good as the others, I do recommend the audio versions. Kevin R. Free (the reader) does such a perfect job as the “voice” of MurderBot — it really adds to the experience. Luckily, after listening to him for the first six, I can hear his voice as I read anyway.

MurderBot is not quite itself as a result of his memory splintering and his frequent reboots after the disastrous events (alien contamination writ large and gooey) of the last book — Network Effect. Nevertheless, he has a big part to play when a separatist group is found on the planet (having removed themselves before the contamination took hold of *some* of the settlers) and the Barish-Estranza corporation has come to “offer” all settlers an employment contract (read opportunity for slave labor) off planet. What could go wrong?

I love the bot-humor — ART (the supremely intelligent and capable bot pilot with a fierce attachment to his “humans” and MurderBot’s “friend”) is deliciously sarcastic. I love MurderBot’s continually evolving understanding of himself — the weird part organic / mostly inorganic construct designed to kill. Funny, good action, well-paced, and full of constantly applicable ethical dilemmas such as arise when naivete meets evil. I love the new (to me and I think to the world) portmanteau term “argucussion” from argument + discussion. I think we all have a few of those.

This installment of the Murderbot Diaries follows on from the events of Network Effect. In this installment, Murderbot begins to reckon with its trauma. It gets to know ART's humans and finds new ways of working together. I enjoyed exploring ART's iterations and seeing Murderbot on a planet (it's right not to like planets). It took me a minute to get into this one, but once the characters settled into place, it was an excellent adventure. Thanks for Netgalley, Tordotcom and Martha Wells for the advanced copy

If you love the murderbot series then you’ll be happy to know not only is there a new installment to continue the story coming out next month but it’s going to be another full sized novel. This one takes place right after Network Effect, and Murderbot is dealing with the fallout/trauma from that. Doing my best to be vague for those of you who aren’t caught up or haven’t started this series yet. These are such fun bite sized scifi stories, they are fast paced, funny, heart warming most of the time. Highly recommend there very easy scifi to digest and perfect for fantasy readers.

4.5/5⭐

I think this is my favorite Murderbot adventure since All Systems Red. Not that there's ever been a bad Murderbot book, but after coming off of the most "fine" installment in the series, Fugitive Telemetry, it's nice to be really excited about the direction this story is moving in again.

System Collapse picks up shortly after the events of Network Effect, so if it's been a while since you read that one, you might want a refresher before jumping into this one. Murderbot, ART, and their respective humans are trying to help the colonists of a partially-terraformed planet avoid becoming indentured to a corporation called Barish-Estranza, but not all of the colonists know who to trust or what exactly it is that they want for themselves.

Meanwhile, Murderbot is not doing okay. But good luck getting it to talk about its emotions.

I love what Martha Wells is doing with the character of Murderbot. A sarcastic construct that wishes to not be perceived could end up being so one-noted and repetitive, but Wells is allowing our snarky SecUnit to grow in such a beautiful way, even if it resents that growth every step of the way.

Pretty minor complaint, but the weakest part of this series for me has always been the human characters (Mensah aside), especially since Murderbot spent a few books jumping around from place to place. I'm glad this installment had it stay with the same group of humans as Network Effect for the most part, as I feel like I actually got to know some of them beyond just their name. Obviously, Murderbot is the heart of these books, but its love for its humans really adds a lot to its character. So I think actually getting to know those humans better enhances the reading experience.

Absolutely loved this installment and I can't wait to see what's next!

System Collapse is the newest installment of the Murderbot Diaries Series. We are picking up where Network Effect ends. B-E is not happy that Peri and the crew have halted their opportunity of taking over the planet so now they are after the people instead. Murderbot and its humans are desperate to keep the colony from signing their lives away into slave labor but Murderbot is a little distracted with its own problems. This was a pretty solid installment in the Murderbot Diaries. I fully enjoy getting to hear that sentient robot’s inner monologue. ART is by far my favorite secondary character and I love the continued friendship that unfolds in this book. If you haven’t already started this series, there’s still time to catch up! All of the books are fast paced and easy to get sucked into; this one included!!

Another great addition to the series! I do recommend rereading Network Effect before picking this up, or at least reading a recap online, since this does pick up right after that story.

I didn't reread anything lol so it took me a little white to situate myself back into this world and what was going on. Murderbot really goes through it in this one in regard to mental health and trauma and having to process and come to terms with everything that has happened in previous installments. I really enjoyed how Martha Wells explored that and how that particular subplot developed throughout the book.

The first half was a bit slow to start, but things soon picked up and the usual tension and danger made themselves known. I loved loved loved the second half here, how it progressed, and the twists and action bits along the way. Murderbot interacting with the team and ART was wonderful as usual and there were quite a few scenes where the stakes were high and they all had to work together.

This latest full-length book in the must-read series is seriously entertaining. SecUnit is shown working more and more within the teams of humans and as a contributing team player. He is valued and appreciated and held in great esteem among his colleagues (who would have guessed?). He continues to have his hero moments that display his character and loyalty - which confound him being only a human-robot construct but which delight his colleagues and reading audience.

I give this book 4.5 stars because some of the narrative portions (setting the scene, explaining the context) seem wordy and slow, as if there were a word count that was required to "finish" the story.

That said, I would not miss a single chance to enjoy MurderBot / SecUnit's story - the series is excellent and without parallel in my decades of reading experience. SecUnit is evolving in each story and strengthening th0se relationships with humans (ugh!) - to the delight of the readers. The action is well-designed and at times, intense. A satisfying read!

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the advance digital copy. Pub date is November 14, 2023. I already can't wait for the next!

Murderbot has returned in another full length novel that will leave you with all of the emotions that the others have given you. This book takes place right after the events of book 5, Network Effect and Murderbot is in trouble.

Murderbot, or Secunit as it is known to the humans, is struggling. After the events of Network Effect, it is essentially suffering from PTSD, and not managing it well. Murderbot is feeling inadequate and not it’s usual self. Murderbot finds that is second guessing all of the decisions and thinks it is putting the humans in danger. There are things that have happened that make Murderbot afraid that something is very wrong, but it is just emotions and their lack of understanding that is making it feel all of the feels. It can no longer hide in a corner and watch its serials in quite. Even ART wants to help and feels protective of Murderbot as do all of the humans around him. It is not easy for Murderbot right now, but with help it manages to get everyone to safety.

Murderbot is such an interesting character. It is through its voice and emotions that this book explores trauma and the aftermath of powerful emotions that even many humans struggle with. This story is a further exploration of what it means to be human and how those concepts lead to understanding ourselves as well as others.

But don’t despair, this book is not all about emotions. There is lots of action, fighting and snark from all of the characters that keep this a very fast paced and exciting read. I was a bit confused at the start, as I struggled with trying to remember the events of Network Effect, but once I got past that, it was just as good as the other books. The writing is as always suburb and I just love all of the banter between the characters and Murderbot’s thoughts are just priceless.

This is a great addition to the series. It has been fun following Murderbot’s exploits and watching the emotional development of a very endearing character. If you have enjoyed the other books in this series, then this is a book you will not want to miss.

This installment of Murderbot's adventures picks up right after, Network Effect and continues the storyline from that book. It is not a great entry point to the series but if you have made it this far and enjoyed Murderbot and it's group of reluctantly adopted humans then this one will not disappoint. You definitely need to read the others in the series first though, so if you haven't do that first. Murderbot will grow on you quickly and you'll be ready for this one in no time!

This is the seventh entry in the Murderbot Diaries series and takes place directly after the events of the fifth, Network Effect. For clarity, book six, Fugitive Telemetry, took place chronologically between books four and five. Okay, now that we have the timeline out of the way, to the review!

System Collapse absolutely lives up to what we have come to expect from The Murderbot Diaries, while also continuing to develop Murderbot's character and relationships. The events of Network Effect were traumatic, and Murderbot was already traumatized, but this trauma was a little different than before. This was Murderbot living it's worst nightmare, and the effect is more visceral than the usual day to day horror of having been a secunit under control of the Company. Murderbot is, for the first time in it's life, truly unsure if it is able to protect its humans. This is bad, because protecting its humans is both extremely important to it and its literal job, what it gets those excellent currency cards for.

ART is still stationed at the infected planet from Network Effect, and its crew is attempting to negotiate for the independence or at least freedom of the humans who have been living on the planet all this time. Now that they are no longer infected with the alien remnant, those humans have broken into further factions, complicating the process. Not to mention the rumor that there may be a completely separate settlement on the other side of the planet, who broke off from the original before the infection even occurred. Murderbot is to go along on the exploratory crew to discover if there is any truth to this, and act as security. But it's having flashbacks and stress as the least-liked part of itself- its human neural tissue- has not recovered from being captured by infected humans on this planet once already. What if these new humans are also infected? What if it cannot save its friends?

As we have seen time and again, and as Murderbot is finally, slowly, starting to learn, its humans care about it. Its friends, even if it won't use that word, care about it, and don't expect it to be able to do it all. ART cares about it, and won't abandon it, (and in this book gets some fun development that takes advantage of the fact that it is truly an AI in a way that Murderbot isn't) and it can admit when things are not okay.

It does get there, and it is good, and in the mean time we get exciting and creepy underground shenanigans and fights with a Corporation and a home video. It's all so good. I can't wait for the next one.

Series Info/Source: This is the 8th book in the Murderbot Diaries series. I got an ebook of this through NetGalley to review.

Thoughts: This is the eighth book in the Murderbot series. I really enjoyed this book a ton. It picks up right where the sixth book leaves off (remember "book" 7 actually went back in time).

Murderbot is with its humans from Preservation on a newly colonized planet trying to help the residents escape enslavement from the Barish-Estranza corporation. However, things get complicated when Murderbot and crew find out that there is another secret colony of humans on the planet that no one knew about.

This was incredibly well done. I enjoyed so much about this book. A lot of this story focuses around Murderbot having something wrong with itself and trying to figure that out. Of course the main storyline is the humans from Preservation working with Murderbot and ART's crew to prevent the humans from this planet from being taken into corporate slavery.

Some of the story is very creepy as they explore an abandoned terraforming station, and then the action really picks up when they find out that Barish-Estranza may have beat them to the unknown human colony. I enjoyed watching Murderbot try to deal with its problems and enjoyed all the action and mystery. Murderbot continues on its mission to give SecUnits a choice as well. I also continue to really enjoy watching Murderbot interact with its humans; in every book Murderbot seems to learn something new.

I think the only thing I struggled with was that the sixth book came out so long ago that I didn't remember all the characters very well. This improved as I got into the book, but I was somewhat confused for the first couple of scenes.

My Summary (5/5): Overall I really loved this and I think it was one of my favorite Murderbot books so far. I would highly recommend this series, especially if you enjoy sci-fi that delves into what it means for AI to become sentient. I am eagerly awaiting the next Murderbot book!

This is book seven in the Murderbot Diaries series by Martha Wells and I've only read the previous book. This is a series that, by all accounts, I should really enjoy. But it also seems to be a series that really requires some information that most likely came out in the first couple of books. I really feel like I'm missing some crucial information about our primary character.
The Barish-Estranza corporation has sent rescue ships to a newly-colonized planet that is having problems. They have also sent more Sec-Units, including our protagonist, Murderbot. Murderbot has been around long enough to know that no corporation, Barish-Estranza included, does anything just to be nice. They will want payment of some kind, and if the colonization of the planet is a bust and there will be no resources on which to capitalize, they'll find something else. And right now, the only thing on the planet with any value is the humans - they'll be good labor for the next project.

Murderbot's job is to go in and rescue those colonists - from their dire situation as well as from becoming indentured servants. It should be a snap - except Murderbot is suffering from the mechanical AI equivalent of PTSD from his/its recent jobs. Can the robot figure out what's wrong and fix itself in time to save the humans? (Do they even deserve saving?)

While I found this to be a bit of a slow read, I did find myself much more interested here than with the previously read book in the series. Murderbot's internal struggle was interesting. I would temper that, though, with the fact that I still just don't know who this character is. Without having read the previous books, the characters (is there more than just Murderbot who spans the series?) are still a bit of an enigma to me. This is not the sort of book which you can pick up mid-series and quickly catch up on the characters and the situations.

I'd like to read more Martha Wells but I do think I need to read this series from the beginning if I'm going to read any future books in the series. This would be my recommendation to others as well.

Looking for a good book? System Collapse by Martha Wells is the 7th book in the Murderbot Diaries series. It is not a book to pick up mid-series.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

This is a spoiler free, honest review given in exchange for a digital ARC from Netgalley.

System Collapse starts right where Network effect ends so you may need to reread it before beginning this one or it might be a bit confusing at first.
The snark and banter are there which always supply some of my favorite moments. I also feel like Wells has done such a great job tying in all the elements of the previous stories to create a dire situation that really spotlights the effects of a late stage capitalist driven society and extreme worker exploitation. There is also further exploration and development in regards to the relationships and role Murderbot is creating for itself within the Preservation society.
Overall, if you enjoyed Network Effect and want to continue your journey with our sarcastic bot then I highly recommend picking this up.

I was very confused in the beginning, because it has been over three years since I read Network Effect. And you really need to remember the ending of that one for this one here to make sense right away. There is no recap.
So, if you are fuzzy on the details, re-read Network Effect!

“Following the events in Network Effect, the Barish-Estranza corporation has sent rescue ships to a newly-colonized planet in peril, as well as additional SecUnits. But if there’s an ethical corporation out there, Murderbot has yet to find it, and if Barish-Estranza can’t have the planet, they’re sure as hell not leaving without something.“

The action starts right away. As mentioned, I was pretty confused about the where and why, due to a complete lack of a recap. Once I got back into the swing of things, it was a lot of fun.

ART is back! Murderbot works on some psychological stuff I cant tell you about because, redacted… It has to protect a lot of humans (so many of them, it needs group names to tell them apart!) and has to deal with a lot of shit happening. The usual. It‘s not getting old yet, but I am hoping that Wells will step up her game in the next two entries to the series.

Definitely for fans, not a stand-alone. I‘m actually going to reread All Systems Red now, just because. Time and stuff.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Tor through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I was not required to give a positive review.

Is it possible for Martha Wells to not knock it out of the park?? The latest book in the Murderbot Diaries starts up close to where Network Effect left off. Murderbot has just barely survived and it doesn’t quite know how to feel about it. Of course, a corporation has to smash in to try and make money at the expense of everyone else, so it’s up to Murderbot and its humans to save the day (again).

Martha Wells took me on another eye-opening trip with Secunit while beautifully illustrating humanity. Action-packed and possible of bringing out an emotion or two, System Collapse takes a unique look at trauma and the beginnings of recovery.

Secunit, Art, and Preservation humans are looking at a planet, hoping to make it a safer place when they realize that collectors may be coming to find new people to put into labor camps. When Secunit and Group find a hidden community on this planet, everything starts going sideways.

This book made me laugh out loud, which is not surprising. I am always so overwhelmed by the kindness and support between the humans and secunit, and Art, in this series. Always above and beyond with the Murderbot Diaries.

Highly recommend this series!

Out November 14, 2023!

Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!

Murderbot is back! And in spite of what it may tell you, it’s not doing okay. Something bad happened, and MB doesn't like to think about it. But its body still remembers, and all its humans keep asking if it is feeling okay, to which it tells them it’s fine, stop asking. (It’s not fine, and they don’t stop asking.)

I probably should have re-read (or listened to) the other books in the series to refresh my memory, or at least read a recap. I had a hard time remembering what had led up to this story. I also think I have a hard time keeping up with what’s happening in this author’s writing style when reading vs. listening.

Anyway, my own issues aside – this was a solid entry in the series. I love the snarky narrative voice so much, and the evolution of Murderbot’s understanding of its own emotions, particularly dealing with trauma. I love its relationships with its humans, how much they care about it, and how much it cares about them. And as always, I love MB and ART. I always enjoy this series so much and I hope the next one won’t take too long!

Science Fiction about a hacked SecUnit, who's not running normally, as they work to protect their friends and a planet's colonists from a corporation's machinations.

5/5 stars: Wells' Murderbot Diaries series has been a longtime favorite and this newest entry doesn't disappoint. This is a non-stop action packed read that will leave you wanting more. The world Wells has crafted is fantastically well-written. It features: politics, corporate malfeasance, colonial activities, alien technology, AI and robots and so much more. I have to say Wells' cast of characters is some of the best I've ever read; they're infinitely complex yet incredibly likable. I love that Murderbot's not only a kick-butt protector but has doubts and worries and that they continue to evolve in their relationships with their human and fellow AI crew members. Oh and I simply can't get enough of their sarcastic and irreverent sense of humor. Additionally, Wells' secondary characters are nicely fleshed out with distinct voices. This book does tackle some tough topics, so take case and check CWs. This is the seventh book and I would strongly suggest starting at the beginning with All Systems Red to get the most out of this great series.


I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group, Tordotcom in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

System Collapse
Martha Wells

CAWPILE SCORE
C-7
A-6
W-8
P-7
I-7
L-8
E-9
TOTAL-7.43/10

<spoiler>

CAWPILE
Characters
Murderbot feels surprisingly more human in this installment of the Murderbot diaries. The other characters don’t feel stagnant, but not a lot of growth from them. I like that everybody is covering for Murderbot all the time.
Murderbot deciding to go into therapy at the end. Foreshadowing Murderbot helping other secunits in the future.

Atmosphere
The atmosphere was a little unique in that we were dealing with a Pre CR installation but I didn’t feel enough was given in the writing to make it stand out more to me.

Writing
This book felt like I was reading murderbot’s actual diaries vs just a story like the previous ones. Small personal issue with “scene transitions” between past and present. Maybe it needed another linebreak, maybe something else. Maybe I’m bad at reading. It made it feel more real where sometimes things feel like that but just didn’t 100% click in the reading for me.

Plot
Good plot, mostly dealing with the fallout of the last book while delving into a little bit of secret pre CR stuff.

Investment
Its Murderbot so of course I was invested in reading it. Couldn’t put it down.

Logic
Good logic.

Enjoyment
I so enjoyed this book.
ART: I don’t hate anything. I’m discerning in my company.
Passive-aggressive competition to see who could use the most annoyingly correct comm protocol. 4.7 seconds vs 4.732 seconds
AdaCol2 : clock set Mark
Murderbot giving the Sec-Units the ability to hack their own governing modules
Argucusssions
ART doesn’t enjoy threatening people, it enjoys getting its own way and threatening people is just one of them.

Misc
ART is capable of doing its finances, but it ends up with numbers no one can trace. So they have to keep a hardcopy off network.

</spoiler>

This is the seventh entry in the Murderbot Diaries and it is everything we have come to expect from Martha Wells. There is a lot of action as always but also a lot of time spent on our favorite SecUnit's dealing with its "human" side. I don't think I am alone in finding that struggle the best part of these stories. It is another full length novel and it takes place right after the events of Fugitive Telemetry. Fans of this series will not be disappointed in this latest entry. Thank you to Netgalley and Tor Books for an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.