Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher and the amazing Martha Wells who wrote just the book I needed. This was soo good! Murderbot is always going to be good, duh, but this time they have . . . SecUnit PTSD? I loved this so much. There wasn't quite as much frantic action in parts of it, and I had just decided I liked a bit more introspective of a book, and then all the action happened anyway and I loved it. Come for the snark and the action, stay for the Art/Murderbot relationship through hard times.

I love Murderbot! This is another great addition to Murderbot's story. It has all the hallmarks of a Murderbot story. Fast-paced action, sarcasm, and characters that you instantly like. However, I will say if you haven't read any other Murderbot stories, I would not start here. This story builds on previous books and I think that new readers could be a tad confused as to what is happening. Thank you to Netgalley and Tor for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I feel so happy and fortunate to have been given the opportunity to read an ARC of System Collapse by Martha Wells. I'm also very happy that we've been given yet another chance to see what Murderbot is up to. I don't think anyone who reads this will be disappointed. It was a well-written, hilarious book that leaves you wanting more. I don't think you can ever get enough of Murderbot and his friends (?). I will continue to recommend this series to anyone looking for something funny and original.

O Murderbot, what hath you been up to? In this case, we aren't sure what all is going on but have some ideas from events of the previous book. System Collapse will be a delight for readers who were hoping for more ART and Murderbot interactions. The plot also looks at colonization and corporate interference. Murderbot isn't sure who trusts them, who can be trusted, and if they can trust themselves.
All in all, another satisfying tale from Martha Wells.

“So the next time I get optimistic about something, I want one of you to punch me in the face. Okay, not really, because let’s be real, that would end badly. Maybe remind me to punch myself in the face.”

I am a huge Murderbot fan and was delighted to get an eARC for this book. Thank you to @netgalley and @tordotcom for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Now, this one continues immediately from where Network Effect lets off. For the people who don’t know, the publication order and chronological order is different from Murderbot #5 – Fugitive Telemetry (Murderbot diaries #6) was published after Network Effect (Murderbot diaries #5) but canonically it occurs before the events in Network Effect.

Network Effect was the first full sized novel in the Murderbot series and one thing I enjoyed greatly in it was that the higher page count let Martha Wells set up a sub-plot mystery along with the main plot. Now System Collapse being the second full sized novel had my hopes up for similar plot devices. And I was rewarded, the first chapter was very strong and immediately set up a new sub-plot too.

Unfortunately, the rest of the first half and a good portion of the second half of the book was a letdown for me. It seemed to follow the structure of the first phase of the Murderbot diaries (the GrayCris era) where the first half of the books were slow and exposition filled but there is a turning point around 50% of the book. And from there the books keep up-shifting the gears and action picks up. While the first four novellas had this formula, those worked for me because of Murderbot’s inner monologue and for lack-of-my-ability-to-describe-it ‘the vibes.’

Murderbot is dealing with PTSD from a new internal trauma. While this is a new and significant direction that Martha Wells is taking Murderbot through, subjectively I didn’t like it. I’m here for the snark, the social awkwardness, the humor, and the action scenes – all of which there is a considerate dearth of. I’m not a stranger to people just standing around and talking in this series but usually there’s Murderbot’s internal sarcastic running commentary to save me. In this book though, Murderbot just back-burners all of these conversations and focuses on its trauma. It is realistic and makes sense with the events across N.E. and this book, but it’s just not enjoyable. Another factor is that the traumatic event is not discussed for the first half of the book at all, so Murderbot acknowledges it happened, but it doesn’t give any detail, it just mentions ‘redacted’ all over.

The last quarter of the book really saved it for me. The book returns to a lot of what made the previous novels so good. The action ramps up, Murderbot starts ̶s̶w̶e̶a̶r̶i̶n̶g̶ interacting more with the characters around it, one thing after the other goes wrong setting up for a proper roller coaster climax. I really like where the story is after the climax too, with some new and returning characters, making me hopeful for the next book. In conclusion, I liked this one a bit more than Fugitive Telemetry but it falls massively off the high standard set by the other books in this series and despite perpetually wanting more Murderbot I feel this book would have benefited with a much shorter page count.

I was so excited to get this ARC for “System Collapse” from the incredible Martha Wells. I highly recommend this sci fi book - I was such a fan!

Another solid entry into the Muderbot series. They continue to be fun, fast paced adventures. This one shows us a Muderbot with a lot of needed introspection that needs to happen. Here it is rescuing a group of colonists from a corporate entity, all the good stuff that we have come to expect from the series. There are definitely strong hints that something is brewing within Murderbot that is going to change things long term. A solid installment in a fun series. As always, I now want another one.

Good news, the newest Murderbot installment is everything I wanted. I like to give these alternate titles, and I’d go with “Oh no, Murderbot has PTSD!” for this one. It continues the adventure started in Network Effect, and Murderbot is struggling. Luckily, it’s surrounded by people who want to help. But first they have to get themself out of a pickle. The only bad thing about this book is that I now I have to wait a long time for the next one.

Another great Murderbot story. This one takes place right after Network Effect, and Murderbot is dealing with the fallout/trauma from that. It changes the tone of the story (can't really give details without spoiling it) but the characters and functions and world are what we've come to love from the series. I enjoyed the outside conflict as well as Murderbot's internal conflict and I recommend this one if you enjoy the series!

In the latest entry in the Murderbot diaries, our favorite SecUnit is dealing with a lot of <redacted>. It will take you until halfway through the book until the sudden use of <redacted> in Murderbot's account is explained in any way, which adds an interesting and suspenseful element to the story. In the end, we find Murderbot is more relatable and even...human?...than ever, which, naturally, Murderbot will absolutely HATE.

I'm always thrilled to be back in Murderbot's head. I do wish I had paid more attention to the fact that this book follows the events of Network Effect, book #5 in the series, rather than the more-recent #6, Fugitive Telemetry, which confusingly takes place chronologically between books 4 and 5. I think I would have enjoyed this book even more if I had refreshed my brain with the details of Network Effect, but this was still a really fun ride through Murderbot's evolving personality. SecBot and its humans are up against the corporation Barish-Estranza in the race to save the colonists on a planet in peril. Murderbot is not quite up to snuff after the events of the previous novel, and I really enjoyed its struggle to keep everyone safe while dealing (or not) with its issues. The last third or so of the novel is especially riveting; I couldn't put it down. Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group/Tordotcom for a digital review copy.

This book follows the events of Network Effect and therefore Murderbot is not running at optimal performance. ART’s crew and the humans from Preservation are trying to help the colonists understand that the newly arrived corporation is not as helpful as they pretend to be. Murderbot needs to figure out what is wrong with itself in order to save them all…

Another fantastic installment in a series I cannot get enough of.

Murderbot is still its hilarious, media-loving, sarcastic self—but recent trauma has forced it to process more emotions than ever before.

I love how vulnerable, emotional, and human these stories are, when SecUnit (aka Murderbot) is a construct, not human at all.

Highly recommend this series!

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the ARC.

NEW MURDERBOT!!! As soon as I heard it existed, I headed over to NetGalley to request a copy and here we are!

This book takes place just after Network Effect, which is where I wanted to be, more on that later. Here we find our favorite, freed SecUnit and its working with ART. However, Murderbot seems to be having some issues other than the task which they have set their mind to. Murderbot is experiencing things like self-doubt and anxiety and it is a pleasure to behold. Not that I'd wish anything bad would happen to it, it's just that I love its human qualities and I'm glad to see more of them.

That's all I'm going to say about the plot. It's fun and fast-paced with some humming tension as the situation seems to get more dire by the second. With its addiction to Sanctuary Moon and other media still intact, it's not startling to realize that Murderbot seems to be taking some behavior clues from these shows, all in a bid to learn how to better deal with itself, really KNOW itself. I think this aspect is the thing I love most about Murderbot.

I found this a much better story than the previous entry, Fugitive Telemetry, which felt like a tale told completely out of order. I expected to see Murderbot working with ART as that was the situation we left them in at the end of Network Effect. Sadly, that was not the case and it resulted in my least favorite Murderbot story yet. I'm still here though, and I'm glad I stayed because this was the story I was anticipating and I'm glad Martha Wells gave it to us!

All hail Murderbot!

*I received an e-ARC of this book from Tor via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!*

Review copy provided by the publisher.

There's a lot SecUnit doesn't want to talk about.

Unfortunately repressing trauma has a time limit even when you're a SecUnit, a.k.a. Murderbot. And when you're in the middle of trying to find and deal with a lost outpost of humans who are vulnerable to corporate manipulation may be the worst possible time to pretend that nothing is wrong, just when you most need to integrate your human and machine sides. "Need" and "want" are definitely, definitely not the same thing here.

This is the latest installation in its series, and I wouldn't recommend starting here; Murderbot's personality and relationships and backstory are all well-established from other parts of the series, and the momentum you have from those will not be the same if you try to start from scratch with this late-series entry. If you already know Murderbot well, though, watching its development to this point is very satisfying. This is the good time I was looking for.

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Tor Publishing Group for an advance copy of this science fiction adventure featuring the SecUnit of sarcasm, the control officer of media binging and mayhem, the one and only Murderbot and the fleshy humans that Murderbot has for some reason decided to protect.

Even Murderbot gets the blues. The blues though in Murderbot's case have been pushed down deep, locked away and redacted from Murderbot's interactions. Which are starting to suffer. A SecUnit that can control it's pain, and can control its own actions, Murderbot is on a colony world that has seen better days, dealing with a business consortium that sees profit in every single thing. And will do anything to make that profit real. Murderbot really needs to be on top of its game, but something is slowing its reaction time, making it second guess actions, and instead of keeping those fleshy humans alive, Murderbot might be putting them all in danger. System Collapse by Martha Wells is the seventh book in this series about a future that seems far too real with a character in Murderbot that is just so much fun, even though it is going through a lot.

The book begins where the fifth book leaves off, with Murderbot on a colony world that has had a unique infection in both humans and tech, and leaving the survivors messed up in a variety of ways. A rival corporation is trying to make a profit, but on a ruined colony world the only profit available might be those colonists left behind, as contract/slave workers are always needed somewhere. Murderbot is also not doing well, for things it wishes not to discuss, nor think about. There is a large part of something that Murderbot is keeping redacted from itself and others, though his humans protectees are aware. Also aware is ART a sentient ship that is trying to help Murderbot, but is finding itself dealing wth its own problems, and a defiant Murderbot. Things might be under control, until word reaches the team that there might be another group of humans on the planet, a large group that might have been fine during the infection that hurt so many. A prime crop for a corporation to make money on, and something worth killing quite a lot of people over.

Another great adventure in the Murderbot universe that is both thrilling and thoughtful in different ways. And funny, thought the humor takes awhile. Murderbot is a fascinating character one that immediately made me interested in knowing more starting in its first adventure, and has really grown over the novel and short stories. The intriguing aspect of the story is that Murderbot is caught red handed showing feelings, and for a SecUnit this can be a tad overwhelming. Overwhelming enough to almost shut down, and for memories to form that are not real, which for a SecUnit that doesn't feel pain and can process a lot of information quickly, should be impossible. And yet. The problem with this is that Wells keeps it a secret so long, that the story drags in the beginning in a almost disjointed way. I get that Wells is trying to show Murderbot is confused, suffering trauma after years and years of violence, sometimes deserved, sometimes against its will, but it made the story a bit tough to get into. Thought this clears up once the plot starts really moving. I still enjoyed this, and want to know more about what Murderbot is going through. I can't wait for more.

For new readers it might take a bit to get into, but I wouldn't expect new readers to be at home with both the violence, and the humor, especially the sarcasm so quickly. For veteran readers a fun adventure and a lot of changes and growth for the characters and the characters around Murderbot. I look very forward to more adventures, or really any science fiction or fantasy from Martha Wells.

This gripping continuation of The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells had me hooked in about two seconds.

System Collapse is a sci-fi novella following our favorite Murderbot as they struggle with their newly discovered mental health. Murderbot must learn in the only way humans do: by messing up the first time.

I absolutely love the vibes of this one. It is engaging, action packed, and funny, but still manages to tug on the heart strings. Martha Wells has once again wowed me with just her writing style! It’s so easy to read and to get into the head of Murderbot.

SciFi fans must read The Murderbot Diaries! System Collapse is no exception.

Thank you very much for the opportunity to read this book early! I really enjoyed it. I thought the writing was very well done, and the story kept me interested. I believe my students/patrons would also love this book and will be acquiring it for the library!

"Everyone's favorite lethal SecUnit is back in the next installment in Martha Wells's New York Times bestselling Murderbot Diaries series.

Am I making it worse? I think I'm making it worse.

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. If that something just happens to be an entire colony of humans, well, a free workforce is a decent runner-up prize.

But there's something wrong with Murderbot; it isn't running within normal operational parameters. ART's crew and the humans from Preservation are doing everything they can to protect the colonists, but with Barish-Estranza's SecUnit-heavy persuasion teams, they're going to have to hope Murderbot figures out what's wrong with itself, and fast!

Yeah, this plan is... not going to work."

If you're sitting around to wait for the deadly droid revolut in the Star Wars comics to come out in trade paperback, might I suggest another murderous robot?

Great syfi read for fans of red rising series. Great series and loved the writing style. The cover is amazing art. Great concept

How much do I love Murderbot? Fantastic! He is again just a great character in the seventh book in the series. We find him a bit flawed in this book He is having some emotional troubles due to his past experience, and he’s struggling with this. But he doesn’t let his coworkers down, nor does he ever let us down. We get to see and hear his thoughts and emotions deeply in this particular story. His function as always is security, and to take care of his team, but we get a in-depth look at how he makes decisions and how it’s not just the data but it’s his heart and humanity that help him to do the things necessary to save himself and his team. He doesn’t always make the right decisions and as I said, he’s got some issues in this book, but we definitely root for him from page 1 to the end always. This is another great book, Martha Wells Just writes great Murderbot stories. Read them all. Read them twice, and definitely pick up book 7.