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A review by iam
System Collapse by Martha Wells
5.0
I love Murderbot.
This is another wonderful installment in its journey, a direct sequel to [b:Network Effect|52381770|Network Effect (The Murderbot Diaries, #5)|Martha Wells|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1640597293l/52381770._SY75_.jpg|63614271] that wraps up what happens with the colony and the corporation trying to take over.
First of all, I felt a bit betrayed by this being called "another full length" novel, when Tor.com are well aware they have published novellas with the same page count before. To be fair, System Collapse is a good 100 pages longer than the Murderbot novellas, but it is also a good 100 pages shorter than Network Effect.
System Collapse felt a bit more existential than the previous books, with Murderbot still feeling the aftereffects of a [redacted] event. Because of that, the beginning felt a bit more heavy, but as Murderbot deals with its feelings, the plot gets rolling, and the characters more familiar, it sucks you right in again.
In true style of the series, this book puts Murderbot with a mostly new group of humans, with old familiar faces still in the background. While I appreciate the new characters, and their backstories matter a lot to the plot, I would have loved to see more familiar faces. Especially Three and Amena felt really weirdly pushed into the background in this one.
I also wish the ending would have been a little longer, and wrapped up a bit more conclusively. Some elements that become prominent towards the end just get forgotten in the last chapter.
But to be fair, the Murderbot books never had elaborate epilogues.
I love Murderbot, but this is definitely not my favourite installment. It felt very surface level in a lot of aspects, and I wanted more depth from the plot in particular. Murderbot's emotional development was great in it though and I can't wait to see its next mission - and I'm especially curious where all its work in freeing SecUnits is going to head.
I received an ARC and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
This is another wonderful installment in its journey, a direct sequel to [b:Network Effect|52381770|Network Effect (The Murderbot Diaries, #5)|Martha Wells|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1640597293l/52381770._SY75_.jpg|63614271] that wraps up what happens with the colony and the corporation trying to take over.
First of all, I felt a bit betrayed by this being called "another full length" novel, when Tor.com are well aware they have published novellas with the same page count before. To be fair, System Collapse is a good 100 pages longer than the Murderbot novellas, but it is also a good 100 pages shorter than Network Effect.
System Collapse felt a bit more existential than the previous books, with Murderbot still feeling the aftereffects of a [redacted] event. Because of that, the beginning felt a bit more heavy, but as Murderbot deals with its feelings, the plot gets rolling, and the characters more familiar, it sucks you right in again.
In true style of the series, this book puts Murderbot with a mostly new group of humans, with old familiar faces still in the background. While I appreciate the new characters, and their backstories matter a lot to the plot, I would have loved to see more familiar faces. Especially Three and Amena felt really weirdly pushed into the background in this one.
I also wish the ending would have been a little longer, and wrapped up a bit more conclusively. Some elements that become prominent towards the end just get forgotten in the last chapter.
But to be fair, the Murderbot books never had elaborate epilogues.
I love Murderbot, but this is definitely not my favourite installment. It felt very surface level in a lot of aspects, and I wanted more depth from the plot in particular. Murderbot's emotional development was great in it though and I can't wait to see its next mission - and I'm especially curious where all its work in freeing SecUnits is going to head.
I received an ARC and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.