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A review by _cecilie_
All Systems Red by Martha Wells
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
On the downside, it wasn't very smart of me to start another series but on the upside, it's shaped up to be a pretty good one so I'll overlook my own poor decision making and probably continue with the second volume the next time I'm bored while doing laundry.
Murderbot, as he refers to himself, is a supposed cold-blooded killing machine but in reality he's like everybody whose life is too much for them, has high anxiety levels and self-soothes with excessive media consumption. He's very relatable in that way, although I would have loved to dig a bit deeper into his sense of self, his becoming self-aware and wanting to stay that way. Instead we're dropped into the middle of the narrative, in media res, which is a 'fast paced intergalactic space mission'-kind of plot, not the most original sci-fi storyline but action-driven, well-written and very effective on its own terms. But still, I hope the next installments of The Murderbot Diaries give a few more glimpses into this lovable, anxious robo-weirdo who's just slightly obsessed with soap operas.
Murderbot, as he refers to himself, is a supposed cold-blooded killing machine but in reality he's like everybody whose life is too much for them, has high anxiety levels and self-soothes with excessive media consumption. He's very relatable in that way, although I would have loved to dig a bit deeper into his sense of self, his becoming self-aware and wanting to stay that way. Instead we're dropped into the middle of the narrative, in media res, which is a 'fast paced intergalactic space mission'-kind of plot, not the most original sci-fi storyline but action-driven, well-written and very effective on its own terms. But still, I hope the next installments of The Murderbot Diaries give a few more glimpses into this lovable, anxious robo-weirdo who's just slightly obsessed with soap operas.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Gore
Moderate: Mental illness