A review by thereadinghammock
Artificial Condition by Martha Wells

funny mysterious reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Ok, after putting off reading MurderBot for so long, I finally get what all the hype has been about! Short but still very impactful, Martha Wells manages to cram so much into these novellas. I did read them a bit out of order, book two then book one, but MurderBot is just as funny. And I loved ART! I have heard that we get more if ART in future books, and I look forward to revisiting MurderBot's favorite research vessel again.

There's also so much social commentary packed into a very contained story. The commoditization of people and places. The autonomy or lack thereof of the constructs, despite being fully sentient AI systems. The constructs being ACTUAL AI systems and not whatever knockoff theft software we're trying to pass off as AI these days. Exploring the concepts of morality and autonomy when free choice is a conceptual gray area. So, so, so much in such short, digestible, and delightfully sarcastic and relatable packages.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings