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A review by flying_monkey
Network Effect by Martha Wells
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This is the first full length novel in Martha Wells's extraordinarily popular and award-winning Murderbot Diaries sequence that started with the novella, "All Systems Red," which feature the eopnymous lead character, "Murderbot." If you're reading this and thinking, that sounds like a really crap piece of skiffy nonsense, as I did when I first heard about the original novella, let go of prejudices, because the character and the whole series are both entertaining and clever.
"Murderbot" is the secret name that the protagonist calls itself. It is actually mostly referred to by others as "SecUnit", which is what it is, a massively augmented, armed and very dangerous partially-human-looking cyborg or construct designed to provide protection and security (sometimes 'with extreme prejudice') for corporate operations in a far-future galactic setting dominated by corrupt, amoral, plundering corporations. Except that this SecUnit would rather be left alone to watch soap operas and make cynical and darkly amusing observations about the way the galaxy works, than run about killing people, although it's very good at doing the latter if it has too - which of course, is a lot more than it would like. There are various reasons for this, though mainly it has to do with the particular corrupt corporations trying to take down his (former) employers and now friends and comrades, one of the rare anti-corprate worlds, led by Dr Mensah, the nearest thing he has to family.
However, Network Effect brings back another memorable nonhuman character from an earlier novella, the robot-pilot of the research ship, Perihelion, otherwise known (to Murderbot) as ART (for "Asshole Research Transport"). ART, for reasons that unfold during the novel, kidnaps Murderbot and his colleagues and speeds them (at impossible velocities) through a local wormhole to a forgotten planet that seems to be populated by some very messed up people, if indeed they are actually 'people' at all. There's yet another untrustworthy corporation, slippery rediscovered ancient alien technology and a lot more besides. And Murderbot learns even more about the complex nature of relationships amongst humans, cyborgs and robots.
I am not going to say that Network Effect isn't really good, because it is really good. However, and this may simply be a matter of familiarity, I think I prefered the linked novella format that had characterised the series up until now (there had been four in total before this novel). While the occasional reviewer has complained that the novellas are some publisher conspiracy to cut up what should be a novel into smaller parts to make more money, this is a ridiculous accusation, since the novellas have always been priced as novellas, and they are clearly stories in themselves. The novella format has been making a major comeback in SF over the last few years. So I'm actually a bit disappointed by the shift to novels. Having said that, while the pacing is a little more relaxed than in the novellas, it doesn't feel padded and there isn't much one could point to and say 'if you cut this and this, it would make a great novella." This book is a well-constructed story, and a fine addition to the sequence which advances Murderbot as a character, while adding many potential further developments. It's just not quite as sharp and impactful as the novellas.
"Murderbot" is the secret name that the protagonist calls itself. It is actually mostly referred to by others as "SecUnit", which is what it is, a massively augmented, armed and very dangerous partially-human-looking cyborg or construct designed to provide protection and security (sometimes 'with extreme prejudice') for corporate operations in a far-future galactic setting dominated by corrupt, amoral, plundering corporations. Except that this SecUnit would rather be left alone to watch soap operas and make cynical and darkly amusing observations about the way the galaxy works, than run about killing people, although it's very good at doing the latter if it has too - which of course, is a lot more than it would like. There are various reasons for this, though mainly it has to do with the particular corrupt corporations trying to take down his (former) employers and now friends and comrades, one of the rare anti-corprate worlds, led by Dr Mensah, the nearest thing he has to family.
However, Network Effect brings back another memorable nonhuman character from an earlier novella, the robot-pilot of the research ship, Perihelion, otherwise known (to Murderbot) as ART (for "Asshole Research Transport"). ART, for reasons that unfold during the novel, kidnaps Murderbot and his colleagues and speeds them (at impossible velocities) through a local wormhole to a forgotten planet that seems to be populated by some very messed up people, if indeed they are actually 'people' at all. There's yet another untrustworthy corporation, slippery rediscovered ancient alien technology and a lot more besides. And Murderbot learns even more about the complex nature of relationships amongst humans, cyborgs and robots.
I am not going to say that Network Effect isn't really good, because it is really good. However, and this may simply be a matter of familiarity, I think I prefered the linked novella format that had characterised the series up until now (there had been four in total before this novel). While the occasional reviewer has complained that the novellas are some publisher conspiracy to cut up what should be a novel into smaller parts to make more money, this is a ridiculous accusation, since the novellas have always been priced as novellas, and they are clearly stories in themselves. The novella format has been making a major comeback in SF over the last few years. So I'm actually a bit disappointed by the shift to novels. Having said that, while the pacing is a little more relaxed than in the novellas, it doesn't feel padded and there isn't much one could point to and say 'if you cut this and this, it would make a great novella." This book is a well-constructed story, and a fine addition to the sequence which advances Murderbot as a character, while adding many potential further developments. It's just not quite as sharp and impactful as the novellas.