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A review by jdscott50
System Collapse by Martha Wells
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Our favorite SecUnit returns for another installment of the Murderbot Series. In the previous novel, SecUnit is caught up in alien intrigue, causing them to face their biggest challenge and, as a result, cause them to doubt their abilities. This PTSD carries over into this novel and is a main background focus. Gone is the overconfident SecUnit who can seemingly defeat foes almost by magic. Now, SecUnit second-guesses their every move.
The story begins when a pre-corporation rim colony is discovered, only to have a corporation swoop in and attempt to woo them to their side. The University is only interested in their freedom and self-choice rather than a lifetime of slave labor to a faceless corporation. It would seem to be a straightforward decision that one would not want to be a corporate slave, but this is a pre-corporation rim colony, and they are unaware of the troubles. After taking out a chaotic agricultural bot, SecUnit, a copy of ART, and his human companions venture to the other side of the planet to look for more survivors. When they find the colony, the corporation has gotten their first. Can they convince them of the horrors of Corporation life? If anyone can show the damage a corporation can do to an individual, SecUnit can.
Another fun installment. The PTSD suffered by SecUnit was heartbreaking. Normally, they would be able to hack, blast, or talk their way out of situations, but here, they are vulnerable, compromised, and not feeling confident. For a robot, their experiences are always very relatable.
The story begins when a pre-corporation rim colony is discovered, only to have a corporation swoop in and attempt to woo them to their side. The University is only interested in their freedom and self-choice rather than a lifetime of slave labor to a faceless corporation. It would seem to be a straightforward decision that one would not want to be a corporate slave, but this is a pre-corporation rim colony, and they are unaware of the troubles. After taking out a chaotic agricultural bot, SecUnit, a copy of ART, and his human companions venture to the other side of the planet to look for more survivors. When they find the colony, the corporation has gotten their first. Can they convince them of the horrors of Corporation life? If anyone can show the damage a corporation can do to an individual, SecUnit can.
Another fun installment. The PTSD suffered by SecUnit was heartbreaking. Normally, they would be able to hack, blast, or talk their way out of situations, but here, they are vulnerable, compromised, and not feeling confident. For a robot, their experiences are always very relatable.