Artificial Condition: The Murderbot Diaries

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars | 30,808 ratings

Price: 11.99

Last update: 12-26-2024


About this item






From the Publisher

The Murderbot Diaries Martha Wells NPR quote
The Murderbot Diaries Martha Wells
The Murderbot Diaries Martha Wells The New York Times review
The Murderbot Diaries Martha Wells The New York Times N.K. Jemisin quote

Top reviews from the United States

Plantec
5.0 out of 5 stars This was a good read.
Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2024
Wells is a good writer and she puts a lot of complex heart into her key characters. In this book our virtual human protagonist goes through a serious arch of development as he adjusts to his new roll as an apparent human. He also finds a powerful friend who aids him in his quest to find truth in his past. He also learns to interact with humans without freaking out. Enjoy.
Harris
4.0 out of 5 stars Keeps being crazy good!
Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2024
What a surprise! The first book was refreshing, easy to read and fun. “Yeah, ok, what now?” I though. Well, Martha Wells delivered a very interesting story (in fact 2 in 1), with new aspects. I was hooked and practically read this in a day.
Why I don’t give 5 stars? Well, some depth is missing. A scope, an epicness, maybe we’ll get there on the next books, however at the moment this feels like an amazing, easy read.

I would say the protagonist is surprisingly evolving and she’s given natural opportunities to do so. The extra characters, especially ART, are pretty cool and the main mystery progressed a bit.

The pace is not frantic, it’s actually less brutal than the first book, but it’s still good enough to carry us through.

There is some little criticism I could do. There is a lot to ponder about if you are that kind of person. The hacking is far too easy. It doesn’t make sense for it to be that easy. Our protagonist’s capacity to feel and be able to hack and do all this human-like stuff has to be an irregularity - that’s what I thought but the introduction of ART is confusing. It doesn’t make sense for it to be that liberal and powerful.
Finally, the book is slightly expensive for its size, in comparison to others, but that won’t deter me from going through with the series.

If you enjoyed the first, don’t miss this one!
Michael Lynn McGuire
5.0 out of 5 stars Book number two of a seven book series of science fiction novellas
Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2023
Book number two of a seven book series of science fiction novellas and novels. I reread the well printed and well bound hardcover novella published by Tor in 2018 that I bought new from Amazon. The first novella in the series, "All Systems Red", won the 2018 Hugo, Nebula, Alex, and Locus awards. The series won the 2021 Hugo for Best Series. I have all six books in the series and have ordered the seventh book which is to be released in November 2023.

Murderbot is a SecUnit, similar to a T-800 Terminator with a cloned and severely modified human head. There is a human brain in there but it is controlled by the AIs embedded in its genderless torso. There are lungs, there is a blood mixture with a synthetic, there is human skin over the entire body, there is a face, there is hair on the head and eyebrows. Everything else is machine. Somehow, the blood is enriched with electricity as there is no stomach or intestines. But, there are arteries and veins to keep the skin and brain alive. All of the major arteries and veins have clamps to stop bleeding in case of damage. There is a MedSystem computer with an AI, a HubUnit computer with an AI, and a governor module that can force the SecUnit to follow orders using pain sensors in the brain. It has a energy gun in each arm and several cameras, all directly wired to the brain. The SecUnit can sustain severe damage to everything but the head and still survive.

Murderbot is a self named SecUnit due to an unfortunate circumstance with 57 miners on a remote moon. It has hacked its governor and no longer allows the governor to give it orders or inflict pain. It prefers to internally watch its 35,000 hours of downloaded media such as episodes of "The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon" and "WorldHoppers". Even though it has a face, it does not like to interface with humans, yes, very introverted. It will follow human orders if it sees fit to do so.

Murderbot is on the run from its new owner and has been called a rogue SecUnit by the news feeds. It has been hitching rides with AI Bot Cargo and Transport spaceships by sharing it's 35,000 hours of downloaded media. It hitched a ride with an AI ship carrying cargo named ART that had an incredibly powerful AI. At first, the AI was hostile and then turned into a friend, helping Murderbot to disguise itself by modifying its body structure and helped Murderbot take a dangerous security job at the moon where it reputedly killed 57 miners.

Quotes from the book:
1. “Sometimes people do things to you that you can’t do anything about. You just have to survive it and go on.”
2. "So they made us smarter. The anxiety and depression were side effects."

Warning: There is violence and death in the books. Books one through four are a series of novellas, not regular length books. Book five is a regular length novel, book six is back to the novella, and book seven is a full length novel due out in November 2023. You can buy a collection of the first four hardbacks at a nice discount.
Jeff
5.0 out of 5 stars Second installment of a great story
Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2024
My only real complaint is the books are on the shorter side - I burn through them too quickly! Love the series in general, and this book is a continuation of a great story. Reread many times!
Bo0kSl0th
4.0 out of 5 stars Cerebral awakening
Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2024
Being a rogue AI who denies it may have started to develop some semi-human feelings due to a broken processor. It's a hard lonely life stowing away on ghost ships piloted by bots. Realizing that its obsession for human sitcoms may be the only thing keeping it sane while it watches countless hours of media as it sits in empty ships floating through space. And that seems to be the way MurderBot likes it. Alone.

It all changes when what seems like just another mindless pilot bot turns out to be so much more. MurderBot may have met its match when ART starts asking questions that the newly cerebrally-awaken AI ID not ready to face. Can MurderBot face those hard question and more importantly seek the answers it is truly looking for for it may find the peace it denies it has a right to?

As always, humanity has a way of confronting MurderBot in its journey and testing its limits. The author always does a great job of giving MurderBot this sarcastic stoicism which I love. Is a bot even capable of that?
A Rabid Reader
5.0 out of 5 stars Human Condition
Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2024
Murderbot has to know, otherwise, is its favorite human safe?

Our favorite SecUnit is trying to get answers to its questions about what happened when it when on its rampage before it hacked its governor module. The drive to do this is obvious. It is still working out why and starting to have to deal with all the trauma it has experienced.

ART makes sure of it. The introduction of ART is wonderful and I couldn’t enjoy it more.

Watching the growth of Murderbot is a great journey. As it grows its awareness and observational skills outside its dissociated self grows as well. We feel its awkwardness, its doubt, its worry, and its disappointment. We are there for its struggle to figure out itself, and the struggle is a series long struggle for our SecUnit.

Another great addition to the series.
A Sanders
5.0 out of 5 stars Love.
Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2024
I love the way it's narrated by the murderbot. Many times the introvert in me can totally relate. ????

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