System Collapse

The Murderbot Diaries, Book 7

By: Martha Wells

Narrated by: Kevin R. Free

Length: 6 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

The million-copy, New York Times bestselling Murderbot series is back in another full-length novel adventure!

Am I making it worse? I think I'm making it worse.

Everyone's favorite lethal SecUnit is back.

Following the events in Network Effect, the Barish-Estranza corporation has sent rescue ships to a newly colonized planet in peril, as well as additional SecUnits. But if there's an ethical corporation out there, Murderbot has yet to find it, and if Barish-Estranza can't have the planet, they're sure as hell not leaving without something. If that something just happens to be an entire colony of humans, well, a free workforce is a decent runner-up prize.

But there's something wrong with Murderbot; it isn't running within normal operational parameters. ART's crew and the humans from Preservation are doing everything they can to protect the colonists, but with Barish-Estranza's SecUnit-heavy persuasion teams, they're going to have to hope Murderbot figures out what's wrong with itself, and fast!

Yeah, this plan is... not going to work.

©2023 Martha Wells (P)2023 Recorded Books

Great story

Murderbot is back and doesn’t disappoint! Highly entertaining and engaging characters throughout this continuing saga!

Another Great Murderbot Adventure!

I miss the interactions with some of the characters who have been around from the start, but it’s another great tale. Of course, Free does his typical excellent job with narration. He’s a good fit for this franchise.

Appropriate questions for our time.

The character Dr Mensa proposes the human race has an issue, the inability to honor a person as a person with the most basic rights and respects due anyone, and current global issues don't bode well for the future of humanity. For much of human history success has depended on the enslavement and debasement of others. This is a metaphor for our own time, in real life, and I hope we, humans, figure out how to be decent with each other soon, or , yes, we may have much to fear from the "tools" we have used so poorly. Currently, many fear AI when the acceptance of cruelty is what we should fear and that is a system imposed by and enforced by and inflicted on humans. Slavery in one form or another be it corporate imposition of poverty on the laboring masses while demanding payment from the same populations all driven by corporate profit seeking, or the actual refusal to acknowledge humanity and basic human needs in other humans. This behavior is why people fear AI seizing power and using it. Human history shows , the strongest intellectually and otherwise have ruled by might, and AI is indeed quickly surpassing human capacities in many, many realms, of power. Humans are fearful of this, because humans in power have exercised cruelty on all those with less power for most of human history. Those people fear AI will behave the way those people have behaved. Not all humans are cruel though, some have sought a more balanced way, and in the end it is the most intel event choice.

While the boycotts continue, for very real , rational reasons, this series presents an alternative to both sides, a middle way.

As usual …love Murderbot Series!

Started a bit slow…then really enjoyed the continuation of this series! It was equally as good as the other novels. Murderbot is also very interesting because of all the questions about AI and how it will affect humanity. The

6 then 5 then 7

This story starts directly from the ending of the 5th book rather than the 6th book which is great if you recently read the 5th book but creates a context gap if you haven't. The story is not fully self contained which is something I like, but the discontinuity in the series forced me to re-read the 5th book (something I rarely do, unlike murderbot) to fully enjoy it.

Loved the introspection

I know most others didn't like the introspection bits but I enjoyed getting a glimpse into the feelings it doesn't admit it has. Twice on audiobook so far and the physical copy sometime this weekend.

Murderbot and ART try to keep the mission on track.

I love Murderbot hense how could I not love this wonderful book ❤ it's Murderbot after all!!! Kevin R Free is an amazing narrator as he narrates another POV. He absolutely catches all the nuances of Murderbot's feelings and his exasperation when his humans make dumb decisions!
Martha Wells doesn't forget the story ARC either. As she writes another pulse-pounding book in Murderbot's saga. Starting exactly where the last book left off, as Murderbot and ART short for A$$h*le Research Transport, (yeah, Murderbot's nickname for Perihelion), try to keep their crew safe and still keep the mission on track!

Murderbot evolves not just repeats!

It started a bit slow for me, but rapidly moved into the usual wonderful experience. I think it’s because I hated that planet by now. Murderbot and all the characters show how truly wonderful the author is at many viewpoints. Thanks, Martha Wells!!

Another great installment of Murderbot

Everyone's favorite sardonic android is back for more adventures. More Art, a real resolution to the stuff happening with that planet, more movement toward healing, and more opportunities to pass on that code bundle are just a few of the things you can expect in this installment. If you don't know what any of those things mean, start with All Systems Red and definitely don't skip Network Effect.
For real, read this book.

As usual, lots of fun!

Love this opera. Looking forward to more. Just the right amount each time. Waiting for the next book/story.