And the train that calls itself Murderbot just keeps on a rolling. Murderbot is relentless: brilliant fun all the way through. Murderbot is definitely one of the best AI’s i’ve ever encountered — up there with Joseph R. Lallo’s Ma.
And it’s non-stopping straight into-ing Home for more Murderbot shenanigans.
Since leaving off the last book, Artificial Condition, Murderbot discovers that Dr. Mensah is having a few legal difficulties, and with Murderbot’s fledgling, tiny bit of a conscience, it feels the need to go off to dig up some evidence against the evil GrayCris Corporation in order to help Dr. Mensah, who still seems to have a lot of explaining to do as to where Murderbot’s disappeared to.
And in order to get that evidence you just know it’s going to be total violent mayhem and destruction.
Great stuff from beginning to end, superb writing with not a word wasted.
And now it’s onward unto Exit Strategy.
Following straight on from where All Systems Red left off, Murderbot is now a free agent with no humans, corporations, or security systems to answer to. That is, as long as no one realises that he’s a rogue SecUnit: which is a bit of problem when you’re a clone and exactly like every other SecUnit in existence.
Not to worry, Murderbot meet ART, “Arsehole Research Transport”, who offers to help Murderbot blend in a lot better.
And so begins our next installment of shenanigans as Murderbot goes off to the mine where it murdered dozens of humans it was supposed to be protecting in it’s dark, distance past. The only problem being is that he now has to pretend to be an augmented human security consultant for a group of human programmers in order to get anywhere near the mine: and we all know how Murderbot feels about being around humans.
Once again, it’s only a novella length story, but Martha really knows how to pack a big story into a small space: don’t forget to take a breath occasionally.
And once you’ve had a quick breather, dive straight into the next installment, Rogue Protocol.
Before you begin this, do read Compulsory to get a quick introduction to our main protagonist, Murderbot.
All Systems Red finds Murderbot hired out to a planetary survey team who really don’t seem to be needing much looking after, after all, there’s no dangerous fauna or flora on this planet and all the members of the survey team are all nice and friendly. So Murderbot spends most of his time downloading and watching all its favourite TV shows, that is until suddenly things start going very wrong and life threatening to the survey team he is supposed to be protecting.
On top of this, the survey team also find out that Murderbot has hacked its control unit and is, and never has been, under their control.
While only 1352 Kindle loc points long, this novella really packs it in and is just lots of that non-stop story telling from the get-go. There’s a reason this book has so many accolades:
Winner: 2018 Hugo Award for Best Novella
Winner: 2018 Nebula Award for Best Novella
Winner: 2018 Alex Award
Winner: 2018 Locus Award
One of the Verge’s Best Books of 2017
A New York Times and USA Today Bestseller
Super good and now it’s straight into Artificial Condition, for more Murderbot adventures.
The prequel to the Murderbot Diaries.
“As a heartless killing machine, I was a complete failure.”
Yes, it’s only a short story, but it’s a great introduction to the series and our main protagonist, the Murderbot. It’s certainly got me instantly wanting to dive into the rest of the series, so it’s certainly done it’s job as a prequel.
So now there’s nothing left to do but get reading the actual first book in the series, All Systems Red.
Published in Wired, where you can read it for free.
I read Gaie’s first two books, Babylon Steel and Dangerous Gifts, quite a while ago now and thoroughly enjoyed them, so it was good to come back and enjoy some more of Gaie’s writing.
Other than the lack of brothels and sex (can’t have everything we like), this book is certainly just as enjoyable, well written, with great characters, and certainly a must read for anyone who has enjoyed Gaie’s earlier books.
The fourth book in the Dead Djinn Universe and carrying straight on from where The Haunting of Tram Car 015 left off, with all our favourite characters involved, this really is some great writing.
This trilogy has been my first taste of Djèlí’s writing and i’m very impressed. His imagination is excellent and his ability to put that imagination into words for all us avid readers is simply marvellous. I’m certainly going to be reading more of his work in the future: i’m hooked.
All in all, a wonderful blend of steampunk, fantasy and folklore all thrown into an alternative history in Cairo with lots of shenanigans mixed will in. And it’s great to have main protagonists who are strong women, from different religions, who also happen to be in a same sex relationship.
The third book in the Dead Djinn Universe, and is very similar to A Dead Djinn in Cairo, although with mostly different characters and a lot more pages to enjoy.
Once again, wonderfully written, keeps on a moving, interesting characters, great descriptions.
The only thing left to do is to read A Master of Djinn, which is a rather good length novel that i’m so looking forward to devouring.
In the anthology, The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year: Vol 13.
Nine short chapters, each one a comment on each one of Washington’s false teeth that were taken from the mouths of dead slaves, with a nice touch of Djèlí style fantasy added to each.
I wonder how many people actually know that Washington was an avid enslaver of other human beings and owned over 577 slaves during his lifetime? These things should be told as they should never, ever, be forgotten and Washington’s name should always be associated with the evil he truly embodied in his actions and attitudes towards other human beings throughout his life.
The first book in the Dead Djinn Universe, and what a good start it was. While it’s only a short story, 36 pages, it’s a very good short story and is packed with great hints as to what the rest of the series is going to be like in this alternative fantasy/steampunk Cairo.
The title gives the beginning away in that a Dead Djinn is found in Cairo by its lover. A special investigator from the “Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities” is brought in with a police inspector to investigate and then it’s just non stop until the end.
Then once you’re at the end of this i can’t imagine that any reader wouldn’t want to dive straight into The Angel of Khan el-Khalili, which is the next book in the series.
Great writing, great characters and just plain good stuff for those who like their fantasy mixed up with steampunk elements.