A highly-anticipated follow-up to the first 4 Murderbot novellas, NETWORK EFFECT gives us an extended adventure featuring everyone's favorite conflicted, grumpy cyborg killing machine. Fans of intelligent and snarky narrators, action-packed storytelling, and space colonization mishaps will find plenty to enjoy here. As a fan of the series, I personally found that I missed the compact pacing of the novella format, and some of my favorite aspects of Murderbot's personality were less apparent or well-developed in this tale. Setting that aside, I very much enjoyed the interplay between Murderbot, ART, and other AI characters, and loved the experience of being immersed in a science fiction story where the humans were the wallpaper. In conclusion: not my favorite of the series, but a worthy and entertaining addition to it.

More Murderbot! I can’t say enough how I much I love this series and in particular this book. It starts with action and only lets up for emotionally fraught moments with a great supporting cast. The main character is truly unique; a binge-watching security cyborg with autistic tendencies and an occasional eye-roll toward human stupidity.

I eagerly looked forward to the release of this book since its announcement a year ago, and stayed up till 2am to buy it on amazon. Based on the excellence of this book the future of any further Murderbot novels is surely ... affirmative.

The first full length Murderbot novel is fantastic. Murderbot is back and just as sarcastic and relatable as ever. This book brings everything that people have come to love from the novellas but as a full length novel you get to spend even more time hanging out with Murderbot. Once again Murderbot is pulled into an exciting adventure while trying to protect its humans when it would really rather just get to watch it's programs.

After thrilling adventures and many hours of media, Murderbot is back with its humans, trying to protect them from threats and their own stupidity. A nearly completed mission becomes an abduction by aliens, forcing Murderbot to use all of its skill to rescue the humans and the ever-charming ART. Come for the sci-fi brilliance, stay for the sarcasm and emotional growth.

Another book in the Murderbot series! And it's long!

Murderbot is protecting a group of humans when they get captured by ART, who might be dead/erased. Angered, Murderbot goes after the enemy and instead of finding answers, Murderbot gets more questions.

It's hard not to love Murderbot and its snarkiness. It's always fun to watch humans fall in love with it. But I didn't completely love this book because I don't like ART. It seems like I'm supposed to but I just found the AI insufferable.

However, I loved being shown how Murderbot can affect other AI. It opened up more story paths that I hope we can go down if there are more books. Fingers crossed for more books.

I loved that we got a full length Murderbot book! This had some fantastic new characters, brought back others we know and have feelings about, and I can't wait for the next adventure.
I read all 5 books in the past 5 days and it was a hell of a ride!

What a joy it was to spend all this time with Murderbot in all it's sulky, moody, sarcastic glory. In this first full length novel in the series, Murderbot is tasked with a mission that leads it to run into an old friend.

The Positives: I just love Murderbot as a character! The way it deals with humans and all of their annoying feelings is just genius and there are some hilarious encounters in this particular instalment. I also thought that the plot here was really compelling and that the pacing was fantastic - the last third of this was so exciting and I couldn't put it down. I think the narrative structure is very well done, with interstitials that don't make a lot of sense at first, but when the penny drops, are just wonderful. It was also fabulous to get some more character development for Murderbot's humans and their familial groups and I always appreciate the way in which Martha Wells discusses the ethics of ownership and power dynamics, all with a definitive eye roll from Murderbot.

The Negatives: This is very much book 5 in the series - I wouldn't recommend picking this up if you haven't read any of the novellas because it assumes all of that knowledge. There were also points when I found it pretty tricky to parse exactly what was happening and it is definitely a book that requires all of your brain power.

Overall, I love Murderbot and will read any book that features more of it's adventures, so this novel was a great addition to the series for me.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Martha Wells has never let me down, and this is not an exception. I’ve enjoyed all of the Murderbot books so far, but this one really went above and beyond. I wasn’t sure if I would like the longer format, but I was just glad there was more for me to read. I loved the recurring characters, the pacing, and the character development. The situation felt fresh and dramatic, and I love how the book ended on a hopeful note. I hope there will be more murderbot books!

I love Murderbot! I’ve been a fan of Martha Wells for a long time, but this series is by far the best thing she’s written. It’s exciting, smart, and so funny, too—the perfect combo to keep this reader entertained.

This first full-length novel in the series is jam-packed with action. Murderbot and the transport ship ART (aka A**hole Research Transport) meet again, but it’s not a particularly happy reunion. ART has a problem, and the ship wants Murderbot’s help in solving it. ART doesn’t exactly ask nicely, though, and in the process the transport drags Murderbot and some of its perpetually annoying human charges into an extremely dangerous situation. As usual, Murderbot must find a way to save the day while keeping the humans alive (always a tricky proposition, given their exasperating inability to act appropriately) (at least according to Murderbot).

Even with all the action, though, Murderbot has moments of introspection as it continues to puzzle out how to be a person rather than a tool. Relationships are a particularly tricky proposition for a rogue bot surrounded by humans. Murderbot can accept the idea of being ART's friend, at least until the ship lives up to the acronym that makes up Murderbot's name for it. The bot has much more trouble coming to terms with its feelings for its human charges. (Well, other than irritation, that is.)

At the end of the novel, Murderbot is faced with options for its future. Given its choice, I think there are more adventures in store for our heroic bot! (And likely more chances to stick it to the corporations, too.)

If you like science fiction and aren’t reading this series—why not? Just grab that first novella and settle in for a terrific ride.

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

I absolutely loved the first novel in the Murderbot series. It had all the elements of the novellas that make the books so much fun—great AI characters, sarcastic commentary, sweet interactions and friendships, and loads of action. This one hits the ground running and is a real page-turner. Highly recommended.

Network Effect is our fifth foray into the world of Murderbot – and yet it is the first full-length novel of the series. That being said, new fans could easily jump in at this point, if they so chose to. Though I personally cannot recommend the novellas enough, so do make a point of checking them out.
Murderbot is a rogue SecUnit. Once upon a time, they were considered expendable by the humans (read: corporation) that owned them. Now, they're free. Though they do still seem to have a knack for getting themselves into the most insane situations.
Since gaining their freedom, Murderbot has allied with a bunch of humans. Humans who are doing their best to make a connection with Murderbot. All while getting themselves into situations that certainly require a SecUnit to save the day.
That brings us to Network Effect. It started as an ordinary mission; protect the humans while they survey the area...but then it turned into something so much bigger. Now there are humans to be saved, relatable (well, mostly) A.I.'s to contend with, and more.

“This would have all been a lot easier if I wasn't so worried about the stupid humans.”

I can easily sum up my reaction to Network Effect in one sentence: I want more. I absolutely adored this novel. I did the best I could to savor it, but at the end of the day, I just wanted to read it all. I've already resorted to rereading it, and am still craving more. That's how firmly Network Effect has wormed into my head.
This novel was, simply put, fun. It was exciting and hilarious, giving me all of that Murderbot goodness that I have come to love. It was everything I had hoped for from a full novel, and so (so) much more.
One of the highlights of this novel is the sheer amount of amazing quotes to be found. My digital copy is full of lines I highlighted because I enjoyed them so much. That isn't an exaggeration either – there have to be dozens of quotes I saved. Ranging from intense to hilarious, and back again.

“I didn't really feel like negotiating. I have a module on it, somewhere in my archive. It was never much help.”

If you've read the previous novellas and enjoyed them, you seriously have to dive into Network Effect. You'll love it. If you haven't read the novellas, you can still dive into this novel, as it put effort into introducing the characters all over again. But you will miss out on some of the context and weight of what is happening. So go back and read the novellas, you won't regret it (I might be slightly biased here, as the Murderbot Diaries is one of my favorite series).
The development of Murderbot's character was phenomenal, as was the development of all the secondary characters (both human and machine). It added layers to an already fascinating story, and made me love it all the more.
Likewise, the pacing was perfect, as was the comedic timing, if I may say so. Murderbot's way of thinking is highly amusing for me, so of course, I loved their exasperation to the extreme.
Best of all? Network Effect sets up for future Murderbot adventures, a fact that I couldn't be happier about. Give me all the delightful Murderbot that you can, Martha Wells, because there is no such thing as too much far as I'm concerned.

Network Effect by Martha Wells is the first novel about the adventures of Murderbot, who previously appeared in four novellas that I read, enjoyed and reviewed: All Systems Red, Artificial Condition, Rogue Protocol and Exit Strategy. Network Effect follows on from these novellas in a similar vein but in a longer format, meaning there’s even more Muderbot to enjoy in one convenient package. It also has a rather unusual format for its blurb:

You know that feeling when you’re at work, and you’ve had enough of people, and then the boss walks in with yet another job that needs to be done right this second or the world will end, but all you want to do is go home and binge your favorite shows? And you're a sentient murder machine programmed for destruction? Congratulations, you're Murderbot.

Come for the pew-pew space battles, stay for the most relatable A.I. you’ll read this century.

―

I’m usually alone in my head, and that’s where 90 plus percent of my problems are.

When Murderbot's human associates (not friends, never friends) are captured and another not-friend from its past requires urgent assistance, Murderbot must choose between inertia and drastic action.

Drastic action it is, then.

If you've read any of the Murderbot novellas, you'll have a pretty good idea of what to expect from this book. The biggest difference I found between novel and novellas is the length of the novel. It felt different — in a good way — to have the story just keep going longer than the novellas had trained me to expect. It also made for a meatier story, with a more complex plot and more substantial room for character development. We also got more of a chance to better get to know characters other than Murderbot. In particular, we see a lot more of a subset of the humans from Preservation, where Murderbot went to live at the end of Exit Strategy, and a few others I don't want to spoil. Hearing the humans have all sorts of benign opinions regarding Murderbot was excellent.

I remember reading, around the time that this novel was announced, that it would be continuing the story of Murderbot but would also tie everything up in a conclusive way. It certainly follows on from the novellas — I don't recommend starting with Network Effect, rather go start with All Systems Red — but aside from containing a complete story arc, I didn't really feel like this was a conclusive end to the tales of Murderbot. If anything, it seemed that the end was left nicely open for a sequel featuring Murderbot and some of its new friends. So I hope that happens.

It wouldn't be a Tsana-review if I didn't mention my one physics objection in the book. A lot of the technology and computer/AI stuff is bordering on the fantastical in an expected far-future way, and that stuff doesn't bother me. But there was one "WTF, no, that's not how space elevators work" moment which annoyed me for about five minutes before I was able to move on and pay attention to the story again. At least it was comparatively minor in the scheme of the book.

Network Effect was an excellent book in which Murderbot kicked a lot of arse and got to form/build on meaningful relationships with multiple people. If this sounds like your sort of thing, and if you've read the Murderbot novellas, then I highly recommend picking up this book. If this sounds like your sort of thing and you haven't read the novellas, I suggest starting with All Systems Red. I really hope there will be more Murderbot in the future. I am also planning to reread all the novellas at some point, because reading them as they came out resulted in a lot of memory gaps, though nothing I couldn't work out easily enough in the context of the novel. I'd still like to experience the whole early story in a more continuous way.

5 / 5 stars

First published: May 2020, Tor.com
Series: Yes. Fifth instalment of the Murderbot Diaries, and let's hope there are many more to come.
Format read: eARC
Source: Publisher via NetGalley

Murderbot is back and it’s ready to continue kicking ass all across the universe. Some old friends(?) return on a brand new adventure with all the sass, confusion, and running away from emotion you have come to expect from everyone’s favorite rogue SecUnit.

"Martha Wells' New York Times and USA Today bestselling Murderbot series exploded onto the scene in 2017, and the world has not been the same, since.

Murderbot returns in its highly-anticipated, first, full-length standalone novel, Network Effect.

You know that feeling when you’re at work, and you’ve had enough of people, and then the boss walks in with yet another job that needs to be done right this second or the world will end, but all you want to do is go home and binge your favorite shows? And you're a sentient murder machine programmed for destruction? Congratulations, you're Murderbot.

Come for the pew-pew space battles, stay for the most relatable A.I. you’ll read this century."

I hope you're like me and have downloaded all the previous stories from the Tor newsletter over the last week in anticipation of today!

If you already love Murderbot, you are going to love this! My only quibble with the first four books is that they are so short. Well, now we have a whole novel of Murderbot and it is terrific and I loved it. My dh is jealous I got to read this, he'll have to wait until our library ebook service is able to get it. Wonderful story, another slam dunk.

I loved this new installment with Murderbot! I thought the plot was entertaining, and consistent with the world building and the characters of the earlier stories, and introduced some new ones. I like how Murderbot continues to grow and evolve as a person, without changing the unique qualities that make Murderbot interesting. I have preordered the audio and hope this series has many more stories to come.

Just when I need to do my patriotic duty and stay home to consume media, a new Murderbot novel appears!

I know what you're worried about. This can't possibly be as good as the novellas right? It can't possibly have the same level of sarcastic one-liners combined with touching portrayals of friendship and introversion?

Good news, friends. This is worthy successor to the original 4 novellas. Murderbot's voice is present in all its glory, and we get Murderbot for even more pages (in addition to some old friends). It also builds on the prior novels— we get to see the various relationships Murderbot has formed grow and change.

Any complaints I have are grasping at straws. I enjoyed this thoroughly and will read it again and again. I only hope we get more.

5 stars. 11 stars. 27,000 stars. Every star. The first full length Murderbot novel and my heart was absolutely in my throat the whole time I was reading because I just CARE about Murderbot so much!

On the one hand, the book is making excellent points for why capitalism is so bad. The situation in this book brought a couple of things to mind, like the historical records of plantation owners abandoning enslaved people following natural disasters or abolition. I was also reminded of the ongoing absolute disaster of the collapsed Hard Rock Hotel in New Orleans. You know, the real human cost of unchecked greed. The deftest SF writers can point to our grim pasts and show how the future stands to be just as grim if we don't reckon with them.

That said, the book is still an absolute delight? I laughed, I cried, I went "awwww," I said "Same, Murderbot, same," about a million times. Watching Murderbot grow while still keeping that grumpy kernel of personality is just the most satisfying thing.

***Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.***

As someone who frequently loathes the humans around me, I absolutely vibe with Murderbot - a cyborg created to be a mobile security unit protecting humans from danger. In the preceding four novellas, Murderbot starts a journey from angry cyborg, treated like a piece of equipment by an unfeeling corporation to a not quite so angry cyborg developing relationships and feelings for other beings, despite denying it.

Network Effect is the fifth book in the series but the first full length novel. I'll admit that I was unsure if the author could pull off Murderbot's angry, eye rolling snark for an entire novel without it feeling one note. (I knew she could write fabulous doorstop novels because her Death of the Necromancer is a fav). I was delighted that yes she can and boy, does she!

Murderbot really wants to be left alone to watch its media but that's not going to happen when its humans are attacked during a research mission.

ART (Asshole Research Transport), real name Perihelion, from an earlier book makes a reappearance in Murderbot's life. ART's humans are being held hostage due to a nefarious plot involving corporate greed and evil alien tech and it needs Murderbot's help rescuing them.

Murderbot has to manuever dangerous situations, corporate shenanigans, being attacked multiple times and worst of all - feelings.


As always, this installment shines with Murderbot's snark and the obvious to everyone but itself 's affection for those closest to it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor.com for the DRC.

Martha Wells' excellent novella series finally gets the full-length installment it deserves! Fans of Wells' terminally-anxious-yet-empathetic cyborg Murderbot will have nothing to complain about: the novel launches Murderbot into a complex plot featuring alien remnants, greedy megacorporations, and most terrifyingly of all, human interaction. (Well, terrifying for Murderbot, anyway.)

Fans of the series will appreciate the callbacks to the novellas, while also getting an expansion on the universe and Murderbot's human (and not-so-human) associates. As always, Wells' writing is deft and enthralling, and Murderbot's weary, sardonic inner monologue is a joy to read. My only complaint would be that readers new to the series will likely be quite lost, as all four preceding novellas are relevant to the plot. Still, it's a delightful addition to a great series, and I can't wait to see what's next for Murderbot and Company!