You'll need to read the previous stories in the series before reading this book... which is like saying you'll have to eat all this delicious food before dessert.
I fell in love with Murderbot in the first novella, and I still love the story, but the story is changing.
The focus of the story in the beginning was action and movement. The focus shifted smoothly to "What does it mean to be human?" and we're now left with nowhere specific to go.
What felt like a series of (almost) stand alone episodes in the beginning are now coming more and more into a complete story. Loose ends are being tied up that were left drifting in the first couple of books (Ex. Why does Murderbot always call Company "Company"? We find out in book 3 or 4) and things are now being added to give Murderbot a future.
This change isn't exactly what I want to happen, but the other option is to end the story, which would suck more.
Is Murderbot becoming a private detective? Will he try acting in his beloved soap operas? Will he find love beyond his relationship to Mensah?
I'm looking forward to finding out.
**I received an advance copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

After briefly veering into full novel territory with 2020’s Network Effect, Martha Wells’ brilliant Murderbot Diaries series returns to its novella-length roots with Fugitive Telemetry, the sixth book in total and the fifth novella in the series. Set (slightly confusingly) between Exit Strategy and Network Effect, it’s essentially a detective story as Murderbot turns investigator in the wake of an unexpectedly dead human turning up on Preservation Station. Concerned that the death might be a sign that GreyCris are attempting to strike at Doctor Mensah, Murderbot begrudgingly agrees to work alongside station security – who seem equally unhappy about the arrangement – to investigate the murder.

The possibility of a GrayCris attack leaves Murderbot as hyper-aware and suspicious as ever regarding the safety of Doctor Mensah, but unfortunately the human security officers aren’t that keen on working with a rogue SecUnit, and Murderbot doesn’t have a particularly high opinion of them in return. There’s no way Murderbot isn’t going to investigate, however, so with Mensah mediating the two parties agree a way forward and get down to the business of finding out who the dead human was, how and why they were murdered (bearing in mind that Preservation Station isn’t exactly known for its murder rate), and whether GrayCris is actually involved or not. The humans don’t have to like Murderbot to make use of its skills, and as Mensah says, getting along with station security might be beneficial to Murderbot’s future prospects as a security consultant.

While familiar characters from the wider series such as Doctor Mensah, Ratthi and Gurathin are present at times (sadly there’s no ART here), this mostly sees Murderbot dealing with a range of new faces from among the humans and bots who live and work on the station. After almost getting used to Mensah and co. treating it with respect, Murderbot now faces up once more to the prejudices of people who don’t really understand what it is but are scared of it regardless. While Murderbot is eminently suited to being a detective – what with all that processing power in its head and all of its technical skills, not to mention its considerable capacity for violence when necessary – it’s interesting to see the humans in station security trying to get their heads around the SecUnit in their presence, much as previous characters did in earlier stories. Of course the tensions this generates make for great reading, and Murderbot’s very human capacity for making mistakes and misunderstanding other people means there’s drama and humour in equal parts.

If Network Effect provided more of everything that’s great about Murderbot but lost just a touch of focus and forward motion, now that we’re back in novella territory there’s no room for anything but the essentials in a stripped-back, tightly-plotted story. There’s nothing wasted here, just relentless pace and momentum coupled with Murderbot’s brilliant voice (both internal and external), full of snark and sarcasm while also (still) totally confused by humans and desperate to tune them out in favour of watching endless repeats of its media. Any Murderbot is great, but the novella length just seems to work best for these stories, delivering perfect chunks of hugely entertaining storytelling, continuing to dig deeper into this unique character and moving the overall series on one episode at a time.

Having read all of the previous novellas and the full-length novel, I’ve been eagerly awaiting Fugitive Telemetry. I can’t get enough of Murderbot and its banter. It always feels so real, so visceral and imperfect. Muderbot is not an anti-hero, but it’s not the typical main character, either, and I love that. It is deeply flawed and blatantly honest in its own thoughts, and has a wry sense of humor that matches my own. Fugitive Telemetry, like all the stories in the Murderbot Diaries, is unique, well-written, and engaging. It brings back characters we know and love, while bringing in new conflicts and mysteries to solve. I hope to see more of Murderbot in the future. Until then, I’ve pre-ordered my copy of the audiobook so I can listen to the entire Murderbot Diaries over and over again.

Fugitive Telemetry is the 6th addition to the Muderbot Diaries; a series of fun short (mostly) novellas that have consistently made me laugh all throughout the series.

Like the books before it, Fugitive Telemetry upholds the level of humor that had me actually cackling at points all throughout this book. I think its safe to say the inner monologue of Murderbot will never not make me laugh and after the different pov changes in Network Effect, the beginning of this novel seemed even more refreshing and enjoyable especially in terms of humor and the very distinct voice of Murderbot.

Unlike the previous novellas, this one has a more definitive and somewhat mainstream/tropey plot. It follows a murder mystery and Murderbot is investigating this. While it was simply a fun ride to see all its conclusions and observations, murder mysteries as a trope is not something I personally enjoy, which rubbed off in my enjoyment of this book as a whole as well.

So while the book had its (at this point for me) classic humor and vibes (and believe me i did enjoy it) it felt repetitive and i was hoping for more. This novella also fell short on especially worldbuilding in comparison to its previous additions and it DID NOT HAVE ART OR MURDERBOT 02 OR 03 WHICH SHOULD BE ILLEGAL AT THIS POINT. MARTHA WELLS I NEED THEM PLEASE GIVE ME MORE OF THEM.

Okay, ignoring the side rant of how much i missed those characters, this was still a good, light and fun read and I absolutely recommend this to everyone BECAUSE IT IS GOOD, VERY GOOD.

Thank you to Tor for granting me with an eARC for this wonderful novella via NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.

And Murderbot is back in a wonderful new novella! Fugitive Telemetry was just as fun as the previous Murderbot installments. It was a short little piece with way more action than I was expecting and it was so entertaining to be back with Murderbot again.

The plot was pretty interesting, once again. I really enjoy how Wells writes mysteries in general and, when it came to Murderbot in this novella, it was pretty intriguing to follow things along as Murderbot tried to figure out what was going on. I also really loved the added element of distrust from a few other characters in regard to Murderbot.

Murderbot also continued to be the most related character ever. Murderbot’s internal monologue was still super funny to me and I loved how Murderbot interacted with other characters.

The ending was also pretty good! I didn’t expect that reveal and it was great reading about Murderbot getting to that conclusion. It wrapped things up nicely while still leaving room for more shenanigans in the future.

I am so happy to get more Murderbot! This was a particularly fantastic plot with lots of cool action scenes and fun moments talking to other bots. The investigation went in a direction that I didn't expect but ended up loving. This is certainly quick to read, but I thought that the length was appropriate for this particular story! The ending was also pretty spectacular.

Murderbot continues to be so funny and antisocial. I can certainly relate to how it generally just wants to be left alone so that it can consume its media! I love the asides it does when telling the story since this provides plenty of opportunities for fun, snarky moments. It seems like Murderbot is taking charge more and accepting that it does actually like to help. I've really loved this character development over the books! People still don't necessarily trust Murderbot, but it's great to see Murderbot continue to try to work with humans to do the right thing.

I continue to very much enjoy Murderbot's interactions with other bots! We have some new bots here, and I liked seeing their different functions and intelligence levels. It's also very interesting to see the differences in the interactions between Murderbot and other bots versus those between Murderbot and humans.

I always want more Murderbot and would obviously highly recommend this series!

I received a copy of this for review from the publisher via NetGalley - thank you! All opinions are my own.

My video review can be seen on my channel (around minutes 18:25-20:37 of this video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nm2_Z5E7vRo

There are things that Martha Wells does very, uh, well in this series: Murderbot's sheer sass and juggling complicated action sequences seen through multiple viewpoints simultaneously. The former is very much on display here as Murderbot plays detective with humans it thinks are incompetent (mostly because it lowkey thinks all humans are incompetent except Dr Mensah). The latter, which was the shining star in Network Effect, was not so much present here; the only three action sequences we had were both short and straightforward.

One of the things I really like about this particular installment in the Murderbot Diaries is that it's self-contained. I'm terrible with names and remembered exactly zero of the side characters except Dr Mensah but that was fine because we didn't need encyclopedic knowledge of their past experiences in order for this story to work. Plot points from previous installments are mentioned in passing (mostly Murderbot joking at its own expense) but not enough to even really be spoilers for after... Whenever we meet Dr Mensah. (I did warn you I remembered nothing)

It didn't feel very Murderbot-y though. There's very little Sanctuary Moon. ART isn't present. Most of the book is Murderbot's internal monologue / breaking the fourth wall. I think that comes from [potential spoilery plot decision] and so I'm willing to accept it. Still enjoyed it; will probably continue the series

Loved this, as I do all the Murderbot books. I think this one falls before Network Effect in the overall timeline. It was a nice mystery—good for the length—and Murderbot was entertaining as always. There were some familiar characters from earlier in the series, and some good new ones I want to know better. I really like Preservation as a setting, and I hope there will be more mysteries set there with Murderbot acting as a consultant. This makes me want to go back and reread the series from the beginning!

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor, and Ms. Wells for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. A BIG THANK YOU, as a matter of fact. An honest review was requested but not required.

I am a MurderBot SuperFan. Fangirl, if you will. Realistically I cannot be expected to write a totally objective review because I knew even before beginning Fugitive Telemetry that I would love every murder-y minute of it. I didn't really pick up on the fact that this was a prequel to Network Effect right away. I guess I spaced out on Indah's character (can you blame me, when NE gave us MurderBots 1.0 and 2.0 *AND* ART to contend with) a little bit. This was more of a bot-style closed-room mystery -which I ALSO love, who doesn't!? - and I didn't even mind that we don't find out (yet) what MurderBot will do "next" (i.e., following Network Effect), because it just felt so darned good to wallow in MurderBot's acerbic, antisocial, deadly capable sarcasm once again.

OK. Off to purchase (or pre-order, I suppose) my very own hardcover copy. <3

Murderbot is, without a doubt, one of my favourite characters I've ever read about. I want nothing more than to be its best friend, even though it would HATE that. I was a little bit apprehensive going into this book simply because it was the first time I've read this series as opposed to listening to the audiobook, and I was worried Murderbot's sass wouldn't come across the same way as it does in the audiobooks.

I was wrong to be worried, as the book is still full of Murderbot's sarcastic remarks and internal eye rolls and I didn't feel like reading the words detracted from the experience. That said, I still highly recommend the audiobooks for this series and I'm sure I'll reread this story again when it's released so I can listen to the audiobook.

We're introduced to some new characters in this instalment, as well as the return of some characters from previous novellas and I really enjoyed the new additions and the clash between them and Murderbot.

The plot of Fugitive Telemetry follows a sort of murder mystery, and who doesn't love a murder mystery? I ended up racing through this in one afternoon, and the mystery has several layers to it kept me guessing until the end. Even though this book's a novella, so relatively short, the plot didn't feel rushed or shallow and had a really good and deeper message.

The only issues I've had with this series is that, due to the fact that the Murderbot diaries are mainly novellas, there isn't a lot of time dedicated to setting the scene, and sometimes I've been left feeling a little bit confused when it comes to the lore and world.

This instalment is marketed as a stand alone within the series, but I would still recommend reading the other books as some references are made that you definitely wouldn't understand if you aren't aware of the overarching plot of the earlier books. That said, this is still a really fun pit stop in the Murderbot universe.

I seriously hope this series never ends, as it's one of my favourite sci-fis that I've read to date, and I also think it's a really great option for those who are new to the genre and don't know where to start.

This review includes my views around the entire series minus Network Effect. Although focused on Fugitive Telemetry, I’ll add some opinions around the whole series.

When I started the Murderbot series, my expectations were high, as a few of my peers raved about Martha Well’s science-fiction series. And it might’ve contributed to not being a 5/5 or 10/10 stars for me.

To start, it felt like a lot of the same story mechanisms were used throughout. For example, we’re continually seeing Murderbot hacking through various systems and reminding us it is a SecUnit and how they don’t fit with humans’s daily lives, and personally it gets redundant after a while. If you read the entire series one book after another, you might get the same feeling. To be honest, my favorite moment is in book two when ART, a more advanced system than Murderbot, could threaten the status quo and change the whole story dynamic. But unfortunately, Wells didn’t capitalize on this opportunity (or she might in Network Effect but haven’t read this one yet).

With that out of the way, I enjoyed the novels, but for reasons other than its main plot. The quirkiness and the idiosyncrasies of Martha Wells prose was captivating from book one and kept getting better throughout the series, and I especially enjoyed Fugitive Telemetry as she really pushed the style supporting her character.

Also, the character exploration was my favorite element, where she kept a first-person-always- narating to reflect what Murderbot was thinking or a reflection on human n observation of human nature. This element alone is what makes Murderbot such an amazing series, worth plunging into and probably what earned Wells the Hugo and Nebula award. There is a constant internal dialogue from Murderbot thrown at the reader that invigorates, entertains, and makes us laugh. A robot who is like many reported “more human than many characters”, makes for a great introspective into our species and the view from inside out. And in Fugitive Telemetry, Wells pushed this dialogue to a new height.

“Yeah, good luck with that. Trying to get humans not to touch dangerous things was a full-time job.”

In the end, I truly enjoyed Fugitive Telemetry and the previous four books, but not as science-fiction literature or its robot-driven narrative, but truly for its exploration on human nature and its reflection from the perspective of a rich-humanized robot.

I read the first book in this series physically and really enjoyed it. Then I moved on to the audiobooks (because they were on Scribd), but they didn’t really do it for me. For which I blamed the narrator. So when I saw this sixth book on Netgalley I jumped at the chance to get back to a ‘physical’ read.

And now I am starting to think it wasn’t the audiobook’s fault that I was enjoying the books a lot less than everyone else seems to do. Maybe this series just isn’t for me.

And I don’t know why… because it really was a good book. The sarcasm of Murderbot make them a great character to read from. This book revolves round a murder mystery, which is right up my alley. The atmosphere was great, the writing spot on, the pacing perfect to make the plot work in the limted amount of pages. And yet it just didn’t grab me…

I constantly found my mind wondering. Every 10 minutes I would put the book down again, and when I ‘forced’ myself to keep going I just ended up not knowing what I had read. It took me 2 full days off work to get through the last 3 hours of the book.

I wish I could love these books as much as others do. But it just isn’t a series for me. If you did enjoy the previous books though, you will love this one just as much!

Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells

Join Murderbot Holmes as it investigates the rare murder on Prevervation Station. Resented by station security, nonetheless they need its skills to crack the case.

Within the first three sentences, I felt the warm glow of once again living inside Murderbot’s head. This is a character I enjoy spending time with. It has a slower opening than most of the Murderbot books, a bit more “slice of life.” We follow Murderbot as it investigates a body’s appearance in an alley and navigates its evolving relationships with station humans and bots.

There are moments of action, but it is slower moving than most Murderbot stories. However the ironic, self-deprecating humor remains throughout as it struggles to trust and gain the trust of those around it.

When I picked up this book, I didn’t know that it took place between the fourth novella (Exit Strategy) and the first novel (Network Effect), so it was a bit confusing at first. If you have yet to venture into Murderbot’s world, I suggest reading this before Network Effect.

There are some aspects of the story that I don’t quite buy, so I’m giving it 3.5 stars on the plot level and five stars on pure enjoyment. It has all the issues of an Agatha Christie novel, but all of the fun characters as well. It’s a turn of the 20th century murder mystery nestled in a scifi world with Murderbot as the star. And I love it.

I don’t know what Wells plans for this series, but the idea of using it to explore different subgenres within Murderbot’s world is exciting. It’s already a huge fan of soap operas after all.

Another fun adventure for murderbot. Definitely for people who love reading about space adventures, spaceships/gear, and a sarcastic robot who loves TV.

Imagine if you crossed fictional detectives Columbo and Sherlock Holmes with the anxieties of TV's Monk, and added a touch of the terminator (for weapons and combat skill) into one SecUnit, That is MurderBot in this novella; when a body is discovered on Preservation station. To better prove it is not a anti-social, rogue, killing security unit MurderBot agrees to help station security solve the mystery of the deceased human and why he was killed. I enjoy the fact MurderBot seems to be talking to the reader as much as it interacts with the characters in the story. It adds a unique perspective to the storytelling, where you can feel its insecurities and anxiety as it figures out how to be human without being a human.

Murderbot just can't fail. Fugitive Telemetry is an enemies-to-friends/workplace-acquaintances-who-tolerate-each-other murder mystery story, and it is positively great. Murderbot thinks what we all think when dealing with other people, and there's just something satisfying about seeing in print the thoughts that we have. Murderbot continues to avoid dealing with its anxiety/depression in any real way, but that's pretty realistic. Many people with mental illness avoid taking action because it's easier that way. But even though I love Murderbot the way it is, I do hope that in future novellas we get to see Murderbot developing more as a being. There's certainly been some growth (Murderbot has friends now, even if it hesitates to use that word) but unless it becomes more comfortable in its surroundings, these novellas could never end. Not that I want them to end, because hello MURDERBOT, but I do want Murderbot to reach a place of contentment. Aside from my hopes for future Murderbot stories, I really enjoyed Fugitive Telemetry and look forward to more interactions between Murderbot and the Preservation Station citizens.

I have yet to read a Murderbot story that wasn't super fun and this one is no exception. This character continues to grow and the stories are always a blast. I can't wait for the next one.

I was so excited to be approved for an ARC of the new Murderbot novella and it did not disappoint!
Murderbot is on Preservation Station, doing its best to keep a low profile and keep an eye on Dr. Mensah, when a dead human is discovered. Prompted by Dr. Mensah, Station Security reluctantly asks Murderbot to help with the investigation - and Murderbot just as reluctantly agrees.
Although short, there is plenty of Murderbot's signature sarcasm and snide comments, as well as twisty plot turns and lots of action.
I feel like I need to go back now and re-read the entire series; each one is such fun!

<I>Big thanks to Net Galley and TOR Books for making this ARC available!</I>

Fugitive Telemetry, a novella by Martha Wells, is a sequel to Exit Strategy and a prequel to Network Effect, the previous entry in the Murderbot Diaries series.The cyborg identifying as 'SecUnit' to the public, if they absolutely must have a name, has a hard time getting along with people who a) distrust anything from the Corporate Rim, where SecUnit was created and it's legal for constructs like SecUnit to be slave labor, b) buy into the idea that SecUnits are too dangerous to be around humans, and/or c) don't appreciate paranoid snarks with energy weapons in their arms. The head of Security -- who meets the a) and b) criteria and maybe c) -- on the Preservation space station resents being told to work with SecUnit to find a killer. A plot is uncovered involving a locked spaceship mystery, generational indentured labor, and betrayal. Meanwhile, SecUnit also has to deal with prejudices, job performance anxiety, and (ugh) talking to people. This may be SecUnit's most harrowing mission yet (no, not really, but still). With humor and a fair bit of action, this novella fills a gap in The Murderbot Diaries, demonstrating how SecUnit earned the trust of the space station's crew.

Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Socially distancing Muderbot? Check
Despairing about other's security systems? Check
Murder?

Oh, wait, our murder bot is SOLVING A MURDER that she didn't actually commit. Ah. Check.


This novella is quite in line with the previous ones. Light loner humor, mystery, and comp-talk. This is definitely for fans of the rest of the series, but I should mention that there's nothing really new about it. I admit I liked the full-length novel more, (and the timeline suggests that this novella comes before that).