New Murderbot! This one starts right where the last one left off, which was honestly a bit of a problem for me - the book does a perfectly good job of reminding you what happened, but I always feel that I'm missing things if it's been awhile since I read a previous book that leads directly in. This one also has the issue that there are a bunch of new humans (ART's humans) to keep track of. I enjoyed it very much, of course (it's Murderbot!) and it definitely started to hum at the end, but there's rather a lot of buildup in this one.

System Collapse picks up where Network Effect left off—with Preservation Alliance and Pansystem University of Mihara and New Tideland working together to prevent the planet from falling into Barish-Estranza’s control (and the surviving colonists from a fate of indentured ‘employment’). Faced with distrustful, fractional colonists with little knowledge of the Corporation Rim, the team needs to find a way to show the truth behind B-E’s corporate propaganda. And to top it all of, Murderbot isn’t doing so great…

In this installment, Wells takes a closer look at the persuasive tools of the Corporation Rim and how disinformation and desperation erode fundamental rights to autonomy. While the narrative climax can feel somewhat corny, Murderbot’s pessimism and dry commentary balances the message, allowing for a explosive and entertaining finale without flattening the politics. The highlight of the novel is Murderbot’s relatable and darkly funny struggle with declining mental health. As always, Wells handles this topic deftly—giving an accurate and empathetic depiction that doesn’t bog down the narrative by wallowing in trauma.

I have loved the murderbot series, and I never believed I would relate so much to a - well, murderbot. This series is so witty and relateble, I was over the moon when I got accepted to the ARC of the latest installment, and this met all my excpectations. The writing is impeccable, fast pased and I found myself constantly chuckling.

I will update when this review is posted on other platforms closer to release-date.

Murderbot is having a crisis. Is he a killer, has he lost his marbles, or is he having a mental breakdown? Can a robot have a breakdown? The latest entry in the Murderbot saga picks up directly after Network Effect and continues the story, While we expect Murderbot to save the day, he's got to figure out what's wrong with himself first and before things go south.

Another fun short jaunt through space with the beloved Murderbot!

The Murderbot Diaries are tales of a SecUnit as it travels through space carrying out dangerous missions. Part robot and part human, this particular SecUnit has gone rogue and hacked its governor module, escaping from its slave-like corporate existence.

System Collapse takes off with a bang and doesn't slow down, picking up right where Fugitive Telemetry left off. Murderbot and company have set out to rescue a colony of humans from a planet that has been exposed to alien contamination. But of course, nothing ever works out as planned. The nasty corporation, Barish-Estranza has their own plan for these colonists and they always fight dirty. To top it off, Murderbot has an operational problem so big that (redacted).

Once you pick up the first book in the series, you will forever be a fan. The lovable and very lethal SecUnit known as Murderbot reels you in with a dry-humored, cynical look at the world from a robot's point of view.

"I could have asked what "or worse" meant but there was only so much I could take and I thought I'd hit my limit about, I don't know, four years ago."


I think what resonates the most about this series is the all-to-real, human emotions that Murderbot experiences as it gets more and more in touch with its human side. Murderbot has gone from murdering people to saving them and now it has so many friends that it has to categorize them into groups. Processing the emotions that come with this new life can certainly be stressful. And with so much to do, will Murderbot ever have time to get back to the next episode of Sanctuary Moon?!

I want to thank the publisher (Tor Publishing Group) for providing me with the ARC through Netgalley for an honest review.

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!

I like this series so much! I have never read any other book being told from the diary of a self aware robot. Having things from the nonhuman point of view makes this one of the most interesting series I've come across.
Recommended for those who have read the rest of the Murderbot Diaries.

3.5 stars

Honestly it took me quite a while to get into this one but overall I did end up enjoying it and have very much enjoyed the other books in the series.

Before I get into the review, a quick thank you to both NetGalley and the publishers over at Tor giving me access to one of my most anticipated releases of the year in exchange for an honest review. If you've been here for any length of time then you already know about the Murderbot Diaries, but let me give you a quick series synopsis. In the series, we follow a Security Unit (SecUnit) who has hacked their governor module and all it wants now is to do its job while watching its shows. But SecUnit finds itself getting attached to humans as it travels the universe which inevitably leads to more danger and drama and dealing with more Corporation Rim companies than it would like. In this one, we follow SecUnit and its 'friend' ART who must protect their humans and some how prevent a company from seizing a colony of humans for their own selfish reasons. If only SecUnit wasn't starting to malfunction. This is the seventh in the series and it comes out on November 14th. Available for preorder now.

Discussing Murderbot with people who haven't read the series is hard, especially now that we're on number seven in the series. But we all know the basic premise, right? A SecUnit has gone rogue because it wants to not be controlled by a system that can kill it for disobeying. Oh, and so it can watch its shows. I will always enjoy getting back into this world. I think the author does such a great job with both the human characters and the constructs that always draws me in. This one actually made me like Ratthi way more than I did before which came as a huge surprise and showed me just how good of an author Martha Wells really is. At times I hated that something was wrong with Murderbot and that they weren't on top of their game the way they usually are. But we also got to see how trauma has impacted them and what happens when trauma just keeps getting compounded without any sort of treatment. The thing that I LOVED about this one was that we got both Murderbot and ART while also getting all of their humans. I love that the teams were mixed together based on task and ability instead of who came from where. And I loved that by the end Murderbot found itself attached to all the humans not just the ones it knew before meeting ART.

There were a few moments that felt unclear in the action. There is usually a decent amount of fight sequences/action scenes in this series and usually I can follow them pretty well, but in this one it felt more muddled. I think it might actually be me and not the book. I have a lot of real life stress going on at the moment so I feel like my focus has been pretty split. I'm willing to say it might not be the book's fault here. Just my attention span at the moment. I also wasn't 100% sure where this fit timeline wise for the series. It seems like it would fit after Network Effect and not the latest novella which is Fugitive Telemetry. Please correct me if I'm wrong here.

Overall, it's Murderbot and you cannot go wrong with reading some Murderbot. I will always sing this series' praises. Probably not my favorite but up there for sure.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book, however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was another fun romp with Murderbot, taking place directly after Network Effort. Murderbot is back with its best friend ART and of course its humans. They're trying to thwart more nonsense from the corporate rim, stay alive, and help the colonists that they helped in Network Effort.

Fans of this series will enjoy this installment as well. It has Murderbot's humor, action and adventure. However, it didn’t feel like it really progressed the overall storyline that much. Not that I really care. I'm here for the banter.

The latest in the Murderbot series explores what a construct (part organic human, part artificial intelligence) really is, as Murderbot deals with lingering trauma while trying to protect its new human friends and help broker a peaceful exit off the planet for stranded colonists. This installment develops the world further, while still leaving lots of questions for future books (what is the deal with the alien remnants?). The addition of the new characters is pretty seamless, and Murderbot's characteristically hilarious narrative voice also grounds the emotion well I really really enjoyed it.

Murderbot is in the middle of a lot right now. It's trying to save its own humans, ART's humans, humans it's never met, oh and it's also recovering from <redacted>. All while this is going on, it's confronted by other SecUnits that have properly functioning governor modules, and is Murderbot ethically obligated to do something about that? Who knows? Surely not Murderbot! Snarky, vulnerable, hilarious, and emotional, the Murderbot we know and love is back with all of its friends, trying to make its way around a planet that a cartoonishly evil corporation is trying to exploit for its own ends.

Book seven in Martha Wells’ phenomenal The Murderbot Diaries series, System Collapse follows on closely after the events of Network Effect, with Murderbot having to deal with ever-increasing numbers of awkward humans and some especially uncomfortable emotions. With the alien remnant infection largely dealt with, the combined group of ART’s university crew and the Preservation team have turned their attention to safeguarding the remaining colonists, attempting to persuade them not to agree to any shady ‘contracts’ offered by the ruthless Barish-Estranza corporates. The problem is, Murderbot’s traumatic alien remnant experiences have resulted in a noticeable drop in performance, which isn’t ideal…especially considering Barish-Estranza have their own SecUnits and aren’t afraid to play dirty.

We’ve previously seen plenty of Murderbot wrestling with the complexities of free will, a theme which continues here, but this time it’s a story about coming to terms with trauma (ironically, exactly what Murderbot was previously encouraging Mensah to do), and learning to cope in different ways. To begin with there’s quite a bit of jumping back and forth in the timeline, perhaps representing Murderbot’s chaotic emotional state, and it’s instantly obvious that you really need to be on your toes and clear about what happened at the end of Network Effect (a quick reread of the last few chapters does the trick). There’s a lot to keep track of, not least rather more characters than usual, but the payoff is a story that feels rich and rewarding, offering real development for both Murderbot as a character and the series as a whole.

Seven books in, it would be easy for Wells to coast and simply give readers more of the same – more action, more snark, more Sanctuary Moon, more Murderbot-staring-at-a-wall – in another straightforward, standalone adventure. All those things are indeed present and correct here, but Wells hasn’t just taken the easy option, instead opting for a slightly different feel to most of the other stories. This is a little slower and a little less action-packed, a more introspective story that shows Murderbot at its most vulnerable – physically and emotionally – and forces it into a situation that needs more than strength and speed to resolve. Don’t worry, Murderbot still does its fair share of fighting, but it has to learn to deal with people and events in different ways too, uncomfortable though that may be.

Billed as a ‘full-length novel’, really this is more of a short novel, falling in between the usual novella length and the heft of Network Effect, and somehow it feels like the best of both worlds. Despite the relative lack of action it feels every bit as tight and snappy as the novellas, just with a little more room to breathe. All told it’s another excellent story in its own right, providing yet more evidence that Murderbot is – despite being an artificially-created killing machine – one of the most relatable (not to mention badass and amusing) characters in modern science fiction. On top of that though, it feels very much like it’s setting things up for the start of a new arc, which promises to take the series and the characters in a welcome new direction. The only downside is that we have to wait for the next book to see where that direction takes Murderbot!

Picking up where Network Effect ended, System Collapse promises more of what made that novel so enjoyable: the crew of Perihelion (aka ART) and the scientists from Preservation Alliance working together to (1) stop bad guys, (2) rescue colonists from the clutches of corporate raiders (the aforementioned bad guys), and (3) make Murderbot uncomfortable by asking it to talk about its feelings. I reread Network Effect before starting the latest volume and, unfortunately, System Collapse suffers in the comparison. While Network Effect is overflowing with action, humor, danger, and excitement, System Collapse feels claustrophobic. We hardly see Mensah or other key Preservation characters. The primary plot device feels like a detour gone wrong: Murderbot, Ratthi, and a few of ART's crew travel to a distant outpost to save more colonists from being enslaved by Barish-Estranza and then... nothing interesting happens for a long time, then there's a big chase scene and the book ends. I didn't find Barish-Estranza to be an especially scary villain, and the whole plotline felt claustrophobic, not just because it takes place in underground caverns. Wells does deliver plenty of Murderbot's characteristic snarky humor, so System Collapse is still fun to read, but just doesn't rise to the high standard of previous works in the series.

Honestly, I was pretty disappointed by this story from the Murderbot Diaries. It began almost were "Network Effect" left off, picking up on one of the most compelling and unique narratives of the series. Had the entire book been of the quality of the first chapter, I'd have been pleased to say that this was another funny, exciting, and moving addition to the diaries, but by the end I was so bored it took me a day just to read a single chapter. For such a (relatively) long entry to the series, very little actually happened in the book: 1) They discover the existence of a lost colony, 2) They travel to the lost colony, 3) They suffer some minor inconveniences, 4) They make their escape. That's it. Hardly any of the humor we're used to. Few exciting scenes to keep us engaged. Practically none of the moving emotion that we see Murderbot develop. Almost the entire story was a nothing sandwich. The most compelling carrot dangled in front of us the entire time was the "false memory" experienced by Murderbot that caused issues throughout the book, but we got so little of that it had me wondering why it was mentioned at all. The short story "Compulsory" that Martha Wells wrote for Wired had me excited for this book, but to be brutally honest, it felt like Wells was phoning it in more than anything. I hope this doesn't begin a dip in quality for the series.

Another fabulous installment of the Murderbot Diaries. This book takes place immediately after Network Effect. After the havoc on the planet Murderbot is not at the top of their game and it is seriously affecting their performance. ART(peri) is trying to save the colonists but Barish-Estranza is in the way again.

I find the Murderbot series to be a little uneven, but System Collapse is a great addition to the series. One of the reasons this one resonated so much with me is that we, of course, get our usual Murderbot shenanigans, but Something has happened and the story takes an emotional turn. I am a sucker for non-humans exploring humanity, so System Collapse was right up my alley.

“So the next time I get optimistic about something, I want one of you to punch me in the face.”

Another Murderbot book, another instance where I relate to a robot that feels too many emotions and doesn’t want to! This one was just as fun as the others—and to be fair, one of my favorites!!! There was a lot of mental health woven into the plot this time and it was interesting to see how Murderbot dealt with it. It clearly wants to redact everything and pretend it didn’t happen.

Same, Murderbot, welcome to the human condition.

Plus, the Alien drama in this one was exciting! I just love the way Martha webs the plot of these books so easily while remaining true to the vibe Murderbot exudes. I always go into these books thinking I’m just gonna be laughing at Murderbot’s internal dialogue and then I realize there’s an intricate plot Martha is carrying, too. The technical speak of these books makes me wonder what she’s researched or knowledgeable on to be so realistic with it all, without making my brain hurt either. Murderbot is such a fun outlet to explain things in layman’s terms. It just flows so well!

Murderbot’s friendship with ART will never not amuse me. I love the way they interact with one another, and I find immense amusement in the way Murderbot pretends to hate ART. We all read and know ART does things for Murderbot because it cares, and vice versa. Dumbasses. Both of them. Just like us humans.

“And I am aware of the irony, since I know exactly how hard the question “what do you want” can be when you don’t have a fucking clue what you want.”

Murderbot has much to learn, even going forward, and I am excited to see what journey it takes us on next!!! I wonder what else Murderbot will find itself catching feelings for! Watch it befriend a dog or something.

Thank you NETGALLEY and Tor Publishing Group for providing me an eARC!!

Our favorite SecUnit is back and this time is trying to save a colony from being taken as pretty much worker slaves by the Barish-Estrenza cooperation, since they could not have the whole planet. Our murderbot friend is here to make sure that doesn’t happen, but there is something wrong and she can’t figure out what it is. She is on her own as everyone else is working on the colony and colonist.
This is a good book with tons of action and suspense, it will have you up past your bedtime seeing what is going to happen next. I love this series and I think it is even better as a audio if you like that route. Either way I is a book you won’t want to miss.

SecUnit is not ok. I am also not ok. System Collapse, the seventh in the Murderbot Diaries series is stressful. Amazing, but stressful as heck.

You cannot read System Collapse if you haven’t read Network Effect. The action picks up not long after Network Effect ends. ART is still repairing its worm hole drive, the Preservation crew and the University crew are working together to create a charter that will give the colonists (formerly known as the Targets) control over their planet and their future. Barish-Estranza is there still trying to stake a claim on the planet and its inhabitants. The alien remnant contamination continues to be a problem. More than at any other point in the series, Murderbot is struggling with trauma. On top of the ever present danger posed to its humans by other humans, unknown threats from planetary flora and fauna, corporations, and alien remnant contamination, Murderbot thinks it might be a danger to its humans.

The Murderbot Diaries have always been about being disposable in a private corporation dominated universe. Many of us fell in love with SecUnit (Murderbot if you are in the know), its struggle to make a place for itself outside its former owner’s control, and its entirely relatable desire to be left alone to watch the entertainment feed. It’s easy to identify with Murderbot as we live through this slow rolling apocalypse wondering if we will have to work until we drop dead, and we watch the illusion of autonomy get stripped away. Murderbot can hack systems and shoot things while grumpily trying to make the most ethical choices possible in a way that we can’t. While trauma has been a constant undercurrent in the series, in System Collapse trauma movies to the forefront. Murderbot suffered multiple traumas and though they have an external support system for recovery, its internal coping mechanisms are not robust. It must overcome the internalized message from its former owners that it is only worthwhile if it can perform its job.

Martha Wells writes about such terribly human things while also giving us a banger of an adventure. This installment hit me particularly hard because I learned that my father died recently and our estrangement was directly related to issues of trauma, (the lack of) coping skills, and (the lack of) external support for healing.

It would technically be fiction, but the kind of fiction that was true in all the ways that mattered.

I love you, Murderbot, but not in a weird way.

CW: trauma, violence in past and on page, attempted murder, physical and emotional injury.

I received this as an advance reader copy from Tordotcom and NetGalley. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.

Murderbot's back and better than ever, folks! Well, that's not strictly true, is it. Murderbot is actually experiencing [redacted]. And as much as it wishes it could go watch some media in a bunk, there's human-saving to do. And this time it involves… a home movie?? You'll have to read it to believe it. I absolutely loved returning to the world of Murderbot and picking up where we left off after Network Effect. I read this installment across the span of a single travel day, getting a few pages in here and there on two planes and three airports. I already can't wait for the next entry in the series!