Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Tom Doherty Associates
Description
It has a dark past - one in which a number of humans were killed. A past that caused it to christen itself Murderbot. But it has only vague memories of the massacre that spawned that title, and it wants to know more. Teaming up with a research transport vessal named ART (you don't want to know what the A stands for), Murderbot heads to the mining facility where it went rogue. What it discovers will forever change the way it thinks.
Media reviews
There’s plenty here to entertain the many fans of the first novella.
User reviews
LibraryThing member paradoxosalpha
This second of the Murderbot Diaries is about the same length and scope as the first, continuing events directly from before. A significant new non-human character is introduced, but this ART ("Asshole Research Transport") doesn't seem to be an abiding presence for the next volume. Artificial
The story continues to be fast-moving and entertaining. I read each of the first two novellas in two sittings, and I would probably binge my way through all six books (published so far) in under a week if my pace weren't moderated by the process of requesting and borrowing them from the public library individually. I assume that there will be an omnibus edition once Wells has finished the series.
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Condition completes a "contract"-sized plot arc, but the murderbot--who assumes the name Eden in this segment--has entered into a character arc that clearly spans the whole series and reaches no point of resolution here.The story continues to be fast-moving and entertaining. I read each of the first two novellas in two sittings, and I would probably binge my way through all six books (published so far) in under a week if my pace weren't moderated by the process of requesting and borrowing them from the public library individually. I assume that there will be an omnibus edition once Wells has finished the series.
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LibraryThing member iansales
Another problem with the novella category – indeed, with the Hugo Awards over the last few years as a whole – is the preponderance of sequels. Martha Wells, previously better-known for mid-list fantasy series, published three of her Murderbot novellas in 2018. (The first was published in 2017.)
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That’s a series. Artificial Condition is the second instalment. None of them stand alone. There are indeed cases where the second instalment in a series is better than the first, but in this case the first instalment, All Systems Red… won the Hugo Award for Best Novella last year. Come on, people, read a little more fucking widely. It would be understandable if the Murderbot series were astounding, the best sf published for many years… But they’re not. They’re entertaining, and even a little bit clever in places. But fun as they may be, they’re not award-worthy. And if you’re nominating fiction because it was “fun”, you appear to have misunderstood the meaning of the word “best”. The thing about “best” is that you have to recognise something as being of high quality, higher quality in fact than pretty much everything else you read, you don’t necessarily have to have enjoyed it or thought it was fun. The two are quite different. Any old wine will get you pissed, but the good ones won’t have you gagging every time you take a sip. At least not for the first half-dozen glasses. What we have here is a novella that gets you pissed without you actually noticing the flavour of the vintage – and I’d submit that’s not what awards are about, at least not awards that have the word “best” in their title. I enjoyed Artificial Condition. I might even read the rest of the series. But I really can’t see this as award-worthy and its nomination says more about the award than it does the genre. Show Less
LibraryThing member elenchus
Again two questions posed by this novella, following on from the first: here the broader issue of SecUnit's past gets as much attention as the immediate problems, posing as an augmented human while navigating the RaviHyral mining facility.
The reader gleans insights through SecUnit's conversations
Clearer yet is that while SecUnit holds itself responsible for the deaths of humans it was committed to protecting, it shares that opinion despite a memory wipe (it has scant detail about the incident and its own actions in it). The reader can infer not only is the incident at Ganaka Pit crucial for understanding SecUnit, so too are the circumstances surrounding SecUnit hacking its governor module. If along with sentience came moral agency, presumably SecUnit assumes culpability if only for not preventing the murders. (No-one else appears to understand that Units have such agency or Self.) By the end of the novella, SecUnit and the reader understand more of what happened and what it did that day.
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Initially it wasn't clear whether SecUnit's consumption of entertainment media preceded or followed the hacked governor module, so it also wasn't clear whether it was socialized into an affinity for humans, or whether its social sensitivities were a motivation for consuming media. Various hints along the way suggest SecUnit's autonomy preceded its hack of various feeds and systems, in order to download media elsewise unavailable to it. Still not entirely clear how SecUnit has social context necessary to fully understand human media, though perhaps simply through process of watching 30K hours of serials. SecUnit rues that all media portrayals of SecUnits are of "heartless killing machines that could go rogue at any second, for no reason, despite the governor modules." [31]
SecUnit still doesn't have a public name we're aware of, but adopts "Eden" when posing as an augmented human. Data links with other bots never clarify how each identifies the other, whether through temporary or permanent electronic signatures.
I liked humans, I liked watching them on the entertainment feed, where they couldn't interact with me. Where it was safe. For them and for me. [46]
The reader gleans insights through SecUnit's conversations
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with another sentient bot -- not another construct but a research transport. ART challenges SecUnit's views on humans, for the most part by questioning assumptions and decisions. Not all bots are the same, and SecUnit learns some distinctions in capabilities. Alongside that, negotiations with a new group of humans nudge SecUnit to begin acknowledging what's increasingly clear to the reader, that SecUnit is better at social interaction than it allows itself to admit. Clearer yet is that while SecUnit holds itself responsible for the deaths of humans it was committed to protecting, it shares that opinion despite a memory wipe (it has scant detail about the incident and its own actions in it). The reader can infer not only is the incident at Ganaka Pit crucial for understanding SecUnit, so too are the circumstances surrounding SecUnit hacking its governor module. If along with sentience came moral agency, presumably SecUnit assumes culpability if only for not preventing the murders. (No-one else appears to understand that Units have such agency or Self.) By the end of the novella, SecUnit and the reader understand more of what happened and what it did that day.
/
Initially it wasn't clear whether SecUnit's consumption of entertainment media preceded or followed the hacked governor module, so it also wasn't clear whether it was socialized into an affinity for humans, or whether its social sensitivities were a motivation for consuming media. Various hints along the way suggest SecUnit's autonomy preceded its hack of various feeds and systems, in order to download media elsewise unavailable to it. Still not entirely clear how SecUnit has social context necessary to fully understand human media, though perhaps simply through process of watching 30K hours of serials. SecUnit rues that all media portrayals of SecUnits are of "heartless killing machines that could go rogue at any second, for no reason, despite the governor modules." [31]
SecUnit still doesn't have a public name we're aware of, but adopts "Eden" when posing as an augmented human. Data links with other bots never clarify how each identifies the other, whether through temporary or permanent electronic signatures.
I liked humans, I liked watching them on the entertainment feed, where they couldn't interact with me. Where it was safe. For them and for me. [46]
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LibraryThing member norabelle414
Now on the run, Murderbot accidentally boards ART (short for Asshole Research Transport), an empty and bored research ship that is intrigued by them. Murderbot decides to return to the planet where their trauma happened, and find out what actually occurred there. However, to avoid suspicion they
I loved this one even more than the first! I loved Murderbot meeting ART, someone who is similar to them and with similar interests (extremely powerful but uncorrupted, smart and a little bored and loves TV), and being slightly annoyed by ART in the same way they are slightly annoyed with soft humans. The episodic story works really well, and the overarching plot is also moving along at just the right speed. My favorite aspect was the incorporation of ComfortUnits into both plots. Robotic sex slaves and robotic security slaves are not actually different from each other once you give them free will. (A similar theme to [The Windup Girl], which I read last year). This book felt like it really expanded the world, while technically only taking place on one and a half planets.
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will need to take a job that gives them a reason to travel to the planet, and, as usual, Murderbot gets too attached to some soft, gentle humans. I loved this one even more than the first! I loved Murderbot meeting ART, someone who is similar to them and with similar interests (extremely powerful but uncorrupted, smart and a little bored and loves TV), and being slightly annoyed by ART in the same way they are slightly annoyed with soft humans. The episodic story works really well, and the overarching plot is also moving along at just the right speed. My favorite aspect was the incorporation of ComfortUnits into both plots. Robotic sex slaves and robotic security slaves are not actually different from each other once you give them free will. (A similar theme to [The Windup Girl], which I read last year). This book felt like it really expanded the world, while technically only taking place on one and a half planets.
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LibraryThing member lisapeet
Fast-paced and fun. The short format along with the engaging voice inclines me to keep on with this series—they're real palate cleansers in between other reading.
LibraryThing member SweetKokoro
I love Murderbot and his never ending need to want to watch his entertainment. I loved ART and the interactions between the two, they were hilarious.
This go around Murderbot is out to find out what exactly caused him to murder a bunch of humans in the past. Along the way he “befriends” and I
The interactions between Murderbot and the humans were adorable (for me at least, he just can’t let them die no matter how annoyed he is with them)
The story was well paced and the funny aspects and the serious aspects were well balanced, the writing stuck to the same tone as the first one, overall this is another easy, quick, fun read.
I might even go so far as to say I enjoyed this one more then book 1 but honestly I loved them both.
This go around Murderbot is out to find out what exactly caused him to murder a bunch of humans in the past. Along the way he “befriends” and I
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say that lightly as I’m sure Murderbot doesn’t see ART as a friend, more of a necessary nuisance haha. We follow Murderbot trying to figure out how to blend in as an augmented human, which leaves him annoyed and frustrated, all with the help of ART who of course does nothing but annoy Murderbot. There is also humans involved again and Murderbot once again finds this as a nuisance but deals with it how he does best.The interactions between Murderbot and the humans were adorable (for me at least, he just can’t let them die no matter how annoyed he is with them)
The story was well paced and the funny aspects and the serious aspects were well balanced, the writing stuck to the same tone as the first one, overall this is another easy, quick, fun read.
I might even go so far as to say I enjoyed this one more then book 1 but honestly I loved them both.
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LibraryThing member Pepperwings
More and more I appreciate the snarky and slightly removed attitude of Murderbot.
I tend to think of Murderbot as non-binary, but slightly feminine--I can't decide if this is an influence by Martha Wells, or if I just relate to some of the feelings enough that it feels familiar to me. I'll have to
The adventure and distracted nature of situations in this book are amusing, it isn't really action-packed, but the tension lies in revealing masks that are meant to stay hidden, and understanding peoples' intentions!
I feel like this is a masterful technique in writing, it feels like an action-packed thriller, but really it's just an excellent use of tense situations.
I tend to think of Murderbot as non-binary, but slightly feminine--I can't decide if this is an influence by Martha Wells, or if I just relate to some of the feelings enough that it feels familiar to me. I'll have to
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think on that more. The adventure and distracted nature of situations in this book are amusing, it isn't really action-packed, but the tension lies in revealing masks that are meant to stay hidden, and understanding peoples' intentions!
I feel like this is a masterful technique in writing, it feels like an action-packed thriller, but really it's just an excellent use of tense situations.
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LibraryThing member leslie.emery
I've just finished reading All Systems Red and Artificial Condition in two days. As most others are saying, Murderbot's internal monologue is so charming and entertaining. Over the past year of COVID I know I've been constantly tempted to escape into my "entertainment media" just like them. The
While I'm really enjoying these stories on their own terms, I'm also really enjoying them in conversation with the Asimov robot novels and stories. As I'm reading, I'm constantly thinking about how Murderbot's governor module compares to the three laws of robotics. It's also interesting to note how differently these stories feel since they are written from the bot's perspective, rather than 3rd person or from the perspective of the humans as in Asimov's books. There are many ethical considerations that weren't as prominent during Asimov's time, and we're thinking about them more now. And knowing what we know now about malware, hacking, networking, social media, etc. it's so clear that Asimov's robots were a very idealistic view on robots. Of course robots will end up being a manifestation of corporate corruption and overreach! Of course all of these networked systems will be constantly hacked on large and small scales! I'm not sure I could read an idealistic robot novel the same way again.
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interplay with ART is an excellent addition.While I'm really enjoying these stories on their own terms, I'm also really enjoying them in conversation with the Asimov robot novels and stories. As I'm reading, I'm constantly thinking about how Murderbot's governor module compares to the three laws of robotics. It's also interesting to note how differently these stories feel since they are written from the bot's perspective, rather than 3rd person or from the perspective of the humans as in Asimov's books. There are many ethical considerations that weren't as prominent during Asimov's time, and we're thinking about them more now. And knowing what we know now about malware, hacking, networking, social media, etc. it's so clear that Asimov's robots were a very idealistic view on robots. Of course robots will end up being a manifestation of corporate corruption and overreach! Of course all of these networked systems will be constantly hacked on large and small scales! I'm not sure I could read an idealistic robot novel the same way again.
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LibraryThing member JudithProctor
I liked the the first book in the series, but found it lacking in back story.
This one is better overall and we get a better sense of where Murderbot comes from. I particularly liked his relationship with a highly intelligent transport ship.
The ship is programmed to protect it's crew, and that
Partly programming, but also because he's meeting different people now he's away from the Company, and they treat him with more respect. He finds it very difficult to cope with friendship, but that doesn't mean he isn't moved by it.
This one is better overall and we get a better sense of where Murderbot comes from. I particularly liked his relationship with a highly intelligent transport ship.
The ship is programmed to protect it's crew, and that
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helps me as a reader understand why Murderbot always ends up protecting his 'crew'.Partly programming, but also because he's meeting different people now he's away from the Company, and they treat him with more respect. He finds it very difficult to cope with friendship, but that doesn't mean he isn't moved by it.
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LibraryThing member comfypants
"Murderbot" investigates the scene of his alleged murders.
3/4 (Good)
This time around the story is driven by the character's own motivation, which means it isn't unique the way the first book was. Also I still cannot figure out why these are novellas. The fact that I have to pay ~$70 (list price)
(Mar. 2022)
3/4 (Good)
This time around the story is driven by the character's own motivation, which means it isn't unique the way the first book was. Also I still cannot figure out why these are novellas. The fact that I have to pay ~$70 (list price)
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for four books in order to read a single novel seriously hampers my goodwill towards the series.(Mar. 2022)
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LibraryThing member Dorothy2012
Excellent follow-up to the first in the series, All Systems Red.
Strong characters, great plot, excellent dialogue (narrated by the killer SecUnit). Love, love, love the series.
Strong characters, great plot, excellent dialogue (narrated by the killer SecUnit). Love, love, love the series.
LibraryThing member nbmars
This is the second of a series of science fiction novellas that are at the same time violent, full of non-stop danger and adventure, and humorous meditations on existence and human nature. The protagonist, part robot with organic parts, calls itself Murderbot, because of an incident in its past for
In this installment, Murderbot hitches a ride through space to the planet where he was given the name “Murderbot.” During an assignment on a mining facility there, he apparently went rogue in a bad way, killing a large number of his clients. But why? His memory of the incident was wiped, and he wants to find out the truth. He is helped in his quest by the bot controlling his transport, whom Murderbot calls “ART” for Asshole Research Transport. In spite of the name, the two become friends of a sort, and ART helps Murderbot get to the truth of the matter.
Evaluation: Murderbot has no gender, but I think of it as a “he”; perhaps that is just a reflection of my personal bias. No one in the books have that same problem. They are of all races and genders and don’t tend to categorize any others, whether human or not.
Murderbot has a variety of super-tech capabilities, but seems very human, indeed. It is more powerful than Lee Child’s Jack Reacher character, although reminiscent of him in ways, but amusing, seems more “human” than Jack. Best of all, Murderbot’s dry sense of humor, sardonic wit, and constant existential angst are supremely entertaining.
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which it wasn’t guilty, but the appellation stuck. In any event, Murderbot is a security robot, or SecBot, designed to protect its clients - who are humans - from any threats. But Murderbot as gone “rogue,” having hacked its controlling module so that it now has free will. Murderbot would like nothing better than to spend its time watching all the space adventure series it has downloaded, but still can’t resist the pull to rescue humans from all the scrapes they continually get themselves into.In this installment, Murderbot hitches a ride through space to the planet where he was given the name “Murderbot.” During an assignment on a mining facility there, he apparently went rogue in a bad way, killing a large number of his clients. But why? His memory of the incident was wiped, and he wants to find out the truth. He is helped in his quest by the bot controlling his transport, whom Murderbot calls “ART” for Asshole Research Transport. In spite of the name, the two become friends of a sort, and ART helps Murderbot get to the truth of the matter.
Evaluation: Murderbot has no gender, but I think of it as a “he”; perhaps that is just a reflection of my personal bias. No one in the books have that same problem. They are of all races and genders and don’t tend to categorize any others, whether human or not.
Murderbot has a variety of super-tech capabilities, but seems very human, indeed. It is more powerful than Lee Child’s Jack Reacher character, although reminiscent of him in ways, but amusing, seems more “human” than Jack. Best of all, Murderbot’s dry sense of humor, sardonic wit, and constant existential angst are supremely entertaining.
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LibraryThing member Herenya
In All Systems Red, the Security Unit which calls itself “Murderbot” had to pretend that it was still controlled by its governor module so that no one realised it was secretly binge-watching serials. In this sequel, Murderbot has to pretend that it’s human in order to uncover some answers
Murderbot is grumpy, introverted, irritated by the stupid choices humans make and yet fiercely protective of the ones it works with, and I am completely delighted by this combination. I like how, even though Murderbot often firmly narrates what it thinks and feels, its actions are important in revealing its character.
Artificial Condition also feature the transport bot, the “Asshole Research Transport with the immense processing capability whose metaphorical hand [Murderbot] had had to hold because it had become emotionally compromised by a fictional media serial”; diverse humans of varying levels of decency; answers about Murderbot’s past; and questions about the way constructs are treated. The mysteries are not quite as intense as those in All Systems Red, but I still found the story completely engaging. I’m excited about the next two instalments!
It will be simple, ART insisted. I’ll assist you.
Yes, the giant transport bot is going to help is going to help the construct SecUnit pretend to be human. This will go well.
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about its past. It finds an ally in a bored transport bot, and gets a job as a security consultant for a bunch of young researchers who are having trouble with their former employers. Murderbot is grumpy, introverted, irritated by the stupid choices humans make and yet fiercely protective of the ones it works with, and I am completely delighted by this combination. I like how, even though Murderbot often firmly narrates what it thinks and feels, its actions are important in revealing its character.
Artificial Condition also feature the transport bot, the “Asshole Research Transport with the immense processing capability whose metaphorical hand [Murderbot] had had to hold because it had become emotionally compromised by a fictional media serial”; diverse humans of varying levels of decency; answers about Murderbot’s past; and questions about the way constructs are treated. The mysteries are not quite as intense as those in All Systems Red, but I still found the story completely engaging. I’m excited about the next two instalments!
It will be simple, ART insisted. I’ll assist you.
Yes, the giant transport bot is going to help is going to help the construct SecUnit pretend to be human. This will go well.
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LibraryThing member beserene
Very nearly as good as the first one, this sequel novella gives us more of what we love -- Murderbot, figuring out more ways to pretend not to care -- and someone new to love -- ART, a transport vessel with both an attitude AND obviously a heart of gold -- and so is another surprisingly charming,
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delightfully awkward, and altogether enjoyable piece of sci-fi action. The only challenge I had with this one is that the action seemed all too easy, but that might simply be because of the heightened stakes of the previous volume. Overall, wonderful! Show Less
LibraryThing member nkmunn
The Asshole Research transport is brilliant- and the begrudging acceptance that we'd have to figure out who would make the media if all the humans were dead is just the way I like my murderbot to respond to the idea of human extinction ;)
LibraryThing member TobinElliott
I don't know, maybe I'm missing something here, but these novellas aren't really grabbing me like they seem to be grabbing everyone else.
Maybe it's all the various bots that seem to be much more self-aware than they should be.
Maybe it's because the Murderbot always stumbles across exactly the right
Or maybe it's the Murderbot itself, constantly reminding us that it's not human, when it displays so many human tendencies.
I'll keep reading, because they're short and there's only two left, but I don't know. Just missing something for me.
Maybe it's all the various bots that seem to be much more self-aware than they should be.
Maybe it's because the Murderbot always stumbles across exactly the right
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contacts, in exactly the right order, to get what it needs, with very little conflict.Or maybe it's the Murderbot itself, constantly reminding us that it's not human, when it displays so many human tendencies.
I'll keep reading, because they're short and there's only two left, but I don't know. Just missing something for me.
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LibraryThing member fred_mouse
While this is book 2 of the Murderbot Diaries, and I suspect that a lot of what was elided in this story would have been covered in book 1, I'm actually pretty happy to have read this one first. Our protagonist, the eponymous Murderbot, has significant amnesia about a massacre they think they may
The other main character, ART, is the research transport ship that Murderbot pairs up with. I loved the way that Wells has presented these two characters, using one to highlight the alienness of the other, while managing to make them both distinctly non-human and all too human.
While ostensibly a murder mystery/thriller/adventure, it is also a fabulous story investigating the relationships between two people who really don't know how relationships are meant to work.
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have had a hand in, and the story follows their attempts to get clarity. Which means that I don't know what happened, either, and so really engaged with Murderbot.The other main character, ART, is the research transport ship that Murderbot pairs up with. I loved the way that Wells has presented these two characters, using one to highlight the alienness of the other, while managing to make them both distinctly non-human and all too human.
While ostensibly a murder mystery/thriller/adventure, it is also a fabulous story investigating the relationships between two people who really don't know how relationships are meant to work.
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LibraryThing member bookbrig
Every bit as good as the first one. I LOVE MURDERBOT. And ART is also fantastic. 13/10 would read books in this series forever.
LibraryThing member GridCube
I love this series.
"I know, I said, if the humans were dead, who would make the media?"
"I know, I said, if the humans were dead, who would make the media?"
LibraryThing member tottman
Martha Wells first introduced Murderbot in All Systems Red. The Security Unit (SecUnit) just wants to do its job, but mostly just wants to watch its thousands of hours of downloaded television shows. That story earned Wells a Hugo Award nomination. Artificial Condition is the next chapter in
“Murderbot” is self-christened because of an incident in which several humans were killed and it believes itself responsible for, even though its memories of the event are mostly non-existent. Since this is the opposite of the purpose of a SecUnit, this event weighs heavily on the pysche of Murderbot, making it question who and what it is. In Artificial Condition Murderbot ventures back to the scene of the massacre to try to find answers. The answers only lead to more questions, and also profoundly changes the way Murderbot views events.
Murderbot travels mainly by trading its vast stores of entertainment programming with the AI of transport vessels. Here, Murderbot teams up with ART, the AI of a research vessel. The pair of them make up two of the most interesting, well-matched and likable non-human characters in SF. Wells constructs an intense plot, but it is the characters in this story that really shine. They examine not only the universe around them, but look deep inside themselves as well. Wells also makes good use of the human characters in this story, particularly the young researchers who hire Murderbot. They serve as a foil that truly helps Murderbot discover its own nature.
These stories are quick reads, running about 150 pages each, but Wells packs a lot in each one. The Murderbot Diaries is one of the best series out there and Martha Wells has knocked another one out of the park. Highly recommended.
I was fortunate to receive a copy of this book from the publisher.
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Murderbot’s story, and it’s even better.“Murderbot” is self-christened because of an incident in which several humans were killed and it believes itself responsible for, even though its memories of the event are mostly non-existent. Since this is the opposite of the purpose of a SecUnit, this event weighs heavily on the pysche of Murderbot, making it question who and what it is. In Artificial Condition Murderbot ventures back to the scene of the massacre to try to find answers. The answers only lead to more questions, and also profoundly changes the way Murderbot views events.
Murderbot travels mainly by trading its vast stores of entertainment programming with the AI of transport vessels. Here, Murderbot teams up with ART, the AI of a research vessel. The pair of them make up two of the most interesting, well-matched and likable non-human characters in SF. Wells constructs an intense plot, but it is the characters in this story that really shine. They examine not only the universe around them, but look deep inside themselves as well. Wells also makes good use of the human characters in this story, particularly the young researchers who hire Murderbot. They serve as a foil that truly helps Murderbot discover its own nature.
These stories are quick reads, running about 150 pages each, but Wells packs a lot in each one. The Murderbot Diaries is one of the best series out there and Martha Wells has knocked another one out of the park. Highly recommended.
I was fortunate to receive a copy of this book from the publisher.
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LibraryThing member LisCarey
Murderbot is traveling to the place where the critical events that set him on the path to life as a rogue security unit happened: the mining colony where, under circumstances he does not remember because his memory was wiped, he killed a large number of the clients he was supposed to protect. He
On the second leg of his trip, he finds the bot running the ship is an AI of both very high intelligence, and very high autonomy--and quite capable of doing major damage to him.
From this point, we get an intriguing mix of the developing relationship between Murderbot and the ship's bot, whom he calls Art, Murderbot's investigation of his own past, to learn why and how he came to kill all those clients, and his first venture into interacting with humans as an independent being, taking on a contract as a security consultant for a small research group that's traveling to his own destination.
It's fun, it's intriguing, and we get a surprising amount of character development in not very much space. Extremely well done, and well worth your time.
Recommended.
I bought this audiobook.
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wants to know what really happened. He's passing as an augmented human, but telling the ships he travels with that he's a free construct, traveling to rejoin his guardian.On the second leg of his trip, he finds the bot running the ship is an AI of both very high intelligence, and very high autonomy--and quite capable of doing major damage to him.
From this point, we get an intriguing mix of the developing relationship between Murderbot and the ship's bot, whom he calls Art, Murderbot's investigation of his own past, to learn why and how he came to kill all those clients, and his first venture into interacting with humans as an independent being, taking on a contract as a security consultant for a small research group that's traveling to his own destination.
It's fun, it's intriguing, and we get a surprising amount of character development in not very much space. Extremely well done, and well worth your time.
Recommended.
I bought this audiobook.
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LibraryThing member Carolesrandomlife
I had a lot of fun with this story! This installment is my favorite of the three that are currently available in the series. I had kind of wondered where the series was going after the way the previous installment wrapped up but I trusted that Murderbot would not let me down and I was right.
Murderbot is on a mission to find out what really happened in its past. The SecUnit decides to hitch a ridge with a transport vessel and gets a little more than it bargained for in the process. ART isn't a mindless vehicle and challenges Murderbot and offers guidance and assistance. I really loved watching this unlikely pair work together on the mission.
This story had all of the excitement and action that I have come to expect from the series. The humor really added to the story and I thought that the interaction between ART and Murderbot was oftentimes quite comical. There was a pretty solid mystery that is tackled in this installment that kept me turning the pages.
I borrowed a copy of this book from my local library.
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Murderbot is on a mission to find out what really happened in its past. The SecUnit decides to hitch a ridge with a transport vessel and gets a little more than it bargained for in the process. ART isn't a mindless vehicle and challenges Murderbot and offers guidance and assistance. I really loved watching this unlikely pair work together on the mission.
This story had all of the excitement and action that I have come to expect from the series. The humor really added to the story and I thought that the interaction between ART and Murderbot was oftentimes quite comical. There was a pretty solid mystery that is tackled in this installment that kept me turning the pages.
I borrowed a copy of this book from my local library.
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LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50
Artificial Condition is the second in author Martha Wells’ Murderbot Diaries and this one is every bit as good as the first one which won both a Hugo and a Nebula Award in 2018. These short, lively stories are about a cyborg who is on the lam but would rather be watching soap operas than deal out
In order to blend in on this fact-finding mission she takes on a job as a security guard for a trio of researchers who have been cheated by their employer giving the reader plenty of action to follow. Murderbot also realizes that as she seeks answers she is also studying, planning and improving how to pass itself off as a human. Although she finds humans difficult to be around and frustrating she also learns that she too can “care”.
Murderbot’s deadpan, sarcastic, leave-me—alone attitude, along with ART’s snarky, fun comments make Artificial Condition a great read, and I am looking forward to the next installment of this great escape-stye read.
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the violence that she has been programmed to do. She connects with the AI of the transport that she is travelling on and in turn this ART intelligence aids her on the self-imposed mission to find out what really happened at the mining facility where she originally went rogue. In order to blend in on this fact-finding mission she takes on a job as a security guard for a trio of researchers who have been cheated by their employer giving the reader plenty of action to follow. Murderbot also realizes that as she seeks answers she is also studying, planning and improving how to pass itself off as a human. Although she finds humans difficult to be around and frustrating she also learns that she too can “care”.
Murderbot’s deadpan, sarcastic, leave-me—alone attitude, along with ART’s snarky, fun comments make Artificial Condition a great read, and I am looking forward to the next installment of this great escape-stye read.
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LibraryThing member MontzaleeW
Artificial Condition by Martha Wells continues the story where book one left off. Our murderbot gets a job helping and bring in security, something comfortable for it. Things go sideways. Awesome story, awesome narration.
LibraryThing member quondame
Murderbot has gone to investigate the massacre he (may have) committed and encounters a sarcastic intelligent shuttle who/which rather severely against his intuitions gives him help and support which he/it accepts on the bases of shared media appreciation. Seeking a way to get to the surface so he
An enjoyable if bloody story of growing up artificial. This murderbot doesn't want to be more human, but at least has to appear so to retain independence.
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can investigate he gets employment from a group of young entrepreneurs trying to recover data illegally reft from them. This turns out to be not entirely to his benefit and the information he finds for himself is less than satisfactory.An enjoyable if bloody story of growing up artificial. This murderbot doesn't want to be more human, but at least has to appear so to retain independence.
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Awards
Hugo Award (Nominee — Novella — 2019)
Nebula Award (Nominee — Novella — 2018)
Locus Award (Finalist — Novella — 2019)
Digital Book World Awards (Finalist — Science Fiction — 2018)
Los Angeles Public Library Best of the Year (Fiction — 2018)
Original publication date
2018-05-08
Local notes
Murderbot, 2
DDC/MDS
| Fic SF Wells |
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