Author: Martha Wells
Title: All Systems Red- The Murderbot Diaries
Genre: Science Fiction
Publication Date: 2017
Number of Pages: 152
Geographical Setting: Space
Time Period: The Future
Series: Murderbot Diaries
Plot Summary:
A New York Times and USA today best seller and the winner of multiple book awards, Murderbot explores a future world where planetary exploration is a reality and robots are a part of the everyday experience.
The self-named character of this story is called Murderbot. The story begins with Murderbot professing that “I could have become a mass murderer before I hacked my governor module, but I realized I could access the combined feed of entertainment channels carried on the company satellites.” This level of snark and self-reflection sets the tone for the rest of the story. Murderbot, aka a SecUnit, has been assigned to a team of planetary explorers by an organization referred to as the Company. Murderbot is there to ensure the teams safety and does so within the first few pages. As the story progresses it’s clear that this Murderbot is not like the other units that have come before it. This one has feelings and cares for things, albeit somewhat begrudgingly.
The team that Murderbot is assigned to soon faces an unknown threat on the planet and comes to realize that there’s something different about their SecUnit. We learn that in this world it’s not uncommon for people to be augmented with machine parts, but there is a certain hierarchy within the system. As the team and Murderbot face this threat, together, we learn more about the team members and Murderbot. We see them all start to come together and build a certain level of trust. Throughout the story Murderbot is concerned that its carefully guarded secret will come to light. The story is fast paced and hurtles towards an end that begs for a sequel.
Our textbook Wyatt and Saricks define the science fiction genre as one that “explorer worlds that could be, with a particular interest in futuristic science and technologies” (2019, p.93). This story of a self-aware, snarky robot fits the bill.
Subject Headings:
• Interplanetary Voyages
• Robots
• Human Computer Interaction
Appeal:
Here are some words from one of our readings called “The Secret Language of Books, a Guide to Appeal” that I would use to describe the appeal of this book (Novelist, 2018).
• Suspenseful
• Engaging
• Action-packed
3 terms that best describe this book:
Robots with Emotion
Space Colonization
Life on other Planets
3 Relevant Non-Fiction Works and Authors
Author: Ray Kurzweil
Book: The Singularity is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology
This book explorers the idea of a future where machines will become more intelligent than human beings. Fans of the Murderbot series would be intrigued by this idea.
Author: James Barrat
Book: Our Final Invention: Artificial Intelligence and the End of the Human Era
This books profiles people from across the spectrum of AI and asks the question of “can we coexist with beings who’s intelligence dwarfs our own”? This idea of coexisting with robots would appeal to readers of Murderbot.
Author: Martin Ford
Book: Rise of the Robots: Technology and the Threat of a Jobless Future
This book considers a future where Robots have replaced many, many kinds of jobs. The book Murderbot envisions a future where robots and humans work side by side. So, this book would appeal to Murderbot readers as it peers into the future of work.
3 Relevant Fiction Works and Authors
Author: Martha Wells
Book: Artificial Condition
This is the second book in the Murderbot series and would appeal to people who enjoyed the first book. In this book we learn about the dark past of Murderbot and how it got its name.
Author: Larry Niven
Book: The Goliath Stone
This book explores the idea of nanites being created as a miracle cure and then taking on a literal life of their own. Murderbot readers would find parallels between both stories.
Author: Daniel H. Wilson
Book: Robopocalypse
This story is set in a world where robots are a part of everyday life and everything is fine, until it's not. Readers of Murderbot would find this story interesting and relatable with its themes of sentient robots.
Hi Mary,
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds like fun. My husband reads this series, but I never looked at that closely. Sci-Fi is not my usual genre, but the snarky robot sounds amusing. I'm a sucker for snarky characters. :)
It's definitely an unexpectedly fun narration. My friends have raved about the series for a while, but I kept putting it at the bottom of my tbr pile. I think I read somewhere the books were optioned for a tv or movie.
DeleteI am a sucker for morally gray characters with a sense of humor; this book sounds like something I would really enjoy! Plus a robot that has feelings they don't want? Even better! Great annotation :)
ReplyDeleteHi Mary
ReplyDeleteI read this book a few years ago and really enjoyed it! I loved the fast-pace and short storyline. I listened to the audiobook at first but ended up switching to a physical book as I kept getting distracted. I think that tends to happen for me when the character is out of the ordinary.
Having read this first one, do you plan on continuing the series?
I have never heard of this series before but you sold me with your summary! I've also read a few of the readalikes so this would most likely be something I enjoy. Great work and full points!
ReplyDelete