Reviews with content warning for Slavery - Network Effect

Reviews tagging 'Slavery'

Network Effect by Martha Wells

44 reviews

pacifickat's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

"Please calm yourselves and stop talking. Plan A01: Rain Destruction has been superseded by Plan B01: Distract and Extract." -Parihelion

Fun, if not a little confusing. I adore the Murderbot series, and Network effect is a worthy, novel-length addition. Definitely did a lot to push the emotional growth of Murderbot forward, adding in a whole cast of new characters, as well as bringing back some old favorites.

I love how Wells writes Murderbot's unique interactions with various sentient beings beyond its human clients. I also have enjoyed Murderbot's

slowly dawning realization over each new story installment that it is valued, admired, and perhaps even loved by a whole host of individuals it has met over its many adventures since going rogue. It may have been designed to be a disposable tool, but to its friends and found family it is worth fighting for, and never to be abandoned. It's original purpose may have been to sacrificially defend others, but it has developed something more than factory-set objectives and parameters, grounded in an unflinching resolve to maintain personal agency even among those who see it as an object without personhood.

These books are so very fun, deeply empathetic, and manage to pack so much character development between fast-paced storytelling and wonderful action sequences. 4 stars for this one.

Content Warnings

fkshg8465's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

So much better than the other books before it because it was built on them and was long enough to develop the characters more deeply and actually advance the story meaningfully. Going back to adjust ratings lower on prior books.

Content Warnings

mothiver's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

Oh this was LOVELY. The little bits of horror that have always been in this series REALLY came to the forefront with this one, and I enjoyed it very much. I do so love Weird Alternative Relationships, and I’ve always been a fan of “what are they? (discussion)” over “will they won’t they”. ART my favourite bitchy spaceship I’m so glad you’re back <3

Man, ART really showed its crew pictures…. they love eachother for real (no romo)…. I’m SUCH a sucker for the “freaking out when the other is in danger/might be dead” trope too, ESPECIALLY when it goes both ways.

My only nitpick would be occasional weirdness with past/present tense in the writing, but it wasn’t all that distracting for me.

Content Warnings

ghoulishshark's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This is one series I always have trouble writing a review for. I honestly don’t know what to say other than this is one of my favourite series.

Content Warnings

avacadosocks's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

bluestockingbookworm's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny hopeful fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Content Warnings

pedanther's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Content Warnings

etherealisnt's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny hopeful tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

The Murderbot Diaries' first full novel! Murderbot needs to deal with its crew getting mixed up in a space kidnapping, taking on a strange planet and its colony, while keeping everyone (~~mostly~~) intact and alive. An old friend from the past makes a return with a urgent help request. Murderbot just needs to get through all of it in one piece (mentally, emotionally & physically)... how challenging can it be?

It could be one more weird anomaly in this unending cycle of what the fuck.

I am so entangled in this universe that leaving is impossible (not that I'd even want to do that). I feel like someone grabbed me by my shoulders and shook me so hard that my brain got bounced around.
What the fuck? I was NOT prepared for all of these emotions and the raw reality of learning to live. This was more than I could even dreams of - Murderbot, its crew, ART with its crew, space adventures and a fuckton more! (So much happened in here I swear.)

I hate it when humans and augmented humans ruin things for no reason. Maybe because I was a thing before I was a person and if I’m not careful I could be a thing again.

Well, the adventures were overshadowed by the amount of emotional damage that every other page of this book decided to hit me with. I was genuinely worried and crying by the last chapters, it's not even funny (the book is funny tho). Nevertheless, the writing, the characters, the plot and all the dynamics are to die for! I am thrilled to continue the series and get to witness even more of Murderbot's journey! <3

I don't want to not see you again.

Content Warnings

twistykris's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

"Just remember you’re not alone here.”
I never know what to say to that. I am actually alone in my head, and that’s where 90 plus percent of my problems are.

I'll be honest, part-way through this book it started to lose me: the pacing slowed down a lot and I was having trouble keeping up with the plotline but the ending just drew me back in so much. I loved every interaction between Murderbot and a friend (admit it, they're a friend) and the feelings I had at the end?! 🥹💜

I will continue to love Murderbot and its adventures until the end of time.

Content Warnings

lorien13's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

More...