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spenkevich's review against another edition
4.0
‘Sometimes people do things to you that you can't do anything about. You just have to survive it and go on. ’
The snarky, social-anxiety ridden robot with a lot of heart is back in Artificial Condition, Martha Wells second installment in the Murderbot Diaries and if the first book opened the door to this fun and ferocious world, this one pulled me in and ensured I’d be here to stay a long time rooting for Murderbot. Set directly after [b:All Systems Red|32758901|All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries, #1)|Martha Wells|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1631585309l/32758901._SY75_.jpg|53349516], we find Murderbot struggling with finding a purpose and having some unanswered questions about their past which launches a new chapter of [cue dramatic action music] mayhem and murderin’! Okay, more like protecting, and begrudgingly so, because for as brutal of an asskicking Murderbot can deliver they mostly just want to ‘sink into my media downloads for a while and pretend I didn't exist.’ With a new set of characters, and a research AI named ART (dubbed the Asshole Research Transport by MBot) that I absolutely adore, Artificial Condition is a smart, savvy sci-fi good time that expands Wells’ imaginative world and raises the stakes even higher. It is a blast.
‘I didn’t care what humans were doing to each other as long as I didn’t have to a) stop it or b) clean up after it.’
What is so immediately endearing about this series is the way Wells uses a rogue robot to explore what it means to be human. In this second “episode” being human means looking the part as much as acting, and Murderbot does some rather insightful thinking about how our feelings and thoughts are reflected in our movements. Also how they look, which they’ll have to alter—much to their horror. The lines between AI robot and human blur even more in this book with the steps Murderbot takes causing some anxiety and existential ponderings because they make it ‘harder for me to pretend I was not a person.’ Which is a great moment that flips most freewill-AI sci fi stories on their head as MB finds being a person and having to talk about feelings and do all that people-y stuff to be…well, horrifying.
There is also a great moment about representation, with Murderbot acknowledging they prefer more unrealistic media shows but also noticing how poorly security units come across in all these shows. ‘You can't tell a story from the point of view of something that you don't think has a point of view,’ they consider. However, ART and Murderbot watching shows together with Mbot annoyed as hell at ART and ART having…well, AI existential breakdowns when the shows get sad—THIS is the sort of thing that I’ll keep coming back for. As Murderbot says ‘They made us smarter. The anxiety and depression were side effects.’ The student told you are “gifted” to being burned out, depressed and directionless pipeline is real, I’ve lived it, and my oh my does this series nudge those feelings. These robots grappling with feelings as well as struggling with realizing they feel feelings is brilliantly delivered and moving. Just a completely empathetic book series and I don’t just mean empathizing with being annoyed you have to stop watching your show and do work.
‘the inside of my head had been my own for +33,000 hours and I was used to it now. I wanted to keep me the way I was.’
Trust and fear become a major theme in this episode. Murderbot has freedom, but what does that even mean? And how does one accept independence when following orders was all you knew? When Murderbot is ‘97 percent certain this meeting was a trap,’ should they dispute clients or follow along and protect? In examining what it means to be human, logic often gives way. Is it fear, bravery, stupidity? Ultimately we ask what makes humans…well, human.
Murderbot can seriously kick ass and so does this series. I’m interested to see how the side plot of discovering their past is going to continue to play out and I loved how much of this book was about respecting and giving agency to the sex bots. I’m fully on board at this point, can we get Murderbot t-shirts? Also thanks to Nataliya and her amazing reviews, I’ve decided to listen to these on audio and she is correct: Kevin R. Free IS the voice of Murderbot, I will accept no others.
4.5/5
‘Fear was an artificial condition. It's imposed from the outside. So it's possible to fight it. You should do the things you're afraid of.’
The snarky, social-anxiety ridden robot with a lot of heart is back in Artificial Condition, Martha Wells second installment in the Murderbot Diaries and if the first book opened the door to this fun and ferocious world, this one pulled me in and ensured I’d be here to stay a long time rooting for Murderbot. Set directly after [b:All Systems Red|32758901|All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries, #1)|Martha Wells|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1631585309l/32758901._SY75_.jpg|53349516], we find Murderbot struggling with finding a purpose and having some unanswered questions about their past which launches a new chapter of [cue dramatic action music] mayhem and murderin’! Okay, more like protecting, and begrudgingly so, because for as brutal of an asskicking Murderbot can deliver they mostly just want to ‘sink into my media downloads for a while and pretend I didn't exist.’ With a new set of characters, and a research AI named ART (dubbed the Asshole Research Transport by MBot) that I absolutely adore, Artificial Condition is a smart, savvy sci-fi good time that expands Wells’ imaginative world and raises the stakes even higher. It is a blast.
‘I didn’t care what humans were doing to each other as long as I didn’t have to a) stop it or b) clean up after it.’
What is so immediately endearing about this series is the way Wells uses a rogue robot to explore what it means to be human. In this second “episode” being human means looking the part as much as acting, and Murderbot does some rather insightful thinking about how our feelings and thoughts are reflected in our movements. Also how they look, which they’ll have to alter—much to their horror. The lines between AI robot and human blur even more in this book with the steps Murderbot takes causing some anxiety and existential ponderings because they make it ‘harder for me to pretend I was not a person.’ Which is a great moment that flips most freewill-AI sci fi stories on their head as MB finds being a person and having to talk about feelings and do all that people-y stuff to be…well, horrifying.
There is also a great moment about representation, with Murderbot acknowledging they prefer more unrealistic media shows but also noticing how poorly security units come across in all these shows. ‘You can't tell a story from the point of view of something that you don't think has a point of view,’ they consider. However, ART and Murderbot watching shows together with Mbot annoyed as hell at ART and ART having…well, AI existential breakdowns when the shows get sad—THIS is the sort of thing that I’ll keep coming back for. As Murderbot says ‘They made us smarter. The anxiety and depression were side effects.’ The student told you are “gifted” to being burned out, depressed and directionless pipeline is real, I’ve lived it, and my oh my does this series nudge those feelings. These robots grappling with feelings as well as struggling with realizing they feel feelings is brilliantly delivered and moving. Just a completely empathetic book series and I don’t just mean empathizing with being annoyed you have to stop watching your show and do work.
‘the inside of my head had been my own for +33,000 hours and I was used to it now. I wanted to keep me the way I was.’
Trust and fear become a major theme in this episode. Murderbot has freedom, but what does that even mean? And how does one accept independence when following orders was all you knew? When Murderbot is ‘97 percent certain this meeting was a trap,’ should they dispute clients or follow along and protect? In examining what it means to be human, logic often gives way. Is it fear, bravery, stupidity? Ultimately we ask what makes humans…well, human.
Murderbot can seriously kick ass and so does this series. I’m interested to see how the side plot of discovering their past is going to continue to play out and I loved how much of this book was about respecting and giving agency to the sex bots. I’m fully on board at this point, can we get Murderbot t-shirts? Also thanks to Nataliya and her amazing reviews, I’ve decided to listen to these on audio and she is correct: Kevin R. Free IS the voice of Murderbot, I will accept no others.
4.5/5
‘Fear was an artificial condition. It's imposed from the outside. So it's possible to fight it. You should do the things you're afraid of.’
cumulonimbus's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
_pauline's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
magecosplay's review against another edition
adventurous
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? Yes
5.0
intentions's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
marsius's review against another edition
5.0
Impressively somehow even better than the first Murderbot. There's more here—some added depth and plot elements that seem more its own. And Murderbot remains incredibly fun, of course.
daredeviling's review against another edition
adventurous
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
3.75
jodieorange's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
3.75