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A review by kblincoln
Network Effect by Martha Wells
4.0
4.5 stars, actually.
Network Effect marks the first, full-length novel. Instead of one major crisis our favorite organic/cybernetic SecUnit has to handle with a combination of software attacks and hand-to-hand combat strategies, Murderbot handles several.
There’s an initial kidnapping of Murderbot’s “owner” human, Dr. Mensah’s daughter, possible alien involvement, derring station-to-planet rescues, and of course, the best part of the book IMHO, a tiff with ART, the sentinet bot pilot from several novellas ago.
There’s lots of lingo, complaining about humans getting themselves into trouble, killware and drones stealthily deployed, and mayhem the likes of which I have become used to in prior novellas of the series.
But what makes This installment stand apart for me is twosome: major emotional payoff for Murderbot and ART, Murderbot and its humans, and Murderbot and another SecUnit. If you like Mr. Darcy at his most restrained and reserved self, if you thrilled to Spock being uncomfortable with his emotions, and followed Data in his quest for real human interaction, then you will love how Murderbot grows, as well as the evolution of its realization of how much ART and the humans value it.
I’m a sucker for restrained characters unwillingly or unknowlingly experiencing love, and so I am fascinated by Murderbot’s sometimes clueless, sometimes self-fooling voice. Can’t wait for the next installment.
Network Effect marks the first, full-length novel. Instead of one major crisis our favorite organic/cybernetic SecUnit has to handle with a combination of software attacks and hand-to-hand combat strategies, Murderbot handles several.
There’s an initial kidnapping of Murderbot’s “owner” human, Dr. Mensah’s daughter, possible alien involvement, derring station-to-planet rescues, and of course, the best part of the book IMHO, a tiff with ART, the sentinet bot pilot from several novellas ago.
There’s lots of lingo, complaining about humans getting themselves into trouble, killware and drones stealthily deployed, and mayhem the likes of which I have become used to in prior novellas of the series.
But what makes This installment stand apart for me is twosome: major emotional payoff for Murderbot and ART, Murderbot and its humans, and Murderbot and another SecUnit. If you like Mr. Darcy at his most restrained and reserved self, if you thrilled to Spock being uncomfortable with his emotions, and followed Data in his quest for real human interaction, then you will love how Murderbot grows, as well as the evolution of its realization of how much ART and the humans value it.
I’m a sucker for restrained characters unwillingly or unknowlingly experiencing love, and so I am fascinated by Murderbot’s sometimes clueless, sometimes self-fooling voice. Can’t wait for the next installment.