Network Effect (The Murderbot Diaries #5), by Martha Wells
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
“(Confession time: that moment, when the humans or augmented humans realize you’re really here to help them. I don’t hate that moment.)”
It doesn’t happen often but I’m running out of words. So, go and read my previous reviews first, I’ll be waiting here for you. Everything I stated before still holds true for this book.
This first full-length Murderbot Diaries novel proves that Wells can obviously write at any length without ever being overly verbose or even boring.
“Network Effect” starts (mostly) peacefully and pretty similarly to the previous novellas. It’s all there – Dr. Mensah, her family, friends, colleagues and, most importantly, Murderbot who (yes, “which” just wouldn’t do!) is still socially “challenged” with many but not with all…
“It was just me-the-SecUnit they didn’t like. (That didn’t apply to the seven kids. I was illicitly trading downloads via the feed with three of them.)”
… as is, as shown, the friendly humour. First and foremost, though, Murderbot keeps developing in several significant ways (none of which I’m going to spoil for you!) but keeps up with his “strong convictions”…
“Just clients. And if anyone or anything tried to hurt them, I would rip its intestines out.”
We get to know new “humans”, we meet another old friend and an original story I enjoyed a lot.
All in all, this novel left me yearning for more due to its cleverness, creativity, smartness and all the exciting and suspenseful action. Most of all, though, because Murderbot is one of the most relatable characters in a book I’ve ever come across.
In my review about “Exit Strategy” I wrote I don’t love Murderbot. I was wrong.
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