All Systems Red: The Murderbot Diaries

This little story caught me completely off guard. Did not know what to expect, but I did not think I would love this story so much. So inventive, so charming (w/o trying to be) -- and a perfect ending, too! Well done!!

Murderbot is darkly funny, yet somehow full of hope. It's a wild adventure filled with touching moments that make us reflect on agency, the ethical treatment of artificially intelligent agents, the power of mega corporations, the fragility of life, and what it means to be human. It's phenomenally well written, and at a time when so many other recent sci fi series have left me asking, "Did this really need to be turned into a gimmicky trilogy? Wouldn't this have been more powerful if they'd wrapped things up in just one book?" this one had me smiling and saying, "I'm so glad there are three more." Treat yourself to Murderbot. You won't regret it.

The Murderbot Diaries (this first book, and the two others I've read after it) are everything I love in sci-fi: a taut story with intrigue and surprises, a sarcastic lead character adept at dark humor, an array of AI, and just enough realistic explanation to make it all come to life. My only wish is that these books were longer-- I blow through them way too fast, like Murderbot through a new season of Sanctuary Moon.

In the age of Twitter, I sometimes find it difficult to read sci-fi or fantasy that requires me to decipher new lingo and complicated worlds. I've let my brain get lazy - that's totally my fault. But this book was perfect - the characters told the story in their own voices, and those voices just reached out and grabbed me. I enjoyed the heck out of this book, and am looking forward to the next installment.

Antisocial, inventive, clever, protective, brutal and shy the main character is full of contradictions, unresolved painful memories and genuine loyalty. The story is awesome - from bypassing his command module, feeding into hours of entertainment channels while protecting the helpless humans in his care the Murderbot is one awesome robot facing existential crisis with guns blazing!

I really enjoyed this novella. The irreverent and phlegmatic “murder bot” makes you both laugh and feel sorry for it. The overall story is easy to enter into without much backstory telling from the author. There also isn’t too much description in the reading which makes this an enjoyable quick read. My only gripe with this story/book is that it is too short. For the price I was expecting your standard mass market paper back length story.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It is an interesting twist on the concept of artificial intelligence becoming independent of human control. I read it very quickly, which is generally a sign of a good read. I don't read sci-fi to understand the universe or learn new things, but this one made me think a little too.

Wow! Outstanding intro into a new SciFi series. A self aware android or BOT. This part organic and mostly machine starts life as a flawed, but almost human Bot. Shy. Not comfortable around humans... he risks life and limb to save a science exploration Team doing research on planet. Great story line and character development. Looking forward to next book in series!!

This was well-written, fast paced short novel of only 140 full pages on my Kindle. But the action starts right away, and the author keeps the tension dialed up throughout with good development of characters and plot. I liked it a lot but wished it had been about twice as long. I finished it in one day.

I found this novella, which I believe is the proper term for a short book like this, to be highly entertaining. I look forward to seeing more of this series, but unless the price point of the future installments changes, I won't be getting them right off - $10 for a ebook novella does not work for me. Maybe they will all be collected at some point when all 4 are published?

Intriguing story line and very well written. I finished wanting more. Then I saw the price for the equally short novella sequels -- from $3.99 to $9.99. Whoa! The author writes a good yarn, but not that good. I'd rather not encourage other writers and publishers to break up their books into a series of short novellas and then inflate the price of each. I could afford it but, on principle, I'll leave this series to coast through space without me. Removing two stars.

I’ve read this novella three times already—yes, it’s that entertaining.

At times it’s laugh out loud funny, while at other times it brings a tear to your eye.

Thanks to the author’s skill, she brings the cyborg-type protagonist to life, and you really care about it.

I can hardly wait to read the sequels.

Wonderful story. I was really surprised. I knew people liked this book, but.... I don't know.... I put off reading it because I guess I had something else in mind. But this was a really good read. There are many other reviews so I'm going to end it with this, it was so good that I felt compelled to write a review.

Loved this. The bot's horrified revulsion towards squishy humans was *brilliant*. The whole thing was so wonderful. Even the last paragraph was satisfying, which is so rare.

I only wish, as with all really good books, for *more*.

Time to browse her other stuff....

This synopsis intrigued me and I decided to take a chance. I have no regrets. The Murderbot, a self assigned moniker, is trying to define his space in an inhospitable world where constructs such as himself are disposable. All Systems Red is the beginning of a new science fiction series. I'm looking forward to the next installment.

Loved the voice this was written in. Murderbot is an entertaining character starting right from "ever since my governor cracked I've been watching space serials in my spare time, which is most of my time" and building through a compelling Corporate story. Fast read, good characters, told from the "rogue" AIs point of view, and interestingly, the rogue AI isn't such a bad person. I've already bought and pre-purchased the series based on this being a great read.

Martha's writing style is light and breezy -- and the Murderbot's running banter is unexpected and entertaining. But -- $3.99 for 154 pages is a fair price at best. I certainly won't be buying the other three in the series - 160-ish pages each for $10 each.

I was not familiar with Martha Wells works, but I was leaving on vacation and needed something to read on the plane. the store had All Systems Red on their top 10 sci-fi list for 2017, so I downloaded it to my Kindle and hoped for the best. From the first page I was hooked. I'm not sure why this story speaks to me, but I find the character fascinating, and I'm happy to learn there will be more Murderbot adventures in the near future. Long live Murderbot!

This book was funny and dramatic and very, very well-written. I enjoyed every page, and now I can't stop thinking about it. Murderbot is an interesting, complex character, and I can't wait to see what happens next. I am one of those people who believes that AI will become self aware, but will not necessarily want to kill us.

I've loved Martha Wells for years for worldbuilding and characters, but be it the shift to first person or the unrelenting awesomeness of Murderbot as a character, I can now add narrative voice to the list. This is the strongest writing I've seen from her in terms of prose and the clever application of sci-fi tropes to a carefully crafted story is a delight. Murderbot is exquisite, and his humans are pretty cool, too.

Very good scifi novella. One star taken off for the price of the other novellas in the series. I'd like to read the rest, but I refuse to pay $10/book for 150 pages/story. It's basically one book that the publisher wants people to pay an exorbitant amount.

This is adventure fiction, really not badly written, except I was not interested in the characters, their interactions, societies, organizations, locations or plots. Also, I found the portrayal of the AI mildly interesting, but ultimately unconvincing. Your mileage may vary.

This popped up as a suggestion based on my reading habits and it was cheap, so why not? I was pleasantly surprised to find a fun, engaging little novel with a great protagonist and just the right touch of humor. There are a couple ore of this series on the way and I will purchase them when they become available.

This is a great little read, with a relentless plot, relatable characters, and a confused Murderbot at the center of it all. Imagine if Grumpy Cat had armor and energy weapons built into its paws and you get the idea. The tone of the writing is light, the characterization is swift, and honestly I just want to hear more about the Curious Adventures of Murderbot.

Great characters and the main character (SecUnit) was fantastically lovable. Wells knows how to build relatable characters, but even more, she knows how to tell a great story. The plot was solid and the sense of place was fantastic. I will definitely follow this story whoever it goes. Thank you Martha!

I really loved the writing style. No idle time at all. The plot is good, but the book is too short. It's a short story/novella, but it's entertaining and fun, and the murderbot character is outstanding!! I already picked up the second in the series.

Draws the reader into a pretty unique point of view: that of a robot who has lost the "governor" module that would otherwise force him to obey the commands of his human "clients" and now has to find his own values and motives to be guided by. Very clever, with just enough suspense and action to keep the story entertaining as well as thought-provoking.

Unusual, refreshing, well written, riveting. What a great story! I wish it had been longer and more detailed. I'd like to know where the organic parts come from and if they played any part in the Murderbot's personality. I'm checking out the next story in the series, Highly recommend.

Love this story! Great feel and mood throughout. Different than most books I've read. Every detail is interesting. Character development is rich, you are immediately drawn into the world and feeling sympathetic for Murderbot.

Cannot wait for the next installment.

Loved this novella, my first exposure to Martha Wells. It has a surface storyline of corporate treachery, planetary discovery, and AI driven action, but it's charm lies in a wry first-person account of an AI on it's journey to freedom. Our Murderbot is more human than he thinks, bingeing on entertainment, instead of working, and only occasionally aware of suppressed memories and dimly perceived motivations. Much like us. A highly recommended exploration of some hot topics in ethical AI and the emotional dilemmas that near human intelligences will soon provoke.

This new series from writer Martha Wells must live up to her very popular Raksura series by providing well-rounded characters, an interesting storyline, and believable but alien worlds. She succeeds but the short story length novella provides just a dim sum snack for the hungry reader. Wells promises more stories featuring Murderbot and I, for one, look forward to reading them.

I can't remember reading a first person narrative in a long time, and all and more of the questions I might have asked in an interrogation were asked (in my mind) and many more besides! I couldn't and didn't put it down till I finished the adventure!

The author reveals world building without laying it on thick, only covering what a character living in the story's universe would naturally notice. At least personally, I was puzzling out plot events and who did what and why at about the same pace as the characters in the story- which is good, since nobody likes waiting for dumb characters to figure out something obvious (see most budget horror flicks) and nobody likes getting blindsided by out-of-nowhere plot twists. The narration is snappy and these characters are refreshingly cooperative with one another. I'm not spoiling a word about All Systems Red. Go read the book.

Excellent Series - So different from a lot of stories. I loved the whole concept of these books. I plowed through all four and hope there are more. It was a different perspective and very unique story. Excellently written.

This was an excellent shot story that was really fun to read. Good character, interesting conflict between humanity and machine and some fun fights.

I'll read the next one with interest. Martha Wells is a good writer.

I have never read a story with the protagonist voiced quite this way. An introverted cyborg. This angle on the character allows for super-human action but also super-human introspection. This is not a whingeing, snarky robot; Murderbot just wants to get on with the job while figuring out it's own thing. The author establishes a fresh voice and a great launch for both adventure and existential inquiry. It would seem an odd mix, but the setup and elements made for a great story through its action and it's very real emotion.

The main character is really interesting and shows a lot of potential. Also the story gives a satisfying conclusion with room for more, without being a cliffhanger. Robots, high tech, sci fi, space, and mystery. Read this!

Great premise, a semi-organic robot. The protagonist doesn't explain things at the start, but you catch on quickly. I liked that, that the storyteller knows things that we don't but doesn't 'tell us', the actions of it and others show us. Great voice of the robot, and some sly humor too. Highly recommended.

Contrary to the name, this is a very charming and original take on AI and what it means to be a person from Wells. Murderbot is a funny and engrossing narrator, and I'm really looking forward to reading more of their adventures.

Murderbot is more of an anti-hero, snarky and rough. This was a great first story for an introduction to this character and my only “gripe” is that this book is pretty short. Luckily, there’s three more in the series so off to book #2.

Read all three & "patiently" waiting for the 4th. Not a particular fan of SciFi, but really loved the whole story of a murderbot who, for the most part, doesn't like humans, but still, grudgingly, acts to help them out.

The voice of the murderbot, the story's narrator, is wonderfully distinctive without being gimmicky, and also makes the plot richer -- a little synthetic, a little adolescent, shaped by a terrible uneven education and solitude.

I wonder sometimes why so many of our stories about andorids or clones assumes that they will try to Kill us All; I mean, is that what we would raise them to do? Are we so afraid of our children? This is an interesting answer and at the same time an absolutely lively pulp adventure story. Hoping for more!

There are so many really in-depth reviews already for this book I don't want to get too much into the plot or details but I read and finished it two days after hearing about it and this author for the first time. I literally couldn't put it down and lost sleep because of it. I pre-ordered the sequel right after I finished it. It's that good.

Slight issues of continuity and flow. But a very interesting take on not-so-artificial intelligence with twist that any sentient introverted being will more likely be possessed to binge on streaming serials as would be driven to take over the universe.

A well written and very tight narrative. A very lively take on the "robot's perspective" genre mashed up with a thriller/who done it plot. Nice level of complexity given to main character. A great quick-read.

I absolutely loved this story. Strangely gentle, for all the violent things that happen! The main character, a shy murderbot with a penchant for soap operas, is so engaging. These days I find it hard to find a story that makes me care for the characters. With this one, I was sucked in and riveted from the first sentence. Looking forward to reading more!

Although not strictly cyber-punk, this story has a slightly edgy delivery that you find in that genre. The story is seen through the eyes of the robot, providing moments of humor at that character's observations of human behavior as it tries to weave its way through the story's challenges.

Instantly immersed in the story and character! Enjoyable and interesting premise and story. Kinda like Alien from the Android's viewpoint (the Aliens 2 good Android not the evil ones).
Will most likely purchase the next in series.

A cyborg unravels a plot meant to kill the colonists he was hired to protect. We are privy to the comments he makes in his head, which make all the zest of the book. Good, clean, alert writing, no unnecessary flourishes. Liked it

Not many science fiction writers exhibit true literary talent. Most of them operate somewhere between attempts to be interesting on a scientific level and being entertaining enough for TV or movie industries to buy their adaptation rights. In the present case we have a very original viewpoint and great writing: it's a modest story happening in a corner of a largely under-described future but it allows the author to develop a truly unique character, far from usual stereotypes. This is the job of a bona fide novelist and it's far more effective to me when it comes to poking at a potential reality than having one-dimensional characters purely at the service of a "great story".

I liked the world set up around the characters. It seemed like a mostly realistic imagining of how a interstellar civilization could be. My favorite part is the social interactions of all the characters, giving clues about how each person feels without them pointedly saying it. My main issue with the book was how everything came together too easily, but with a short book i suppose it has too.

Brilliant piece of sci-fi, love the first-person point of view. I whipped through it in two lunch breaks, it seemed like every time I blinked I was another ten pages along. It felt like a very believable future, even taking into account the space setting and robotic main character. I sincerely hope for a sequel, I've gotten attached to Murderbot and I want to see what they do next.

This is an interesting concept that was executed well. The book was very readable. I would hope that this continues with the other books in the series.

I gave it four stars because it is not in the same league as Ann Leckie's books.

A book that was recommended heavily by the store and Kindle as well as Goodreads.

I was glad I picked it up and I find myself looking forward to the first books in the series.

It is an amazing story, a fun read with great pacing and we'll developed characters. I like how the story explores the discovery one's humanity through an unlikely situation. And tackling topics of slavery/ indentured servitude, then freedom and free will.