elijah.run/backlog/murderbot-diaries

Murderbot diaries

published 2026-06-26 | tags: #books #backlog

Table of Contents

All Systems Red (2017)

I had a thoroughly good time reading All Systems Red.

I'm a fan of John Scalzi's work, and this Martha Wells novel felt a lot like "Fuzzy Nation" in it's setting, and a bit of Old Man's War in it's content (those reference are both Scalzi books in case that wasn't clear). I consider Scalzi a top tier sci-fi author, not in the "Great Ideas" authorship but in the "Enjoyable to Read" authorship, so when I say All Systems Red reminded me of Scalzi books that is a deep complement.

My main critique of the book is when I reflected on it I felt like... nothing really happened. Some researchers or something were on a new planet, they were sabotaged, they triumphed over the saboteurs, the murderbot was the narrator. It was good, but it was a very short story.

That said, I am excited to read the next one, so it's not a deal-breaker critique.

Artificial Condition (2018)

TODO

Rogue Protocol (2018)

TODO

Exit Strategy (2018)

TODO

Network Effect (2020)

TODO

Fugitive Telemetry (2021)

TODO

System Collapse (2023)

TODO

Platform Decay (2026)

TODO