But Murderbot wants to return to that planet and figure out what happened, and so in Artificial Condition, Murderbot runs away from its guardian and hitches a ride on a research transport. MB cannot remember the details since its parent company wiped its memory and essentially rebooted it after the event. We learned in book one that Murderbot was involved in the massacre of a bunch of humans on a mining planet many years ago. The researchers know that Murderbot is a rogue, but they trust it and want it to be “free.” The problem is that while hybrids can be freed, they still require a guardian, and Murderbot has something it needs to do on its own. While the mystery of who has attacked the other party and why drives this particular story, it’s Murderbot’s evolving relationship with people that is especially interesting and entertaining.Īt the end of All Systems Red and beginning of the second book, Artificial Condition, Murderbot has become something of a hero, and the leader of the research team from book one has purchased Murderbot from its parent company. In All Systems Red, Murderbot’s clients find themselves on a planet that is also being researched by others, but when the other research party is found dead, Murderbot knows that its people are in danger. The problem is that MB has been hired by a research group that includes humans who want to get to know it, and Murderbot finds itself caring more about these people than it wants to. Humans are often irrational and Murderbot finds their emotions a bit much to handle, but as long as it keeps its mask down, it can hide the eye rolling and isolate itself from them. Murderbot continues to work as a normal SecUnit would, hiding its rogue status and just zoning out on TV shows while working.įor the most part, Murderbot (MB) manages its interactions with the humans who have hired it out without much trouble.

Murderbot, however, has figured out how to detach itself from the governor this could be terrifying as it could go out on a murderous rampage versus humans, but it turns out all it wants to do is download movies, books and music. They are terrifying to most humans, as they are fully armored and capable of great violence, but they should be fine since they are all controlled by “governor” technology that prevents them from acting without strict orders and which requires them to provide all information that they gather to their parent company. SecUnits are equipment rented out to research parties and companies working in space. It is a SecUnit, i.e., a security unit, that is a hybrid of robotic and human parts. Murderbot is the name that the main character has given itself. The Murderbot Diaries have been reviewed often and glowingly here on CBR and my reviews will not be much different! I am loving this series and will absolutely be reading the rest.

Another shoutout to Emmalita for the gift of these two books, the first in Martha Wells’ Murderbot series.

Murderbot diaries artificial condition