All Systems Red is a sci-fi novella written by Martha Wells. This novella is the first entry in the highly renowned Murderbot Diaries (series).
Summary: Murderbot finds himself in an unprecedented situation. Fauna begins attacking the humans that Murderbot is contracted to. Everything begins to spiral out of control from there on.
This is an extremely interesting read, specifically because I’ve never been able to dive deeply into sci-fi. During the beginning and middle of this book, I harbored similar feelings that I had prior to reading. “Can I actually enjoy this book?” I thought. “Will sci-fi continue to be less interesting than fantasy?” For the first third of this novella, my doubts about sci-fi continued to persist. There is something about the genre, maybe the technological aspects that I can’t see to grasp. Those aspects in particular always seem to make me feel like the story is too complex or overwhelming. However, as soon as I hit about midway through the story my interest was finally beginning to peak. Again, not necessarily because of the technological aspects. For example, I couldn’t be bothered when Wells is describing the governor module or the communication system. The essence of the plot on the other hand was super exciting. I found the dynamic between humans and robots to be very relatable. That is where I feel this book shines, in Wells’ ability to put the reader in Murderbot’s shoes. You become Murderbot while reading this novella. Themes of detachment and isolation are prominent. A clear disconnect between humans and robots is formed early on. This dynamic translates well to real life. Everyone has been in situations where they feel either isolated or detached, thus allowing the reader to empathize with Muderbot’s situation as well as his existence.
The final half of this book left me wanting more. Whenever I get the chance I will be continuing with the second entry in the Murderbot Diaries.
Thank you for a great story, Martha.
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