Network Effect

By Martha Wells

Network Effect - Martha Wells
  • Release Date: 2020-05-05
  • Genre: Adventure Sci-Fi
Score: 4.5
4.5
From 1,305 Ratings

Description

WINNER of the Hugo, Nebula and Locus Awards!

The first full-length novel in Martha Wells' New York Times and USA Today bestselling Murderbot Diaries series.

Named a Best of the Year by NPR | Book Riot | Polygon

I caught myself rereading my favorite parts... and I can’t recommend it enough.” —The New York Times

You know that feeling when you’re at work, and you’ve had enough of people, and then the boss walks in with yet another job that needs to be done right this second or the world will end, but all you want to do is go home and binge your favorite shows? And you're a sentient murder machine programmed for destruction? Congratulations, you're Murderbot.

Come for the pew-pew space battles, stay for the most relatable A.I. you’ll read this century.



I’m usually alone in my head, and that’s where 90 plus percent of my problems are.

When Murderbot's human associates (not friends, never friends) are captured and another not-friend from its past requires urgent assistance, Murderbot must choose between inertia and drastic action.

Drastic action it is, then.

The Murderbot Diaries
All Systems Red
Artificial Condition
Rogue Protocol
Exit Strategy
Network Effect
Fugitive Telemetry
System Collapse


At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Reviews

  • It gets better starting with this!

    5
    By zwaldowski
    The first few books were enjoyable and inventive. Wells leveled up seriously with this one. The length, depth, characterization, and perspectives are all deeper and better-done. If you only “liked” the first four, this will make you love the series.
  • Standard murderbot rough and tumble

    4
    By Fredwage
    Muderbot is incredibly consistent about causing mayhem across the galaxy and then finding ways to extract all involved
  • Great Story

    5
    By Croaker41
    This was an excellent story from an excellent series.
  • Good Overall series

    4
    By Lou Vest
    The series average pulls this one from 3 up to 4 stars. I found my eyes glazing over sometimes when reading about coding, patches and software.
  • This was So Good I couldn’t put it down

    5
    By BubbleBeech
    Probably my favorite in the series-the emotions of the characters were so visceral! I love Art and Murderbot so much, their interactions are always so fun and engaging.
  • I love Murderbot and ART and Amena

    4
    By Bored23432
    The plot was a little confusing and I had to reread sections to keep up. That’s why I gave it four stars instead of five. Still, I love the characters!
  • Well worth reading

    5
    By Gelek000
    Not the best of the Murderbot books but still a great read.
  • This series hooks you in.

    5
    By Poulin66
    Excellent read - good plot lines. Characters you get invested in.
  • Murderbot has a baby

    5
    By jcrai890
    A slight spoiler but not really, his baby is not what you would guess even being a Murderbot fan. I loved this one, especially with it being so much longer. Great fun and a wonderful adventure with some more added twists.
  • Destined to be a classic

    5
    By Ruhdwulf
    The Murderbot Diaries is destined to join the pantheon of classic science fiction series, in the same orbit as Foundation and Dune. This book in the series kept the same level of intelligence and drama as those preceding it and advanced the developing consciousness of Murderbot.
  • Fun and unique

    5
    By Disappointed in LI
    Best of a great series (so far…)
  • Over so quickly?

    5
    By STEMteacher2020
    Super fun read. Sooooo expensive. Gotta find another fun read.
  • Excellent

    4
    By Auggie's Man
    At times hard to keep track of all the various storylines but maybe I’m just getting old. Fantastic read.
  • Excellent series

    5
    By eabolden
    The whole series is good. This book was excellent. Captures the unique personality of the main character in a way that feels familiar to me. I’ll gift this series to others.
  • Couldn’t put it down

    5
    By Benloveskitties
    I could literally read these books forever
  • The First Full Murderbot Novel Doesn’t Disappoint

    5
    By Prairie_Dog
    Network Effect is the first full novel in Martha Wells Murderbot Diaries series. The previous four installments have been novellas. This longer work has allowed Ms. Wells to tell a more complex story with a larger setting. I personally liked the greater scope of this expanded work. Our favorite SecUnit has been living with its humans on the world of Preservation. Here, it is more than property. People keep acting as if it is an actual person, which causes it all kinds of emotions. Emotions aren’t its strong suit, but it is learning to deal with them. What hasn’t changed is its dry sense of humor, and its sarcastic internal monologue. In this novel, Murderbot and some of his humans have an unexpected encounter with a character we haven’t seen since the second novella, “Artificial Condition.” They end up in another star system, where there is a lost colony. Things then go spectacularly wrong, and Murderbot has to find some way to keep his people safe. This full novel was just as absorbing and exciting as the previous novellas. The larger setting was interesting, because the reader was able to see many facets of the mystery that the lost colony posed. There was even a significant horror scene near the end. We learned a lot more about the effects of alien remnants, and how colonization works in the Corporate Rim. Another great installment in the Murderbot Diaries, which left me wanting more. Fortunately, the next novella, “Fugitive Telemetry” will be released in April.
  • Action on fast forward!

    4
    By Gerry*64
    Love the way the pace is almost like a race car throttling through turns on a road course. Few lulls and lots of high speed runs. The author has a very unique style of developing characters and I love it.
  • Murderbot Series

    5
    By Fourchap
    Great series with a compelling universe.
  • A must-read!!

    5
    By taylormicky
    The perfect next step in the Murderbot Diaries - will keep you *hooked* the whole way through so plan ahead for not being able to put it down!