I think the lack of worldbuilding in the first few books makes a lot of sense, because everything we are seeing is through the subjective lens of Murderbot, who does not care about anything but watching TV, being halfway competent at its job, and not getting caught with a hacked governor module. We only know what is relevant to Murderbot at any given time, and we learn as it learns. Eventually Murderbot's situation changes and it is forced to engage with the wider world, and so we learn as it learns. It's a perfectly organic way to handle it.
@@moriahboring6789 yes, but the amount and range of emotions is very different as they are modulated by estrogen, you can ask any trans woman. Moreover, men and boys are more often interested in things and ideas, while women in characters and feelings. Just compare anything by Tom Clancy or Azimov with 50 shades of gray or harry pottter
That’s not the point just sounds like your make it seem any woman in general would be emotional and like nothing wrong with like a book like this but I think we shouldn’t put people in boxes because of hormone and genders when it comes to anything and when people say stuff like that I can’t help but to sometimes think that it doesn’t make sense to say it like that, emotions are something we all have and need and think it should be okay for anyone to express them but putting labels on stuff like womanly is going probably going to reinforce a lot of the stupid gendering and men can’t cry stuff for some people, I’m just saying that we shouldn’t be doing that even as joke because it’s not funny any more and sick and tired of looking at stuff and thinking this stuff probably more feminine when it has flower or something on it , because people can’t just enjoy smelling or looking at flower on stuff , sorry if that’s not you mean but I didn’t know what meant when saying this, and even though can make you more emotional that doesn’t really prove your point here it’s just stating facts , just because hormones can make you more emotional sometimes doesn’t it should put something in one category for just some people because that’s dumb and like said earlier everyone has emotions just because you can be more emotional does mean you’re immediately going to read or see something and think I can to relate to this just because it has emotional stuff in it
The world building tends to be super subtle in the series. But by the time you get to the end of the novellas, you have a pretty fully realized and developed world. It’s pretty cool how Wells built all that up.
One of the tropes that The Murderbot Diaries rubs up against is 'learning to be Human.' I like this trope. About the same time as I read All Systems Red, I had recently finished Becky Chambers' A Closed and Common Orbit and Ann Leckie's Ancillary Justice which also use this trope. If you liked that aspect of All Systems Red, then I heartily recommend these others to you.
Just a reminder that this is the same author who wrote The Books of Raksura, a fantasy series without a human character in sight. I do prefer Murderbot but they're still pretty damn good.
I know this is completely off topic, but I started reading the Wheel of Time about 3 months ago, thanks to you. I was always put off reading it before but now I think its become one of my favourite fantasy series. Im now starting the Shadow Rising and loving it!
I looked on your videos and didn't see Ancillary Justice mentioned; I'd be really interested in your review of that trilogy as well, as there are a lot of similarities between the protagonists in that series and this one. I liked your review, all the best!
The plot is rather weak in the first one but, as Daniel said, that was not the point of this book. It gets better in the later novellas, and the novel has a compelling plot in my opinion. Though the Murderbot itself is awesome. God but I love this series.
I’ve been on the Muderbot soap box since it as published. These books are just amazing, fun and well written. Read the them all, read them all, read them all.
I subscribe to both of them, and notice that they usually post contents at a timing so close to each other and talk about similar topics around the same time. I wonder if they have weekly meeting to plan these out
I love Murderbot, it's one of my favorite series. Also, you *really* need to look at Martha Wells' other series though. The Cloud Roads, and really all of her Raksura I've read so far, are really great and the world building there just blew me away in places.
I went to listen to this book since I last saw your video got recommended to me. The last section was very comfortable to me. I'm glad the writer let Murderbot make the decision, kept the consistency in its personality. It's very wonderfully written. Such a good novella.
Funny I have always though of MurderBot as a she. The quality of the writing just keeps on getting better as you work though the rest of the books which are all really worth reading. Anyway I need to get back to my media now.
I did these with the audiobook version; just amazing. But the narrator is male (Kevin R. Free), so I made that association. Technically, SecUnits are genderless, so no right/wrong answer, I suppose.
Thanks for the review. Can't wait to see more Murderbot content. Martha Wells has also written great fantasy books, like her anthromorphic Raksura series and some stand alone fantasy mysteries
Saw this review a while ago, wrote it down on my TBR list, and then forgot about it because my library didn’t have it. I was walking through the library a couple days ago, looking for a different book, and stumbled upon Murderbot! Which they now did have available! Got through the first half in a two days, I haven’t read in a long time so I wanted to start off slow. But boy am I hooked now!! I finished the last half of All Systems Red this morning, and the first half of Artificial Condition this afternoon. As someone who’s read almost no physical books in a long time, this is EXACTLY what I needed to get back into it!! ☺️ Not a bored moment, incredibly relatable MC, and a great ending. I agree with your 9/10
I just started Network Effect, the first full size novel in the Murderbot series. Murderbot is my second favorite A.I. character, only surpassed by Breq/Justice of Toren from the Imperial Radch series.
Love both Murderbot and the Bobverse books! Glad to see you have found them both. The first several Murderbots are novellas, but the last one or two are full-length novels, I think. :)
Highly recommend Raksura books by her. The original trilogy is one of the weird favorites i've accidentally found and world building as mentioned is great. I would also be interested to see if you or others have similar critiques that others have had.
I just binged the entire published series in like 2 weeks, and man. Waiting for #6 is going to be hard! Murderbot was exactly the thing I needed in 2020.
Just to say I've been stalking your channel (and subscribed) for a while because I like the input that you provide on a lot of books. Well thought out, try to be fair of the pros and cons of a story, and enjoy stories for what they are. I like fantasy/sci-fi, essentially books that present a new world and new way of thinking, taking ideas and extrapolating them into possible futures or "what if this magic existed, how would it affect the people in this world" kind of thought experiments. So with this in mind, here's some recommendations for you to try if you haven't dipped in these avenues before. Sci Fi - Lois McMaster Bujold. Her space opera series. Miles Vorkosigan Saga. The base book to start with here would be Warrior's Apprentice. There's well written prequels as well to this first book that are novellas in length that I immensely enjoyed too. Some books of course in the opera are less engaging than others, but the overall solid worldbuilding and imagining for me is fantastic, and there's also something about the way she constructs her sentences I like. She also adds humor, seriousness etc, and if I'm being perfectly honest, some of the biggest appeal for books that are re-readable are ones that have both the positive and dark side of humanity, and dips of humor. Her main character is insane, likeable, and perhaps the original smart compensating dwarf before Tyrion Lannister ever existed. :p She also covers some interesting ethical questions. Such as cloning, manipulating human genomes to cope with zero g gravity, brain transplants, cryogenic freezing and the imperfect science behind it (reviving someone from a cryogenic status is definitely not a smooth business like we see in shows where they just wake up and suddenly they're hundreds of years in the future); exploration into planetary cultures, terraforming, how uterine replicators and spacesuits make equal opportunities for women more viable, how sexuality is definitely not so rigid as it is on earth, etc. Elizabeth Moon has a series as well, which maybe isn't the best written I've ever seen, but I enjoyed: a) her thorough exploration into what shipping logistics in space would be like. b) realistic space battles that show us how damn awkward zero gravity can be when it comes to fights. Precise calculation of trajectories and travel distances comes into play, as well as using the gravitational forces of planets to assist turning movement etc. c) sci-fi device we take for granted in many sci-fis being used as a "treasure" here. An "ansible" which allows instantaneous communication across space-time, but monopolized by a single company, secret guarded heavily. This also comes to play in space battles as well, where communications are not instantaneous unless there are ansibles in play. For fantasy, maybe I can throw some children's/ya fantasy your way and see what you think. I'm considering two authors who are obscure outside of the UK, but who had such vivid worlds that I think it's worth delving into. Paul Stewart and Chris Riddel - Edge Chronicles. At this point in time they have Four trilogies, each covering a "different" era within the world of the Edge, and one single book which may as well be a trilogy, given its length. Books were interesting as they came with Chris Riddel's vivid illustrations, which honestly wasn't commonly seen in books, especially books that covered some dark subject matters. The Edge is shared with many different species, including intelligent, sentient bears, various types of goblins and trolls, shrykes (vicious bird tribes), and an extremely diverse spread of plant and animal life that shows the scary but beautiful ecosystem the Edge has. For the in-depth study of the balance of life of plants, prey, predators, and the gradual look over the ages as the humanoid races evolve their technologies and adapt to different eras for me is amazing. Lastly, I recommend Robin Jarvis. He's kind of dropped off the face of the earth writing wise, but he did dark children's fantasy. There's one book he did called Deathscent that probably will never get a sequel, but the way he wrote and imagined his worlds really leaves a bloom in your mind. Or perhaps I'm just nostalgic. He did also the Deptford Mice trilogy, Whitby Witches. I used to think of him as "dark Brian Jacques" back in the day. :P Hope these will be interests for you! Thanks again for your amazing content.
I am so happy you finally got to this. I knew you’d love it. I would love to hear more reviews on these, even if you do more than one book in an episode. I read them on a beach in Punta Cana. They were delicious.
I've been interested in this series for a while, but this review pushed me to start and...I read the first 4 books in under 24 hours. I'm only holding off on the last one so I can savor it more. I am not a big sci-fi fan, but I LOVED Murderbot so, so much.
Really awesome review, I went and read the whole series. Really loved it totally recommend it to any one who likes sci-fi books. Network effect is my fav of the bunch, only because my fav character get more screen time. Looking forward to more Murderbot books, pretty sure theirs a new one next year so get on it guys.
I am reading the third in the novella series of Murderbot right now and I have loved all of them so far. Also Daniel, have you read or rather listened too "Emergency Skin" by N.K. Jemisin (on Kindle or Audible). Incredible story narrated by Jason Isaacs, sci-fi short, and so impactful.
You just mentioned Bobiverse while holding the first Murderbot novel. And I'm just like "I thought I was weird for enjoying these books so much... OMGTHANKYOU!"
I love Murderbot and I've read all the currently released books. Agree with your comments on worldbuilding but I've noticed that the author has that knack of giving the reader the impression that there is a fully realised world/universe out there without spending too much time explaining other than when it is necessary to the plot. It's a trick that some authors have that i can't put my finger on but makes you content with what is basically a pretty minimal amount of world building
Ironically, I just took out 'All Systems Red' yesterday on my library app. I'm listening to it on audiobook and the first 4 are available so I can listen to them back to back. I never intended on reading it before but I wanted an audiobook to listen to while I just did daily tasks, and I only listened to Chapter 1 and I'm *LOVING* it so far. I love Murderbot as a character so much
Hi Daniel, I'm really glad you are covering more sci-fi content, and hope you continue to do so! Your tastes and mine overlap quite significantly (you've introduced me to some of my favourite fantasy reads: Red Sister and Gideon the Ninth). Might I suggest some Sci-fi Ted Chiang's Stories of your life, or if you are in the mood for more world building and character-focused-- A memory called empire?
If you like this type of AI centered story you may want to check out "Cat Pictures Please" by Naomi Kritzer, it's a short story that the publishers have put online free for both reading and listening, and the premise is basically 'if Google's search engine became sentient'. Anyway, I thought it was good.
Murderbot is something special. The author, Martha Wells, is an example of a writer who has been at it for many years but has been largely under the radar. I am going through her other works and have been pleasantly surprised in her talent to write a variety of great stories.
Started to do the same thing. Bought the "raksura" trilogy, and expected to love it..... but I just did not. Now I feel worried about trying some of her other works. Have you found any other gems of hers?
@@kattenihatten I have not read Raksura yet, although I have heard many prefer it over Murderbot and others like you do not. What I have read is The Death of The Necromancer. It is completely different that Murderbot. It is sent in a time period that is more industrial and it takes place in a city. It revolves around a group of thieves who stumble upon a murder while breaking into a house. This results in them getting wrapped up in investigating the murder that seems to be a result of the forbidden art of necromancy.
Martha Wells is incredible! I've not sure if Daniel has read it, but she has an excellent high fantasy series called the Books of the Raksura. Easily one of the most wholly unique, vibrant and fascinating worlds I've ever read in fantasy. Highly recommend to everyone!
Daniel, have you read Frank Herbert’s The Whipping Star and The Dosadi Experiment? It will blow your mind! I mean, it’s Frank Herbert...I hope you give it a shot, because I read all of the Dune books, and was nervous to ruin my Herbert experience by reading something not-Dune, but these two novellas are great!!
My favorite quote of the book:... all of it. All of it is my favorite. There is not a single line that I did not adore. As soon as I finished it the first time, I immediately opened the book back up and reread it a second time.
Have you read old man's war series by john scalzi? Or the confederation trilogy by tanya huff ? They're both awesome - military sff but with alot of character development, and the worlds are really interesting.
After reading some books from an animal perspective (for example the Warrior series) I wanter to seek out books from robot/AI perspective because why not? The Murderbot series was my first from that perspective and it's AMAZING
I picked this book up to get some inspiration for a sci fi DnD campaign. And I read it in one afternoon, raced back to the bookstore on my bike and stormed in there asking if part 2 had been released in my country. The second Murderbot said “I just want to watch my serials” I was sold. Its such a fun and interesting first person story, because they contradict themselves and give false clues about the world because that’s just the way they see it through their experiences and what they have absorbed through the warped lens of media. I found it so telling that Murderbot own self image was so heavily reliant of how they thought humans in real life saw SecUnits based on the depictions in media. And that makes the resoltion at the end where -*spoiler alert*- Mensah proposes to make a documentary of their journey to better educate people about constructs all the better
The series pretty much maintains the same level of quality, and you Murderbot does evolve as an individual, plus you get to meet more strange A.I.'s during the latter novellas.
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep and The Ship Who Sang are older, but I read these three in a narrow time period some years ago, and I really like the overall combination of ideas and styles. I need to reread Murderbot All Systems Red so that I can continue the series. I really loved it.
I absolutely love Murderbot! One of the best series out there. I'm really looking forward to the next novella, Fugitive Telemetry, coming out in April.
The story is the opposite of "the three body problems" which focus on world building. Imagine the two authors collaborating... would be something special!
I love Murderbot. So glad you read it and liked it so much. I have been pacing myself, because novellas are so short. I didn't want to binge through the whole series too fast. But, I think it is time to read the second novella. Thankfully my library has it. :) Pretty sure after reading them all I will want to own them, though. :)
I would really like to know what other novellas (sci-fi or otherwise) you recommend. Lately I haven't been really in the mood to get into a big series and/or epic series after Battleground. Hope you consider it for future videos. Cheers.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms by George R.R. Martin is pretty good, it's three novellas set a hundred years before the first book in A Song of Ice and Fire. If you would like a book of novellas that are different genres, Horror, Thriller, Weird Sci-fi, and Apocalyptic Event story, I highly recommend Strange Weather by Joe Hill. It's four novellas, the first one Snapshot can be read in an hour and a half, if you really get into it. The other three Loaded, Aloft and Rain can all be read in two or three hours. Some of the best novellas of this century.
If you want to read more modern Hard Sci Fi definitely check out the newest book from Adrian Tchaikovsky(The author of Children of Time), The Doors of Eden. A phenomenal standalone hard Sci Fi that instantly became one of my favourite books of all time.
Regarding current hard SF... have you ever read anything by Greg Egan, Peter Watts or Alastair Reynolds? Those are big names I've seen more and more recently as torch bearers of the Hard SF tradition. And I do consider Greg Egan to be the best SF writer alive. Like. Hands down.
I tried Murderbot Diaries a couple of months ago and I agree, some of the best scifi I've read in a good long while. Honestly, the next books are actually better than the first.
Talking of sci-fi...Check out Dark Matter by Blake Crouch, it really blew me away. And just informing I am currently reading Airframe By Michael Crichton, and there is a character named Daniel Greene, and for a moment I was wondering he mentioned you😅😅😅, but then later realised it was published in 1996... Check out Airframe too. And I Really like your reviews.👍👍👍👍
and honestly there are still some 'old school' scifi writers going strong! CJ Cherryh and Timothy Zahn have written incredibly strong and absorbing sci-fi novels for decades. ^^
Definitely seconding the recommendations for To be Taught if Fortunate! I think if you like that the Wayfarer Series is excellent but is definitely a little heavier on the characters and a little lighter on the scientific concepts.
I have been hearing about this series a lot, it is on the list and I loved the informative review. Thank you and yes, the video quality has been even better lately, so your work pays off :)
After the first part of this review I stopped watching. Not because I didn’t like the video but because I wasn’t sure if there were spoilers and even if there aren’t, you made it sound so good I have to go and read this and return for the rest of the video. I wanna go into the experience unhindered by any other opinion than my own if that makes sense. Looking forward to the read thanks for recommendation!!!
I adore this series! It was great to hear your thoughts on it. Since you don’t necessarily do reviews of novellas, perhaps you could do a recommendation video of a couple?
I started Murdderbot today and its good so far thank you. Can you do a review of Ready Player 2 when you have time. I loved the first one but not sure about the second. The first one didnt really need a sequel.
![All Systems Red/Artificial Condition Review [CC]](/img/n.gif)
I think the lack of worldbuilding in the first few books makes a lot of sense, because everything we are seeing is through the subjective lens of Murderbot, who does not care about anything but watching TV, being halfway competent at its job, and not getting caught with a hacked governor module. We only know what is relevant to Murderbot at any given time, and we learn as it learns. Eventually Murderbot's situation changes and it is forced to engage with the wider world, and so we learn as it learns. It's a perfectly organic way to handle it.
Murderbot is one of my favorite series of all time. Hilarious, emotional, just all around fantastic.
Very womanly, quite different from regular sci-fi
What does womanly even mean? Because honestly emotions are felt by people in general, you don’t need to be a woman to be emotional Ted Archer
@@moriahboring6789 yes, but the amount and range of emotions is very different as they are modulated by estrogen, you can ask any trans woman. Moreover, men and boys are more often interested in things and ideas, while women in characters and feelings. Just compare anything by Tom Clancy or Azimov with 50 shades of gray or harry pottter
That’s not the point just sounds like your make it seem any woman in general would be emotional and like nothing wrong with like a book like this but I think we shouldn’t put people in boxes because of hormone and genders when it comes to anything and when people say stuff like that I can’t help but to sometimes think that it doesn’t make sense to say it like that, emotions are something we all have and need and think it should be okay for anyone to express them but putting labels on stuff like womanly is going probably going to reinforce a lot of the stupid gendering and men can’t cry stuff for some people, I’m just saying that we shouldn’t be doing that even as joke because it’s not funny any more and sick and tired of looking at stuff and thinking this stuff probably more feminine when it has flower or something on it , because people can’t just enjoy smelling or looking at flower on stuff , sorry if that’s not you mean but I didn’t know what meant when saying this, and even though can make you more emotional that doesn’t really prove your point here it’s just stating facts , just because hormones can make you more emotional sometimes doesn’t it should put something in one category for just some people because that’s dumb and like said earlier everyone has emotions just because you can be more emotional does mean you’re immediately going to read or see something and think I can to relate to this just because it has emotional stuff in it
Ted archer
The world building tends to be super subtle in the series. But by the time you get to the end of the novellas, you have a pretty fully realized and developed world. It’s pretty cool how Wells built all that up.
Daniel-holding-a-mug-while-talking-books is now my favorite Daniel.
I A GRee
I’m on Network Effect right now. I absolutely love this series! I would die for Murderbot.
One of the tropes that The Murderbot Diaries rubs up against is 'learning to be Human.' I like this trope. About the same time as I read All Systems Red, I had recently finished Becky Chambers' A Closed and Common Orbit and Ann Leckie's Ancillary Justice which also use this trope. If you liked that aspect of All Systems Red, then I heartily recommend these others to you.
I definetly need to read the Ancillary Justice series because I adore the Muderbot Diaries and Wayfarers Series
YES , also editing has been incredible recentley
You had me at Murderbot. 🤖🔪
Just a reminder that this is the same author who wrote The Books of Raksura, a fantasy series without a human character in sight. I do prefer Murderbot but they're still pretty damn good.
Love Murderbot. Best sci-fi I have read in many years.
Martha Wells is one of my favorite authors! I love murderbot and basically everything else she's ever written.
I know this is completely off topic, but I started reading the Wheel of Time about 3 months ago, thanks to you. I was always put off reading it before but now I think its become one of my favourite fantasy series. Im now starting the Shadow Rising and loving it!
Same here midway through Eye of the World
Doing my first read through too. Currently on the last third of the Gathering Storm. Keep pushing its worth it so far !!
It takes me 2.5 weeks for one book.
Alexander Karachatzis is that a challenge?
It'd be amazing to have a recommendation video of idea focused Sci fi (maybe from Classics to newer works). I love this "subgenre" of sci-fi.
I looked on your videos and didn't see Ancillary Justice mentioned; I'd be really interested in your review of that trilogy as well, as there are a lot of similarities between the protagonists in that series and this one. I liked your review, all the best!
The plot is rather weak in the first one but, as Daniel said, that was not the point of this book. It gets better in the later novellas, and the novel has a compelling plot in my opinion. Though the Murderbot itself is awesome. God but I love this series.
All her books are fantastic. I've read everything she's ever written multiple times.
Welcome to the "Murderbot" fandom :)
I listened to the audiobook for all systems red early this year and I loved it, I've been obsessed with the series ever since!
I’ve been on the Muderbot soap box since it as published. These books are just amazing, fun and well written. Read the them all, read them all, read them all.
You and Merphy are in on a conspiracy to get me to read this series!
I subscribe to both of them, and notice that they usually post contents at a timing so close to each other and talk about similar topics around the same time. I wonder if they have weekly meeting to plan these out
@@ramonarobot They are close friends and talk to each other about the books they loved.
It's working for me, I'll buy them soon
I would like to see a sci-fi novella tier ranking list
I love Murderbot, it's one of my favorite series. Also, you *really* need to look at Martha Wells' other series though. The Cloud Roads, and really all of her Raksura I've read so far, are really great and the world building there just blew me away in places.
hey man want to do my English assignment for this book that would be great just let me know down below
I went to listen to this book since I last saw your video got recommended to me.
The last section was very comfortable to me. I'm glad the writer let Murderbot make the decision, kept the consistency in its personality. It's very wonderfully written. Such a good novella.
Funny I have always though of MurderBot as a she. The quality of the writing just keeps on getting better as you work though the rest of the books which are all really worth reading. Anyway I need to get back to my media now.
I did these with the audiobook version; just amazing. But the narrator is male (Kevin R. Free), so I made that association. Technically, SecUnits are genderless, so no right/wrong answer, I suppose.
@@familykletch5156 I've also listened to the audiobooks, and for some unfathomable reason the murderbot is still a "she" in my mind...
@@familykletch5156 I think there is a wrong answer (or maybe nothing but wrong answers) as Murderbot really does not want to be assign a gender.
It just wants stupide humans to leave it alone and go make sanctuary moon the next generation.
Murderbot is "they" or "it."
Thanks for the review. Can't wait to see more Murderbot content. Martha Wells has also written great fantasy books, like her anthromorphic Raksura series and some stand alone fantasy mysteries
Saw this review a while ago, wrote it down on my TBR list, and then forgot about it because my library didn’t have it.
I was walking through the library a couple days ago, looking for a different book, and stumbled upon Murderbot! Which they now did have available!
Got through the first half in a two days, I haven’t read in a long time so I wanted to start off slow. But boy am I hooked now!! I finished the last half of All Systems Red this morning, and the first half of Artificial Condition this afternoon.
As someone who’s read almost no physical books in a long time, this is EXACTLY what I needed to get back into it!! ☺️
Not a bored moment, incredibly relatable MC, and a great ending. I agree with your 9/10
I really liked All Systems Red as a potential character setup and world exploration. Looking forward to reading the others when I get the bandwidth.
hey man want to do my English assignment for this book that would be great just let me know down below
I just started Network Effect, the first full size novel in the Murderbot series. Murderbot is my second favorite A.I. character, only surpassed by Breq/Justice of Toren from the Imperial Radch series.
Love both Murderbot and the Bobverse books! Glad to see you have found them both. The first several Murderbots are novellas, but the last one or two are full-length novels, I think. :)
Highly recommend Raksura books by her. The original trilogy is one of the weird favorites i've accidentally found and world building as mentioned is great. I would also be interested to see if you or others have similar critiques that others have had.
I just binged the entire published series in like 2 weeks, and man. Waiting for #6 is going to be hard! Murderbot was exactly the thing I needed in 2020.
I love Martha Wells! Check out her amazing fantasy books as well, especially Death of the necromancer (standalone)
I know this has been said, but I love that you can be rational and say "I was wrong." Like it's just refreshing to see.
That's one of the things I most appreciate and respect about Daniel.
Had this one on my radar for a while, great review!
Daniel, have you reviewed Lois McMaster Bujold? Highly recommend her. Character driven scifi and fantasy
Read all 4 novellas in 10 days, it is one of my favourite series. they honestly just kept getting better and better.
hey man want to do my English assignment for this book that would be great just let me know down below
@@dantesalvetti4401 lmao
I love Murderbot. I read all 5 so far and talked about them for The Legendarium Green Team podcast
Just to say I've been stalking your channel (and subscribed) for a while because I like the input that you provide on a lot of books. Well thought out, try to be fair of the pros and cons of a story, and enjoy stories for what they are.
I like fantasy/sci-fi, essentially books that present a new world and new way of thinking, taking ideas and extrapolating them into possible futures or "what if this magic existed, how would it affect the people in this world" kind of thought experiments. So with this in mind, here's some recommendations for you to try if you haven't dipped in these avenues before.
Sci Fi - Lois McMaster Bujold. Her space opera series. Miles Vorkosigan Saga. The base book to start with here would be Warrior's Apprentice. There's well written prequels as well to this first book that are novellas in length that I immensely enjoyed too. Some books of course in the opera are less engaging than others, but the overall solid worldbuilding and imagining for me is fantastic, and there's also something about the way she constructs her sentences I like. She also adds humor, seriousness etc, and if I'm being perfectly honest, some of the biggest appeal for books that are re-readable are ones that have both the positive and dark side of humanity, and dips of humor. Her main character is insane, likeable, and perhaps the original smart compensating dwarf before Tyrion Lannister ever existed. :p
She also covers some interesting ethical questions. Such as cloning, manipulating human genomes to cope with zero g gravity, brain transplants, cryogenic freezing and the imperfect science behind it (reviving someone from a cryogenic status is definitely not a smooth business like we see in shows where they just wake up and suddenly they're hundreds of years in the future); exploration into planetary cultures, terraforming, how uterine replicators and spacesuits make equal opportunities for women more viable, how sexuality is definitely not so rigid as it is on earth, etc.
Elizabeth Moon has a series as well, which maybe isn't the best written I've ever seen, but I enjoyed:
a) her thorough exploration into what shipping logistics in space would be like.
b) realistic space battles that show us how damn awkward zero gravity can be when it comes to fights. Precise calculation of trajectories and travel distances comes into play, as well as using the gravitational forces of planets to assist turning movement etc.
c) sci-fi device we take for granted in many sci-fis being used as a "treasure" here. An "ansible" which allows instantaneous communication across space-time, but monopolized by a single company, secret guarded heavily. This also comes to play in space battles as well, where communications are not instantaneous unless there are ansibles in play.
For fantasy, maybe I can throw some children's/ya fantasy your way and see what you think. I'm considering two authors who are obscure outside of the UK, but who had such vivid worlds that I think it's worth delving into.
Paul Stewart and Chris Riddel - Edge Chronicles. At this point in time they have Four trilogies, each covering a "different" era within the world of the Edge, and one single book which may as well be a trilogy, given its length. Books were interesting as they came with Chris Riddel's vivid illustrations, which honestly wasn't commonly seen in books, especially books that covered some dark subject matters. The Edge is shared with many different species, including intelligent, sentient bears, various types of goblins and trolls, shrykes (vicious bird tribes), and an extremely diverse spread of plant and animal life that shows the scary but beautiful ecosystem the Edge has.
For the in-depth study of the balance of life of plants, prey, predators, and the gradual look over the ages as the humanoid races evolve their technologies and adapt to different eras for me is amazing.
Lastly, I recommend Robin Jarvis. He's kind of dropped off the face of the earth writing wise, but he did dark children's fantasy. There's one book he did called Deathscent that probably will never get a sequel, but the way he wrote and imagined his worlds really leaves a bloom in your mind. Or perhaps I'm just nostalgic. He did also the Deptford Mice trilogy, Whitby Witches. I used to think of him as "dark Brian Jacques" back in the day. :P
Hope these will be interests for you!
Thanks again for your amazing content.
Murderbot is such an awesome person. They’re such a relatable character
I am so happy you finally got to this. I knew you’d love it. I would love to hear more reviews on these, even if you do more than one book in an episode.
I read them on a beach in Punta Cana. They were delicious.
I've been interested in this series for a while, but this review pushed me to start and...I read the first 4 books in under 24 hours. I'm only holding off on the last one so I can savor it more. I am not a big sci-fi fan, but I LOVED Murderbot so, so much.
Really awesome review, I went and read the whole series. Really loved it totally recommend it to any one who likes sci-fi books. Network effect is my fav of the bunch, only because my fav character get more screen time. Looking forward to more Murderbot books, pretty sure theirs a new one next year so get on it guys.
I am reading the third in the novella series of Murderbot right now and I have loved all of them so far. Also Daniel, have you read or rather listened too "Emergency Skin" by N.K. Jemisin (on Kindle or Audible). Incredible story narrated by Jason Isaacs, sci-fi short, and so impactful.
You just mentioned Bobiverse while holding the first Murderbot novel. And I'm just like "I thought I was weird for enjoying these books so much... OMGTHANKYOU!"
Read A Memory Called Empire, its a super good book I read recently, and it was some of the best sci fi I've read recently.
Yay! So glad you loved Murderbot! I hope you love them all! I especially love the full length novel after the novellas
I love Murderbot and I've read all the currently released books. Agree with your comments on worldbuilding but I've noticed that the author has that knack of giving the reader the impression that there is a fully realised world/universe out there without spending too much time explaining other than when it is necessary to the plot. It's a trick that some authors have that i can't put my finger on but makes you content with what is basically a pretty minimal amount of world building
Just read that Apple was making a TV show about this, came to TH-cam to check the general gist about the story and now I'm excited.
Ironically, I just took out 'All Systems Red' yesterday on my library app. I'm listening to it on audiobook and the first 4 are available so I can listen to them back to back. I never intended on reading it before but I wanted an audiobook to listen to while I just did daily tasks, and I only listened to Chapter 1 and I'm *LOVING* it so far. I love Murderbot as a character so much
Hi Daniel, I'm really glad you are covering more sci-fi content, and hope you continue to do so! Your tastes and mine overlap quite significantly (you've introduced me to some of my favourite fantasy reads: Red Sister and Gideon the Ninth). Might I suggest some Sci-fi Ted Chiang's Stories of your life, or if you are in the mood for more world building and character-focused-- A memory called empire?
If you like this type of AI centered story you may want to check out "Cat Pictures Please" by Naomi Kritzer, it's a short story that the publishers have put online free for both reading and listening, and the premise is basically 'if Google's search engine became sentient'. Anyway, I thought it was good.
Murderbot is something special. The author, Martha Wells, is an example of a writer who has been at it for many years but has been largely under the radar. I am going through her other works and have been pleasantly surprised in her talent to write a variety of great stories.
Started to do the same thing. Bought the "raksura" trilogy, and expected to love it..... but I just did not. Now I feel worried about trying some of her other works. Have you found any other gems of hers?
@@kattenihatten I have not read Raksura yet, although I have heard many prefer it over Murderbot and others like you do not.
What I have read is The Death of The Necromancer. It is completely different that Murderbot. It is sent in a time period that is more industrial and it takes place in a city. It revolves around a group of thieves who stumble upon a murder while breaking into a house. This results in them getting wrapped up in investigating the murder that seems to be a result of the forbidden art of necromancy.
I am a few weeks to late to buddy read this with you! Just finished binging the whole series, can't wait to see your reaction to it.
Martha Wells is incredible! I've not sure if Daniel has read it, but she has an excellent high fantasy series called the Books of the Raksura. Easily one of the most wholly unique, vibrant and fascinating worlds I've ever read in fantasy. Highly recommend to everyone!
I just finished book 5, opened TH-cam and this is my first recommended video. Love these books.
Daniel, have you read Frank Herbert’s The Whipping Star and The Dosadi Experiment? It will blow your mind! I mean, it’s Frank Herbert...I hope you give it a shot, because I read all of the Dune books, and was nervous to ruin my Herbert experience by reading something not-Dune, but these two novellas are great!!
My favorite quote of the book:... all of it. All of it is my favorite. There is not a single line that I did not adore.
As soon as I finished it the first time, I immediately opened the book back up and reread it a second time.
Your background has become familiar and relaxing to me in recent months, even despite you talking about murder robots
Have you read old man's war series by john scalzi? Or the confederation trilogy by tanya huff ? They're both awesome - military sff but with alot of character development, and the worlds are really interesting.
I've been looking for more character centered scifi so I'm excited to pick this up at some point.
Neal Stephenson "SeveneveS" is a must read for Sci-fi fantasy. Easily top 5 books I've read in the last decade.
After reading some books from an animal perspective (for example the Warrior series) I wanter to seek out books from robot/AI perspective because why not?
The Murderbot series was my first from that perspective and it's AMAZING
You think all system red is the best... let’s talk about it when you reach Rogue Protocol 🤩
Recorded this ages ago. Read it all now and it only gets better and better
I’m starting Rogue Protocol today!
I think Network effect was really my favorite
I picked this book up to get some inspiration for a sci fi DnD campaign. And I read it in one afternoon, raced back to the bookstore on my bike and stormed in there asking if part 2 had been released in my country. The second Murderbot said “I just want to watch my serials” I was sold. Its such a fun and interesting first person story, because they contradict themselves and give false clues about the world because that’s just the way they see it through their experiences and what they have absorbed through the warped lens of media. I found it so telling that Murderbot own self image was so heavily reliant of how they thought humans in real life saw SecUnits based on the depictions in media. And that makes the resoltion at the end where -*spoiler alert*- Mensah proposes to make a documentary of their journey to better educate people about constructs all the better
Hey there Daniel. Thanks for that review. You have definitely made me curious about this series.
The series pretty much maintains the same level of quality, and you Murderbot does evolve as an individual, plus you get to meet more strange A.I.'s during the latter novellas.
Now it's time to read Well's Wheel of the infinite, Daniel! I think it's vastly underrated, and you will appreciate it.
I saw both Daniel and Merphy talk about this and I ended up reading the book #1 I loved it.
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep and The Ship Who Sang are older, but I read these three in a narrow time period some years ago, and I really like the overall combination of ideas and styles. I need to reread Murderbot All Systems Red so that I can continue the series. I really loved it.
I absolutely love Murderbot! One of the best series out there. I'm really looking forward to the next novella, Fugitive Telemetry, coming out in April.
The story is the opposite of "the three body problems" which focus on world building. Imagine the two authors collaborating... would be something special!
I love Murderbot. So glad you read it and liked it so much. I have been pacing myself, because novellas are so short. I didn't want to binge through the whole series too fast. But, I think it is time to read the second novella. Thankfully my library has it. :) Pretty sure after reading them all I will want to own them, though. :)
I would really like to know what other novellas (sci-fi or otherwise) you recommend. Lately I haven't been really in the mood to get into a big series and/or epic series after Battleground. Hope you consider it for future videos. Cheers.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms by George R.R. Martin is pretty good, it's three novellas set a hundred years before the first book in A Song of Ice and Fire. If you would like a book of novellas that are different genres, Horror, Thriller, Weird Sci-fi, and Apocalyptic Event story, I highly recommend Strange Weather by Joe Hill. It's four novellas, the first one Snapshot can be read in an hour and a half, if you really get into it. The other three Loaded, Aloft and Rain can all be read in two or three hours. Some of the best novellas of this century.
murderbot series only gets better with later books. Can't wait for you to read them!
If you want to read more modern Hard Sci Fi definitely check out the newest book from Adrian Tchaikovsky(The author of Children of Time), The Doors of Eden. A phenomenal standalone hard Sci Fi that instantly became one of my favourite books of all time.
Seconding this one.
I was always sceptical of getting this book because it is so short. But you convinced me, mate.
Murderbot is one of my go to recommendations of late
Bumping this up to the top of my TBR right now!
Regarding current hard SF... have you ever read anything by Greg Egan, Peter Watts or Alastair Reynolds? Those are big names I've seen more and more recently as torch bearers of the Hard SF tradition.
And I do consider Greg Egan to be the best SF writer alive. Like. Hands down.
I adore this series so much. It really pushed me into the sci-fi genre
I tried Murderbot Diaries a couple of months ago and I agree, some of the best scifi I've read in a good long while. Honestly, the next books are actually better than the first.
Murder Bot is on my to read list. Great review. Nice to hear someone say "I was wrong" with some depth and analysis.
Talking of sci-fi...Check out Dark Matter by Blake Crouch, it really blew me away. And just informing I am currently reading Airframe By Michael Crichton, and there is a character named Daniel Greene, and for a moment I was wondering he mentioned you😅😅😅, but then later realised it was published in 1996... Check out Airframe too. And I Really like your reviews.👍👍👍👍
and honestly there are still some 'old school' scifi writers going strong! CJ Cherryh and Timothy Zahn have written incredibly strong and absorbing sci-fi novels for decades. ^^
Hey Dan, could you consider looking into Will Wight's Cradle series?
Definitely seconding the recommendations for To be Taught if Fortunate! I think if you like that the Wayfarer Series is excellent but is definitely a little heavier on the characters and a little lighter on the scientific concepts.
Yes scifi focused on ideassss thats the kind i loveeee
I have been hearing about this series a lot, it is on the list and I loved the informative review. Thank you and yes, the video quality has been even better lately, so your work pays off :)
After the first part of this review I stopped watching. Not because I didn’t like the video but because I wasn’t sure if there were spoilers and even if there aren’t, you made it sound so good I have to go and read this and return for the rest of the video. I wanna go into the experience unhindered by any other opinion than my own if that makes sense. Looking forward to the read thanks for recommendation!!!
Just picked the entire series last week, would be a fantastic buddy read
I am wwwaaaaayyyyyyy more excited to read this one now!!!! I also didn't realize this novella is hard sci fi!! 😍
I adore this series! It was great to hear your thoughts on it. Since you don’t necessarily do reviews of novellas, perhaps you could do a recommendation video of a couple?
Haven't even watched the video yet so all I have to say is... It's about dan time. This series is one of my all time favorites!
Can’t wait to get my hands on a copy of this book 📚🤘🏻
Murderbot sounds exactly like Kaburagi from the anime Deca-Dence.
I listened to the entire series, several times in a row, while rehabbing a house. Fantastic and fun
I've just bought the first full length novel in the series and I can't wait to get to it - Murderbot is fantastic 🤖
I really like Martha Wells' books, but I haven't read this one yet. It is my plans though.
about time you got to these - they are awesome!
I started Murdderbot today and its good so far thank you. Can you do a review of Ready Player 2 when you have time. I loved the first one but not sure about the second. The first one didnt really need a sequel.