Dream with Our Eyes Open

This is the fifth installation about Murderbot, the cranky, media-addicted security android that hacked its governor module and went rogue (sort of) in the first novella, All Systems Red (published 2017). It is also the first full-length novel in the series.

This is not a very objective review because I love Wells' work in general and Murderbot in particular.

As the story opens, Murderbot has settled down—again, sort of. Its mentor and former owner, Dr. Mensah, has taken it home with her to the planet Preservation. Murderbot is doing its best to cope with being the only really paranoid security being on the calm and mostly peaceful planet. Murderbot should be happy, except that it doesn't do happy, and in addition, Dr. Mensah is suffering from some serious problems herself.

Then Murderbot, Mensah's daughter Amena, and several other worthy (and not-so-worthy) humans are kidnapped and end up on a transport vessel that looks awfully familiar to Murderbot. A transport that seems occupied only by some bizarre grey-skinned almost-humans and their previous sad-sack prisoners.

Oh no. Seriously, oh no. I was almost as devastated as Murderbot (who would tell you that no, it was not devastated).

Is Murderbot's not-friend dead? Why the kidnapping? Who are the grey people and who are their hapless prisoners? How long has everybody actually been on the transport, and why do people have such differing view on that supposed fact? It takes a lot of drastic action scenes involving drones, AI virus attacks, and eventually a large and scary agricultural robot to solve these mysteries. And Murderbot is forced to face its own foibles and shortcomings in more ways than one.

I have to say here how much I love Amena. She is not a stereotypical smartass teen, probably because we have Murderbot for that. She is actually the person who comes closest to understanding Murderbot, and when she does her best to defend Murderbot's privacy, my heart goes all squishy and warm.

Some of the reviews online have criticized the pacing of the first section. Possibly it's less than ideal. I didn't feel the story dragging, but as stated, I'm not objective about this.

Final note: if you're enjoying Murderbot and haven't read The Books of the Raksura, Wells' previous series, you should give it a try.