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Book Review - Network Effect

Robust, whirlwind adventure that will give you feels, make you laugh, and long for more!

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Network Effect by Martha Wells (Murderbot Diaries #5) published May 2020 by Tor.com Books


Please forgive me for the cliche, but it feels apropos for this book: Like a fine wine that improves with age, The Murderbot Diaries just keep getting better the more Martha Wells writes it. This book, Network Effect, is the first full length novel in the series and continues the trend of growing and improving with age!

We finally get the space (no pun intended) to flesh out a bit more of the human clients (friends? no it would not admit to that) Murderbot takes care of. The fallout from the first four books is having effects on everyone. Then the plot brilliantly goes from bad to much worse, and continues to escalate! Murderbot does his level best to muddle through the confusion while dealing with the most mammoth of difficulties, emotions, while trying not to simply kill everything. With clients in constant danger, it leaves so little time for watching media!

Emotions are the key element woven throughout this story, following the diary of a construct trying to cope with grief, attachment, loyalty, friendship, anger, among many other troubling thoughts. The humans dealing with the wreckage of trauma and it's very unexpected intrusion into thoughts and behaviors. It's what truly puts the heart into this book; we see ourselves in the tangle of emotions that Murderbot doesn't know how to deal with. We humans too are far from experts in juggling our own feelings. Thus Network Effect is a new favorite security blanket; a work of empathy, comfort and becomes so endearing as we follow along with our favorite (android?) character as it feels like we do and becomes more like us: a bit fragile, a bit strong, definitely not simple.

Murderbot struggles through one test after another while trying not to be misunderstood and attempting to solve the riddles of the cleverly plaited storylines. I laughed out loud several times and was clinging to the edge of my couch cushion as the stakes went higher. Murderbot makes small digressions which were enjoyable, especially as they got tied into the main action. I was very happy to get a bit more of a glimpse into Preservation culture.

This next entry into the Murderbot Diaries is like a perfect blended Pina Colada on a hot day: refreshing, fun, makes you feel a little tingly inside and thirsty for more! I love this series.
Why can't I have my own rogue SecUnit?
I can't wait to read what happens next!
And what will happen to Three?

Content warning: Language. (Because, you know, emotions.)

Rating: 9 out of 10 galaxies!


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