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The Murderbot Diaries #4.5
Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory
Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory was originally given free to readers who pre-ordered Martha’s Murderbot novel, Network Effect, the fifth entry in the series. The events occur just after the fourth novella, Exit Strategy.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
19 pages, ebook
First published May 5, 2020
1,157 people are currently reading
22.6k people want to read
About the author
Martha Wells
104books22kfollowersMartha Wells has been an SF/F writer since her first fantasy novel was published in 1993, and her work includes The Books of the Raksura series, the Ile-Rien series, The Murderbot Diaries series, and other fantasy novels, most recently Witch King (Tordotcom, 2023). She has also written media tie-in fiction for Star Wars, Stargate: Atlantis, and Magic: the Gathering, as well as short fiction, YA novels, and non-fiction. She has won Nebula Awards, Hugo Awards, Locus Awards, and a Dragon Award, and her work has appeared on the Philip K. Dick Award ballot, the British Science Fiction Association Award ballot, the USA Today Bestseller List, the Sunday Times Bestseller List, and the New York Times Bestseller List. She is a member of the Texas Literary Hall of Fame, and her books have been published in twenty-five languages.
She is also a consulting producer on The Murderbot Diaries series for Apple TV+.
She is also a consulting producer on The Murderbot Diaries series for Apple TV+.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,991 reviews
April 13, 2024
Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory (The Murderbot Diaries #4.5)
by Martha Wells
This very short Murderbot story takes place between the four novellas that started its story and the full length novel that comes after it. With this interlude we get to see MB interacting with the humans that have welcomed it (or not welcomed it) as Dr. Mensah's...what? friend? thing that needs a guardian? whatever. MB can either stay here and assist Dr. Mensah with her work while also providing much needed protection from those who want to harm her or MB can accept one of the many job offers its gotten thanks to its awesome protection abilities becoming well known. For now, MB is staying close to Dr. Mensah because it knows that Dr. Mensah is secretly struggling with the near death experiences of herself and her team.
This short story can be read for free at
Pub April 19th 2021 by Tor Books (first published May 5th 2020)
by Martha Wells
This very short Murderbot story takes place between the four novellas that started its story and the full length novel that comes after it. With this interlude we get to see MB interacting with the humans that have welcomed it (or not welcomed it) as Dr. Mensah's...what? friend? thing that needs a guardian? whatever. MB can either stay here and assist Dr. Mensah with her work while also providing much needed protection from those who want to harm her or MB can accept one of the many job offers its gotten thanks to its awesome protection abilities becoming well known. For now, MB is staying close to Dr. Mensah because it knows that Dr. Mensah is secretly struggling with the near death experiences of herself and her team.
This short story can be read for free at
Pub April 19th 2021 by Tor Books (first published May 5th 2020)
December 25, 2024
Ok, that’s weird. My review of this one disappeared, but comments and likes remained. GR is getting buggy in a strange way. And of course, I have no backup of this review, so let’s see what I recall.
—ĔĔ�
This is a short bonus story originally available to those who preordered , set on Preservation before the events of that novel. What different here is that we actually get to see Murderbot through a POV that’s not its own. We get to look through the eyes of Ayda Mensah, see her PTSD from the events of � kidnapping and real murder threat � and better understand her mental state by the time of the events of the novel.
We see her cloaking her inner turmoil into outward mental steel. We see her immense gratitude to Murderbot � and it’s nice to see that intense loyalty goes both ways for these two.
It can’t really be read as a standalone story, but it’s a nice addition to Murderbot story arc. Seeing Mensah’s thoughts on Corporation Rim dehumanization of sentient being because they are “tools� and not supposedly persons was interesting.
3.5 stars. Also saving a backup copy of this review because, you know, ŷ.
—ĔĔĔ�
You can read it here:
—ĔĔ�
“It’s about being treated as a thing, isn’t it. Whether that thing is a hostage of conditional value, or a very expensively designed and equipped enslaved machine/organic intelligence. You’re a thing, and there is no safety.�
This is a short bonus story originally available to those who preordered , set on Preservation before the events of that novel. What different here is that we actually get to see Murderbot through a POV that’s not its own. We get to look through the eyes of Ayda Mensah, see her PTSD from the events of � kidnapping and real murder threat � and better understand her mental state by the time of the events of the novel.
“Knowing what would happen, she wouldn’t choose a different planet, a different bond company. Because then SecUnit would still be someone’s property, would be waiting for the contract where the negligence or greed or indifference of its clients got it killed.�
We see her cloaking her inner turmoil into outward mental steel. We see her immense gratitude to Murderbot � and it’s nice to see that intense loyalty goes both ways for these two.
“SecUnit is looking down at her. “You can hug me if you need to.�
If you know Murderbot, you know how much it must care to suggest something outrageous like *that*.
It can’t really be read as a standalone story, but it’s a nice addition to Murderbot story arc. Seeing Mensah’s thoughts on Corporation Rim dehumanization of sentient being because they are “tools� and not supposedly persons was interesting.
The Corporation Rim has always been a slave state, though it calls its institutionalized slavery “contract labor.� The production of human/bot constructs is just a more horrific twist, a mental slavery as well as a physical one. At least victims of contract labor are free to think their own thoughts. But we tell ourselves that constructs aren’t aware of their predicament. What SecUnit makes us realize is that this is not true; they are all aware of what they are and what’s been done to them. But the only choice they are ever offered is obedience or pain and death.�
3.5 stars. Also saving a backup copy of this review because, you know, ŷ.
—ĔĔĔ�
You can read it here:
November 28, 2023
�Can you separate that person from the purpose they were created for?�
Now that I’ve caught up on Martha Wells� incredible Murderbot series and have to impatiently wait for more, I was elated to find this little additional chapter that was originally sent to those who had pre-ordered . Set after the events of , this little chapter (its not really a standalone story, for the record) is fascinating as it is the first time we’ve got to experience the world of Murderbot detached from Murderbot’s perspective. This third person narration swings into the mind of Dr. Mensah, capturing the trauma she has recently experienced and her subsequent PTSD (�hard not to be paranoid when you remember all the times your paranoia was justified.�). But we also get to perceive Murderbot externally here, see how Murderbot’s self-perception comes across differently than how it feel to be in the room with it. Namely, Murderbot is nowhere near as awkward as it thinks it is, and is quite intimidating nonetheless.
While not much ground is covered here, there is some rather insightful banter of the problem �that SecUnits aren’t bots and aren’t human; they fall between the cracks of the existing protections even in the Preservation Alliance,� and people will fear Murderbot is just a corporate SecUnit not to be trusted. But more importantly that so much of this galaxy is a corporate slave state where human and robotic life will never outweigh even the smallest of profit margins.
This is a fun but very short little dip back into the Wells� amazing sci-fi world and the big takeaway is how heartwarming it is to see how much Mensah and Murderbot care about and support each other. When Murderbot says �You can hug me if you need to,� I felt all the feels. And so can you, because this story is available to read in full .
3.5/5
Now that I’ve caught up on Martha Wells� incredible Murderbot series and have to impatiently wait for more, I was elated to find this little additional chapter that was originally sent to those who had pre-ordered . Set after the events of , this little chapter (its not really a standalone story, for the record) is fascinating as it is the first time we’ve got to experience the world of Murderbot detached from Murderbot’s perspective. This third person narration swings into the mind of Dr. Mensah, capturing the trauma she has recently experienced and her subsequent PTSD (�hard not to be paranoid when you remember all the times your paranoia was justified.�). But we also get to perceive Murderbot externally here, see how Murderbot’s self-perception comes across differently than how it feel to be in the room with it. Namely, Murderbot is nowhere near as awkward as it thinks it is, and is quite intimidating nonetheless.
While not much ground is covered here, there is some rather insightful banter of the problem �that SecUnits aren’t bots and aren’t human; they fall between the cracks of the existing protections even in the Preservation Alliance,� and people will fear Murderbot is just a corporate SecUnit not to be trusted. But more importantly that so much of this galaxy is a corporate slave state where human and robotic life will never outweigh even the smallest of profit margins.
�The Corporation Rim has always been a slave state, though it calls its institutionalized slavery “contract labor.� The production of human/bot constructs is just a more horrific twist, a mental slavery as well as a physical one. At least victims of contract labor are free to think their own thoughts. But we tell ourselves that constructs aren’t aware of their predicament. What SecUnit makes us realize is that this is not true; they are all aware of what they are and what’s been done to them. But the only choice they are ever offered is obedience or pain and death.�
This is a fun but very short little dip back into the Wells� amazing sci-fi world and the big takeaway is how heartwarming it is to see how much Mensah and Murderbot care about and support each other. When Murderbot says �You can hug me if you need to,� I felt all the feels. And so can you, because this story is available to read in full .
3.5/5
July 8, 2024
This time around we're in Dr. Mensah's head as she grapples with PTSD.
For reference, this takes place after Exit Strategy and is what leads up to our Secbot on a ship guarding her daughter in Network Effect.
Very short, but very sweet.
It was nice to get a peek at Mensah's feelings towards everything - including Murderbot.
You can certainly skip this one, but I think any fan of the series would really enjoy it.
Recommended.
For reference, this takes place after Exit Strategy and is what leads up to our Secbot on a ship guarding her daughter in Network Effect.
Very short, but very sweet.
It was nice to get a peek at Mensah's feelings towards everything - including Murderbot.
You can certainly skip this one, but I think any fan of the series would really enjoy it.
Recommended.
April 23, 2021
A fantastic little nugget of information about the relationship between Murderbot and Mensah, from Mensah's point of view. Great writing by Martha Wells as always and fantastic insight into Mensah's post traumatic stress disorder after being kidnapped.
August 5, 2021
There are few better literary thrills than unexpectedly stumbling across a Murderbot story! Especially if it's an online freebie.
This story is set after the first four novellas in this series (and yes, you really do need to read them first). Murderbot is now in the Preservation System with Dr. Ayda Mensah, the closest person to a friend it has, and Murderbot has come a long way to even consider being friends with someone. Mensah is struggling with PTSD in the aftermath of being kidnapped in , but she's assiduously hiding her personal trauma from everyone around her. The rest of Preservation is struggling with the problem of having a highly dangerous Security Unit on their peaceful planet (the words "killing machine" are thought, if not said).
This is a quieter story in the series, and not a lot happens, but it's always a pleasure being in this fascinating world. "Home: Habitat" is notable for being narrated by Mensah, and I liked being inside her head and seeing how she views Murderbot. They have such a unique relationship and respect for each other.
This story is set after the first four novellas in this series (and yes, you really do need to read them first). Murderbot is now in the Preservation System with Dr. Ayda Mensah, the closest person to a friend it has, and Murderbot has come a long way to even consider being friends with someone. Mensah is struggling with PTSD in the aftermath of being kidnapped in , but she's assiduously hiding her personal trauma from everyone around her. The rest of Preservation is struggling with the problem of having a highly dangerous Security Unit on their peaceful planet (the words "killing machine" are thought, if not said).
This is a quieter story in the series, and not a lot happens, but it's always a pleasure being in this fascinating world. "Home: Habitat" is notable for being narrated by Mensah, and I liked being inside her head and seeing how she views Murderbot. They have such a unique relationship and respect for each other.
SecUnit is looking down at her. “You can hug me if you need to.�Read it if you're already a Murderbot fan. If you're not, go find a copy of immediately!
“No. No, that’s all right. I know you don’t care for it.� She wipes her face. There are tears in her eyes, because she’s an idiot.
“It’s not terrible.� She can hear the irony under its even tone.
May 22, 2021
It’s about being treated as a thing, isn’t it. Whether that thing is a hostage of conditional value, or a very expensively designed and equipped enslaved machine/organic intelligence. You’re a thing, and there is no safety.
murderbot? murderNOT!
this l'il shorty follows the events of book 4, and spins the POV away from murderbot's narrative voice into a close third POV of dr. mensah, recently rescued by murderbot and dealing (or not dealing) with the resulting PTSD of that situation.
what's great about this is seeing murderbot through a human's eyes and realizing that a lot of its self-assessments in terms of its awkwardness are inaccurate, and the way these two traumatized characters care for each other is such a balm in a world where terrible things keep happening.
i know murderbot is ace AF, but their requisition forms for "increasingly improbable armaments" seem flirty to me in a way that is very sweet, despite all the spikes and guns involved. i'm not sure what the platonic version of flirtation is called, but whatever their relationship is, it's mutual, and they certainly understand and respect each other in a very specific and lovely way.
SecUnit is looking down at her. “You can hug me if you need to.�
“No. No, that’s all right. I know you don’t care for it.� She wipes her face. There are tears in her eyes, because she’s an idiot.
“It’s not terrible.� She can hear the irony under its even tone.
“Nevertheless.� She can’t do this. She can’t lean on a being that doesn’t want to be leaned on. Of all the things SecUnit needs, the only ones she can give it are room and time in a relatively safe space to make decisions for itself. Becoming a prop for her failing emotional stability won’t do either one of them any good.
i'm going to try to ration my remaining murderbot books because i'm blowing through them so quickly that i haven't even reviewed the last two yet. i hadn't meant to read book four so closely on the heels of book three, but i really wanted to read this story as my free tor shorty of the week, so i had to catch up to it, you know? if there's a murderbot version of the marshmallow test, i'm failing it, but of all my numerous failures, it's been the most enjoyable.
read it for yourself here (if you've read books 1-4):
December 15, 2021
4.25 Stars. A great short story from Dr. Mensah's POV. It expands on Book 4, and should be read right after. This can be found for free on Tor's website.
December 19, 2021
WINNER OF , 2021 WORLDCON: DisCon III!
Real Rating: 4.75* of five, rounded up because Murderbot
Which is why I read the Murderbot series the instant I can get the books. This is a short freebie that's just a tick before , and it's deeply refreshing to read something from Dr. Mensah's PoV.
Not that I don't adore Murderbot! I do! But breaking out of the one PoV that we have on the Corporation Rim is a breath of fresh air.
It is through Dr. Mensah's clarity that I feel so seen in my hatred of this system's brutal, dehumanizing, and revoltingly deeply entrenched dominance of the hearts and minds I must live among, as Preservation is a fictional construct. It would be the work of but a moment for me to apply for asylum or whatever they call it to get to Preservation were it real.
When you exist at the whim of the electorate, as people like me...disabled, unhomed, elderly, infirm...must do, you're a thing. A profit point. An expense center. Not yourself, not someone with a lifetime's issues and lessons. I'm fortunate that I live in a place that allows me to be as independent as possible, and that I did enough useful work for enough years that my (HUGELY reduced in value) investment in government debt affords me the relative safety of housing, medical care, and therapies that I need. Had I stayed in Texas, had I been darker of skin hue, had I not had the mind-bogglingly good fortune to have my breakdown while talking to the one person who could, and would, and did help me...well, I'd be dead, and that's just the facts.
It's why I identify so deeply with Murderbot: We had all the right things go exactly right at the right time or we'd simply have ceased to exist.
But you're making one right now. You can't help it; it's human nature. One person with whom I am no longer friends said to me, "stop being so selfish and think of how much worse it is for my (Hispanic) people!"
Invalidation = abuse. Always, in all ways.
And that is what Author Wells does so eloquently by not doing it directly: She holds up your status as abuser while acknowledging your status as the abused. Murderbot...SecUnit to Dr. Mensah and the meatsacks inhabiting its spacetime...isn't kidding around with its self-granted yclepture. It was the more harmed, in my opinion, by its status as legally insentient property being thrust on it from birth (aka "chattel slavery") but it isn't innocent of abusive, life-denying behavior towards others.
Do moral dilemmas come more tightly coiled up on themselves than this? And breathes there an author whose exploration of these intense and weighty issues is so delightfully deft and assuredly airy than Author Wells?
No.
Real Rating: 4.75* of five, rounded up because Murderbot
Because they are all refugees in the Preservation Alliance, descended from people who were left to die because rescue was deemed not cost-effective.
Which is why I read the Murderbot series the instant I can get the books. This is a short freebie that's just a tick before , and it's deeply refreshing to read something from Dr. Mensah's PoV.
Not that I don't adore Murderbot! I do! But breaking out of the one PoV that we have on the Corporation Rim is a breath of fresh air.
The Corporation Rim has always been a slave state, though it calls its institutionalized slavery “contract labor.�
It is through Dr. Mensah's clarity that I feel so seen in my hatred of this system's brutal, dehumanizing, and revoltingly deeply entrenched dominance of the hearts and minds I must live among, as Preservation is a fictional construct. It would be the work of but a moment for me to apply for asylum or whatever they call it to get to Preservation were it real.
It’s about being treated as a thing, isn’t it. Whether that thing is a hostage of conditional value, or a very expensively designed and equipped enslaved machine/organic intelligence. You’re a thing, and there is no safety.
When you exist at the whim of the electorate, as people like me...disabled, unhomed, elderly, infirm...must do, you're a thing. A profit point. An expense center. Not yourself, not someone with a lifetime's issues and lessons. I'm fortunate that I live in a place that allows me to be as independent as possible, and that I did enough useful work for enough years that my (HUGELY reduced in value) investment in government debt affords me the relative safety of housing, medical care, and therapies that I need. Had I stayed in Texas, had I been darker of skin hue, had I not had the mind-bogglingly good fortune to have my breakdown while talking to the one person who could, and would, and did help me...well, I'd be dead, and that's just the facts.
It's why I identify so deeply with Murderbot: We had all the right things go exactly right at the right time or we'd simply have ceased to exist.
And she tells herself: you’re being very foolish. Because you were a hostage for a period of days, and it was a minor inconvenience compared to what Murderbot� No, SecUnit; she’s never been given permission to use that private name. What SecUnit went through.
And if someone else was in her position, she would tell them how unhelpful comparisons like that are, that fear is fear.
But you're making one right now. You can't help it; it's human nature. One person with whom I am no longer friends said to me, "stop being so selfish and think of how much worse it is for my (Hispanic) people!"
Invalidation = abuse. Always, in all ways.
And that is what Author Wells does so eloquently by not doing it directly: She holds up your status as abuser while acknowledging your status as the abused. Murderbot...SecUnit to Dr. Mensah and the meatsacks inhabiting its spacetime...isn't kidding around with its self-granted yclepture. It was the more harmed, in my opinion, by its status as legally insentient property being thrust on it from birth (aka "chattel slavery") but it isn't innocent of abusive, life-denying behavior towards others.
Do moral dilemmas come more tightly coiled up on themselves than this? And breathes there an author whose exploration of these intense and weighty issues is so delightfully deft and assuredly airy than Author Wells?
No.
March 21, 2022
This is a short story, part of the Murderbot Diaries, which follows directly from .
Dr. Mensah is recovering from previous events and Murderbot is being protective in a rather human way. The story is short and light and really shows how much Murderbot has changed over the course of the series.
For those of us fans who can never get enough of Murderbot this is a delightful, although much too short, read.
Dr. Mensah is recovering from previous events and Murderbot is being protective in a rather human way. The story is short and light and really shows how much Murderbot has changed over the course of the series.
For those of us fans who can never get enough of Murderbot this is a delightful, although much too short, read.
February 15, 2024
This was a fairly short interlude told from Dr. Mensah's point of view, as she tries to get a hang on her post- PTSD, and her increasing dependence on Murderbot.
In terms of reader immersion, it has a a bit of everything:
- heartbreak as Dr. Mensah refuses to explain her PTSD to other government officials and her family
- comic relief wherein Murderbot spams Dr. Mensah with questionable security pamphlets
- ... and even a bit of action sequence that features the SecUnit performing a vaguely impressive acrobatic feat
Score: 4/5 stars
While I generally prefer stories that feature bots and constructs more than their human companions from the Murderbot universe, I can see the merit in this nice little treat . That saaaaaid, I did appreciate it more on the second read (enough to up the rating from 3 to 4), when I wasn't so focused on getting yet another Murderbot-centric episode.
===================
Review of book 1: All Systems Red
Review of book 2: Artificial Condition
Review of book 3: Rogue Protocol
Review of book 4: Exit Strategy
Review of book 0.5: Compulsory
Review of book 5: Network Effect
Review of book 6: Fugitive Telemetry
Review of book 7: System Collapse
In terms of reader immersion, it has a a bit of everything:
- heartbreak as Dr. Mensah refuses to explain her PTSD to other government officials and her family
- comic relief wherein Murderbot spams Dr. Mensah with questionable security pamphlets
- ... and even a bit of action sequence that features the SecUnit performing a vaguely impressive acrobatic feat
Score: 4/5 stars
While I generally prefer stories that feature bots and constructs more than their human companions from the Murderbot universe, I can see the merit in this nice little treat . That saaaaaid, I did appreciate it more on the second read (enough to up the rating from 3 to 4), when I wasn't so focused on getting yet another Murderbot-centric episode.
... there had been the dawning realization that they had fallen into thinking of their SecUnit as a faceless machine, a convenience, an interface with their security system. But it had taken a sentient being who understood fear and pain to talk its way through Volescu's blind terror.
===================
Review of book 1: All Systems Red
Review of book 2: Artificial Condition
Review of book 3: Rogue Protocol
Review of book 4: Exit Strategy
Review of book 0.5: Compulsory
Review of book 5: Network Effect
Review of book 6: Fugitive Telemetry
Review of book 7: System Collapse
February 6, 2024
An in-between, very short Murderbot story that was originally provided free to those that pre-ordered the full-length novel, Network Effect. Now available for everyone
This short story is mostly focused on Dr. Mensah and takes a deeper look into her mental health struggles (classic signs of PTSD) after all the traumatic experiences the team went through in the first novella and the consequential events that followed for her.
Dr. Mensah is highly intelligent, calm under pressure, and strong. She really has proven herself to be one of the most respectable characters in the series. So to be so close to her inner thoughts was a true reward. I only wish this was longer!
But despite it being such a short story, it still packs a punch and makes an impact.
� It highlights the issues surrounding SecUnits and humans:
“Now that’s an argument. SecUnit is a person, a potentially very dangerous person. But right now, Ephraim and the other councilors who agree with him have no evidence to suggest that SecUnit would act on that potential.�
� It reveals Dr. Mensah's supportive thoughts on bot constructs being sentient:
“The Corporation Rim has always been a slave state, though it calls its institutionalized slavery “contract labor.� The production of human/bot constructs is just a more horrific twist, a mental slavery as well as a physical one. At least victims of contract labor are free to think their own thoughts. But we tell ourselves that constructs aren’t aware of their predicament. What SecUnit makes us realize is that this is not true; they are all aware of what they are and what’s been done to them. But the only choice they are ever offered is obedience or pain and death.�
� The mental health focus:
“Hard not to be paranoid when you remember all the times your paranoia was justified.�
� The continued development of the relationship between Murderbot and Dr. Mensah (the loyalty, support, and care they have for each other):
“Knowing what would happen, she wouldn’t choose a different planet, a different bond company. Because then SecUnit would still be someone’s property, would be waiting for the contract where the negligence or greed or indifference of its clients got it killed.�
“You can hug me if you need to.�
~ Murderbot
Next up is the full-length novel, Network Effect. Can’t wait for more Murderbot and 5-star ratings!!
�2024 Monster Mash Challenge�
|Ghost Face Category|
� Read a book under 50 pages. ✔️
This short story is mostly focused on Dr. Mensah and takes a deeper look into her mental health struggles (classic signs of PTSD) after all the traumatic experiences the team went through in the first novella and the consequential events that followed for her.
Dr. Mensah is highly intelligent, calm under pressure, and strong. She really has proven herself to be one of the most respectable characters in the series. So to be so close to her inner thoughts was a true reward. I only wish this was longer!
But despite it being such a short story, it still packs a punch and makes an impact.
� It highlights the issues surrounding SecUnits and humans:
“Now that’s an argument. SecUnit is a person, a potentially very dangerous person. But right now, Ephraim and the other councilors who agree with him have no evidence to suggest that SecUnit would act on that potential.�
� It reveals Dr. Mensah's supportive thoughts on bot constructs being sentient:
“The Corporation Rim has always been a slave state, though it calls its institutionalized slavery “contract labor.� The production of human/bot constructs is just a more horrific twist, a mental slavery as well as a physical one. At least victims of contract labor are free to think their own thoughts. But we tell ourselves that constructs aren’t aware of their predicament. What SecUnit makes us realize is that this is not true; they are all aware of what they are and what’s been done to them. But the only choice they are ever offered is obedience or pain and death.�
� The mental health focus:
“Hard not to be paranoid when you remember all the times your paranoia was justified.�
� The continued development of the relationship between Murderbot and Dr. Mensah (the loyalty, support, and care they have for each other):
“Knowing what would happen, she wouldn’t choose a different planet, a different bond company. Because then SecUnit would still be someone’s property, would be waiting for the contract where the negligence or greed or indifference of its clients got it killed.�
“You can hug me if you need to.�
~ Murderbot
Next up is the full-length novel, Network Effect. Can’t wait for more Murderbot and 5-star ratings!!
�2024 Monster Mash Challenge�
|Ghost Face Category|
� Read a book under 50 pages. ✔️
July 11, 2021
This is a short story set after the fourth book of a series. I strongly recommend reading this series and this is not a stand alone story. In this one, we get the point of view from Dr. Mensah and the problem of her dealing with the after effects of her ordeal in the fourth book.
There really isn't much here and if one didn't read this one they would miss nothing. This is one of my favorite ongoing series and my favorite aspect of this series is the point of view of Murderbot. This story differentiates itself from that point of view as Murderbot is mostly off screen for the story. With this change one can tell right away it just isn't as enjoyable as all the other entries in this series. As for the story it makes sense that Dr. Mensah would suffer from this. The only problem is that it is referenced in this story without any real depth and since this story takes place in between already written books we really never see it again.
Like I said nothing to see here and one can skip this story. That is a sentence that I thought I would have never said concerning a Murderbot offering. There isn't even enough material to stave off your hunger for the next story in this series. It is a quick read and that is the only thing going for it.
There really isn't much here and if one didn't read this one they would miss nothing. This is one of my favorite ongoing series and my favorite aspect of this series is the point of view of Murderbot. This story differentiates itself from that point of view as Murderbot is mostly off screen for the story. With this change one can tell right away it just isn't as enjoyable as all the other entries in this series. As for the story it makes sense that Dr. Mensah would suffer from this. The only problem is that it is referenced in this story without any real depth and since this story takes place in between already written books we really never see it again.
Like I said nothing to see here and one can skip this story. That is a sentence that I thought I would have never said concerning a Murderbot offering. There isn't even enough material to stave off your hunger for the next story in this series. It is a quick read and that is the only thing going for it.
Read
March 23, 2022martha wells said you can have a sad little short story, as a treat
January 17, 2025
Until bots have full autonomy, this problem is not going away.I can't get enough of Murderbot, an autonomous SecUnit who prefers his own company, as most intelligent people do. In the immortal words of the great philosopher Edmund Blackadder, talking to yourself is the only way to guarantee intelligent conversation. But Murderbot is still a bot of few words. It spends most of its time streaming soap operas. When I'm not talking to myself, or my cat, you'll find my nose buried in a book or eyes glued to a screen. That TikTok algorithm sure gets me. Anything to avoid people.
But I digress, this short story takes place immediately after the events of . Dr Mensah is kinda sorta settling into her role at the Preservation Station where they live now. She's also a member of the Planetary Council and she and her team are trying to figure out how they're going to navigate the future. But more urgently, she seems to be struggling though some post-traumatic stress. Her office is the same size as her holding cell. She refuses to bow to her mental health needs because if she deals with her vulnerability, what happens next? She also refuses to leave the Council because if they move to a different planet, that means getting a different bond company who wouldn't take on Murderbot and she'd risk everything to ensure it remains safe with them--as long as it wants to of course.
This entire book is from Dr Mensah's point of view and it's interesting to see how much regard she has for Murderbot. So much so she won't even call it by its name unless she's given permission. By her reckoning, she hasn't and she keeps calling it SecUnit. At one point, she has quite the scare and Murderbot vaulted over people's heads to get to Mensah. She has a bit of a breakdown and we see Murderbot go into nurse mode by increasing its ambient body temperature. It even offers her a hug. A second time since Exit Strategy. I was giggling and kicking my feet at the friendship between these two.
At its core, this story is about embracing the personhood of Murderbot. The human characters rescued by Murderbot recognise its autonomy and sentience and accord it the respect it deserves. Although, Murderbot is still an antisocial asshole. But the anticapitalist themes are also unsubtle, thankfully. In the Corporation Rim, people are subjugated and live according to the whims of the wealthiest planetary owners. In addition, they have terraforming and mining operations rampant with corruption and oppression. When they can no longer take what they can from humans, they create augmented robots or augmented humans that they can then run down until they no longer have any use for them. These bots, such as Murderbot, usually have a governor module that gives the companies the power to shut down the bots if they no longer need them. Murderbot hacked its governor module and that's what gives him sentience. This also shows that all the other bots can access their autonomy as a big fuck you to the corporate overlords.
The world here is dystopian. I'd even go as far as calling it post-dystopian. When you're well within a dystopian age that it's your new normal, it sounds as if things can never revert to a utopia or at least a more manageable way of life. The Corporation Rim is a world that is overrun by capitalist greed. It's part Orwellian because of the elite capitalists who oversee everything and have created a surveillance state, well, planet; part Philidickian (that's a stupid name if you ask me) and completely Huxleyan because it's a technocratic world. I've never read the OGs of dystopian fiction and I don't know if I care to. The reason this story is so compelling is because it focuses on the light at the end of the tunnel. At the end of it all, the Murderbot Diaries are hopeful.
Dr Mensah and her team are trying to find a way to get autonomy for Bot Units while Murderbot is trying to ensure it can retain its sentience, freedom and access to soap operas. There is still a reason to live beyond survival. Caring for allies, friends, family--these are a given because animals simply care. But when you wake up because you're excited to watch your favourite TV show or because you're working to change the world, well, aint that special?
PS// I am once again putting it out into the universe that we get a Bot 9 and Murderbot crossover.
July 15, 2024
Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory
Segunda novela curtinha da série The Murderbot Diaries e pela primeira vez não estamos acompanhando o ponto de vista do nosso robô favorito Murderbot mas sim da amiga dele a doutora Mensah e por mais que tenha apenas 19 páginas e de pra ler em um dia bem de boa eu achei bem interessante principalmente por ver os pensamentos de outros personagens acho que vale super a pena pra quem gosta da série principal e acho que faz a gente gostar ainda mais da personagem da doutora Mensah enfim é um ótimo divertimento.
Segunda novela curtinha da série The Murderbot Diaries e pela primeira vez não estamos acompanhando o ponto de vista do nosso robô favorito Murderbot mas sim da amiga dele a doutora Mensah e por mais que tenha apenas 19 páginas e de pra ler em um dia bem de boa eu achei bem interessante principalmente por ver os pensamentos de outros personagens acho que vale super a pena pra quem gosta da série principal e acho que faz a gente gostar ainda mais da personagem da doutora Mensah enfim é um ótimo divertimento.
May 24, 2024
Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory offers a fresh perspective on Martha Wells' beloved Murderbot Diaries universe, told from the viewpoint of Dr. Ayda Mensah.
📍 Science Fiction - Adventure, Cyberpunk
📍 Narrative Perspective Shift
📍 Quiet Interlude
📍 Reluctant Hero
📍 Found Family
A Fresh Perspective
Through Mensah's eyes, I gained insight into her trauma and complex relationship with Murderbot after a tragic incident.
Themes of Humanity and Belonging
The story explores themes of humanity, belonging, and the search for safety in a world that treats individuals as commodities. It also touches on the ethical treatment of bot/human constructs.
Worthwhile for Murderbot Fans
As a fan of the Murderbot Diaries, I found Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory to be a worthwhile read, offering a fresh take on the series.
📍 Science Fiction - Adventure, Cyberpunk
📍 Narrative Perspective Shift
📍 Quiet Interlude
📍 Reluctant Hero
📍 Found Family
A Fresh Perspective
Through Mensah's eyes, I gained insight into her trauma and complex relationship with Murderbot after a tragic incident.
Themes of Humanity and Belonging
The story explores themes of humanity, belonging, and the search for safety in a world that treats individuals as commodities. It also touches on the ethical treatment of bot/human constructs.
Worthwhile for Murderbot Fans
As a fan of the Murderbot Diaries, I found Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory to be a worthwhile read, offering a fresh take on the series.
November 14, 2023
Unusually for the Murderbot series, this one really wouldn't stand up to a standalone read. As a bridge between novels/novella though, for people already familiar/in love with the series, it works (especially the bit where Murderbot jumps over Ratthi's head).
Free from Tor here:
Free from Tor here:
August 6, 2020
I am glad they finally made it available in the Short Short Club event and not just those who purchase hard covers of the recent book. It is a story from Dr Mensah's POV which gives us more perspective I guess about Murderbot from the people closest to them. A nice read for the bot fans.
May 2, 2021
It's Sunday and we are kicking back after a busy week. What better way to spend it than taking turns to read a short Murderbot story out loud to each other, while enjoying a nice hot cup of tea and a biscuit!
Later...........
Alas, we are done. We didn't want it to end. I was truly moved by the empathy that flowed between Ayda Mensah and SecUnit and the value placed on autonomy.
I am still thinking thinking about physical versus mental slavery, and how we communicate our physical and emotional needs at work versus at home, or with a trusted friend.
We tailor ourselves to the environment we are in.
Later...........
Alas, we are done. We didn't want it to end. I was truly moved by the empathy that flowed between Ayda Mensah and SecUnit and the value placed on autonomy.
I am still thinking thinking about physical versus mental slavery, and how we communicate our physical and emotional needs at work versus at home, or with a trusted friend.
We tailor ourselves to the environment we are in.
October 2, 2020
Dr Mensah is the PoV, and she’s back at home, struggling mentally after being captive. SecUnit is watching, through cameras, of course, as Dr Mensah tries to fit back into her duties at Preservation, and SecUnit’s putting in purchase requests for armaments....of course.
June 27, 2021
Speaking of “niche,� this is a bit of mind candy from Wells in the Murderbot series. Not profound or long enough to be essential. Told from Dr. Ayda Mensah’s point of view it provides some ancillary perspective on the controversy that surrounds this SecUnit’s “humanity.�
It is additional fuel for the coming fire that will envelop the Corporate Rim and the individuals we have come to know.
It is additional fuel for the coming fire that will envelop the Corporate Rim and the individuals we have come to know.
January 10, 2022
Great short story
Home
By Martha Wells
This is a short story with Murderbot. Brings out it's snarky personality and protective skills. Short but good!
Home
By Martha Wells
This is a short story with Murderbot. Brings out it's snarky personality and protective skills. Short but good!
January 7, 2021
It drops the reader right in the middle of so much, but it is done perfectly. I was satisfied with what I had AND I also desired more.
November 1, 2023
Next up in my re-read of the entire series. Takes place directly after , 19 pages, set on Preservation station and told by Dr. Mensah. She is trying to deal with her trauma and emotions after the events of . Or rather, she is trying not to deal with them. Murderbot is lightening the mood and helping in its own unique way.
”It’s about being treated as a thing, isn’t it. Whether that thing is a hostage of conditional value, or a very expensively designed and equipped enslaved machine/organic intelligence. You’re a thing, and there is no safety.�
+*+*+
Comments from my first read in 2020:
Takes place before Network Effect. I had to look that up, because I honestly remember little of the novellas or the novel. High time for a re-read, apparently.
It feels unfinished. Just a small plot bunny with some editing mistakes. But it was nice. I liked it. Told from Mensah‘s POV, seeing Murderbot from the outside, but really struggling with her internal landscape after the events of the last novella. Unusual! For fans...
Can be read for free here:
”It’s about being treated as a thing, isn’t it. Whether that thing is a hostage of conditional value, or a very expensively designed and equipped enslaved machine/organic intelligence. You’re a thing, and there is no safety.�
+*+*+
Comments from my first read in 2020:
Takes place before Network Effect. I had to look that up, because I honestly remember little of the novellas or the novel. High time for a re-read, apparently.
It feels unfinished. Just a small plot bunny with some editing mistakes. But it was nice. I liked it. Told from Mensah‘s POV, seeing Murderbot from the outside, but really struggling with her internal landscape after the events of the last novella. Unusual! For fans...
Can be read for free here:
October 24, 2020
If this had been an episode of one of Murderbot's beloved serials, its reaction would have been: 'Meh'. Also, it is a stickler for details: 3 typos in 17 pages, including a name spelt wrong? 'Fucking humans'.
July 3, 2021
A short story that deals with the traumatic events on TranRollinHyfa from Dr. Mensah’s PoV, this is also about the questions raised as to what to do with a free SecUnit.
Should be read after and really only makes sense if you know the first four novellas.
Even though Murderbot’s PoV is far more entertaining, it was still nice to get a look at our favorite SecUnit from the outside and also to learn a little bit more about one person of its human crew. At this point we don’t know all that much about them, so this was appreciated.
Could do with some editing though.
You can read it for free here:
Should be read after and really only makes sense if you know the first four novellas.
Even though Murderbot’s PoV is far more entertaining, it was still nice to get a look at our favorite SecUnit from the outside and also to learn a little bit more about one person of its human crew. At this point we don’t know all that much about them, so this was appreciated.
Could do with some editing though.
You can read it for free here:
May 1, 2023
A nice short story - about a chapter length - that helped to reduce my Murderbot cravings, but it was over before I was ready.
September 29, 2024
Understanding
Ayda Mensah is a community leader and her team’s leader, so she has taken Murderbot’s case for refugee status. Besides, of all the humans, Dr. Mensah understands SecUnit/Murderbot better than anyone. She has been rescued by “it� more than once along with her team.
Oddly enough, it seems that Murderbot understands Ayda Mensah in some ways that possibly no human does.
This is not an essential addition to the Murderbot series and it’s very short, but it gives you insight into the two main characters that is not in other volumes. Well done five star short story.
Ayda Mensah is a community leader and her team’s leader, so she has taken Murderbot’s case for refugee status. Besides, of all the humans, Dr. Mensah understands SecUnit/Murderbot better than anyone. She has been rescued by “it� more than once along with her team.
Oddly enough, it seems that Murderbot understands Ayda Mensah in some ways that possibly no human does.
This is not an essential addition to the Murderbot series and it’s very short, but it gives you insight into the two main characters that is not in other volumes. Well done five star short story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2021
Have I mentioned before that I love this series? Oh, I have? Well, I'll say it again. I love this series.
This is a short story set between Exit Strategy (#4) and Fugitive Telemetry (#6) (for those unaware, Fugitive Telemetry, out next week, takes place before Network Effect. It's from the POV of Mensah shortly after the events in Exit Strategy. There's still plenty of Murderbot charm and it gives the reader a clearer understanding of the relationship between Mensah and Murderbot.
This is a short story set between Exit Strategy (#4) and Fugitive Telemetry (#6) (for those unaware, Fugitive Telemetry, out next week, takes place before Network Effect. It's from the POV of Mensah shortly after the events in Exit Strategy. There's still plenty of Murderbot charm and it gives the reader a clearer understanding of the relationship between Mensah and Murderbot.
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