Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

Network Effect - Martha Wells

May 12, 2020.
Requested by Iain and Tammie.

In! :)

Uh, I hope I could finish the last two books before this.

!!!

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

I am so in!

Silvana wrote: "Uh, I hope I could finish the last two books before this."

Books are short. You can do it.

Soo wrote: "Silvana wrote: "Uh, I hope I could finish the last two books before this."

Books are short. You can do it."

But so expensive for a novella :(

Can you borrow it from a library or friend? I bought the audiobooks when they went on sale for $5 each. The books I paid normal price.

Soo wrote: "Can you borrow it from a library or friend? I bought the audiobooks when they went on sale for $5 each. The books I paid normal price."

No access to library with decent SFF here in Indonesia. No friends who can lend me theirs too. I survive mostly because of Kindle daily deals and those novellas have been in my watchlist for years.

Silvana wrote: "Soo wrote: "Can you borrow it from a library or friend? I bought the audiobooks when they went on sale for $5 each. The books I paid normal price."

No access to library with decent SFF here in Ind..."

An omnibus is in the works... I'd expect it to release around the time of the this book's release, to get people caught up at a discounted price...

Timelord Iain wrote: "Silvana wrote: "Soo wrote: "Can you borrow it from a library or friend? I bought the audiobooks when they went on sale for $5 each. The books I paid normal price."

No access to library with decent..."

I heard about that. Read in some reviews that the stories in the first four novella could actually be compressed to one novel but Tor decided it is better to get 30++ USD for all four novellas instead.

Hopefully the discount is good since I already have the first two :)

Silvana, I totally feel you, not having access to an English library or secondhand shops makes reading an expensive habit.

That said, this may be my most anticipated release at the moment, so I have no problem spending my precious yennies on this one. :)

Thanks to Audible sale and Scribd I could catch up and now able to join this BR

Yay!

I am planning on re-reading #1-4 before this one drops. Totally excited to see what kind of grumpy shenanigans Murderbot will be drawn into next.

Carol posted that Tor is offering one free Murderbot book per day for free starting on 4/20. That's today! Go get your copy if you don't have the ebooks.

Starting now. Chapter 1 is so cool!

Ditto!

I am starting tonight!!!

Up to Ch 5... First, humans seem very irrational when compared to Murderbot. Second (view spoiler)[ WTF? tell me this isn't true! Tell me ART is alive!!! And are those horrible gray fuckers some type of "aliens", or different variation of humans? And if their tech is so different in code, maybe they are from a whole different part of the universe? But they also have a "Company" logo on their suits, so it has to be within this system, right? And also, since they have hurt and possibly killed my favorite character, ART, they all need to die!!! (hide spoiler)]

Question: Did anyone happen to pre-order and get the bonus short-story, Home? Or otherwise have access to it? I only just now learned about it and am alas too late for the promotion. (T-T)

I pre-ordered the audio and at least for now, I have not gotten to a short story... It could be at the end...

Choko wrote: "I pre-ordered the audio and at least for now, I have not gotten to a short story... It could be at the end..."

Apparently it was a promotion, and by sending proof of receipt you were emailed a copy. Tor put it in their April 30th newsletter, but I don't necessarily go through all my business promotions every day, and didn't see it in time.

https://read.macmillan.com/promo/murd...

Thank you, Melissa! That's ok, we will find it somewhere (+_+)

Choko, the story will answer all of the questions you have. =D

Short story! AHHH there's no short added to the audio. :(
I did preorder it but I don't think the audiobook got the Promo.

Ch. 8... Don't open until you get here... (view spoiler)[ OMG! Thank goodness!!!! It is very high-handed, but of course it would look for its best Murderbot friend to help it!!!! Ooooohhhh! It is a friend-romance❤️ (hide spoiler)]

You are so right and I totally get how Murderbot feels. (view spoiler)[Art is an ass. Hahaha (hide spoiler)]

Soo, (view spoiler)[ Of course it is an ass! But it is an adorable ass! Devious, beautiful Transport who really loves Murderbot!!! (hide spoiler)] I love how many emotions the supposedly unemotional bots provoke!!!

Art: (view spoiler)[I think the relationship is more like a best friends vs what we think of as dating couples. (hide spoiler)] =)

Also, I think Wells did a great job of showing body dysmorphic disorder in the story. It's when you think there's something wrong with your body whether anyone else can see it or not.

I agree completely! And I do see a lot of Asperger's aspects in Murderbot. My Jack would have so many of the same behaviors, it is uncanny! Including going in the corner when he gets too much sensory overload and pretending he doesn't hear you... And he can never naturally express joy outwardly, always defaulting to begin grumpy... I adore him!

Choko wrote: "Up to Ch 5... First, humans seem very irrational when compared to Murderbot. Second [spoilers removed]"

Up to chapter 5 too.

(view spoiler)[bummed about ART but I've a feeling it'll be recovered by the Bot. Poor Bot, they did feel sad even though they did not admit it.

Loving the action scenes, using drones and all. (hide spoiler)]

Me @ Murderbot: MY SON it fills me with joy to see you again~

Ooooohhhh ❤️! It does, doesn't it!

:D

Okay so I'm done it was nice to have a book I really wanted to read after multiple counts of me forcing myself to finish a book so I may have uhm... binged.

Thoughts:(view spoiler)[
1. Every interaction between ART and Murderbot is the absolute best thing to happen to me this week. (Well. Discounting some very well written fanfics but that is irrelevant.)

2. I'm actually not the hugest fan of most action scenes? It's why All Systems Red is still my favourite Murderbot book, because it had the extract kind of action scenes that keep me engaged. The ones in this book were very good action scenes but I did have a tendency to zone out a little during the longer sequences.

3. As usual the supporting characters are gold. ART is and will always be my favourite but I have developed soft sports for pretty much everyone.

4. I really want a whole series of ART and Murderbot going on targeted rebel forcelike missions against Evil Capitalism. I think it would be an excellent way of getting more world building and politics done and I'm definitely here for it. (hide spoiler)]

I want the same thing! I said that after book two, that the two of them should work together forever and ever!!! And I totally gave the book 5 stars! My only wish was that I could have read it slower, so I can enjoy it longer... This series is an instant favorite!

Silvana wrote: "Starting now. Chapter 1 is so cool!"

Just listened to chapter 1 - Such a good start. I like that we're straight back into the action. This is why I love Murderbot!

I'm joining! Will probably start on Monday. :)

The more the merrier!

Halfway point.

Must have missed when I listened to it....can anyone tell me
(view spoiler)[who was Leonid (?) the supervisor? Where did she come from? The corporate? (hide spoiler)]

No, I think she is just the supervisor of that particular Company and this is the first time we meet her... She just reminds Murderbot of other such as her, and he thinks she is much higher in her company than what she presents as...

Choko wrote: "Up to Ch 5... First, humans seem very irrational when compared to Murderbot. Second [spoilers removed]"

I refuse to believe this! (view spoiler)[ ART has to be alive!

Those grey bastards all need to die a horrible death, whoever they are. (hide spoiler)]

Charlie, my thoughts exactly!!! I was so mad, I was ready to cry!

Thanks, Choko. I just finished chapter 12. The plot surely thickens.

Choko wrote: "I want the same thing! I said that after book two, that the two of them should work together forever and ever!!! And I totally gave the book 5 stars! My only wish was that I could have read it slow..."

@Choko: I really loved the world building in the Raksura books and (view spoiler)[with all the weird forgotten alien tech (hide spoiler)] I feel like there is a lot of scope for that here too? All of this is just me making up more legitimate reasons to get (view spoiler)[ten novels worth of ART and Murderbot bickering (hide spoiler)] but it's still legitimate reasons.

Iain and I are going to start the Raksura books soon. Good to hear that they're good! =)

Plot definitely thickens. I actually enjoy the action scenes and all. I thought this plot either needed to have some elements trimmed out or the story should have been longer to flesh out a few parts better.

Wells does a great job of establishing state of being, events in place and other parts of setting really well. Which is why I thought the beginning and end were not as polished as they could have been. Both are a bit rough in comparison to other sections of the book.

I started this tonight. I'm only in chapter 1 but it has already sucked me in.

Love Murderbot! Just finished!

Im 7 chapters in and it's fantastic! (view spoiler)[ Murderbot is growing as a person but he's still the same Murderbot in so many ways. Protecting the humans from their stupidity is clearly a good calling for him! At least now he can tell them when they're being stupid.

The little aliens are creeping me out though. (hide spoiler)]

Charlie wrote: "Choko wrote: "Up to Ch 5... First, humans seem very irrational when compared to Murderbot. Second [spoilers removed]"
..."

I'm with you here!!

Chapter 8 (view spoiler)[ what's going on with ART? Bless him. He's rebooted and not very nice! Suppose we would be rude too if someone deleted us. And avoiding direct questions ... Uhoh.
Why would ART set Murderbot up?
Aw he hid his back up for a trusted friend ❤️ my heart melts! (hide spoiler)]