The Sword and Laser discussion

Our book pick for next month is: Network Effect by Martha Wells.

Our guest host will be: Robb Dunewood form the SMR Podcast.

WOO HOO!!! I love Murderbot just as much as I love those magical youth!

I just finished reading all of the Murderbot novellas and Network Effect! Very enjoyable.

Good choice!

This looks like the 5th in the series. Is it necessary to read the previous books in the series first?

Good I’ve been looking for an excuse to read more of that series, I only read the first book but I loved it. Can’t wait to read it and book 2-4

Yes, I've been wanting to read this series. Looking forward to it. I will be trying to quickly get through the Novellas before I start Network Effect though. Although not required, I like reading books in publication order.

Tina wrote: "This looks like the 5th in the series. Is it necessary to read the previous books in the series first?"

It's not required, but reading the first 4 novellas is worth it to get a background on all the characters.

Tor did give away the first 4 novellas last year just before Network Effect came out. With "Fugitive Telemetry" Book 6 coming out in a week (Apr 27), it may be worth keeping an eye out to see if they do the same this year.

One of us will post about it here, if it does happen. Who knows they may even give away "Network effect" as well. They've done that with several of their favourite authors that they publish to promote sales.

Tina wrote: "This looks like the 5th in the series. Is it necessary to read the previous books in the series first?"

No, but they're great. The first four are novella length. Give 'em a read!

Now I've got to get moving on the novellas. I've read 1 and 2.

Tina wrote: "This looks like the 5th in the series. Is it necessary to read the previous books in the series first?"

I think you should at least read the first one. They’re all fast reads because they’re so fun.

All Systems Red - 155 pages
Artificial Condition - 149 pages
Rogue Protocol - 150 pages
Exit Strategy - 163 pages
Network Effect - 348 pages

Coming April 27:
Fugitive Telemetry - 172 pages

While not necessary to read the preceding four novellas I would highly recommend them. They are fun, fast, and hilarious. I actually preferred the shorter format for this series but that said, "Network Effect" is excellent. Murderbot is one of Sci Fi's greatest characters of all time.

Tor.com has published the Murderbot short story Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory online

https://www.tor.com/2021/04/19/home-h...

The first Murderbot short is The Future of Work: Compulsory

https://www.wired.com/story/future-of...

Why are we reading the 5th book? PS. All of them are great, I'm just confused. :)

According to the author's website, Fugitive Telemetry, which comes out next week, is set between Exit Strategy and Network Effect.

Charles wrote: "Why are we reading the 5th book? PS. All of them are great, I'm just confused. :)"

Network Effect is the first full length Murderbot novel. You don't have to read them in order. You'll learn everything you need to understand that SecUnit is a killing machine for our times.

Also, Tom explained his reasoning in his Patreon briefing.

Charles wrote: "Why are we reading the 5th book? PS. All of them are great, I'm just confused. :)"

Me too. Some of us are slow readers so it’s not that easy to catch up, even if the books are short.

Also, looks like the previous books total over 600 pages so it’s like reading another novel first. Just makes it really hard to keep up with the group.

Not to mention expensive! The first is reasonably priced for a novella but the second cost the same as the fifth! It’s pretty off-putting

Rob wrote: "Our book pick for next month is: Network Effect by Martha Wells.

Already read it but I am more than happy to reread this one.

Our guest host will be: Robb Dunewood form the SMR Podcast."

Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth wrote: "Not to mention expensive! The first is reasonably priced for a novella but the second cost the same as the fifth! It’s pretty off-putting"

Yeah they are annoyingly expensive for the length of them. I got some free in the Tor giveaway last year but I missed the third one (Rogue Protocol.) Oh well, maybe they’ll be in another giveaway!
(I want to read all the novellas before starting Network Effect, I’ve been meaning to read them anyway so this is a good prompt to get on with it)

Read Network Effect last year and gave it 3* on Goodreads. Though, I'm going to re-read it.

Look for the audiobooks. I do not know the situation in USA, but I have listened to all of them through Storytel (streaming service for audiobooks and ebooks), they might be available in similar way over there too.

And I would recommend reading novellas 1 and 2.

\o/

Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth wrote: "Not to mention expensive! The first is reasonably priced for a novella but the second cost the same as the fifth! It’s pretty off-putting"

Check your library, I checked them out of my local library instead of buying them.

Now I have an excuse to finish reading the novellas! (Not that I really needed one. I was going to get around to them eventually.) I read the first two. I thought I had downloaded them all when Tor was giving them away for free but I somehow missed the third one. Thankfully, my library has it on audio. They have Network Effect as well. It's rare they have any of the S&L picks. Anyhoo, it will save me an Audible credit. ;)

@Tina and others who've read none of the novellas.... you don't need to read all of them but I'd strongly encourage you to read the first one, All Systems Red. It give you most of the flavor of Murderbot and who they are and, I think, will make Network Effect a better experience. Yeah, there will still be some references to earlier events that happen in the other novellas that you wont fully appreciate but... eh.

Ooo, I've always meant to pick up the Murderbot series, but just never got around to it. I'm happy to see that they're all on Scribd on audio, so I might try to blast through them on there and then get the ebook copy of Network Effect from my library.

I am super bummed I missed the Tor giveaways. D: I'm usually really good about keeping up with those. But it did happen during the early days of the pandemic hellscape, so I'll give myself a little leeway for missing it, lol!

I got the books in the Tor give away and shot through them at light speed. They were really quick to read for three good reasons:

1: They are mysteries: you really want to find out what's going on.
2: There are some great edge-of-seat action scenes.
3: They are really funny!

I'm tempted to reread the entire series, I could do with a few chuckles.

Rick wrote: "@Tina and others who've read none of the novellas.... you don't need to read all of them but I'd strongly encourage you to read the first one, All Systems Red. It give you most of t..."

Thank you. It looks like they have it in my library so I’ll try to at least read the first one.

Charles wrote: "Check your library, I checked them out of my local library instead of buying them."

Gosh, why didn’t I think of that... haha, sorry, I couldn’t resist the sarcasm.

Alas, there isn’t a sniff of these books in my library. The price of the novellas is pushing me to skip this one. I can’t justify the cost of them all, but it sounds like I’d be missing out if I skipped at least the first, and it would feel too weird to read the first and then jump straight to the fifth. And my to read list is long enough already, so I’ll sit this one out.

Charles wrote: "Check your library, I checked them out of my local library instead of buying them."

My library has never heard of Martha Wells. I'm going to give the sample a go (as I always do) but I'm also skeptical of jumping into a series mid-way.

Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth wrote: "Charles wrote: "Check your library, I checked them out of my local library instead of buying them."
Gosh, why didn’t I think of that... haha, sorry, I couldn’t resist the sarcasm.
Alas, there isn..."

Elizabeth wrote: "Charles wrote: "Check your library, I checked them out of my local library instead of buying them."
My library has never heard of Martha Wells. I'm going to give the sample a go (as I always do) b..."

@Ruth :p lol :)
That's so weird that y'alls libraries don't have them. I wonder if it's a regional thing?
Looking at Library Extension (I love that chrome plugin!) 3 of my local library systems have book 5.
I hadn't heard of Martha Wells under the MurderBot series came out but she has other books too, which are on my TBR list.

Yeah, almost certainly a regional thing. Since this book group is obviously based in the US, often picks aren't quite as known and in demand in other countries. There's nothing by Martha Wells in either of the library systems I have access to. I do have a book by her that I picked up, I think maybe in a humble bundle, a while back. Maybe I'll read that instead.

It's okay. I have a feeling, though highly praised, that these books wouldn't be my cup of tea anyway. The cost is just the deciding factor.

^Maybe it's a size of library thing? My local library has only one copy, a physical book. Meanwhile my Overdrive at LA Public Library shows 44 copies, of which 14 are available. Any chance of getting a card at a bigger library? Used to be you had to go in but these days it's generally offered online.

I think the Murderbot books are great and would recommend reading all five. Cost, yep, definitely an issue, but that goes away if it's library borrows. (Of course if you can afford to buy, do it! Authors need money.)

It’s not one small library - libraries are linked in the UK into local areas, or at least, all the ones I’ve used are - it may not be country wide. I can access Lancashire and Leeds area, so I don’t think it’s a size issues. lol

Out of curiosity, I signed up for Manchester, They have the novellas at Manchester, but only one copy physical of each, and all on loan, some with multiple holds.

I have similar issues with my local library systems - neither the Liverpool City nor the Sefton (area immediately to the north of the city, where I live) has any of the Murderbot books.

Good way to boost the Laser Challenge. If only 100 people read all of them that will be +500 !

Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth wrote: "Yeah, almost certainly a regional thing. Since this book group is obviously based in the US, often picks aren't quite as known and in demand in other countries. "
I wonder if S&L has a thread for international reads? I would love to read great scifi and fantasy from other countries that doesn't get press here in the US. We have so many members from other countries I bet it would be easy to fill a thread with great recs! :)

I said this on the podcast but if you have Hoopla through your public library, the first four novellas are there at least in audio.

Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "I said this on the podcast but if you have Hoopla through your public library, the first four novellas are there at least in audio."

Is Hoopla the same for everyone?

I don't believe so. I think one of the librarians that commented about the systems a while back mentioned that it was some what determined by what the libraries bought. But I could be misremembering.

John (Nevets) wrote: "I don't believe so. I think one of the librarians that commented about the systems a while back mentioned that it was some what determined by what the libraries bought. But I could be misremembering."

I assumed content was determined by each individual library, but it sounds like it’s more akin to Netflix where the library pays the fee and everyone with a library card gets the password.

I looked in the Hoopla FAQ but it’s not clear which way it works.

Trike wrote: "Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "I said this on the podcast but if you have Hoopla through your public library, the first four novellas are there at least in audio."

Is Hoopla the same for everyone?"

I'm unclear. I know libraries pick which content types and how many borrows but beyond that I'm not sure they control it at a title level. My library allows movies, music, tv shows along with eBooks, comics, and audiobooks. Some libraries that offer other solutions for audio, for instance, don't seem to include that content. We get 7 loans a month, but I've heard of others that get 10.

Yeah, we get 10, but it used to be 6. It was increased in 2020.

Occasionally there’s also a bunch of books that don’t count against your borrows, which is how I’ve read 15 graphic novels in a month. As far as I know there isn’t a special designation for that, I just happen to stumble across it from time to time when looking for something else. There’s also no delineation of these books’ special status except for a link at the bottom of the description.

Ah! Found it!

They’re called Bonus Borrows and don’t count against your monthly allowance. I found it on the Hoopla site (I bolded the relevant parts):

Bonus Borrows Are Back!

February 1, 2021

hoopla is pleased to announce that our popular Bonus Borrows program is back for the month of February! We’ve put together a curated Bonus Borrows offering containing hundreds of audiobooks, eBooks, comics, and videos that patrons can borrow and enjoy without using any of their monthly Instant borrows, and these borrows come at no cost to libraries as well. The hoopla Resource Center holds all the assets you need to let your patrons know about this great program. Bonus Borrows are available now through February 28, but please note that we will be bringing this program back quarterly—enjoy in February, and then look forward May, August, and November!

So next month more free books, hopefully different from past ones.

In the LA County Overdrive system the Novellas are available on audio with the 'Always Available' flag. Meaning there is never a hold queue.

Nice I moved to Adelaide from t(e UK I was glad to find the state organises the e-library so the range of books is excellent. All the murderbot books are available....

That said the Lancashire library was pretty good about buying books on request. You just had to know the request link. I worked that pretty hard worth a look (no good on a month time scale)

OMG, I just finished the Murderbot series for the first time, other than one coming out on the 27th. This is going to be a fun discussion. I'd also suggest reading the other books in the series prior.