2025 Reading Challenge discussion

This thread is to discuss System Collapse, the seventh book in the Murderbot Diaries series by Martha Wells.

Pages: 256 pages

Length: 2 month (November and December)

Participants: Caterina, Desiré, Rebecca, Beth, Betty

Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.

I have this on hold from my library. Hopefully it will release quickly enough for me to get in on some of the discussion.

Is anyone else planning on doing a series re-read leading up to the new release? I’m getting All Systems Red from the library next week. Really looking forward to this!

I have a KU subscription. I just looked up the book, and it says it will be auto-delivered to my device on Nov 14. I’ve read all the others via KU.

I’m not doing a series reread because I’ve been doing the monthly Buddy reads since book 1… May? June?

I reread the series with the last release of the 6th installment, so am not planning to do that this time around. However, I would like to participate in this discussion and read this new release in November!

I just checked my Kindle Unlimited library. This wasn’t added to my library on the 14th. It apparently isn’t even available through KU. Since I’ve read the rest of the series in KU, it seems good to buy the (so far) last book. I’ll start it next week.

I read the book during the readathon in September; a friend lended me their ARC. I'll post my thoughts once everyone is done with the book.

I am sadly still waiting on my hold on Libby, and it says it will still take a while, so I can sadly not join in on the discussion! But I am looking forward to reading what you have all said about the book once I receive my copy!

This has been moved to the December Buddy Reads folder

I’m still waiting on my library copy of System Collapse. Meanwhile, I’m loving my re-read and experiencing Murderbot, Miki, ART, etc… all over again.

Got my copy from the library and started it today. It’s off to a great start. I love reading more about Murderbot. I’m going to update this post with my thoughts as I read.

Chapter 1
(view spoiler)[ I really enjoy the interactions with ART, so glad to see it here. “Redacted” is definitely intriguing. (hide spoiler)]

Chapters 2 - 4
(view spoiler)[ Hoping to get more info about redacted by the end of the book (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 5
(view spoiler)[ Glad to know the info that had been redacted. I was expecting it to be something much more technical and less personal than a traumatic false memory. And the action is really picking up now too. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 7
(view spoiler)[ Yes! I love seeing Murderbot processing like that and deciding to use its favorite thing, media, to help the colonists understand their situation. Also, even though Murderbot focuses on video media, it’s not lost on me that these ideas about the impact of media apply to the written word too, including this book and the many many others I read each year. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 8
(view spoiler)[ I really enjoyed the media presentation creation. (hide spoiler)]

Chapters 9-11
(view spoiler)[ The action moved really quickly through these chapters. Many tense moments but I knew Murderbot would be okay. (hide spoiler)]

Final/Overall thoughts
(view spoiler)[ I loved it! Ready for the next adventure! (hide spoiler)]

Still waiting for it to come off hold from my libraries….will I make it in time?🤷🏼‍♀️

Finished. I have to say, this is probably my least favorite of the series. I miss the old super snarky Murderbot of the earliest books! I had trouble following the plot... maybe my brain is just hyperfocused on the holidays?

I'm sure there will be more books in the series, but I doubt I'll read them.

Just catching up on this thread.

This was also my least favorite book in the series, but I absolutely love the series and I will continue reading all the books that Martha Wells releases.

@Betty - I love your chapter recaps. The media presentation in ch. 8 was perfect! And so fitting given what we know about Murderbot. If this series gets adapted, I hope we also get full episodes of The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon.

Caterina wrote: "Just catching up on this thread.

This was also my least favorite book in the series, but I absolutely love the series and I will continue reading all the books that Martha Wells releases.

@Betty ..."

Yes - I would love to see episodes of The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon.