All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries, #1)

by Martha Wells

I COULD HAVE BECOME a mass murderer after I hacked my governor module, but then I realized I could access the combined feed of entertainment channels carried on the company satellites. It had been well over 35,000 hours or so since then, with still not much murdering, but probably, I don’t know, a little under 35,000 hours of movies, serials, books, plays, and music consumed. As a heartless killing machine, I was a terrible failure.

So, I’m awkward with actual humans. It’s not paranoia about my hacked governor module, and it’s not them; it’s me.

“All right,” she said, and looked at me for what objectively I knew was 2.4 seconds and subjectively about twenty excruciating minutes.

Knowing about things on the planet that might eat them while they’re trying to do whatever it is they’re doing was kind of important.

I don’t care much about who my clients are or what they’re trying to accomplish.

Yes, talk to Murderbot about its feelings. The idea was so painful I dropped to 97 percent efficiency.

you may have noticed that when I do manage to care, I’m a pessimist.

I love you, armor, and I’m never leaving you again.

“You don’t blame humans for what you were forced to do? For what happened to you?” This is why I’m glad I’m not human. They come up with stuff like this. I said, “No. That’s a human thing to do. Constructs aren’t that stupid.”