Network Effect (The Murderbot Diaries #5)[November 1, 2023]

[Graeme]

54% in.

People being honest about what they feel is a key theme in this story.

[Graeme]

Sorry folks, bailing out at 65% due to the absence of clear momentum in the story vs a clear villain. The stakes and threats are too diffuse to hold my attention. Disappointing given the earlier stories in shorter formats worked really well.

Looking forward to the next read.

[Mel]

Sorry it didn't work out for you Graeme. I agree that the pacing is not as tight in the novel as with the shorter novellas. It's been a few years since I read it upon release, so I don't remember where in the storyline you left off, but from what I remember, I do think it picks up to finish strong in the end. I think it was around Chapter 11 or 12 or so that I felt a bit of a lull from the first half going into the 2nd half.

[Graeme]

I may give it another go when I'm next on holiday, Mel.

I have a lot on at the moment and I'm looking for tighter plots to immerse myself in, which was why the earlier books with their shorter formats worked really well for me.

[Graeme]

I was sitting in a waiting room and picked this up again....

Well, that's annoying ... bailing back in and still going, now at 68% with enough intrigue to keep me going...

[Narilka]

Graeme wrote: "I was sitting in a waiting room and picked this up again....

Well, that's annoying ... bailing back in and still going, now at 68% with enough intrigue to keep me going..."

I think it should hold your interest to the end now :)

[Graeme]

I hope so...

[Nirkatze]

Dittoing everybody--best of luck for it holding your interest, Graeme!

[Graeme]

😀

[Graeme]

Finished.

Apart from the middle bit around 50-65%, I enjoyed this story.

[Nirkatze]

Grats on the finish, Graeme! I'm glad it picked up enough for you to enjoy.

[Graeme]

Thanks Nirkatze, yeah it was good.

[Narilka]

I can't wait to see your final review Graeme. Glad you enjoyed it :)

[Graeme]

Narilka wrote: "I can't wait to see your final review Graeme. Glad you enjoyed it :)"

Thanks, Narilka. I hope to write it later today.

[Mel]

I finally got my copy of System Collapse, and was contemplating diving straight into that one, but then saw several recommendations to reread this first.

So, starting a much belated reread!

Chapter 3
Yep, I had definitely forgotten how the first couple chapters had started out, remembering more the "main" storyline. Upon reread I'm thinking more on the structural decisions made. I'm glad we get these flashbacks with Dr. Mensa for a quieter moment. Honestly I could lap up Murderbot/Mensa moments for days. I platonically ship them so hard. It was also a good way to get introduced to her daughter Amena and we get a glimpse of her teenager personality. (Or, "just below the local standard for legal adult," which yeah... elder teen vibes.)

@Felina
I also love the eavesdropping moment.
Mensa: In fact, it’s probably listening to us right now. Are you listening, SecUnit?
Me, on the feed: What? No.

Like, can we appreciate the punctuation there? The use of the colon transcript format makes it extra meme-able comedy, and I'm here for it.

[Tonari no Emily]

I think I liked this one a lot more on the reread. Again, loving all the quotes everyone picks out :)

I think I rushed through the ending a bit, so its a little blurry for me. Might revisit it before I go to the next one.

[Mel]

Chapter 4
There were too many ways to kill us using the airlock, so I stepped over the seal into the corridor.
Actually, while there may be variations on the theme, I think there is essentially ONE way to be killed by an airlock.

Chapter 6
“Angry, then afraid, then dead. Is that the right order?”
Aw, fuck. Murderbot is fucking terrifying when it's pissed.

(view spoiler)[If it were a human (ick, I know) I would almost say it was having an emotion. Or two. Almost as if the traumatic shock of losing ART has sent it flying into a fury of grief and rage.

Murderbot: I am not being emotional. But those bastards deleted ART, and now I am going to hurt them.

I tore the energy weapon out of Target Two’s hand along with a few fingers, stabbed the weapon into its chest (it didn’t have a sharp end but I made do) and ripped a large hole. Then I used the weapon, and the large hole, to lift Target Two up and slam it into the upper bulkhead. Three times. Fluid and pieces went everywhere.
That was satisfying. I think I’ll do it again.

Me: Daaamn. Yep, no. *cough* Not emotional at all. (hide spoiler)]

Re: HelpMe.file
I'm glad we've finally acknowledged that the Company (view spoiler)[has been redacted out of Murderbot's descriptions up until now. This implies that Murderbot is still not fully in control of itself. I really hope we get more on this in System Collapse. (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Loving your recaps, Mel--it's like getting a highlights refresher... which is good, since I've read like 40 books since this last month, and I need it before jumping in!

[Mel]

Haha, glad you appreciate it! I know, I've legit gone back through BRs before in lieu of a reread to refresh my memory for a sequel. ^_^

Hm. That actually made me curious about what I highlighted the first time around buddy reading this.

Chapter 10
In the thick of the mystery-solving theorizing and counter-theorizing. This would be there part where it being a reread would give some excellent context, noticing all the clues and such. But for better or worse, I've completely forgotten, and thus am going through it all over again confused AF. 🤣🤣🤣

I mean I remember actiony stuff that happens later. Like, I have a pretty good sense of the incident coming up, and what they do after that, and what they discover, and climactic crazies. But the specific thing they're talking about now? ... Nope!

[Tonari no Emily]

Mel wrote: "Haha, glad you appreciate it! I know, I've legit gone back through BRs before in lieu of a reread to refresh my memory for a sequel. ^_^

Hm. That actually made me curious about what I highlighted ..."

Yeah I was the same in my reread and now I've already forgotten some important bits... I think a lot of that was only because I wasn't clear with exactly what was going though. I went back through the first BR you posted and that kinda helped jog my memory :D

[Mel]

So I may have also gotten sidetracked during that mid-book lull. But! I'm back and into the second half.

Chapter 14
Let the games begin! (view spoiler)[Busting out Murderbot 2.0 is just such a fantastic moment. Like, even though they've planned this killware attack, it is such an amazing reveal that we get to read it from Murderbot 2.0's POV!!

Apparently the organic parts of my brain were doing a lot more heavy lifting than I gave them credit for.
That is such a Murderbot assumption to make, to discount the value of its organic components. "Human brain? Psssshh! Don't even know what that thing does!"



Finally getting the reveal of that helpme file. Fiiinally getting an interaction with another SecUnit. (hide spoiler)] We are eating well this chapter. :)

[Nirkatze]

Mel wrote: "So I may have also gotten sidetracked during that mid-book lull. But! I'm back and into the second half.

Chapter 14 ..."

LOL Keep the popcorn coming! (view spoiler)[I love Murderbot 2.0! And it was so awesome to finally get some interaction with other SecUnits that wasn't just pointy-shooty. (hide spoiler)]

[Tonari no Emily]

Mel wrote: "So I may have also gotten sidetracked during that mid-book lull. But! I'm back and into the second half.

."
For sure!! (view spoiler)[ Interactions with other SecUnits was one of the main things I was wanting to see and we waited soooo long for it :D (hide spoiler)]

[Mel]

Starting Chapter 19 now, see if I'll make that final push today to finish.

Sorry I don't have the whole play-by-play reactions, even though I think this section (14-18ish) has some of my favorite scenes and awesome action.

We just (view spoiler)[reconnected with Murderbot 2.0 downloading itself into Murderbot 1.0, which is just all kinds of delicious Double Trouble.

Also, in Adventures in Living with Your Own Killware Cozied Up Inside Your Head, 2.0 had partitioned off a corner of my processing space. It would have worried me more if it wasn’t in there watching episode 172 of Sanctuary Moon.

Yeah, this sounds about right. 🤣

We also just encountered the creepy crystalized human body. Getting to all the end details that I both do and don't remember. I think I was still left wanting more information about the alien remnants when I finished last time. Regardless of whether questions get answered, it'll be good to have the details fresh in mind for System Collapse. (hide spoiler)]

[Mel]

I finished and am finally ready to dive into the next!

I think this time around I was less *hyperventilating* Blahhhgh!! but still very much enjoyed myself, and many of the highlights still held up. I still thought it so cute how (view spoiler)[eager ART was to meet Dr. Mensah. Getting all spiffied up. Just adorable.

On the other hard, I think I was even more horrified by the fact that Murderbot was forced to basically kill itself. Physically and violently. Super traumatic. I'm also even more curious about what Three will decide to do, and I took a quick peek at System Collapse and (view spoiler)[am excited to see Three mentioned within the first couple pages. (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

I have more thoughts, but I'm eager to move on to the next book, and to finally join in the next thread.

[Nirkatze]

Oh, glad you enjoyed and grats on finish Mel! Definitely agree that the novel-length makes for less page-flipping and more relax-and-enjoy... love your quotes & pull out scenes as always! (view spoiler)[Totally forgot about ART & Mensah, or about 2.0 getting some quality downtime in with Sanctuary Moon... (hide spoiler)]