All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries #1)

[SarahKat, Buddy Reads]

This thread is to discuss All Systems Red, the first book in the The Murderbot Diaries series by Martha Wells.

Pages: 144 pages

Length: 1 month (May)

Participants:Caterina, Desiré, Jessica

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 }.

[Desiré]

I have a hold on this at the library. Says it's 4 weeks out but hoping I get it sooner!

[Rebecca]

I'm going to try to join in this one when I get done with The Sparrow.

[Caterina]

All done! It's a novella, so it was a very quick read. I'll wait to post my thoughts until everyone else gets a chance to finish.

[Desiré]

My hold came in today! Will read this tomorrow.

[Desiré]

Okay I loved this book. Was recommended to me by a lady in my book club who reads the series weekly to her neighbors in a senior living community. She says they love it, after reading it I find that so funny and heart warming. Was thankful that it didn't take a lot of explaining to understand this world. Will write more with spoilers/thoughts soon. Already placed a hold on the next book in the series.

[Caterina]

I loved it too! Murderbot is a character that I want to read more about. I liked all the members of the team and it would be interesting to see what happens next. The world-building felt intricate and fully developed despite the book being so short. Everything was so well-executed. Props to Martha Wells!

[Desiré]

Yes to all that! The titles for the rest of the series sound just as good! (view spoiler)[ I enjoyed Murderbot's interactions with humans and the humor that was scattered through as well. I hope we get to learn more about Murderbot's past in the books. I'm really curious about the incident where they took out all those people. Also, how is their memory still intact from that? Even though they got rid of their government module it seemed that at the end of each assignment memory is erased (his team made sure to stop it). I loved the team as well and am hoping at some point in the future we get to see more of them. (hide spoiler)]

[Rebecca]

I read this one yesterday. Thought it felt a little frenzied and was packed with action. Murderbot made me smile, and I'm hoping to find out a little more about them in the next installment. (view spoiler)[ I really can't wait to see where they end up, but I was starting to get attached to the humans by the end of the book, so I was a little disappointed that Murderbot didn't stick with them a little bit longer. (hide spoiler)]

[Desiré]

Rebecca wrote: "I read this one yesterday. Thought it felt a little frenzied and was packed with action. Murderbot made me smile, and I'm hoping to find out a little more about them in the next installment. [spoil..."

(view spoiler)[ I was getting attached to the humans as well. I listened to the audiobook so I can't go back and look at names but I wanted to know more about the the newest member of their team. He was the most standoffish with Murderbot and seemed like he might be hiding something. Hoping we find out more about that in the future. (hide spoiler)]

[Caterina]

I had to take notes on all the characters to keep them straight as I was reading. I'm probably missing some important info, but here's what I had in my notes:

Murderbot (it/its) - rogue SecUnit / hacked governor module / obsessed with watching The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon / very anxious around humans / wants to be left alone

Mensah (she/her) - the big boss / political entity

Bharadwaj (she/her) - Bharadwaj and Volescu are attacked at the beginning while taking soil and mineral samples / Bharadwaj was seriously injured

Volescu (he/him) - Bharadwaj and Volescu are attacked at the beginning while taking soil and mineral samples

Pin-Lee (she/her) - flirts with Bharadwaj

Overse (she/her) - marital partner with Arada

Arada (she/her) - marital partner with Overse

Ratthi (he/him) - biologist / close friends with Arada and Overse

Gurathin (he/him) - augmented human / Gurathin uncovers that Muderbot has a hacked governor module / does not trust Murderbot

[Caterina]

I was also taken aback by Murderbot's decision to leave to the humans, especially after Mensah bought out its contract. But I also think it makes sense within the storyline. Murderbot was always unconformable and anxious around the humans, so it obviously needs more time to come to terms with these new relationships. I would love to see the humans back in the storyline; there's no reason to introduce new characters when we already have some pretty awesome ones. Nevertheless, I trust in the author's vision and I hope she'll come through in the next installments.

[Desiré]

Caterina wrote: "I was also taken aback by Murderbot's decision to leave to the humans, especially after Mensah bought out its contract. But I also think it makes sense within the storyline. Murderbot was always un..."

Perfectly written! Also, I love that you take notes to keep everything straight.

[Caterina]

Desiré wrote: "Caterina wrote: "I was also taken aback by Murderbot's decision to leave to the humans, especially after Mensah bought out its contract. But I also think it makes sense within the storyline. Murder..."

Haha! I end up doing something similar in every book where too many characters are introduced at the same time or else I lose track of how they're related.

[Desiré]

Thinking I will do something similar. Especially because I am usually reading 2 books at a time, one physical and one audiobook.

[Lina]

I just finished this today and Desiré pointed out to me that you are reading the series as audiobooks. I enjoyed reading through your commentary and notes!
I did like the humans we got to know in this book, too, but I would have been a bit disappointed if Murderbot had decided to stay with them. I think it just wouldn't really have fit in with his feelings regarding humans and his thoughts about what to do with his life / and his preconceptions about what living on their planet would mean for him. I am looking forward to reading more!