The Murderbot Diaries: All Systems Red, Artificial Condition, Rogue Protocol, Exit Strategy Hardcover – October 27, 2020

This is a very good series if you like a lively, funny sci-fi story with a sarcastic, snarky main character.

I don't often buy hardback box sets, but I have already listened to the series on audio through a loan and knew I would be revisiting the stories and more than once so I wanted my own copies. Why not just grab them all at once? (well, most of them since this is the first four and there are two more published at the time I'm writing this). It is exactly what is advertised- the first four books in hardback inside a case featuring art from the book covers. There is no additional special features, but it is a quality book collection.I presume that many who are looking at the collection are already familiar with the books, but I'll drop a copy of my review for All Systems Red here just in case there are newbies considering this wonderful set of novellas.After reading so many of my book pal's more than favorable reviews on this one, I had to give it a go. I love sci-fi when the character is a sentient AI, cyborg, robot, etc so this was right up my alley.From the beginning, I was hooked. Murderbot is owned by a company and is sent out as the security bot for a scientific exploration group on a new planet. They are there to determine if they want to buy into the shares for the planet by testing the natural resources available. It's not long before Murderbot is working hard to keep his little herd of scientists safe from someone bent on sabotaging and maybe killing off their stranded group before the date the company comes back to pick them up. Murderbot is fully in command of himself due to a faulty command module and he has to trick everyone into thinking that all systems are normal.The wry wit of Murderbot (he did have a mass killing under his belt so why not), his non-human way of looking at things, his addiction and binge-watching of human entertainment vids, and the uncertainty this lethal being has around feelings and acts of goodness from humans who generally treat him like equipment makes for an engaging story.I found it a great blend of character-driven with action plotting. It was a quick read, but very developed. The stranded with someone out to get them for unknown reasons was a great backdrop to see Murderbot and the isolated scientists interact and learn to work together. I liked that it ended leaving things wide open for what comes next even while wrapping up this first exciting chapter in the story.

For once, don't worry if you watched the series first. The books are just as good. Skarsgard is brilliant as Murderbot, and it actually helped to have him as the visual while reading the series. The snark is pitch perfect, and the growth of all the characters is first-rate.

This is a fantastic series, and there's also one full-length novel (Network Effect) and another coming out in November 2023. The protagonist reads to me as being on the autism spectrum, although gay and trans readers and readers who are immigrants also relate to Murderbot's sense of itself as watching society from the outside. It's a profoundly hopeful series, while being funny and exciting and violent when necessary. Read the first paragraph of the first novella, and I promise that's all it will take for you to be hooked.

I LOVE these books. I’m not a huge fan of Scyfi, but these books are pure gold! They include adventure, suspense, a reluctant hero, and they are so funny!! They are attention gripping. I blew through them and then had to order the other 3 that are out..and I still want more!! I would say this is my 3rd favorite series..which is saying something because up until a year ago I only had 1 favorite series ( the wheel of time) and other books I enjoyed, but couldn’t rank. Now my list is 1: Wheel of Time, 2: Stormlight Archives and 3: Murderbot Diaries. For context, I have read a massive number of books and series over the course of my 40 years so the fact that this ranks in my top 3 is saying something. Buy them and read them!! You can thank me for my advice later LOL!

Great gift for science fiction fans. Super funny and well-written series with a very relatable protagonist. Got these as a birthday gift for my brother. I hope he loves them as much as I do.

I owned all these digitally, but re-bought the physical versions just to revisit on a more regular basis. These are classics. They will make you feel seen, and make you feel hope.

Delicious! Excellent novellas. Best description and depiction of an introvert. A must read.