All Systems Red
★★★★★
A survey team is prospecting a planet with their trusty cyborg, little knowing that it had hacked its governing unit and was a free agent. Meanwhile, systems are experiencing strange glitches and there’s something hostile about to pounce.
This is a first-person novella told from the perspective of a highly relatable autistically inclined misanthropic murderbot as it attempts to protect the humans under its care. The protagonist is beautifully written - across the 160 pages, we’re along for the journey from it apathetically half-assing its job while strenuously avoiding uncomfortable interpersonal relations to developing an emotional attachment to its humans.
The plot is nicely executed, with snarky humour, snappy action, and crisp dialogue that keeps things moving along. I read the whole thing in one sitting. By the end, I’d developed a strong emotional connection to murderbot and am eager to see how its journey unfolds in the subsequent books. Highly, highly recommended.
