- Publisher : Tordotcom; First Edition (May 8, 2018)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 160 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1250186927
- ISBN-13 : 978-1250186928
- Author : Martha Wells
Artificial Condition: The Murderbot Diaries #2 by Martha Wells is another fun romp from the Murderbot. I love the murderbot character, the socially anxious, sarcastic, physically powerful, security hacking, combat expert human machine construct. This outing was not quite as much fun as the original, but it was still very entertaining. It was a little contrived in having murderbot happen to get a ride with the super-intelligent ship that was just what it needed to get where it was going and to help it through the adventure. Its ability to override seemingly any security system either directly or with the help of its ship buddy is a little deus ex machina, but what the hell, it is not supposed to be realistic. It is supposed to be fun and it is.
Most of what I said in my last review of Murderbot #1 still applies. The action and adventure are here, but the most fun is murderbot trying to deal with humans and struggling to appear human and working on its own internal struggles. The adventure story is an excuse to let us peer into the mind of an interesting and entertaining character.
These books are well worth the time to read, even if they are mostly a distraction. I will come back to the rest of the diaries soon.
__________________
Plastivore by Matt Truxaw
