A review by incipientdreamer
Network Effect by Martha Wells

adventurous challenging emotional funny lighthearted mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

 5 stars
If it isn't obvious yet, I have a special spot in my heart (and bookshelf) for Murderbot. I'd been putting off this novel for a while because there hasn't been much new news about the final 3 books and I didn't want to go through Murderbot withdrawal. So I just ended up rereading the first four books again and finally decided to pick this up.

While this was different from the usual novella style, I liked that it seemed like a high-budget movie when compared to the novellas with higher stakes and a more complicated plot. Obviously, Dr Mensah is my fav character along with Murderbot and so her parts were a delight to read. I also loved that we got to spend some time on Mensah's home planet and see the domestic side of the Preservation Alliance.

I'd missed ART a lot and it was nice to meet it again. It was still a huge asshole so that was a whole thing. I did love the development between ART and Murderbot as well as Mensah and Murderbot. Excited to read about their further adventures and just being chaotic in general.