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Network Effect

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Network Effect

By: Martha Wells
Narrated by: Kevin R. Free
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About this listen

Martha Wells' New York Times and USA Today best-selling Murderbot series exploded onto the scene in 2017, and the world has not been the same, since.

Murderbot returns in its highly anticipated, first full-length stand-alone novel, Network Effect.

You know that feeling when you’re at work and you’ve had enough of people, and then the boss walks in with yet another job that needs to be done right this second or the world will end, but all you want to do is go home and binge your favorite shows? And you're a sentient murder machine programmed for destruction? Congratulations, you're Murderbot.

Come for the pew-pew space battles, stay for the most relatable AI you’ll listen to this century.

I’m usually alone in my head, and that’s where 90-plus percent of my problems are.

When Murderbot's human associates (not friends, never friends) are captured and another not-friend from its past requires urgent assistance, Murderbot must choose between inertia and drastic action.

Drastic action it is, then.

©2020 Martha Wells (P)2020 Recorded Books Adventure Hard Science Fiction Science Fiction Fiction

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All stars
Most relevant
Great series. Looking forward ro the next one! Interesting how a story about a bot can be so addictive!

Can't wait for the next one

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All of it, story, voice acting which fit well with the character and with it being shorter in length it felt more like episodes of a tv show. please do write more!

Very engrossing and exciting!

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Reformulates the standard SF tropes of aliens, bad guys and goodies into something quite human.

The spoken dialogue between the characters, objects and entities is expertly managed.

SF writing to great affect

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While I'm newly-minted fan, I was concerned that the XL version of Murderbot's activities might dilute or warp its effects. Not a chance. Instead we get a opportunity to see and learn more about all the main players. It's good to see some life on an actual 'normal' planet, rather than the continuous relay of grotty, over-priced, violent transport hubs.

Almost unfettered, rampant capitalism versus the better life that ART and Preservation represent unpins all Murderbot's diaries and many of its actions. This novel is no different. During this book, Murderbot delves deeper into emotions and relationships, and kind of regards itself askance as it does so. And yet these connections hold everything together. They drive actions, provide the reason for being, and remind all us readers why they matter. And as ever, the story, while being a great space adventure story, also makes those characters, and us, think. Reflect. And maybe change.

As narrator, Kevin R Free does a great job. He differentiates all the characters without giving the humans specific Earthbound accents or the bots silly-sounding 'I am a robot' voices.

Murderbot going big works

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Another fantastic murderbot book - though I must admit I found this one less engaging than the previous ones.

Great listen

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