Book Review – ‘Rogue Protocol’ (#3 The Murderbot Diaries) by Martha Wells

A mission for Murderbot the shows him humanity in the unlikeliest of places – another robot.

Genre: Science Fiction

No. of pages: 158

SciFi’s favorite antisocial A.I. is again on a mission. The case against the too-big-to-fail GrayCris Corporation is floundering, and more importantly, authorities are beginning to ask more questions about where Dr. Mensah’s SecUnit is.

And Murderbot would rather those questions went away. For good.

Another all-consuming instalment in the Murderbot Diaries. I love how Murderbot is still growing – questioning his own motivations and analysing how others treat him and Miki (a human shape bot that ends up being his sidekick) on this mission to uncover evidence against GrayCris.

There is action galore and I did not want to put the book down. I did feel like it ended a little abruptly and there are some issues raised that are going to have to be addressed in the next instalments, though I wish there would have at least been some acknowledgement at the end of ‘Rogue Protocol…’ Murderbot seemed to be a bit all over the place emotionally, and his processing power is stretched to its limits, so it really did seem like we were missing bits. I think that’s why this is my lowest ranked book in the series so far.

I loved the human interactions with a new group on this mission, though there was less of an emotional bond on the surface as there was in previous books. Murderbot seemed to take a backward step as he switched back into the SecUnit role, rather than that of Consultant.

Miki was a great contrast for Murderbot, and provided the reader, and Murderbot, with a nifty lens to show a path that is open, an identity that can be crafted, oh the possibilities. But we only get fleeting glimpses of it because Murderbot stays on task and moves on once the mission is complete.

I like that these novellas are fairly unpredictable in the sense that you never know what wrench is going to be thrown into the storyline, but predictable enough in that it is episodic by nature. I’m still really excited to pick up the next book in the series, but am trying to pace myself out because I am so thoroughly enjoying the Murderbot Diaries.

Martha Wells knows how to craft a story, set a cracking pace, and possesses an ironic tone in her writing style that is endearing and engaging.

Still highly recommending this series. Next up: ‘Exit Strategy.’

Overall feeling: cute, but all over the joint.

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