Book 45 of 2025: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
My favorites this month were “Missing Helen” by Tia Tashiro, “The Walled Garden” by Fiona Moore (another of her excellent Morag stories), “Welcome to Kearney” by Gary Kloster, and “Hunter Harvester” by Bam Bruin.
Books
I read…a lot. Here’s where I ramble about books and printed media.
Blaze of Glory by Simon Hawke
Book 44 of 2025: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rather amusingly, this is the second of two consecutive TNG novels with a piracy theme. This one is much better, because it doesn’t have a Ferengi speaking like they learned English from Disney’s Long John Silver. Otherwise, a perfectly serviceable TNG adventure; nothing really stands out for good or ill.
The Unsinkable Ship of Fools by Jonas Goonface
Book 43 of 2025: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fun story with a definite anarchistic political sensibility about a group of people (some human, some…less so), trapped on a cursed train…oh, and it’s smut, so there’s lots of explicit sex. One of Iron Circus’s standalone erotic graphic novels, outside of their Smut Peddler line, but with the same gender/sexuality/ability/body type inclusivity that they focus on.
The Murderbot Diaries Vol. 3 by Martha Wells
Book 42 of 2025: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(Collects Fugitive Telemetry and System Collapse.)
The final two Murderbot novellas (so far), though the novel Network Effect takes place between them, so I read the first half of this book, paused to read the novel, and came back to finish this off. As good as the rest, and Murderbot and ART make such a good pair of characters.
Network Effect by Martha Wells
Book 41 of 2025: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
These are just so good. Kidnapping, rescues, mysterious ships and colonies, and all with Murderbot’s eternally exasperated outlook on the humans around it…who for some reason, keep causing it to have to deal with emotions. The first novel in the series gets a slightly grander scope and cast of characters, but still easily holds true to the heart of it all.
Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory by Martha Wells
Book 40 of 2025: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Another very short glimpse into the world around Murderbot. Brief as it is, I really liked the look at how Mensah is dealing with the trauma and PTSD of her experiences, and how Murderbot is integrating into its new situation. They way these two are relying on each other is really nice.
The Murderbot Diaries Vol. 2 by Martha Wells
Book 39 of 2025: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(Collects Rogue Protocol and Exit Strategy.)
Brings the overall arc of the first four Murderbot novellas to a close, as Murderbot continues to investigate the circumstances behind the events of All Systems Red, and learns ever more about itself in the process. Really satisfying, and even as a neurotypical person (as far as I know, at least), it’s all too easy to identify with Murderbot’s confusion and irritation with human behavior.
Rapport: Friendship, Solidarity, Communion, Empathy by Martha Wells
Book 38 of 2025: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
A short story in the Murderbot universe, but without Murderbot, instead following one of the other characters. Answers some of the outstanding questions about this character in very interesting ways, but I suspect there is much more coming later in the series.
Compulsory by Martha Wells
Book 37 of 2025: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
A very quick read (just a few pages). Chronologically comes before All Systems Red, but I’m glad I found out about it and read it after reading Artificial Condition, as it takes place at a time frequently referenced in that book. Just a tiny little glimpse into Murderbot’s past.
The Murderbot Diaries Vol. 1 by Martha Wells
Book 36 of 2025: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(Collects All Systems Red and Artificial Condition.)
I’d read the first half of this back in 2018, when All Systems Red was nominated for the Philip K. Dick award, but until now, hadn’t gone any further into the series. Having Martha Wells as a Guest of Honor for this year’s Worldcon was a great reason to pick these up and read them all.
Definitely enjoyed All Systems Red as much as I remembered from the first time around, and Artificial Condition is just as fun, picking up almost exactly where ASR ends and exploring more of Murderbot’s past. Murderbot is such a great character.
