I can’t help but drop everything to listen to Martha Wells’ Murderbot Diaries series. The seventh audiobook, System Collapse, was brilliant as ART’s crew, Murderbot and the humans from Preservation seek to protect the colonists from Barish-Estranza’s SecUnit-heavy persuasion teams. A thrilling follow up to Network Effect. This one is not to be missed.
by Martha Wells
Series: The Murderbot Diaries #7
Narrator: Kevin R. Free
Length: 6 hours and 36 minutes
Genres: Science Fiction
Source: Purchase
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate
Narration: 5 cups Speed: 1.5x
Everyone's favorite lethal SecUnit is back in the next installment in Martha Wells's New York Times bestselling Murderbot Diaries series.
Am I making it worse? I think I'm making it worse.
Everyone's favorite lethal SecUnit is back.
Following the events in Network Effect, the Barish-Estranza corporation has sent rescue ships to a newly-colonized planet in peril, as well as additional SecUnits. But if there’s an ethical corporation out there, Murderbot has yet to find it, and if Barish-Estranza can’t have the planet, they’re sure as hell not leaving without something. If that something just happens to be an entire colony of humans, well, a free workforce is a decent runner-up prize.
But there’s something wrong with Murderbot; it isn’t running within normal operational parameters. ART’s crew and the humans from Preservation are doing everything they can to protect the colonists, but with Barish-Estranza’s SecUnit-heavy persuasion teams, they’re going to have to hope Murderbot figures out what’s wrong with itself, and fast!
Yeah, this plan is... not going to work.
One of my current favorite series is The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells and I was stoked to listen to System Collapse, the newest audiobook in the series narrated by Kevin R. Free. System Collapse picks up right after the events of Network Effect and it is imperative that they be read in order to appreciate this story.
Something is wrong with Murderbot, and while I have formed my opinion as to exactly what, I’ll leave you to make your own conclusions. As always, Wells delivered a top-notch story with plenty of action, suspense and twists. It seems corporate greed is everywhere … even in deep space.
System Collapse, in terms of the storyline and our SecUnit’s actions, was one of the top entries in this series so far. Murderbot continues to evolve, protect his humans and teammates and in making decisions that will impact others. I loved it. The ending hinted at things to come and I fully intend to gobble them up as soon as they publish.
Kevin R. Free narrates and has become the voice of our Murderbot, ART, the humans and others onboard. Listening only enhances my enjoyment of this tale and it lends itself perfectly to this format. I highly recommend listening.
System Collapse by Martha Wells picks up where Network Effect left off and delivered suspense, twists and excitement for our SecUnit and company. #audiobook #KevinRFree #audiobookreview Share on XAbout Martha Wells
Martha Wells has written many fantasy novels, including The Books of the Raksura series (beginning with The Cloud Roads), the Ile-Rien series (including The Death of the Necromancer) as well as YA fantasy novels, short stories, media tie-ins (for Star Wars and Stargate: Atlantis), and non-fiction. Her most recent fantasy novel is The Harbors of the Sun in 2017, the final novel in The Books of the Raksura series. She has a new series of SF novellas, The Murderbot Diaries, published by Tor.com in 2017 and 2018. She was also the lead writer for the story team of Magic: the Gathering's Dominaria expansion in 2018. She has won a Nebula Award, an ALA/YALSA Alex Award, a Locus Award, and her work has appeared on the Hugo, Nebula, and Philip K. Dick Award ballots, the USA Today Bestseller List, and the New York Times Bestseller List. Her books have been published in eleven languages.
About Kevin R. Free
Kevin R. Free is an actor, writer, director, and producer whose work has been developed both regionally and in NYC. He is an accomplished voice actor, having created voices for commercials and, most notably, the voice of Kevin for the popular podcast Welcome to Night Vale. He is proud of his 20 years as an audiobook narrator whose work spans many genres.
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About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram
Sophie
I so need to listen to that series! Everyone is raving about it!
Anne - Books of My Heart
Yes. It’s a favorite. Love it.
sherry fundin
This sounds like a series I might enjoy. Your review definitely makes me curious.
Ethan
The evolution of Murderbot and its impact on others sounds captivating. Kudos to Kevin R. Free for bringing the characters to life through narration. Your recommendation to listen has me eager to dive into this sci-fi adventure!
Sophia Rose
I feel the same about jumping on it as soon as it was in my hands. And, yes, seeing what came next in this new series arc was fab.