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The Murderbot Diaries #8
Platform Decay
Everyone's favorite lethal SecUnit is back in the next installment in Martha Wells' bestselling and award-winning Murderbot Diaries series.
Having someone else support your bad decision feels kind of good.
Having volunteered to run a rescue mission, Murderbot realises that it will have to spend significant time with a bunch of humans it doesn't know.
Including human children. Ugh.
This may well call for... eye contact!
(Emotion check: Oh, for f—)
Having someone else support your bad decision feels kind of good.
Having volunteered to run a rescue mission, Murderbot realises that it will have to spend significant time with a bunch of humans it doesn't know.
Including human children. Ugh.
This may well call for... eye contact!
(Emotion check: Oh, for f—)
256 pages, Hardcover
First published May 5, 2026
About the author
Martha Wells
105 books26.1k followersMartha Wells has been an SF/F writer since her first fantasy novel was published in 1993, and her work includes The Books of the Raksura series, the Ile-Rien series, The Murderbot Diaries series, and other fantasy novels, most recently Witch King (Tordotcom, 2023). She has also written media tie-in fiction for Star Wars, Stargate: Atlantis, and Magic: the Gathering, as well as short fiction, YA novels, and non-fiction. She has won Nebula Awards, Hugo Awards, Locus Awards, and a Dragon Award, and her work has appeared on the Philip K. Dick Award ballot, the British Science Fiction Association Award ballot, the USA Today Bestseller List, the Sunday Times Bestseller List, and the New York Times Bestseller List. She is a member of the Texas Literary Hall of Fame, and her books have been published in twenty-five languages.
She is also a consulting producer on The Murderbot Diaries series for Apple TV+.
She is also a consulting producer on The Murderbot Diaries series for Apple TV+.
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May 6, 2026Oh God I needed more Murderbot. This is a lovely one. Murderbot is getting help for the massive trauma inflicted on what we are now calling Hell Plague Planet lol, and the story is part about some active healing it's doing, and part an extended rescue operation. It's cleverly told (the two encounters with raiders/pirates are between them a masterclass in conveying emotion and action and threat with brevity) and the last couple of pages are just 'stand up and cheer' for about twelve different reasons.
So intelligently written. I am so tired of first person narrative that begins and ends with 'I' pronouns: this is full of character, very cleverly told. (Notice how the first chapter feels oddly passive for Murderbot, lol.) Just great.
Do not under any circumstances start here, it's a roman fleuve and you need the whole story in order. Absolutely need. Please more Murderbot.
So intelligently written. I am so tired of first person narrative that begins and ends with 'I' pronouns: this is full of character, very cleverly told. (Notice how the first chapter feels oddly passive for Murderbot, lol.) Just great.
Do not under any circumstances start here, it's a roman fleuve and you need the whole story in order. Absolutely need. Please more Murderbot.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
[dramatic announcer voice]
When we last saw our intrepid explorer, it was reeling from 2.0, processing the inconvenient freedom of Three, and absolutely not having feelings about any of it.
We rejoin our hero in the field again—now running an inconvenient emotional subroutine and a freshly repaired risk assessment module—with a rescue mission already going sideways. A corporation circles, humans ask questions, and Murderbot continues to insist it is only here to do its job… and definitely not because it cares (and maybe—maybe—watch its shows in peace).
[end scene]
I’ll be honest—it’s been a while since I finished a Murderbot and immediately wanted to loop back for a reread, but Platform Decay breaks that streak. ‘Bot is back doing what it does best: saving people it kind of cares about, or at least doesn’t actively hate.
“(I’ve been out of the game for a while, as they say on some of my shows. Not the good ones, though.)”
If that’s true, it didn’t show. ‘Bot has integrated lessons from System Collapse and isn’t fighting the emotion checks anymore (mostly). It has taken the bold step of installing a mental health module (“I know, I was surprised I did it, too.”) so there’s less recursive interruption, more commentary:
“(Emotion check: If we ran into any human murderers they had better be heavily armed, because I am in a bad fucking mood.)”
Something about the rhythm felt, well, organic again, a rolling sequence of incident and recovery that provides both escalation and variety of conflict without feeling engineered. I’ll note that I did have to slow myself down to try and understand the setting, a ‘torus’ around a planet. Unfortunately, as ‘Bot alternates between confused and annoyed with the environment, it wasn’t particularly helpful in building understanding. However, the background of the torus eventually becomes clear, so eventually I was able to ground myself in the action (figuratively, of course).
“(You may be asking yourself: if the giant torus was just as hard if not harder to get around on than the planet, why did the humans build it and not just a ring of normal-sized stations? I was asking myself that too.)”
Instead of our familiar scientist team, ‘Bot and Three are on a mission that involves Mensah’s family. We get to meet more of the extended family group, including Sofi, an amazing person who is full of juvenile enthusiasm:
“Sofi talked at me for thirty-two minutes about seven completely different individual subjects, then fell asleep again.”
Wells does something really interesting with the plotting, and in some ways, ‘Bot and the family turn out to be rather ancillary to the motivation. Given the entire series has been about a generally paranoid former SecUnit who has been hiding or actively fighting a corporation, this is a refreshing and fun take.
As always, I have a number of highlights and quotes. Since it has already stood up to a re-read, it’s clearly worth a buy and might make it onto my desert island read category. Highly recommended for series fans. Technically, one could jump in and start at this book, since there are so many new characters, but that would mean missing the extra layer of fun with the emotion checks.
“(Emotion checks suck. How am I supposed to analyze something that has no inherent rationality in the first place?)”
Ah, Murderbot. You speak our language.
Many, many thanks to Tor/Forge and NetGalley for an advanced review copy. All quotes are subject to change in the final edition, but you get the tone. I’d love to say I am unbiased, but that’s only in relation to the free e-reader copy. I’m completely biased when it comes to Murderbot.
When we last saw our intrepid explorer, it was reeling from 2.0, processing the inconvenient freedom of Three, and absolutely not having feelings about any of it.
We rejoin our hero in the field again—now running an inconvenient emotional subroutine and a freshly repaired risk assessment module—with a rescue mission already going sideways. A corporation circles, humans ask questions, and Murderbot continues to insist it is only here to do its job… and definitely not because it cares (and maybe—maybe—watch its shows in peace).
[end scene]
I’ll be honest—it’s been a while since I finished a Murderbot and immediately wanted to loop back for a reread, but Platform Decay breaks that streak. ‘Bot is back doing what it does best: saving people it kind of cares about, or at least doesn’t actively hate.
“(I’ve been out of the game for a while, as they say on some of my shows. Not the good ones, though.)”
If that’s true, it didn’t show. ‘Bot has integrated lessons from System Collapse and isn’t fighting the emotion checks anymore (mostly). It has taken the bold step of installing a mental health module (“I know, I was surprised I did it, too.”) so there’s less recursive interruption, more commentary:
“(Emotion check: If we ran into any human murderers they had better be heavily armed, because I am in a bad fucking mood.)”
Something about the rhythm felt, well, organic again, a rolling sequence of incident and recovery that provides both escalation and variety of conflict without feeling engineered. I’ll note that I did have to slow myself down to try and understand the setting, a ‘torus’ around a planet. Unfortunately, as ‘Bot alternates between confused and annoyed with the environment, it wasn’t particularly helpful in building understanding. However, the background of the torus eventually becomes clear, so eventually I was able to ground myself in the action (figuratively, of course).
“(You may be asking yourself: if the giant torus was just as hard if not harder to get around on than the planet, why did the humans build it and not just a ring of normal-sized stations? I was asking myself that too.)”
Instead of our familiar scientist team, ‘Bot and Three are on a mission that involves Mensah’s family. We get to meet more of the extended family group, including Sofi, an amazing person who is full of juvenile enthusiasm:
“Sofi talked at me for thirty-two minutes about seven completely different individual subjects, then fell asleep again.”
Wells does something really interesting with the plotting, and in some ways, ‘Bot and the family turn out to be rather ancillary to the motivation. Given the entire series has been about a generally paranoid former SecUnit who has been hiding or actively fighting a corporation, this is a refreshing and fun take.
As always, I have a number of highlights and quotes. Since it has already stood up to a re-read, it’s clearly worth a buy and might make it onto my desert island read category. Highly recommended for series fans. Technically, one could jump in and start at this book, since there are so many new characters, but that would mean missing the extra layer of fun with the emotion checks.
“(Emotion checks suck. How am I supposed to analyze something that has no inherent rationality in the first place?)”
Ah, Murderbot. You speak our language.
Many, many thanks to Tor/Forge and NetGalley for an advanced review copy. All quotes are subject to change in the final edition, but you get the tone. I’d love to say I am unbiased, but that’s only in relation to the free e-reader copy. I’m completely biased when it comes to Murderbot.
October 24, 2025
Literally, this murdering cybor series is one of my favorite comfort books.
November 14, 2025
Absolutely thrilled to get another installment of Murderbot adventures, and even more so that this one includes Murderbot interacting with children!
I honestly expected (and wanted) more interactions with children from it, but most of the people in this book are adults.
The story takes place not too long after System Collapse , thus extending on the plotline that first started in Network Effect . It involves both familiar and new faces, as well as people that have been mentioned before but never appeared on-page thus far.
It takes places on an unfamiliar, massive space station, where Murderbot is sent in a mission.
My favourite recurring character was Three, who has definitely not gotten enough attention in System Collapse! To be honest, even now in Platform Decay it doesn't get enough attention, but I'll take what I can get.
That is maybe also my biggest gripe with the book - it just doesn't go as in depth in many of the areas where I wanted it to. Specifically, the character dynamics. The Murderbot Diaries are such an intensely character-driven series, but I have noticed before how the books (especially the last few) seem to almost shy away from showing us any details of Murderbot casually interacting with others (or other characters with each other). To a certain extend, that makes sense, as Murderbot is famously anti-social (or pretends to be). But it's starting to frustrate me a little bit, especially here, where two of the most prominent characters in the series, and the two people Murderbot itself is the most attached to, get one or two lines in the last 2 pages at most, not even enough to be considered a dialogue.
I also found the overall tension arc of this book a bit confusing - there is a huge confrontation 60-70% in the book that is very detailed, high-stakes and emotional. Then anything after that is abbreviated. A lot of the book, Murderbot and its companions spend travelling, and while the previous stops were all described in detail, the book then just skims over several more stops before going into the finale. And that finale pales significantly in comparison to the earlier confrontation, and ends super inconclusively. The book then jumps straight into a very (emotionally) unsatisfying ending.
I am aware that my personal frustration with the lack of epilogue to round out my emotional investment in the book heavily tinges how I feel about it, but I do think that even disregarding the ending, this is one of the weakest installments in the series. It has wonderful moments, the typical humor, an emotional punch, and is very intrinsically Murderbot - but the way it is plotted and structured isn't as cohesive as the other books, and it feels unbalanced in some parts.
I received an ARC and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
I honestly expected (and wanted) more interactions with children from it, but most of the people in this book are adults.
The story takes place not too long after System Collapse , thus extending on the plotline that first started in Network Effect . It involves both familiar and new faces, as well as people that have been mentioned before but never appeared on-page thus far.
It takes places on an unfamiliar, massive space station, where Murderbot is sent in a mission.
My favourite recurring character was Three, who has definitely not gotten enough attention in System Collapse! To be honest, even now in Platform Decay it doesn't get enough attention, but I'll take what I can get.
That is maybe also my biggest gripe with the book - it just doesn't go as in depth in many of the areas where I wanted it to. Specifically, the character dynamics. The Murderbot Diaries are such an intensely character-driven series, but I have noticed before how the books (especially the last few) seem to almost shy away from showing us any details of Murderbot casually interacting with others (or other characters with each other). To a certain extend, that makes sense, as Murderbot is famously anti-social (or pretends to be). But it's starting to frustrate me a little bit, especially here, where two of the most prominent characters in the series, and the two people Murderbot itself is the most attached to, get one or two lines in the last 2 pages at most, not even enough to be considered a dialogue.
I also found the overall tension arc of this book a bit confusing - there is a huge confrontation 60-70% in the book that is very detailed, high-stakes and emotional. Then anything after that is abbreviated. A lot of the book, Murderbot and its companions spend travelling, and while the previous stops were all described in detail, the book then just skims over several more stops before going into the finale. And that finale pales significantly in comparison to the earlier confrontation, and ends super inconclusively. The book then jumps straight into a very (emotionally) unsatisfying ending.
I am aware that my personal frustration with the lack of epilogue to round out my emotional investment in the book heavily tinges how I feel about it, but I do think that even disregarding the ending, this is one of the weakest installments in the series. It has wonderful moments, the typical humor, an emotional punch, and is very intrinsically Murderbot - but the way it is plotted and structured isn't as cohesive as the other books, and it feels unbalanced in some parts.
I received an ARC and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
May 13, 2026
This book is a filler episode. Let me explain.
First, let me say that I really enjoyed this latest installment. It was a fun, short read that kept me busy for a few hours. And that was it. Just a little enjoyment while I wait over a year again for another short bit of fun from this series. And all for what?
I first read this series back in 2021, and I really enjoyed the books that were out, but I feel like the story should have ended with the fourth novella, Exit Strategy, which happens to be my favorite in the series. Willingly reuniting with the Preservation crew and starting a new life as a free agent was a great conclusion to Murderbot's story. But then it kept going, and I was happy to get more of Murderbot's thoughts. Except now it's still going, and it does seem like it's actually getting anywhere.
This entire book was an escape mission, very much like the plot of Exit Strategy. In Exit Strategy, Murderbot is on a mission to rescue Dr. Mensah from an evil corporation on a space station. In this book, Murderbot is doing the same thing, except now it's Dr. Mensah's family that needs rescuing from an evil corporation on a space station. And what's the point of it?
Where is this series leading? What is Murderbot's end goal with each installment? Because so far it's just sort of along for the ride, being moved by humans.
At least in the earlier books, Murderbot was doing what it wanted, and its choices alone drove the plot. Don't get me wrong, no one is forcing Murderbot to do anything, but it feels less and less like the main engine for the plot, and more like a simple participant in everything that is going on. This makes the plot feel stagnant.
Nothing in this book advances the overarching plot the author is seemingly trying to build. Or is it actually even building to anything? Sometimes it feels like the author doesn't know what to do with the character anymore and is just writing because it sells. When will this story end? Where will Murderbot end up? After eight books in a series, the reader should at least have an idea. And maybe I'm reading these wrong because I don't have a clue.
This book felt pointless to me. It reads like a side quest. Again, it reads like a filler episode. It was lackluster and boring compared to its predecessors. It also lacked the emotional depth of previous installments. My favorite part of these books is seeing how Murderbot interacts with the humans it has chosen to trust and how it deeply cares for them. Murderbot's relationship with Dr. Mensah is one of my favorites, but we don't get any of the familiar humans in this book, not even ART is there as a familiar entity, just new faces that I don't care enough about.
And now we have to wait, only God knows how long, for the next installment. Hopefully, it's more substantial than this one.
Check out my review on my my blog!
First, let me say that I really enjoyed this latest installment. It was a fun, short read that kept me busy for a few hours. And that was it. Just a little enjoyment while I wait over a year again for another short bit of fun from this series. And all for what?
I first read this series back in 2021, and I really enjoyed the books that were out, but I feel like the story should have ended with the fourth novella, Exit Strategy, which happens to be my favorite in the series. Willingly reuniting with the Preservation crew and starting a new life as a free agent was a great conclusion to Murderbot's story. But then it kept going, and I was happy to get more of Murderbot's thoughts. Except now it's still going, and it does seem like it's actually getting anywhere.
This entire book was an escape mission, very much like the plot of Exit Strategy. In Exit Strategy, Murderbot is on a mission to rescue Dr. Mensah from an evil corporation on a space station. In this book, Murderbot is doing the same thing, except now it's Dr. Mensah's family that needs rescuing from an evil corporation on a space station. And what's the point of it?
Where is this series leading? What is Murderbot's end goal with each installment? Because so far it's just sort of along for the ride, being moved by humans.
At least in the earlier books, Murderbot was doing what it wanted, and its choices alone drove the plot. Don't get me wrong, no one is forcing Murderbot to do anything, but it feels less and less like the main engine for the plot, and more like a simple participant in everything that is going on. This makes the plot feel stagnant.
Nothing in this book advances the overarching plot the author is seemingly trying to build. Or is it actually even building to anything? Sometimes it feels like the author doesn't know what to do with the character anymore and is just writing because it sells. When will this story end? Where will Murderbot end up? After eight books in a series, the reader should at least have an idea. And maybe I'm reading these wrong because I don't have a clue.
This book felt pointless to me. It reads like a side quest. Again, it reads like a filler episode. It was lackluster and boring compared to its predecessors. It also lacked the emotional depth of previous installments. My favorite part of these books is seeing how Murderbot interacts with the humans it has chosen to trust and how it deeply cares for them. Murderbot's relationship with Dr. Mensah is one of my favorites, but we don't get any of the familiar humans in this book, not even ART is there as a familiar entity, just new faces that I don't care enough about.
And now we have to wait, only God knows how long, for the next installment. Hopefully, it's more substantial than this one.
Check out my review on my my blog!
February 1, 2026
“There was nothing I could do about it now, so I watched episode 487 of Sanctuary Moon and tried to pretend none of this was happening.”
Thank you to netgalley and TorDotCom for the arc.
I am a huge fan of Murderbot and the first 5 books have all been either great or excellent reads for me. The last two books have been mixed reads for me and unfortunately this one is a miss for me as well.
It is mostly a taste thing though. To me Murderbot is about popcorn action, found family, and MB’s sarcastic internal running commentary. As Murderbot grows, evolves, and deals with freedom, it is put into situations where it can’t keep making wisecracks and punch its way out- This is fair, sensible, and adds a realistic character arc to SecUnit. It’s just not fun for me as this is one of my designated comfort series and I want more of the stuff I am familiar with.
Coming specifically to this book, Murderbot is once again trapped in a situation where it has to rescue a bunch of humans from a dangerous situation. The blurb mentioned that MB has to spend time with a group of humans it doesn’t know and this piqued my curiosity. This situation is the recipe for success because MB is socially awkward and brings itself comfort by snarking about the humans it is stuck with internally. However, because of the stuff I’ve mentioned previously, the interactions between Murderbot and the new set of humans are not fun.
One other thing I was missing was dialogue. Usually Murderbot books are dialogue heavy but this book appears to be very descriptive and we barely have the characters talking to each other. They’re stuck in a gigantic space station and they travel across many zones that are described in detail. I don’t know if it was again a me thing but the plot also felt like it lacked urgency. I have travelled for 7 books with MB and I know how capable and powerful it is. The challenge and level of enemies it is facing does not appear to have scaled up, contributing to this book feeling like a filler episode. I was always convinced that Murderbot would win the day even if it suffered some losses. And since there wasn’t much interaction between the group, and it was a new cast of characters who I was told was very important to some familiar characters but was only told that- and I never connected with them, I couldn’t feel invested.
As always your mileage may vary, so take my review with a pinch of salt. This book didn’t work for me, but I am still invested in the Murderbot universe and will be excited every time there’s a new murderbot installment. Murderbot is just such an amazing character and concept, and Martha Wells has more than earned my faith.
Thank you to netgalley and TorDotCom for the arc.
I am a huge fan of Murderbot and the first 5 books have all been either great or excellent reads for me. The last two books have been mixed reads for me and unfortunately this one is a miss for me as well.
It is mostly a taste thing though. To me Murderbot is about popcorn action, found family, and MB’s sarcastic internal running commentary. As Murderbot grows, evolves, and deals with freedom, it is put into situations where it can’t keep making wisecracks and punch its way out- This is fair, sensible, and adds a realistic character arc to SecUnit. It’s just not fun for me as this is one of my designated comfort series and I want more of the stuff I am familiar with.
Coming specifically to this book, Murderbot is once again trapped in a situation where it has to rescue a bunch of humans from a dangerous situation. The blurb mentioned that MB has to spend time with a group of humans it doesn’t know and this piqued my curiosity. This situation is the recipe for success because MB is socially awkward and brings itself comfort by snarking about the humans it is stuck with internally. However, because of the stuff I’ve mentioned previously, the interactions between Murderbot and the new set of humans are not fun.
One other thing I was missing was dialogue. Usually Murderbot books are dialogue heavy but this book appears to be very descriptive and we barely have the characters talking to each other. They’re stuck in a gigantic space station and they travel across many zones that are described in detail. I don’t know if it was again a me thing but the plot also felt like it lacked urgency. I have travelled for 7 books with MB and I know how capable and powerful it is. The challenge and level of enemies it is facing does not appear to have scaled up, contributing to this book feeling like a filler episode. I was always convinced that Murderbot would win the day even if it suffered some losses. And since there wasn’t much interaction between the group, and it was a new cast of characters who I was told was very important to some familiar characters but was only told that- and I never connected with them, I couldn’t feel invested.
As always your mileage may vary, so take my review with a pinch of salt. This book didn’t work for me, but I am still invested in the Murderbot universe and will be excited every time there’s a new murderbot installment. Murderbot is just such an amazing character and concept, and Martha Wells has more than earned my faith.
May 6, 2026
4.5 stars
I love Murderbot! A little sad that ART wasn’t really in this one but it was still so entertaining. Platform Decay feels like a returns to a more familiar type of storyline for this series. Murderbot’s snark and humor were amazing as always. I found its interactions with the “juveniles” particularly endearing.
I love Murderbot! A little sad that ART wasn’t really in this one but it was still so entertaining. Platform Decay feels like a returns to a more familiar type of storyline for this series. Murderbot’s snark and humor were amazing as always. I found its interactions with the “juveniles” particularly endearing.
May 5, 2026
Book 8 of the
2026 Read Your Hoard Challenge
Barish-Estranza is the gift that just keeps on giving. Murderbot is on a mission to retrieve some humans being held on an enormous torus-style space station, while dodging B-E flunkies. The torus is split into lots of sections, each with its own governing corporate body and security. Murderbot and Three have a plan, but no plan survives contact with the enemy. As Murderbot says, you can't trust humans to behave in sensible ways.
We quickly learn that Murderbot has a new mental health module. This module queries regularly, asking how our bot is doing. Murderbot is also attempting to be more honest with itself and its clients. The combination of these two factors were amusing to me. Plus, Murderbot is still trying to calibrate its risk assessment module.
Risk assessment just hit the roof.
I'm not sure I like having risk assessment be more accurate. It keeps scaring the shit out of me.
The book has a familiar pace and tension to the plot. However, I felt like there was a little magic missing from the secret sauce. I haven't yet identified the change for sure, but it might have to do with Murderbot's internal dialogue. It felt like there were fewer parenthetical comments than in previous books. I also feel like Murderbot is either less angry or maybe more in touch with other emotions. It's evolving and I'm resisting change? Don't get me wrong, I still loved it, but it may take another repetition or two until I come to terms with this installment.
In the acknowledgements Wells states that “It's been another hard year,” perhaps an indication of why this book feels different. It has been three years since the last Murderbot offering, so she also thanks her audience for “still being there.” Where else would we be, Ms. Wells? You've created a beloved character. I hope this year is a better one for you.
Barish-Estranza is the gift that just keeps on giving. Murderbot is on a mission to retrieve some humans being held on an enormous torus-style space station, while dodging B-E flunkies. The torus is split into lots of sections, each with its own governing corporate body and security. Murderbot and Three have a plan, but no plan survives contact with the enemy. As Murderbot says, you can't trust humans to behave in sensible ways.
We quickly learn that Murderbot has a new mental health module. This module queries regularly, asking how our bot is doing. Murderbot is also attempting to be more honest with itself and its clients. The combination of these two factors were amusing to me. Plus, Murderbot is still trying to calibrate its risk assessment module.
Risk assessment just hit the roof.
I'm not sure I like having risk assessment be more accurate. It keeps scaring the shit out of me.
The book has a familiar pace and tension to the plot. However, I felt like there was a little magic missing from the secret sauce. I haven't yet identified the change for sure, but it might have to do with Murderbot's internal dialogue. It felt like there were fewer parenthetical comments than in previous books. I also feel like Murderbot is either less angry or maybe more in touch with other emotions. It's evolving and I'm resisting change? Don't get me wrong, I still loved it, but it may take another repetition or two until I come to terms with this installment.
In the acknowledgements Wells states that “It's been another hard year,” perhaps an indication of why this book feels different. It has been three years since the last Murderbot offering, so she also thanks her audience for “still being there.” Where else would we be, Ms. Wells? You've created a beloved character. I hope this year is a better one for you.
May 9, 2026
2.4⭐️
Emotion check. Disappointment. Frustration. That could have gone better.
It's another hostage retrieval mission for Murderbot/Sec Unit. After all, it's what it's built for. But it's all pretty rote, this time out. The hacking, the fighting, the mid- mission mental issues -all part of the Murderbot formula. I'm not sure why it bothers me in this novella
and not so much in the others, except I listened to this as an audio book and Murderbot's endless internal rambling and digressions seem more obviously like padding than in the written editions. The new cast of characters, more of Dr. Mensah's very extended family, just didn't capture my interest. It seems to me like Wells' wrote this one in a hurry.
Kevin R Free's narration grated on me, this time out, although I've liked it in previous books.
Still- almost three stars - just because it's Murderbot and Martha Wells and because the ending's decent.
Emotion check. Disappointment. Frustration. That could have gone better.
It's another hostage retrieval mission for Murderbot/Sec Unit. After all, it's what it's built for. But it's all pretty rote, this time out. The hacking, the fighting, the mid- mission mental issues -all part of the Murderbot formula. I'm not sure why it bothers me in this novella
and not so much in the others, except I listened to this as an audio book and Murderbot's endless internal rambling and digressions seem more obviously like padding than in the written editions. The new cast of characters, more of Dr. Mensah's very extended family, just didn't capture my interest. It seems to me like Wells' wrote this one in a hurry.
Kevin R Free's narration grated on me, this time out, although I've liked it in previous books.
Still- almost three stars - just because it's Murderbot and Martha Wells and because the ending's decent.
May 16, 2026
5⭐️ This has to go down as one of the all time great sci-fi series! It’s extremely accessible. The series is a perfect entry point for new readers to dip a toe into sci-fi while remaining engaging for sci-fi buffs.
If you’ve liked previous Murderbot this won’t disappoint. If you like books driven by smart rebellious characters you’ll adore Murderbot but you’ve got to start at the beginning. Don’t worry most of them are novellas so they fly by!
Platform Decay doesn’t push the larger narrative forward or level up Murderbot, instead it acts as a reset for the series. It’s perfect timing really, as Murderbot advanced its programming & heroics over the last few books, I was worried we were straying towards the ridiculous. This reminded me of All Systems Red, the first book, in so many ways. On the surface, both books are about Murderbot trying to keep its humans alive for a set period of time, until help comes. While this is happening, Murderbot is running a therapy program for PTSD with mixed results. We can compare how Murderbot communicates & makes space for its/others feelings here vs the first book.
It’s interesting that Wells (Murderbot) and Butcher (Dresden Files) both did a series deescalation/ reset using trauma recovery as a device. For me, Platform Decay executed this to perfection while Twelve Months floundered in multiple places. While Murderbot is changing, it still feels authentic to the character we love. The plot is simplified so we can focus on Murderbot emotional journey but there’s consistent driving action all the way through.
If you’ve liked previous Murderbot this won’t disappoint. If you like books driven by smart rebellious characters you’ll adore Murderbot but you’ve got to start at the beginning. Don’t worry most of them are novellas so they fly by!
Platform Decay doesn’t push the larger narrative forward or level up Murderbot, instead it acts as a reset for the series. It’s perfect timing really, as Murderbot advanced its programming & heroics over the last few books, I was worried we were straying towards the ridiculous. This reminded me of All Systems Red, the first book, in so many ways. On the surface, both books are about Murderbot trying to keep its humans alive for a set period of time, until help comes. While this is happening, Murderbot is running a therapy program for PTSD with mixed results. We can compare how Murderbot communicates & makes space for its/others feelings here vs the first book.
It’s interesting that Wells (Murderbot) and Butcher (Dresden Files) both did a series deescalation/ reset using trauma recovery as a device. For me, Platform Decay executed this to perfection while Twelve Months floundered in multiple places. While Murderbot is changing, it still feels authentic to the character we love. The plot is simplified so we can focus on Murderbot emotional journey but there’s consistent driving action all the way through.
May 10, 2026
New Murderbot novel, I could not resist for long. It was meant to be a treat and it was a treat.
But a warning, the Murderbot series is a long flow of action, one story usually picking up right after the other has finished (apart from the published out of order Fugitive Telemetry which corrects that) and there are high points of action and crisis, and there are stories which is poor Murderbot recovering and have a more quiet time. This is one of those recovering and having a quieter time (though poor Murderbot still has to do a lot of traumatic high action things). More action focused, humans get rescued, Murderbot has feelings it does not totally try to bury. Up to standards, and that is fantastic.
As usual, as before, Martha Wells is amazing at consistently portraying a future society in the little details. (A lot of authors writing action based sf end up writing action as if everything was similar to modern, or even worse late 20th century tech, but Wells gets it to feel different, like a future would likely be).
And Three is the most adorable, wholesome, sweetest thing ever. There is not a lot of ART/Murderbot in here (and I find myself fangirling shipping them both) but my fangirl heart is oh so happy squealing about Three being on page whenever it is, and wanting to use a lot of emojis and all.
But a warning, the Murderbot series is a long flow of action, one story usually picking up right after the other has finished (apart from the published out of order Fugitive Telemetry which corrects that) and there are high points of action and crisis, and there are stories which is poor Murderbot recovering and have a more quiet time. This is one of those recovering and having a quieter time (though poor Murderbot still has to do a lot of traumatic high action things). More action focused, humans get rescued, Murderbot has feelings it does not totally try to bury. Up to standards, and that is fantastic.
As usual, as before, Martha Wells is amazing at consistently portraying a future society in the little details. (A lot of authors writing action based sf end up writing action as if everything was similar to modern, or even worse late 20th century tech, but Wells gets it to feel different, like a future would likely be).
And Three is the most adorable, wholesome, sweetest thing ever. There is not a lot of ART/Murderbot in here (and I find myself fangirling shipping them both) but my fangirl heart is oh so happy squealing about Three being on page whenever it is, and wanting to use a lot of emojis and all.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
It took me a moment to get back into the swing of things, as it always does with a Murderbot story, but once things got moving I was so happy to be back with this SecUnit on another adventure surrounded by humans with too many emotions and icky human physical needs. But bonus, this time Murderbot has its own mental health module running and has emotional checks running throughout the shenanigans; what fun that was.
I have always enjoyed these stories, though only loved a few, and a lot of that is due to the political and corporate machinations just swimming past my eyeballs without really making any impact on me; as I've said before and I'm saying again, I'm not here for whatever plot might be happening, I'm just here for Murderbot bemoaning its lack of alone time and wishing it could basically be left along to rot on a couch with its shows. But now, in addition to dodging other rogue SecUnits (that scene was hysterical), it is also forced to reconcile with the fact that it sometimes has feelings? Yuck.
Murderbot becoming a begrudging found family ensemble will never not be incredible.
Really enjoyed this instalment and am already looking forward to the next. Also, side note, can't wait for more of the tv series!
3.5 stars
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) exchange for an honest review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
I have always enjoyed these stories, though only loved a few, and a lot of that is due to the political and corporate machinations just swimming past my eyeballs without really making any impact on me; as I've said before and I'm saying again, I'm not here for whatever plot might be happening, I'm just here for Murderbot bemoaning its lack of alone time and wishing it could basically be left along to rot on a couch with its shows. But now, in addition to dodging other rogue SecUnits (that scene was hysterical), it is also forced to reconcile with the fact that it sometimes has feelings? Yuck.
Murderbot becoming a begrudging found family ensemble will never not be incredible.
Really enjoyed this instalment and am already looking forward to the next. Also, side note, can't wait for more of the tv series!
3.5 stars
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) exchange for an honest review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
January 9, 2026
My first read of 2026!
I was happy to see another addition to the Murderbot series, and grateful to get my hands on an early copy. This one follows our favorite SecUnit on a new mission that reads like a side quest to the larger story. It doesn’t do much to advance the main plot. Just like with all the other installments, I had trouble picturing the environments and following some of the action, but that was my issue and not the author’s fault.
The best part of the story by far was the banter and the interactions between SecUnit and the children. But there wasn’t enough of it for me. Overall, I found this book a bit lackluster in comparison to the others.
I WAS amused that SecUnit used the word “fuck” a lot. And I liked the ending quite a bit. I’ll definitely keep reading these as long as Martha Wells continues to write them.
Thank you to Netgalley and to the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
I was happy to see another addition to the Murderbot series, and grateful to get my hands on an early copy. This one follows our favorite SecUnit on a new mission that reads like a side quest to the larger story. It doesn’t do much to advance the main plot. Just like with all the other installments, I had trouble picturing the environments and following some of the action, but that was my issue and not the author’s fault.
The best part of the story by far was the banter and the interactions between SecUnit and the children. But there wasn’t enough of it for me. Overall, I found this book a bit lackluster in comparison to the others.
I WAS amused that SecUnit used the word “fuck” a lot. And I liked the ending quite a bit. I’ll definitely keep reading these as long as Martha Wells continues to write them.
Thank you to Netgalley and to the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
May 3, 2026
Murderbot is back! Perhaps not in the same way it used to be, though.
This time around Murderbot is sent on a mission to find and protect Dr. Mensah’s family members until they can get off the enormous space station in which they’re currently hiding. Murderbot has grown a bit in various ways and it is always interesting to see those changes in action.
Murderbot now has a mental/emotional health checker which turned out to be rather hilarious. In addition, it has upped its usage of curse words, which I also find to be pretty funny. Some things haven’t changed though, and Murderbot still loves its various media programs, especially Sanctuary Moon.
It still has its reservations about interacting with humans and is still fighting to understand the reasons behind their actions. I think these are the portions I enjoy the most. An introvert such as myself can identify with a lot of Murderbot’s thoughts in this area.
Overall, this was a fun, quick read and I enjoyed catching up with Murderbot again.
Recommended!
ARC from publisher
This time around Murderbot is sent on a mission to find and protect Dr. Mensah’s family members until they can get off the enormous space station in which they’re currently hiding. Murderbot has grown a bit in various ways and it is always interesting to see those changes in action.
Murderbot now has a mental/emotional health checker which turned out to be rather hilarious. In addition, it has upped its usage of curse words, which I also find to be pretty funny. Some things haven’t changed though, and Murderbot still loves its various media programs, especially Sanctuary Moon.
It still has its reservations about interacting with humans and is still fighting to understand the reasons behind their actions. I think these are the portions I enjoy the most. An introvert such as myself can identify with a lot of Murderbot’s thoughts in this area.
Overall, this was a fun, quick read and I enjoyed catching up with Murderbot again.
Recommended!
ARC from publisher
January 23, 2026
Just over two years ago, I discovered — and promptly devoured — Martha Wells’ Murderbot Diaries. The series hooked me with its unusual protagonist: a part‑organic, part‑mechanical security construct who has hacked its governor module and claimed its own autonomy. Calling itself “Murderbot,” it’s a hyper‑competent multitasker who can monitor a dozen threats while binge‑watching future‑space telenovelas. As a relatively “new” human, Murderbot has a complicated relationship with emotions, and the series tracks its gradual, often funny, often touching evolution as it figures out what it means to be a person, make friends, and navigate feelings it never asked for. It’s no surprise that many readers see Murderbot as a stand‑in for teenagers, neurodivergent folks, or anyone who has ever felt out of sync with the world.
If you’re new to the series — or if you’ve only watched the Apple TV+ adaptation — there’s still time to catch up. At its core, Murderbot’s story is a sequence of adventures that double as a coming‑into‑personhood narrative. It has an intrinsic sense of fairness, a habit of pulling information from wildly diverse sources (especially pop culture), and a growing awareness of the political structures around it. One of the series’ ongoing themes is the tension between the hyper‑capitalist “Corporation Rim” and the more egalitarian societies struggling to exist outside its reach.
Platform Decay, the eighth installment, can absolutely stand alone. Wells gives new readers enough grounding to understand who Murderbot is, what it can do, and why its freedom is precarious.
This time, the action unfolds on a massive rotating space station shaped like a torus, orbiting a planet that has been strip‑mined into ruin. (If you’re not familiar with torus habitats, the Stanford Torus page on Wikipedia has great visuals.) The station itself is one of the book’s delights: Wells avoids the trap of “video‑game level design” by giving each subdivision its own history, socioeconomic profile, and architectural logic.
The plot centers on Murderbot and its fellow SecUnit, Three — a newer model who has been free for far less time — as they attempt to rescue their friends from Preservation. These friends, all brown and all from a non‑Rim world, have been illegally detained by Corporation operatives and are being processed for indentured servitude (or worse). The parallels to the past year of ICE overreach in the U.S. are unmistakable. Wells doesn’t soften the critique; she uses the sci‑fi frame to make the injustice sharper, not more distant.
While Murderbot can hack security systems, forge credentials, and erase itself from surveillance feeds without breaking a sweat, its real challenge is blending in. Much of the book’s humor comes from its attempts to navigate the crush of humanity on the torus, including installing movement‑assist modules so it can walk more like a natural‑born human. The resulting journey has a bit of Tintin energy — lots of transit systems, lots of motion, lots of chaotic detours — all described with Wells’ signature dry wit.
There’s plenty of action: rescuing friends, evading capture, investigating reports of a “rogue SecUnit” (which turns out to be Three making some questionable choices out of boredom), and dealing with wealthy, entitled kids who have turned piracy into a hobbyist “smash and grab.” Through it all, Murderbot remains Murderbot — trying to minimize harm when possible, but taking undeniable satisfaction in dealing decisively with people who insist on being terrible. At one point, it does all this with a kindergartener attached to it like a barnacle, which is exactly the kind of chaotic tenderness that makes this series work.
And ultimately, Platform Decay is less about whether Murderbot will succeed — long‑time readers know the mission will get done — and more about how it gets there. The pleasure of this installment is in the movement, the worldbuilding, the character beats, and the messy, funny, deeply human moments along the way. After so much fast‑paced action, the ending feels a bit anticlimactic, but that’s because the real payoff is the journey itself.
ORIGINAL URL: http://www.livegreenwearblack.com/202...
Thanks to TOR and NetGalley for the ARC. The book is due out in May 2026.
If you’re new to the series — or if you’ve only watched the Apple TV+ adaptation — there’s still time to catch up. At its core, Murderbot’s story is a sequence of adventures that double as a coming‑into‑personhood narrative. It has an intrinsic sense of fairness, a habit of pulling information from wildly diverse sources (especially pop culture), and a growing awareness of the political structures around it. One of the series’ ongoing themes is the tension between the hyper‑capitalist “Corporation Rim” and the more egalitarian societies struggling to exist outside its reach.
Platform Decay, the eighth installment, can absolutely stand alone. Wells gives new readers enough grounding to understand who Murderbot is, what it can do, and why its freedom is precarious.
This time, the action unfolds on a massive rotating space station shaped like a torus, orbiting a planet that has been strip‑mined into ruin. (If you’re not familiar with torus habitats, the Stanford Torus page on Wikipedia has great visuals.) The station itself is one of the book’s delights: Wells avoids the trap of “video‑game level design” by giving each subdivision its own history, socioeconomic profile, and architectural logic.
The plot centers on Murderbot and its fellow SecUnit, Three — a newer model who has been free for far less time — as they attempt to rescue their friends from Preservation. These friends, all brown and all from a non‑Rim world, have been illegally detained by Corporation operatives and are being processed for indentured servitude (or worse). The parallels to the past year of ICE overreach in the U.S. are unmistakable. Wells doesn’t soften the critique; she uses the sci‑fi frame to make the injustice sharper, not more distant.
While Murderbot can hack security systems, forge credentials, and erase itself from surveillance feeds without breaking a sweat, its real challenge is blending in. Much of the book’s humor comes from its attempts to navigate the crush of humanity on the torus, including installing movement‑assist modules so it can walk more like a natural‑born human. The resulting journey has a bit of Tintin energy — lots of transit systems, lots of motion, lots of chaotic detours — all described with Wells’ signature dry wit.
There’s plenty of action: rescuing friends, evading capture, investigating reports of a “rogue SecUnit” (which turns out to be Three making some questionable choices out of boredom), and dealing with wealthy, entitled kids who have turned piracy into a hobbyist “smash and grab.” Through it all, Murderbot remains Murderbot — trying to minimize harm when possible, but taking undeniable satisfaction in dealing decisively with people who insist on being terrible. At one point, it does all this with a kindergartener attached to it like a barnacle, which is exactly the kind of chaotic tenderness that makes this series work.
And ultimately, Platform Decay is less about whether Murderbot will succeed — long‑time readers know the mission will get done — and more about how it gets there. The pleasure of this installment is in the movement, the worldbuilding, the character beats, and the messy, funny, deeply human moments along the way. After so much fast‑paced action, the ending feels a bit anticlimactic, but that’s because the real payoff is the journey itself.
ORIGINAL URL: http://www.livegreenwearblack.com/202...
Thanks to TOR and NetGalley for the ARC. The book is due out in May 2026.
May 11, 2026
Platform Decay
by Martha Wells
The Murderbot Diaries #8
Science Fiction Humor Novella
Libby Audio
Ages: 16+
For this rescue mission, Murderbot might need to learn a few things about teamwork, humans, and children.
Book eight in The Murderbot Diaries, the reader finds Murderbot on a 'tourist' space station resembling the planet it surrounds, which has been mined of all its resources, on a rescue mission. Yes, I'm vague 'cause I don't want to give too much away.
The story was great, way too short, but still enjoyable with humor scattered about. Other than how short this and the other books are, the only other issue I had, which influenced my rating, was the lack of recaps of the last books, including character refresh.
I'm not sure of the details of what led up to this book; I have some ghosts of ideas, but nothing concrete. This also includes a character, who I understand where they came from, but I don't know the impact they've had on the previous stories. Also, I feel that a few more pages were needed for the introduction of the new characters towards the end.
I listened to the audio version, and the narrator, Kevin R. Free, does a great job portraying Murderbot!
Love Murderbot!
3 Stars
by Martha Wells
The Murderbot Diaries #8
Science Fiction Humor Novella
Libby Audio
Ages: 16+
For this rescue mission, Murderbot might need to learn a few things about teamwork, humans, and children.
Book eight in The Murderbot Diaries, the reader finds Murderbot on a 'tourist' space station resembling the planet it surrounds, which has been mined of all its resources, on a rescue mission. Yes, I'm vague 'cause I don't want to give too much away.
The story was great, way too short, but still enjoyable with humor scattered about. Other than how short this and the other books are, the only other issue I had, which influenced my rating, was the lack of recaps of the last books, including character refresh.
I'm not sure of the details of what led up to this book; I have some ghosts of ideas, but nothing concrete. This also includes a character, who I understand where they came from, but I don't know the impact they've had on the previous stories. Also, I feel that a few more pages were needed for the introduction of the new characters towards the end.
I listened to the audio version, and the narrator, Kevin R. Free, does a great job portraying Murderbot!
Love Murderbot!
3 Stars
May 11, 2026
The first Murderbot that I didn't love-love, though I liked it very much.
I feel that there is too much, unnecessary padding at the beginning and at the end.
Also, I was hoping to get more Three & Murderbot and/or more ART & Murderbot time, which sadly didn't happen.
Kevin R. Free is still the perfect narrator for this series.
I feel that there is too much, unnecessary padding at the beginning and at the end.
Also, I was hoping to get more Three & Murderbot and/or more ART & Murderbot time, which sadly didn't happen.
Kevin R. Free is still the perfect narrator for this series.
May 6, 2026
Loved this as much as all the others in this series!!! I'm obsessed.
Also, because I'm me, I have some nitpicks. Mostly, I'm tired of more side characters being introduced in every book, and only sometimes further developing anyone interesting.
Also, because I'm me, I have some nitpicks. Mostly, I'm tired of more side characters being introduced in every book, and only sometimes further developing anyone interesting.
November 13, 2025
Murderbot is adjusting to life with its humans learning to trust it. Dr Mensah has asked Murderbot to rescue several family members, which it will of course do because Dr Mensah and her family is its people. The plan goes awry (because no amount of careful planning would have had it predict Leonide of Barish-Estranza would be there) and due to circumstances well outside of its control, Murderbot is now responsible for rescuing more people it doesn't know. And they are juveniles. Murderbot knows its duty, though, and with its newly installed mental health module, maybe it will get though the mission er, emotionally in tact, too.
A new Murderbot book is worth dropping everything else to read, to see what adventure Martha Wells will take us on. Platform Decay is a short novel/long novella and takes place after the events of System Collapse. The plot arc feels closer to a novella in structure, and reads fast paced because of it. This is actually the first Murderbot I've read with my eyes since All Systems Red in 2020, and all of my rereads have been via audio since, but I found myself really enjoying the parentheticals and side commentary from our favorite high-anxiety SecUnit.
Murderbot's mental health module provides a new influx of comic relief (and human insight) where jokes of it relying only on its media alone to get through the worst were not sufficient after its system collapse in the previous book. We read Murderbot stories for for their keen relatability to human nature and its snarky attitude, and the emotion checks tie us back to that. The emotion checks force an honesty in Murderbot and progression in character from where it was when it first hacked its governor module to realizing who its humans were to bearing the emotional burden of choice and friendship.
Thank you to Tor for an eARC. Platform Decay is out 5/5/2026.
A new Murderbot book is worth dropping everything else to read, to see what adventure Martha Wells will take us on. Platform Decay is a short novel/long novella and takes place after the events of System Collapse. The plot arc feels closer to a novella in structure, and reads fast paced because of it. This is actually the first Murderbot I've read with my eyes since All Systems Red in 2020, and all of my rereads have been via audio since, but I found myself really enjoying the parentheticals and side commentary from our favorite high-anxiety SecUnit.
Murderbot's mental health module provides a new influx of comic relief (and human insight) where jokes of it relying only on its media alone to get through the worst were not sufficient after its system collapse in the previous book. We read Murderbot stories for for their keen relatability to human nature and its snarky attitude, and the emotion checks tie us back to that. The emotion checks force an honesty in Murderbot and progression in character from where it was when it first hacked its governor module to realizing who its humans were to bearing the emotional burden of choice and friendship.
Thank you to Tor for an eARC. Platform Decay is out 5/5/2026.
March 8, 2026
This genuinely feels like one of the best installments in this series. There is so much emotional payoff for things we’ve been building towards. We got to meet more of Mensah’s family and let me tell you, one of them is a hoot and the other has a homicidal eyelid twitch. They’re perfect.
I can’t wait to reread this when the audiobook drops.
I can’t wait to reread this when the audiobook drops.
May 15, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
Too “fucking” short.
Too “fucking” short.
May 7, 2026
An adventure of Murderbot, ART and people are continuing.
Love that it's still the same story, same antagonist, same characters.
Wishing the author good health so she can finish this series
Love that it's still the same story, same antagonist, same characters.
Wishing the author good health so she can finish this series
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
not my favorite of this series, but every murderbot story is so so good nonetheless. missed ART & our Preservation crew (my boy, Ratthi, where are you? you doing good, baby?), but LOVED the emotion checks and the action in this.
a billion more, please
a billion more, please
May 14, 2026
Like a really, really bad road trip with the kids, where Nana wants a gun, and where Murderbot needs regular mental health “emotion checks”, and frequently has to “do the thing” to get them all out of trouble.
“… apparently the addition of the two extra juveniles had caused the amount of restroom breaks needed to increase exponentially.”
This episode in the Murderbot story has everything you have come to expect, including great quotes (which sound even better in the audiobook):
“Bare human parts are disgusting, no one should have to look at them.”
“Ugh, I hate these kind of decisions. Any decision actually. Decisions suck!”
“I realised I needed to say something. I hate it when that happens.”
“… apparently the addition of the two extra juveniles had caused the amount of restroom breaks needed to increase exponentially.”
This episode in the Murderbot story has everything you have come to expect, including great quotes (which sound even better in the audiobook):
“Bare human parts are disgusting, no one should have to look at them.”
“Ugh, I hate these kind of decisions. Any decision actually. Decisions suck!”
“I realised I needed to say something. I hate it when that happens.”
May 5, 2026
Good old Murderbot. Nicht mehr so lustig wie früher, aber das ist mir egal, ich lese auch noch die nächsten 100 Bände.
January 21, 2026
(4.5 stars) A new Murderbot! This is my comfort series - one I reach for multiple times a year. I desperately needed this to be good, and it did not disappoint!
Platform Decay is charming and funny, with action that kept me on the edge of my seat. It has everything that made me fall in love with the series. Murderbot is on a mission to rescue a kidnapped family. As always, Murderbot is trying its best to keep these humans safe, even though the juveniles insist on clinging to it and the stupid station is the size of a planet and it’s new mental health module won’t stop demanding emotion checks.
The huge space station setting was genuinely interesting, and I fell in love with all the new characters. I was especially thrilled to see how Murderbot adapted to interacting with juveniles. I’m so impressed with how Wells continues to develop Murderbot as a character. Murderbot is growing and changing but is still the Murderbot we know and love. Fans will love this latest installment of The Murderbot Diaries!
I received an eARC from Tor Books. Opinions are my own.
Platform Decay is charming and funny, with action that kept me on the edge of my seat. It has everything that made me fall in love with the series. Murderbot is on a mission to rescue a kidnapped family. As always, Murderbot is trying its best to keep these humans safe, even though the juveniles insist on clinging to it and the stupid station is the size of a planet and it’s new mental health module won’t stop demanding emotion checks.
The huge space station setting was genuinely interesting, and I fell in love with all the new characters. I was especially thrilled to see how Murderbot adapted to interacting with juveniles. I’m so impressed with how Wells continues to develop Murderbot as a character. Murderbot is growing and changing but is still the Murderbot we know and love. Fans will love this latest installment of The Murderbot Diaries!
I received an eARC from Tor Books. Opinions are my own.
May 7, 2026
In an interview with Polygon last month, Wells talked about the series and its future. She described this book as “The family road trip from hell, on Ringworld.” That's exactly what it is. Platform Decay is a safe, sufficient, and relatively easy way to fill out the remaining books of her contract. It does what it needs to do and does it well enough. As Well notes, she only has one more book on contract after this one, which may be the last. I don't know what that last book will be about, and apparently neither does Wells, but this one reads like the "one last mission" sort. Wells says:
I've only read a few other works by Wells and don't know her as a person at all, but after reading a Wired interview from 2024, I have at most a minimal understanding of the circumstances. It's often the case that a person can only write certain stories at a particular time of their life due to a confluence of events. Based on what Wells says about how The Murderbot Diaries came to be and how much it's meant to her and done for her it becomes easier to see why it'd be coming to an end.
I'm aware that it's premature for me to write what you're about to read, as it's not the last book, which the next may or may not be, but it'll probably be a couple years before it releases. I don't want to wait that long. All Systems Red, the first novella, had some of the qualities of a black swan event for the publishing of novellas over the last 10 years. It's possible that it was the primary factor in the revitalization of novellas being sold separately, if only because the publishers thought it could be profitable to sell less writing for relatively much more money compared to novels. Maybe it even made readers more open to the idea of novellas in general, allowing for the viability of other authors to find success as well at that length. Several have, but as far as I can tell without extensive research, only This Is How You Lose The Time War has sold roughly the same as All Systems Red. I've read a quite a few of them and tried far more. I have a lot of admiration, appreciation, and respect for that. Even if novellas return to the mean following its conclusion, which I can't say whether it is or not, it was a good time while it lasted.
https://www.polygon.com/murderbot-dia...
https://www.wired.com/story/murderbot...
3.5/5
“You can kind of see that Murderbot is going to be OK, so it feels like, to me, we’re coming to the end of Murderbot's story — [or what] would be interesting to other people, as opposed to just its daily life.”
I've only read a few other works by Wells and don't know her as a person at all, but after reading a Wired interview from 2024, I have at most a minimal understanding of the circumstances. It's often the case that a person can only write certain stories at a particular time of their life due to a confluence of events. Based on what Wells says about how The Murderbot Diaries came to be and how much it's meant to her and done for her it becomes easier to see why it'd be coming to an end.
I'm aware that it's premature for me to write what you're about to read, as it's not the last book, which the next may or may not be, but it'll probably be a couple years before it releases. I don't want to wait that long. All Systems Red, the first novella, had some of the qualities of a black swan event for the publishing of novellas over the last 10 years. It's possible that it was the primary factor in the revitalization of novellas being sold separately, if only because the publishers thought it could be profitable to sell less writing for relatively much more money compared to novels. Maybe it even made readers more open to the idea of novellas in general, allowing for the viability of other authors to find success as well at that length. Several have, but as far as I can tell without extensive research, only This Is How You Lose The Time War has sold roughly the same as All Systems Red. I've read a quite a few of them and tried far more. I have a lot of admiration, appreciation, and respect for that. Even if novellas return to the mean following its conclusion, which I can't say whether it is or not, it was a good time while it lasted.
https://www.polygon.com/murderbot-dia...
https://www.wired.com/story/murderbot...
3.5/5
May 15, 2026
4.5 stars
A wonderful continuation of Murderbot’s ongoing adventures in living the independent life. I always want more ART, but it didn’t make more than a passing appearance here. That said, this was made up for by Nanna Naja:
Naja, standing with her mobility device and the pile of coats, bags, and tired and/or traumatized juveniles, said, "Give me a gun, too."
. . .
Sofi, tired and sleepy, leaned against Naja. "Nanna, you're not allowed to shoot anybody anymore, second mom told you, remember?"
Naja patted her absently. "Second mom isn't here right now."
"Just the one gun," I said.
A wonderful continuation of Murderbot’s ongoing adventures in living the independent life. I always want more ART, but it didn’t make more than a passing appearance here. That said, this was made up for by Nanna Naja:
Naja, standing with her mobility device and the pile of coats, bags, and tired and/or traumatized juveniles, said, "Give me a gun, too."
. . .
Sofi, tired and sleepy, leaned against Naja. "Nanna, you're not allowed to shoot anybody anymore, second mom told you, remember?"
Naja patted her absently. "Second mom isn't here right now."
"Just the one gun," I said.
May 8, 2026
How is it over already?
This is the 8th book. You don't need a review. If you're here you already love Murderbot. This was an exceptional installment and I already want to reread the whole series again even though I just did that.
This is the 8th book. You don't need a review. If you're here you already love Murderbot. This was an exceptional installment and I already want to reread the whole series again even though I just did that.
May 5, 2026
The Murderbot series is an epic adventure that has hooked me since All Systems Red. I've loved following Murderbot's story and growth as a character in these novellas and I was so excited to see a new installment coming out.
But...this entry into the series felt a little lackluster. Platform Decay felt like an aside, a filler episode, just okay. I liked that our favorite snarky anti-social SecUnit was becoming more "human" with the consistent Emotion Checks but I think this story lacked a lot of the heart and banter that the other books really pushed.
It's tough because the moment I started reading I was so excited to be back in this world but I just didn't love it. I missed ART, I missed the casual banter (we got some once the kids showed up but still), I guess I just wanted more.
But...this entry into the series felt a little lackluster. Platform Decay felt like an aside, a filler episode, just okay. I liked that our favorite snarky anti-social SecUnit was becoming more "human" with the consistent Emotion Checks but I think this story lacked a lot of the heart and banter that the other books really pushed.
It's tough because the moment I started reading I was so excited to be back in this world but I just didn't love it. I missed ART, I missed the casual banter (we got some once the kids showed up but still), I guess I just wanted more.
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