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Activation Degradation
This is a standalone novel exploring sentience and artificial intelligence through the lenses of conflicted robot hero Unit Four.
When Unit Four—a biological soft robot built and stored high above the Jovian atmosphere—is activated for the first time, it’s in crisis mode. Aliens are attacking the Helium-3 mine it was created to oversee, and now its sole purpose is to defend Earth’s largest energy resource from the invaders in ship-to-ship combat.
But something’s wrong. Unit Four doesn’t feel quite right.
There are files in its databanks it can’t account for, unusual chemical combinations roaring through its pipes, and the primers it possesses on the aliens are suspiciously sparse. The robot is under orders to seek and destroy. That’s all it knows.
According to its handler, that’s all it needs to know.
Determined to fulfill its directives, Unit Four launches its ship and goes on the attack, but it has no idea it’s about to get caught in a downward spiral of misinformation, reprograming, and interstellar conflict.
Most robots are simple tools. Unit Four is well on its way to becoming something more....
When Unit Four—a biological soft robot built and stored high above the Jovian atmosphere—is activated for the first time, it’s in crisis mode. Aliens are attacking the Helium-3 mine it was created to oversee, and now its sole purpose is to defend Earth’s largest energy resource from the invaders in ship-to-ship combat.
But something’s wrong. Unit Four doesn’t feel quite right.
There are files in its databanks it can’t account for, unusual chemical combinations roaring through its pipes, and the primers it possesses on the aliens are suspiciously sparse. The robot is under orders to seek and destroy. That’s all it knows.
According to its handler, that’s all it needs to know.
Determined to fulfill its directives, Unit Four launches its ship and goes on the attack, but it has no idea it’s about to get caught in a downward spiral of misinformation, reprograming, and interstellar conflict.
Most robots are simple tools. Unit Four is well on its way to becoming something more....
370 pages, Paperback
First published September 28, 2021
125 people are currently reading
3597 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 313 reviews
September 28, 2021
4.25 Stars. This was really good! When I saw this this was supposed to be Murderbot-ish, plus the fact that I just love sci-fi, I realized I had pretty high hopes this would be a good fit for me. While this has a bit of a similar feel to Murderbot, it is definitely different enough that is feels fresh and not just a copy. I think Murderbot fans will really enjoy this, but I also believe sci-fi fans, that like a good humanity and found family type story, will too.
The writing is really good. The book is about 500 pages and I only stopped once because it was 3am and I had to sleep. There are some slower parts, but there are good action moments and just interesting scenes that really keep the story moving. I think it is a testament to Lostetter’s writing that I was hooked even during the slower parts. There was only one small part, of one action scene, that I had a little trouble imagining, but other than that, everything was very clear and the book played out like a movie in front of my eyes. Speaking of movies, I could see this making a good movie or limited series, but it 100% works very well for a book too.
I was really happy with how LGBTQ+ friendly this book was. There were intersex, nonbinary, pansexual, and gay characters and I might even be leaving someone out as there are a few side characters that I lost track of a bit. There is a side m/m relationship and there is an f/nb romance. This romance is very light, and just at the real beginning stages, but it was sweet and I was rooting for them as a potential couple.
There is a lot more that I would love to talk about but this story has a lot of twists and turns. And just when you think you might have it figured out, Lostetter says ‘no way!’ I really enjoyed the sci-fi mystery of this book and I thought it was well written and fun. This is a standalone book but I would absolutely read another book or even novella in this world.
TLDR: A really good LGBTQ+ friendly sci-fi read. Lostetter writes really well and it is easy to stay engaged even during the slower moments. Lots of fun twists and turns, and a main character that is very easy to like. Murderbot fans should really enjoy this, but I think most sci-fi fans will too. If this author writes more LGBTQ+ friendly sci-fi, I would absolutely read it.
An ARC was given to me for a review.
The writing is really good. The book is about 500 pages and I only stopped once because it was 3am and I had to sleep. There are some slower parts, but there are good action moments and just interesting scenes that really keep the story moving. I think it is a testament to Lostetter’s writing that I was hooked even during the slower parts. There was only one small part, of one action scene, that I had a little trouble imagining, but other than that, everything was very clear and the book played out like a movie in front of my eyes. Speaking of movies, I could see this making a good movie or limited series, but it 100% works very well for a book too.
I was really happy with how LGBTQ+ friendly this book was. There were intersex, nonbinary, pansexual, and gay characters and I might even be leaving someone out as there are a few side characters that I lost track of a bit. There is a side m/m relationship and there is an f/nb romance. This romance is very light, and just at the real beginning stages, but it was sweet and I was rooting for them as a potential couple.
There is a lot more that I would love to talk about but this story has a lot of twists and turns. And just when you think you might have it figured out, Lostetter says ‘no way!’ I really enjoyed the sci-fi mystery of this book and I thought it was well written and fun. This is a standalone book but I would absolutely read another book or even novella in this world.
TLDR: A really good LGBTQ+ friendly sci-fi read. Lostetter writes really well and it is easy to stay engaged even during the slower moments. Lots of fun twists and turns, and a main character that is very easy to like. Murderbot fans should really enjoy this, but I think most sci-fi fans will too. If this author writes more LGBTQ+ friendly sci-fi, I would absolutely read it.
An ARC was given to me for a review.
July 27, 2021
4.5⭐️
Oh wow, I loved this. I will be recommending this to so many readers!
Oh wow, I loved this. I will be recommending this to so many readers!
November 12, 2021
Gotta be honest: Comparing this to Murderbot is a disservice to Murderbot and a blatant marketing ploy, and that really knocks a star off for me. "Vaguely similar because it's also about an android" is not "it's Murderbot but with aliens!"
The concept is a banger, but it's pretty obvious what the AMS is within a few pages; the worldbuilding is interesting on the face of it, but there's more attention paid to the burgeoning relationship between Maya and the AMS unit than what exactly happened to the Earth, which is hilarious because the AMS unit is literally asexual in the sense of has no internal or external sex organs, so I'm a bit confused as to how it can feel aroused in the first place. (Plus: One of the things I like about Murderbot is the focus on platonic relationships.) The horrific aspects of the ships were intriguing, but again, they were pretty well glossed over in favor of "Jonas gets grumpy at the AMS unit again" or "Maya makes eyes at the robot."
The final big bad is..... Honestly, it was goofy! It was just silly!!!
Also, spoilers ahead, why are they so reliant on delicate machinery so far from the Earth when Just - lots of very plot convenient happenings to drive some moral hand-wringing that I didn't find interesting or particularly compelling.
ALSO also,
And one final thing, I swear. I'm sorry to complain so much. But please. It's been literally thousands of years since the humans set out in their fancy spaceships, and despite this, in our year of the crystal xx021 or whatever, they are still using the exact same pride flags that modern day humans use as decorations. No joke. I'm dead serious. It was such a ham-fisted way to cram in representation in a book where the characters are already open about their identities, so unnecessary that it threw me out of the book. One of the characters goes on to talk about pronoun declarations and gender confirmations like it's totally normal, so clearly queer folk are no longer marginalized... So why the flags???
I couldn't stop thinking about it! God forbid one of the characters had been a lesbian, because I would have loved to see which flag she went with - using any of them is a cancelable offense in some circle or other, so she dodged a bullet there.
Anyway, 2/5 stars, I didn't hate it but I was very glad to be done with it. I don't get the hype! Her writing isn't even anything special - she does that thing where she gives lines she wants to emphasize their own paragraph, which gets tedious after a few dozen pages.
The concept is a banger, but it's pretty obvious what the AMS is within a few pages; the worldbuilding is interesting on the face of it, but there's more attention paid to the burgeoning relationship between Maya and the AMS unit than what exactly happened to the Earth, which is hilarious because the AMS unit is literally asexual in the sense of has no internal or external sex organs, so I'm a bit confused as to how it can feel aroused in the first place. (Plus: One of the things I like about Murderbot is the focus on platonic relationships.) The horrific aspects of the ships were intriguing, but again, they were pretty well glossed over in favor of "Jonas gets grumpy at the AMS unit again" or "Maya makes eyes at the robot."
The final big bad is..... Honestly, it was goofy! It was just silly!!!
Also, spoilers ahead, why are they so reliant on delicate machinery so far from the Earth when Just - lots of very plot convenient happenings to drive some moral hand-wringing that I didn't find interesting or particularly compelling.
ALSO also,
And one final thing, I swear. I'm sorry to complain so much. But please. It's been literally thousands of years since the humans set out in their fancy spaceships, and despite this, in our year of the crystal xx021 or whatever, they are still using the exact same pride flags that modern day humans use as decorations. No joke. I'm dead serious. It was such a ham-fisted way to cram in representation in a book where the characters are already open about their identities, so unnecessary that it threw me out of the book. One of the characters goes on to talk about pronoun declarations and gender confirmations like it's totally normal, so clearly queer folk are no longer marginalized... So why the flags???
I couldn't stop thinking about it! God forbid one of the characters had been a lesbian, because I would have loved to see which flag she went with - using any of them is a cancelable offense in some circle or other, so she dodged a bullet there.
Anyway, 2/5 stars, I didn't hate it but I was very glad to be done with it. I don't get the hype! Her writing isn't even anything special - she does that thing where she gives lines she wants to emphasize their own paragraph, which gets tedious after a few dozen pages.
October 6, 2021
This was an amazing sci-fi adventure! Loved every bit of it.
![Profile Image for laurel [the suspected bibliophile].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1645808644i%2F7494844._UX200_CR0%2C6%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
October 18, 2021
How to even begin to describe this book?
It's definitely Murderbot mixed with first contact with a heavy dash of body horror à la Hurley's The Stars Are Legion, and from there it's its very own being, filled with the horrors of space, the horrors of humanity, and the rising and falling implications of the reverberations of the past continuing to slam dunk on the present.
It was a bit slow to start (just like Unit Four/Aimsley's activation period), but I really, really enjoyed it, and I hope that there will be a sequel (even though it wraps things up nicely).
Full review on my blog, The Suspected Bibliophile
I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review
It's definitely Murderbot mixed with first contact with a heavy dash of body horror à la Hurley's The Stars Are Legion, and from there it's its very own being, filled with the horrors of space, the horrors of humanity, and the rising and falling implications of the reverberations of the past continuing to slam dunk on the present.
It was a bit slow to start (just like Unit Four/Aimsley's activation period), but I really, really enjoyed it, and I hope that there will be a sequel (even though it wraps things up nicely).
Full review on my blog, The Suspected Bibliophile
I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review
June 6, 2023
Meh. This started off as not-my-type-of-book with explosions and space action, and then it transitioned into also a not-my-type-of-book about feelings and humanity and relationships. I mean, I'm only here for the misanthropic robot, and it doesn't stay that way very long.
I can see why Activation Degradation might be compared to Murderbot and Firefly, but I don't think it handles characterization particularly well or has anything very new to say. Unit Four is so newly conscious that it's unfair to expect much from its inner cogitations, and the humor rising from the gap between what it perceives and what its companions are thinking can only go so far.
I was unengaged enough that I wandered away from the book with just 20 pages to go in order to look up whether Rice Krispies count as ultra processed food.
I can see why Activation Degradation might be compared to Murderbot and Firefly, but I don't think it handles characterization particularly well or has anything very new to say. Unit Four is so newly conscious that it's unfair to expect much from its inner cogitations, and the humor rising from the gap between what it perceives and what its companions are thinking can only go so far.
I was unengaged enough that I wandered away from the book with just 20 pages to go in order to look up whether Rice Krispies count as ultra processed food.
October 12, 2022
I'm a fan of Martha Wells Murderbot Diaries, so I was immediately curious when I read the blurb to this novel:
"The Murderbot Diaries makes first contact in this new, futuristic, standalone novel exploring sentience and artificial intelligence through the lenses of conflicted robot hero Unit Four, from Marina Lostetter [...]"
This comparison was written to draw readers in, lure all the Murderbot fans out there into this novel. It's a marketing hoax - and a disservice this book doesn't deserve.
Let's start with the fake news: Unit Four is not Murderbot, and it never will be. There's a lot of cynism missing, but there's also the fact this time around, there is a human component to the bot. I'm not talking organic material (Murderbot has that, too), I'm talking about a human handler. Unit Four is not acting alone. It's a different setting.
And here's the part why this comparison is a disservice: It might rise expectations that aren't fulfilled, and it might leave Murderbot fans frustrated just because it isn't Murderbot as advertised. And maybe their experience with this novel ends in frustration and at that point. Which would be a shame.
Shame on the publisher for false advertising! This book is good enough on its own!
Because Activation Degradation tells its own unique story, and it's different from Murderbot. It's also multilayered. We experience the world through Unit Four, a freshly activated maintenance robot. We learn en passant that Earth has a population of roughly one and a half billion - which immediately makes it clear to me that _something_ must have happened, because that number is way down from today. If you're anything like me, that alone gives you food for thought.
And there are the invaders. Four was activated prematurely because it needs to fend off an attack by the invaders, without knowing anything about those guys. Its handler refuses to hand out more information than a few spare things, and I'm back to thinking about that reduced population of earth. Right off the bat I'm speculating about the identity of the invaders. And I love it when a book does that!
Invaders. In space. Does that make them space invaders? Yeah, I know, I know, I'm old.
See, there's no need to tell people this novel is something which it isn't (like Murderbot), you could simply tell people what it is instead - because it's good enough on its own.
It's not a story about a robot. Well, yes, seemingly it is, on the outside. But there's more to it, a story about loss, questions about ethics and morality, mortality even. Is Artificial Life easily replaceable, can it be sacrificed without thinking twice? I sense some Philip K. Dick here - what makes us human, and could a machine be the better person? It's a recurring theme for Dick, but if you're curious now, you should read We Can Build You as a wonderful example.
You can think you care for someone, and still utilize them - abuse them - like a tool.
-- One of the more philosophical aspects of the book
I'm not going to spoiler you, but maybe you've already come to the same conclusion about the identity of the invaders I had. In which case, congrats, we were both right - while we missed the bigger picture behind it. Because the twist wasn't the twist, it was just the primer to the twist. I love it!
Since I've already recommended a book to you during this review, let me add a movie as well. 2010's Hunter Prey is not the action movie it might look to be at first glance, rather a chamber drama (in German: Kammerspiel), a drama with very few characters and a big emphasis on dialogue. I'm mentioning this movie for 2 reasons - the fact that it has a plot twist to rival this novel (the ending will make you awe, I can practically guarantee it), and the second fact that way too few people know about this movie. You should watch it, it's a prime example for great storytelling.
*****
In the end, this novel is a great experience. I especially like the fact that this world is not black or white, but many, many shades of grey. How you want to see it is up to you, there are different possibilities - who's the good one, who's the bad one, who knows? Not me.
I have two regrets regarding this novel. The first one is I loath the fact that someone thought it would be necessary to put a Murderbot stamp on this book, probably dooming it because it sends the wrong kind of message, inviting the wrong kind of expectations. And the second regret is the fact that it was a page turner, and I went through it too - damn - fast. I don't want it to be over. Sadly, I got no say.
Anyway, read this book. It's great, and I give it 4.5 stars - that last half star I hold back because the end felt a little rushed.
You can also read this review on my Blog.
"The Murderbot Diaries makes first contact in this new, futuristic, standalone novel exploring sentience and artificial intelligence through the lenses of conflicted robot hero Unit Four, from Marina Lostetter [...]"
This comparison was written to draw readers in, lure all the Murderbot fans out there into this novel. It's a marketing hoax - and a disservice this book doesn't deserve.
Let's start with the fake news: Unit Four is not Murderbot, and it never will be. There's a lot of cynism missing, but there's also the fact this time around, there is a human component to the bot. I'm not talking organic material (Murderbot has that, too), I'm talking about a human handler. Unit Four is not acting alone. It's a different setting.
And here's the part why this comparison is a disservice: It might rise expectations that aren't fulfilled, and it might leave Murderbot fans frustrated just because it isn't Murderbot as advertised. And maybe their experience with this novel ends in frustration and at that point. Which would be a shame.
Shame on the publisher for false advertising! This book is good enough on its own!Because Activation Degradation tells its own unique story, and it's different from Murderbot. It's also multilayered. We experience the world through Unit Four, a freshly activated maintenance robot. We learn en passant that Earth has a population of roughly one and a half billion - which immediately makes it clear to me that _something_ must have happened, because that number is way down from today. If you're anything like me, that alone gives you food for thought.
And there are the invaders. Four was activated prematurely because it needs to fend off an attack by the invaders, without knowing anything about those guys. Its handler refuses to hand out more information than a few spare things, and I'm back to thinking about that reduced population of earth. Right off the bat I'm speculating about the identity of the invaders. And I love it when a book does that!
Invaders. In space. Does that make them space invaders? Yeah, I know, I know, I'm old.See, there's no need to tell people this novel is something which it isn't (like Murderbot), you could simply tell people what it is instead - because it's good enough on its own.
It's not a story about a robot. Well, yes, seemingly it is, on the outside. But there's more to it, a story about loss, questions about ethics and morality, mortality even. Is Artificial Life easily replaceable, can it be sacrificed without thinking twice? I sense some Philip K. Dick here - what makes us human, and could a machine be the better person? It's a recurring theme for Dick, but if you're curious now, you should read We Can Build You as a wonderful example.
You can think you care for someone, and still utilize them - abuse them - like a tool.
-- One of the more philosophical aspects of the book
I'm not going to spoiler you, but maybe you've already come to the same conclusion about the identity of the invaders I had. In which case, congrats, we were both right - while we missed the bigger picture behind it. Because the twist wasn't the twist, it was just the primer to the twist. I love it!
Since I've already recommended a book to you during this review, let me add a movie as well. 2010's Hunter Prey is not the action movie it might look to be at first glance, rather a chamber drama (in German: Kammerspiel), a drama with very few characters and a big emphasis on dialogue. I'm mentioning this movie for 2 reasons - the fact that it has a plot twist to rival this novel (the ending will make you awe, I can practically guarantee it), and the second fact that way too few people know about this movie. You should watch it, it's a prime example for great storytelling.
*****
In the end, this novel is a great experience. I especially like the fact that this world is not black or white, but many, many shades of grey. How you want to see it is up to you, there are different possibilities - who's the good one, who's the bad one, who knows? Not me.
I have two regrets regarding this novel. The first one is I loath the fact that someone thought it would be necessary to put a Murderbot stamp on this book, probably dooming it because it sends the wrong kind of message, inviting the wrong kind of expectations. And the second regret is the fact that it was a page turner, and I went through it too - damn - fast. I don't want it to be over. Sadly, I got no say.
Anyway, read this book. It's great, and I give it 4.5 stars - that last half star I hold back because the end felt a little rushed.
You can also read this review on my Blog.
September 21, 2021
Well this was awesome!
January 12, 2022
I really hesitated to get this book because of the Murderbot comparison in the blurb. I love Murderbot and don‘t want to read a rip-off. I think they probably did this book a disservice by linking it to Murderbot.
Our robot is brought online on a platform orbiting Jupiter, to protect a mining platform that is under attack by aliens. It turns out that the situation is quite different to what Unit Four was lead to believe.
I liked the beginning very much and listened to the first half of the book almost in one sitting. There was a pretty good reveal towards the end. Good action sequences. The more reflective parts could have been a bit more elaborate. The plot lost a bit of steam in the second part and my interest flagged a little.
I am still trying to decide if I like the rather convenient ending. I find it almost impossible to talk more about this book without spoilers, so I leave it at that. I largely enjoyed this book and might give it another go in printed form to pick up all of the nuances.
This is my first book by the author and I got the audiobook. The audiobook narration was good, but I didn‘t love it.
Would I pick up a sequel? Maybe. Probably.
Our robot is brought online on a platform orbiting Jupiter, to protect a mining platform that is under attack by aliens. It turns out that the situation is quite different to what Unit Four was lead to believe.
I liked the beginning very much and listened to the first half of the book almost in one sitting. There was a pretty good reveal towards the end. Good action sequences. The more reflective parts could have been a bit more elaborate. The plot lost a bit of steam in the second part and my interest flagged a little.
I am still trying to decide if I like the rather convenient ending. I find it almost impossible to talk more about this book without spoilers, so I leave it at that. I largely enjoyed this book and might give it another go in printed form to pick up all of the nuances.
This is my first book by the author and I got the audiobook. The audiobook narration was good, but I didn‘t love it.
Would I pick up a sequel? Maybe. Probably.
November 16, 2021
3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2021/11/15/...
The publisher description compares Activation Degradation to The Murderbot Diaries, which is quite ambitious, to say the least. But how does that really stack up? Well, let’s just say I despise blurbs like these for a reason, mainly because they have a way of raising undue expectations and setting readers up for disappointment, not to mention that, more often than not, they tend to diminish the books themselves. Personally, Activation Degradation did not feel anything like Murderbot to me, but honestly, that’s not a bad thing. Although it also features a cyborg protagonist, the story itself is uniquely its own and offers something different.
Readers are thrown into the action right away, as the book opens with an alien attack on an orbital helium-3 mine above the planet Jupiter where the defender bot known as Unit Four was being stored, triggering its activation. The sudden switch is disorienting, but with the help of its handler, Unit Four is able to fend off the invaders and protect its home and its precious cargo. However, its actions ultimately lead it to become captured, though it has protocols in place for dealing these kinds of situations too. Following its orders, Unit Four is prepared to lay low and observe the enemy while awaiting retrieval by its handler, whose arrival should be imminent.
What Unit Four did not expect though, is to have its entire worldview blown apart. The enemies are not as they have been described to it by its handlers, and nothing in its databanks can resolve this discrepancy nor any of the new information it is receiving now from its captors. All of it can be a lie, of course, but somehow Unit Four doesn’t think so. The sudden realization that it may have been deceived its entire short life sends shock overloading its systems, but at least now Unit Four knows it has an even more important mission. Its sister-units are still under the control of their makers, unaware of the truth, and in order to free them, Unit Four must also save everyone on the ship before time runs out.
One reason I love reading books about A.I. or robot protagonists is being able to experience a whole different point of view. These characters, the best ones at least, should be relatable but also sound distinctly “robot-like” to make them stand out from their human counterparts. That is, after all, why I love Murderbot, whose personality is quirky enough to feel “other” but still familiar enough to be charming and appealing. Bringing this back to Activation Degradation though, Unit Four is definitely a more simplistic character, because it is also a more emotional one. While this in itself is not a negative, I certainly hadn’t expected to suspend my disbelief so much when it came to Unit Four’s plausibility as a cyborg protagonist.
On its surface, Activation Degradation also reads very much like an action sci-fi thriller. I’ve read one other book by Marina J. Lostetter before this, which was the moody, broody dark fantasy mystery The Helm of Midnight, and it’s a testament to the author’s versatility, I suppose, that this one felt completely different. For one, the story moved at a breakneck pace that just wouldn’t let up, with info dumping kept to a minimal. The prose was also lighter and more readable, creating an energetic and entertaining atmosphere that’s obviously geared more towards mass appeal. I’m sure it comes as no surprise when I say this was by far a much more fun book to read.
Still, there was a lot going on in this story too, and perhaps not enough time to fully explore the themes and topics the author wanted to bring attention to. A major twist was also telegraphed too early, spoiling a couple of the plot’s biggest surprises, though that might just be due to the way I approached the book by overthinking things. Needless to say, this is a novel best experienced with no expectations; simply enjoy this one as an action-adventure story, let it whisk you away and treat any allusions to deeper philosophical messages as a nice bonus.
All told, I would consider this for your TBR if you’re into thrilling adventure sci-fi that explores the themes of artificial intelligence and what it means to be human, though Murderbot fans please treat what’s written in the publisher’s blurb with a grain of salt. Overall a solid novel that combines the excitement of space escapades with the complexities of human drama.
The publisher description compares Activation Degradation to The Murderbot Diaries, which is quite ambitious, to say the least. But how does that really stack up? Well, let’s just say I despise blurbs like these for a reason, mainly because they have a way of raising undue expectations and setting readers up for disappointment, not to mention that, more often than not, they tend to diminish the books themselves. Personally, Activation Degradation did not feel anything like Murderbot to me, but honestly, that’s not a bad thing. Although it also features a cyborg protagonist, the story itself is uniquely its own and offers something different.
Readers are thrown into the action right away, as the book opens with an alien attack on an orbital helium-3 mine above the planet Jupiter where the defender bot known as Unit Four was being stored, triggering its activation. The sudden switch is disorienting, but with the help of its handler, Unit Four is able to fend off the invaders and protect its home and its precious cargo. However, its actions ultimately lead it to become captured, though it has protocols in place for dealing these kinds of situations too. Following its orders, Unit Four is prepared to lay low and observe the enemy while awaiting retrieval by its handler, whose arrival should be imminent.
What Unit Four did not expect though, is to have its entire worldview blown apart. The enemies are not as they have been described to it by its handlers, and nothing in its databanks can resolve this discrepancy nor any of the new information it is receiving now from its captors. All of it can be a lie, of course, but somehow Unit Four doesn’t think so. The sudden realization that it may have been deceived its entire short life sends shock overloading its systems, but at least now Unit Four knows it has an even more important mission. Its sister-units are still under the control of their makers, unaware of the truth, and in order to free them, Unit Four must also save everyone on the ship before time runs out.
One reason I love reading books about A.I. or robot protagonists is being able to experience a whole different point of view. These characters, the best ones at least, should be relatable but also sound distinctly “robot-like” to make them stand out from their human counterparts. That is, after all, why I love Murderbot, whose personality is quirky enough to feel “other” but still familiar enough to be charming and appealing. Bringing this back to Activation Degradation though, Unit Four is definitely a more simplistic character, because it is also a more emotional one. While this in itself is not a negative, I certainly hadn’t expected to suspend my disbelief so much when it came to Unit Four’s plausibility as a cyborg protagonist.
On its surface, Activation Degradation also reads very much like an action sci-fi thriller. I’ve read one other book by Marina J. Lostetter before this, which was the moody, broody dark fantasy mystery The Helm of Midnight, and it’s a testament to the author’s versatility, I suppose, that this one felt completely different. For one, the story moved at a breakneck pace that just wouldn’t let up, with info dumping kept to a minimal. The prose was also lighter and more readable, creating an energetic and entertaining atmosphere that’s obviously geared more towards mass appeal. I’m sure it comes as no surprise when I say this was by far a much more fun book to read.
Still, there was a lot going on in this story too, and perhaps not enough time to fully explore the themes and topics the author wanted to bring attention to. A major twist was also telegraphed too early, spoiling a couple of the plot’s biggest surprises, though that might just be due to the way I approached the book by overthinking things. Needless to say, this is a novel best experienced with no expectations; simply enjoy this one as an action-adventure story, let it whisk you away and treat any allusions to deeper philosophical messages as a nice bonus.
All told, I would consider this for your TBR if you’re into thrilling adventure sci-fi that explores the themes of artificial intelligence and what it means to be human, though Murderbot fans please treat what’s written in the publisher’s blurb with a grain of salt. Overall a solid novel that combines the excitement of space escapades with the complexities of human drama.
June 2, 2021
https://fanfiaddict.com/2021/06/02/re...
First of all, this book is nothing like the Muderbot Diaries (referred in blurb) other than the fact we have Cyborg (?) MCs. If you’re looking at a Murderbot’esque read, this is not it. This book offers something unique on it’s own which got muddled (initially) because of that reference.
The book just throws you right in the middle of action from Page 1. We have a just (and incorrectly) reconstituted Unit 4 waking up on a mining station which is being attacked by Invaders. We follow Unit 4 as it tries to orient itself not just to the ‘grogginess’ of premature waking up but also to the crappy tactical situation it is waking up to. The battle scenes are vividly done and the prose actually put me in the shoes of Unit 4. Very realistic!
The plot progresses as we get to know details of the dynamics of the immediate battle from Unit 4’s discussions with it’s handlers and the overall macro world opens up nicely. It’s done very organically and though there are a few info dumps the book does not suffer for them.
The way the book plot is structured makes it hard to write a review without spoiler-ing the whole shebang, but let’s just say Unit 4’s decisions leads it to a new journey of discovery that will rock both itself and the reader to the core. I managed to predict few of the twists, but then the author still successfully pulled the rug from out under me closer to the climax. Interesting turn of events, to say in the least!
Whereas Murderbot is more charming and fun, Unit Four is a more realistic and gritty. We get to see it on the back foot from the get go as it tried to get a handle on a shitty tactical situation it woke up to and then we see it struggling to keep its head up as the events and their implications spiral out of context and control. The human elements in the plot though done well had a Hollywood-y convenient feel to it and without having the time for natural progression. I had a similar impression with the climax too. It had the feel of a movie script. Not that it’s bad, but just didn’t have a take I found novel.
Overall, I had a good time reading it. If you’re looking for a space drama with action, this should be in your TBR!
First of all, this book is nothing like the Muderbot Diaries (referred in blurb) other than the fact we have Cyborg (?) MCs. If you’re looking at a Murderbot’esque read, this is not it. This book offers something unique on it’s own which got muddled (initially) because of that reference.
The book just throws you right in the middle of action from Page 1. We have a just (and incorrectly) reconstituted Unit 4 waking up on a mining station which is being attacked by Invaders. We follow Unit 4 as it tries to orient itself not just to the ‘grogginess’ of premature waking up but also to the crappy tactical situation it is waking up to. The battle scenes are vividly done and the prose actually put me in the shoes of Unit 4. Very realistic!
The plot progresses as we get to know details of the dynamics of the immediate battle from Unit 4’s discussions with it’s handlers and the overall macro world opens up nicely. It’s done very organically and though there are a few info dumps the book does not suffer for them.
The way the book plot is structured makes it hard to write a review without spoiler-ing the whole shebang, but let’s just say Unit 4’s decisions leads it to a new journey of discovery that will rock both itself and the reader to the core. I managed to predict few of the twists, but then the author still successfully pulled the rug from out under me closer to the climax. Interesting turn of events, to say in the least!
Whereas Murderbot is more charming and fun, Unit Four is a more realistic and gritty. We get to see it on the back foot from the get go as it tried to get a handle on a shitty tactical situation it woke up to and then we see it struggling to keep its head up as the events and their implications spiral out of context and control. The human elements in the plot though done well had a Hollywood-y convenient feel to it and without having the time for natural progression. I had a similar impression with the climax too. It had the feel of a movie script. Not that it’s bad, but just didn’t have a take I found novel.
Overall, I had a good time reading it. If you’re looking for a space drama with action, this should be in your TBR!
August 27, 2021
I was utterly captivated by this twisting adventure of Unit Four, a robot who's only a few hours old when its entire existence is thrown off-balance.
Content warnings: include: violence, drugging, non-explicit sex scene between side characters, radiation, death; mentions of: murder, cannibalism, climate change, mass extinction, slavery.
Nothing is at it seems in this book. Every couple chapters both Unit Four's and the reader's view of what is real and true is realigned completely, shifting in such tremendous ways that left me stunned and feel for Unit Four as it experiences all this with no support system to fall back on.
I loved the way the worldbuilding worked that way, even though it wasn't always easy to follow along, especially in the beginning, before Unit Four's vocabulary becomes more similar to the average reader's.
My favourite part was definitely the way the plot twists and deliberately plays with the reader's expectations based on the given information. It's masterfully written from Unit Four's perspective - we only ever see the world through its eyes, and what it finds normal, and I loved both the moments when we could see how outside information changes its view, and the moments when it finally clicked for me what the things it describes mean in our terms, even if it doesn't have a concept to understand them yet.
The cast is rather limited, and truthfully nothing out of the ordinary, but nevertheless a delight to read about. I greatly enjoyed Unit Four, and felt for it constantly, and through its eyes I learned to be intrigued by the other characters as well, and care for them. I also greatly enjoyed the polyamorous and intersex rep.
While Activation Degradation is very different from The Murderbot Diaries that it is likened to, I can see why the two are compared. Unit Four and Murderbot are very different characters (and might not get along very well if they met) but both books are about artifically constructed people stumbling into situations completely outside of their programmed parameters and being forced to adapt and take measures to protect that what is dear to them. I love these sort of POVs, so if you like reading from the views of robots or aliens, this is definitely a book for you.
I received an ARC and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Content warnings: include: violence, drugging, non-explicit sex scene between side characters, radiation, death; mentions of: murder, cannibalism, climate change, mass extinction, slavery.
Nothing is at it seems in this book. Every couple chapters both Unit Four's and the reader's view of what is real and true is realigned completely, shifting in such tremendous ways that left me stunned and feel for Unit Four as it experiences all this with no support system to fall back on.
I loved the way the worldbuilding worked that way, even though it wasn't always easy to follow along, especially in the beginning, before Unit Four's vocabulary becomes more similar to the average reader's.
My favourite part was definitely the way the plot twists and deliberately plays with the reader's expectations based on the given information. It's masterfully written from Unit Four's perspective - we only ever see the world through its eyes, and what it finds normal, and I loved both the moments when we could see how outside information changes its view, and the moments when it finally clicked for me what the things it describes mean in our terms, even if it doesn't have a concept to understand them yet.
The cast is rather limited, and truthfully nothing out of the ordinary, but nevertheless a delight to read about. I greatly enjoyed Unit Four, and felt for it constantly, and through its eyes I learned to be intrigued by the other characters as well, and care for them. I also greatly enjoyed the polyamorous and intersex rep.
While Activation Degradation is very different from The Murderbot Diaries that it is likened to, I can see why the two are compared. Unit Four and Murderbot are very different characters (and might not get along very well if they met) but both books are about artifically constructed people stumbling into situations completely outside of their programmed parameters and being forced to adapt and take measures to protect that what is dear to them. I love these sort of POVs, so if you like reading from the views of robots or aliens, this is definitely a book for you.
I received an ARC and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
February 6, 2022
3.5 stars
This started out really slow, I think there was a bit too much technical talk and not enough characterization in the beginning for my liking. I'm glad I stuck with it, though, because it definitely got better once more characters were introduced and some interesting tidbits were slowly revealed and bigger ideas explored.
This started out really slow, I think there was a bit too much technical talk and not enough characterization in the beginning for my liking. I'm glad I stuck with it, though, because it definitely got better once more characters were introduced and some interesting tidbits were slowly revealed and bigger ideas explored.
January 8, 2022
4.5 rounded up
October 1, 2021
Activation Degradation is a thrilling science-fiction read that has a fresh new take on the topic of artificial intelligence. This book feels like Murderbot’s gritty cousin with an A.I. main character who’s struggling to figure out who they are and what they want to be. It also features one of my favourite tropes – uncovering secrets that change everything you know about the world. Would recommend it to people who enjoy sci-fi thrillers that focus on humanity and sentient responsibility.
Thanks to the author for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
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Thanks to the author for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Follow me on my Blog, Twitter, and Instagram.
October 11, 2021
Not really my cup of tea, I guess. I had hopes for it, but... nah.
Nothing really interesting happens except something slightly interesting at the very end. There's some romance that added basically nothing to the story, except Obligatory Romance Elements. I didn't really care for the characters. Mostly I was just annoyed by some of the ways the author described things. ("Brethren" isn't singular, for instance. And why, if you refer to yourself as "it" do you call your fellow units "sisters" rather than "siblings?" Bah.)
That's not all that bothered me, but I'm already sounding really bitchy about a book a lot of people seem to like. No problem. People get to like what they like. I just didn't see what all the fuss was about.
I listened to the audiobook. The narrator was ok, not great.
2.5 stars rounded up. A disappointment for me.
Nothing really interesting happens except something slightly interesting at the very end. There's some romance that added basically nothing to the story, except Obligatory Romance Elements. I didn't really care for the characters. Mostly I was just annoyed by some of the ways the author described things. ("Brethren" isn't singular, for instance. And why, if you refer to yourself as "it" do you call your fellow units "sisters" rather than "siblings?" Bah.)
That's not all that bothered me, but I'm already sounding really bitchy about a book a lot of people seem to like. No problem. People get to like what they like. I just didn't see what all the fuss was about.
I listened to the audiobook. The narrator was ok, not great.
2.5 stars rounded up. A disappointment for me.
June 12, 2022
Don't pick this up because of the Murderbot marketing. It absolutely can't compare for reasons that would be spoilers.
This actually reads like a very hamfisted Star Trek Next Generation story that was rejected for tackling its subject with a sledgehammer. What I love most about speculative fiction are the metaphors. Unfortunately Marina J. Lostetter seems to think her readers just won't "get it" and proceeded to take a super interesting, twisty concept and beat all the subtetly and fun out of it with said sledgehammer.
The funny thing is that after reading it I'm not sure she actually had anything to say at all. The second star is really only for that one interesting that kept me reading far longer than I should have.
Actually mentioning this in one breath with Murderbot is kind of insulting now that I think about it more.
This actually reads like a very hamfisted Star Trek Next Generation story that was rejected for tackling its subject with a sledgehammer. What I love most about speculative fiction are the metaphors. Unfortunately Marina J. Lostetter seems to think her readers just won't "get it" and proceeded to take a super interesting, twisty concept and beat all the subtetly and fun out of it with said sledgehammer.
The funny thing is that after reading it I'm not sure she actually had anything to say at all. The second star is really only for that one interesting that kept me reading far longer than I should have.
Actually mentioning this in one breath with Murderbot is kind of insulting now that I think about it more.
February 23, 2022
A fun and fast-paced space opera about alien contact and the long-running battles that ensue over a contested area of space.
Marina J. Lostetter’s main character’s evolution from robot newly ejected from her growth vat to trusted member of an alien crew is handled nicely, and I liked the twist that occurs partway, upending the reader’s perceptions of what is actually going on. Though a stand-alone story, there was enough left open at the end, so it would be fun to read more stories in this story universe.
Marina J. Lostetter’s main character’s evolution from robot newly ejected from her growth vat to trusted member of an alien crew is handled nicely, and I liked the twist that occurs partway, upending the reader’s perceptions of what is actually going on. Though a stand-alone story, there was enough left open at the end, so it would be fun to read more stories in this story universe.
January 9, 2022
Another 5-star sci-fi hit already??? Hello??? I was struggling so much with my favorite genre the past two months, I'm about due for this kind of success!!!
What really makes Activation Degradation stand out is its particular brand of unreliable narration. Our main character, Aimsley, is provided limited knowledge about its world and its situation. It's provided certain truths, then immediately encounters individuals who offer contradicting truths. The core of Aimsley's conflict is that it has no clue who to believe, or even if any of the "truths" are true. It has to figure out how to reconcile these differences in order to make decisions on how it wants to respond to the current situation.
Really, this book is one big identity crisis for our main character. Aimsley thinks of itself as a sentient robot with a 3-month shelf life, only to learn that physically, it's in the form of a human that should theoretically be able to live for almost one hundred years. Lostetter makes her readers wonder what "human" really means in a world where sentience is supposed to equate personhood. She also explores the meaning of family, which is an absolute must in space science-fiction. The plot is really just the stage of this peace - what the story is really concerned with is asking questions about who constitutes a person, how or whether one person can use another, and how we are like/unlike other people and other forms of life. What do we owe to our creators? What do we owe to our families? What do we owe to the universe, to ourselves?
Activation Degradation is such a thoughtful story with a memorable voice, and it keeps you thinking long after you put it down.
What really makes Activation Degradation stand out is its particular brand of unreliable narration. Our main character, Aimsley, is provided limited knowledge about its world and its situation. It's provided certain truths, then immediately encounters individuals who offer contradicting truths. The core of Aimsley's conflict is that it has no clue who to believe, or even if any of the "truths" are true. It has to figure out how to reconcile these differences in order to make decisions on how it wants to respond to the current situation.
Really, this book is one big identity crisis for our main character. Aimsley thinks of itself as a sentient robot with a 3-month shelf life, only to learn that physically, it's in the form of a human that should theoretically be able to live for almost one hundred years. Lostetter makes her readers wonder what "human" really means in a world where sentience is supposed to equate personhood. She also explores the meaning of family, which is an absolute must in space science-fiction. The plot is really just the stage of this peace - what the story is really concerned with is asking questions about who constitutes a person, how or whether one person can use another, and how we are like/unlike other people and other forms of life. What do we owe to our creators? What do we owe to our families? What do we owe to the universe, to ourselves?
Activation Degradation is such a thoughtful story with a memorable voice, and it keeps you thinking long after you put it down.
April 26, 2023
Sorry, but I'm calling it at 130 pages. Not that Martha Wells has totally ruined other robots for me; Sea of Rust's Brittle was a great - and totally different - robo-character; and Daniel Wilson's two "Robopocalypse" books were a nice take on evil robots. But this is just TOO "similar to;"* and to paraphrase Lloyd Benson,** "I know Murderbot, and Unit Four, you're no Murderbot." So I could struggle to finish this - or I could go reread Network Effect, (which I really need to do)!
2.5 stars at best, but feeling generous...
(BTW, this may also belong on my "aliens" bookshelf - but 1/3 in, they still ain't showed up...)
_________________________________________
* ...even down to the inscrutable two-word title...
** 1988 Vice Presidential debate? Anybody??
2.5 stars at best, but feeling generous...
(BTW, this may also belong on my "aliens" bookshelf - but 1/3 in, they still ain't showed up...)
_________________________________________
* ...even down to the inscrutable two-word title...
** 1988 Vice Presidential debate? Anybody??
dnf-try-again-later
October 14, 2021I just read the sample and it's soooo GOOD. The problem is I'm not going to be able to finish it. The audiobook narrator is not for me 🙅🏽♀️. My library doesn't have it on ebook (I don't want to get physical copies yet because of covid) and I don't usually buy books before I read them 😭😭😭 ugh what to do, what to do?
January 23, 2022
This had a very good premise but the way the story was written didn't keep me hooked at all unfortunately. The first two thirds of the story had very slow plot advancement and the last third had
The audiobook narration was very good.
The audiobook narration was very good.
October 17, 2021
Very strange marketing.
Not as polished (or complicated) as her usual fare, but interesting, and readable.
An unusual First Contact book, and interesting from that perspective.
They should *not* have said Murderbot at all.
Not as polished (or complicated) as her usual fare, but interesting, and readable.
An unusual First Contact book, and interesting from that perspective.
They should *not* have said Murderbot at all.
September 24, 2021
AMS Unit 4 is a biomechanical bot whose sole purpose is to keep its helium-3 mine functional for Earth. After a battle with the "aliens," Four is taken hostage on the ship, and its life will never be the same.
Activation Degradation was a beautiful book. I don't even know how to properly describe how much I enjoyed it. There's so much going on, and it was so fast paced, I finished this almost 500 page book in only two days. There are morally gray characters, possibly evil characters that go soft, and a ton of diversity. There's not one but TWO intersex characters in this novel!
I was lucky enough to read this advanced review copy from Net Galley, but I will be picking up a hard copy as soon as it's available on September 28th.
CW: gaslighting, panic attacks, blood & gore
Activation Degradation was a beautiful book. I don't even know how to properly describe how much I enjoyed it. There's so much going on, and it was so fast paced, I finished this almost 500 page book in only two days. There are morally gray characters, possibly evil characters that go soft, and a ton of diversity. There's not one but TWO intersex characters in this novel!
I was lucky enough to read this advanced review copy from Net Galley, but I will be picking up a hard copy as soon as it's available on September 28th.
CW: gaslighting, panic attacks, blood & gore
March 20, 2024
Dnf @ 18%/ 5 chapters read.
Yes, I can tell this is supposed to be a huge twist moment but I really just don’t care, so I realized it is time to stop. I’m not saying it’s a bad book, but it’s too sci-fi for me… maybe.
Yes, I can tell this is supposed to be a huge twist moment but I really just don’t care, so I realized it is time to stop. I’m not saying it’s a bad book, but it’s too sci-fi for me… maybe.
October 18, 2022
Das war so erfrischend! War zwar nichts neues und ich konnte schon einiges relativ früh absehen aber trotzdem unterhaltsam und cute 🥺
September 24, 2021
Oh, hello, blurb that barely scratches the surface of this book. I wasn’t exactly sure what I was getting in to with this book, but it was exactly what I needed right now. At its heart, it’s a book about found family, about finding the people who love you even when you mess up, who love you for who you are and not what you can do for them.
Autonomous Maintenance System Unit 4 is not having a good day. Freshly reconstituted during an attack on the mining platform around Jupiter that it calls home, Unit 4 is immediately sent off to fight the aliens that are dismantling pieces of the station. Something isn’t right, with Unit 4 or the aliens, but it sets off on its suicide mission anyway. After all, it’s a robot designed to do its job, so it’ll do the best job it can. But this attack – and its aftermath – have more ramifications than Unit 4 can possibly have imagined. Angry and confused, will Unit 4 take the chance to become more than it was intended to be?
This is one of those books it’s hard to talk about without getting into spoilers. The plot twists are interesting, and in at least one case for me, highly unexpected. While you’re thrown right into the middle of the action, the beginning is a bit slow but quickly accelerates once the reader understands exactly what’s at stake – even if Unit 4 doesn’t. While there’s a decent amount of action, the heart of the story is the characters and the relationships they build, especially Unit 4’s.
The blurb specifically compares this to Murderbot, which I can see on a surface level. There’s the focus on found family, but the tone is very different from Murderbot’s sarcasm and cynicism. Unit 4, instead, spends much of the book confused and frightened. There are so many lines in the book that start with “It didn’t know what to do” and, wow, after this past year, I empathized so much with that. One of Unit 4’s first actions after being reconstituted is “decommissioning” one of its counterparts when it’s injured, complete with a wash of feelings that it doesn’t understand. From that moment on I spent a good chunk of the book just wanting to wrap it in a warm blanket and give it a hug. All Unit 4 wants to do is complete the job it’s been programmed to do and its slow awakening to the realities of what that job entails, of its purpose, were both intensely heartbreaking and heartwarming.
Much like Unit 4, the reader slowly gets the feeling that something isn’t quite right, and then gets hit with the horrifying clue-stick long before the character does. A good part of the emotional weight of the book is anticipating how Unit 4 will react to those revelations – and how the characters around Unit 4 will react to it. Speaking of those characters, it’s casually queer (space is gay, folks), with characters with nonbinary pronouns, a m/m couple and an intersex person. There’s a sweet romantic element, too, just delightfully gentle in the way it was woven in.
Overall, an easy 4.5 stars, and definitely a book I’ll be recommending. While the main plot is wrapped up neatly, I’m hoping for a sequel as this is definitely a universe I’d like to explore more of!
Content notes:
I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
“It had a job to do. It wanted to do its job. It wanted to pilot the boat, defeat the aliens, earn its handler’s praise, and then live out the rest of its activation period in whatever state of being was exactly the opposite of this go go go go.
It had been awake for less than fifteen minutes and already it longed to rest.”
Autonomous Maintenance System Unit 4 is not having a good day. Freshly reconstituted during an attack on the mining platform around Jupiter that it calls home, Unit 4 is immediately sent off to fight the aliens that are dismantling pieces of the station. Something isn’t right, with Unit 4 or the aliens, but it sets off on its suicide mission anyway. After all, it’s a robot designed to do its job, so it’ll do the best job it can. But this attack – and its aftermath – have more ramifications than Unit 4 can possibly have imagined. Angry and confused, will Unit 4 take the chance to become more than it was intended to be?
“But what’s happening here, between all of us, could change everything. I know it could.”
This is one of those books it’s hard to talk about without getting into spoilers. The plot twists are interesting, and in at least one case for me, highly unexpected. While you’re thrown right into the middle of the action, the beginning is a bit slow but quickly accelerates once the reader understands exactly what’s at stake – even if Unit 4 doesn’t. While there’s a decent amount of action, the heart of the story is the characters and the relationships they build, especially Unit 4’s.
“Why look after the soul of a thing if you’ve trained it to believe it has no soul?”
The blurb specifically compares this to Murderbot, which I can see on a surface level. There’s the focus on found family, but the tone is very different from Murderbot’s sarcasm and cynicism. Unit 4, instead, spends much of the book confused and frightened. There are so many lines in the book that start with “It didn’t know what to do” and, wow, after this past year, I empathized so much with that. One of Unit 4’s first actions after being reconstituted is “decommissioning” one of its counterparts when it’s injured, complete with a wash of feelings that it doesn’t understand. From that moment on I spent a good chunk of the book just wanting to wrap it in a warm blanket and give it a hug. All Unit 4 wants to do is complete the job it’s been programmed to do and its slow awakening to the realities of what that job entails, of its purpose, were both intensely heartbreaking and heartwarming.
Much like Unit 4, the reader slowly gets the feeling that something isn’t quite right, and then gets hit with the horrifying clue-stick long before the character does. A good part of the emotional weight of the book is anticipating how Unit 4 will react to those revelations – and how the characters around Unit 4 will react to it. Speaking of those characters, it’s casually queer (space is gay, folks), with characters with nonbinary pronouns, a m/m couple and an intersex person. There’s a sweet romantic element, too, just delightfully gentle in the way it was woven in.
Overall, an easy 4.5 stars, and definitely a book I’ll be recommending. While the main plot is wrapped up neatly, I’m hoping for a sequel as this is definitely a universe I’d like to explore more of!
Content notes:
I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
May 10, 2025
Easy quick reading for fans of Murderbot!
The story follows Unit Four who is activatd in middle of the battle and for its immediate survival must sacrafice startup stabilization later. As the story begins to unravel, more of its later life span is sacraficed until something calls all its sacrafices into question. What if its world view is wrong?
Fun and at times fast paced, and doesnt ask much of the reader. Found it unmemorable but good fun.
The story follows Unit Four who is activatd in middle of the battle and for its immediate survival must sacrafice startup stabilization later. As the story begins to unravel, more of its later life span is sacraficed until something calls all its sacrafices into question. What if its world view is wrong?
Fun and at times fast paced, and doesnt ask much of the reader. Found it unmemorable but good fun.
September 7, 2021
The publishers do this book and its narrator no favors by comparing it to The Murderbot Diaries. I love The Murderbot Diaries, but Murderbot and Unit Four do not have much in common. Murderbot is a snarky, jaded, depressed, and anxious Millennial; Unit Four is a naive pre-teen that has been homeschooled in a remote village. I found Activation Degradation slow starting, filled with a lot more technobabble than The Murderbot Diaries, and containing a lot less humor.
However, I don’t want to just talk about Activation Degradation in comparison to The Murderbot Diaries. The book I was reminded of most was The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers. Lots of crew interaction with a newcomer. Representation (m/m couple; intersex human, and nonbinary robot, although the robot has “junk,” and a romance with a female crew member seemed to be brewing). I rounded up one full star for the presence of a cat.
I enjoyed the crew interaction and Unit Four’s growth; I was skeptical . I enjoyed reading it but am not sure I’ll read a sequel, and I feel quite sure I won’t find myself re-reading it the way I reread The Murderbot Diaries.
I read an advance reader copy of Activation Degradation from Netgalley.
However, I don’t want to just talk about Activation Degradation in comparison to The Murderbot Diaries. The book I was reminded of most was The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers. Lots of crew interaction with a newcomer. Representation (m/m couple; intersex human, and nonbinary robot, although the robot has “junk,” and a romance with a female crew member seemed to be brewing). I rounded up one full star for the presence of a cat.
I enjoyed the crew interaction and Unit Four’s growth; I was skeptical . I enjoyed reading it but am not sure I’ll read a sequel, and I feel quite sure I won’t find myself re-reading it the way I reread The Murderbot Diaries.
I read an advance reader copy of Activation Degradation from Netgalley.
July 4, 2022
This wasnt a bad read, I think it was interesting in a lot of ways, so many things introduced that could have made for an good story but what we got was a little lackluster for me.
When I started to understand what the platform and the boats were made of it was genuinely creepy
the writing might have been the thing that really put me off, this author does this thing where everything needs to be repeated for emphasis 3 times, like this happens so often a good 50 pages could be cut with all the sentences that essentially regurgitate the same thing.
Additionally, this meant that everything the novel was trying to explore felt shallow and fell flat. When it comes to the characters, some of them were interesting, most of all Aimsley but overall it felt very much like they were given a main emotion/role and that was it. Given that the majority of the people we meet have known each other for a while it can be difficult to establish that depth but I have seen it done well and this was just not it for me. Especially given that the author wants us to buy into their bond so much so that but I just did NOT buy it! So when that was revealed I was so baffled because the characters themselves felt underdeveloped and the dynamic between them was full of a performance of closeness rather than feeling like this was a group of people that were family.
I will say the romance subplot wasn't terrible! It had its cute moments! This book also has this open ending that I was not really a fan of mostly because the story that could take place exploring the consequences of the actions of the this novel is far more interesting than the story we get. Plus the villain monologue we get at the end.. idk chief
Also I kinda think this wanted to be a character driven story about what it means to be human but honestly... the character work simply was not there, the plot was at least a little interesting and some of the things introduced like I kinda wish we got to explore more about the with maya. Now if this had been a space opera about the fight between the ... I would be listening. Honestly I think I would even be more interested in a story set in the habors with more interesting characters, maybe when they first came into contact with the crystals. But I did not get these things, also this open ended ending, I personally didn't enjoy it very much, the potential was there but overall this book, as much as I hate to say it, mid.
When I started to understand what the platform and the boats were made of it was genuinely creepy
the writing might have been the thing that really put me off, this author does this thing where everything needs to be repeated for emphasis 3 times, like this happens so often a good 50 pages could be cut with all the sentences that essentially regurgitate the same thing.
Additionally, this meant that everything the novel was trying to explore felt shallow and fell flat. When it comes to the characters, some of them were interesting, most of all Aimsley but overall it felt very much like they were given a main emotion/role and that was it. Given that the majority of the people we meet have known each other for a while it can be difficult to establish that depth but I have seen it done well and this was just not it for me. Especially given that the author wants us to buy into their bond so much so that but I just did NOT buy it! So when that was revealed I was so baffled because the characters themselves felt underdeveloped and the dynamic between them was full of a performance of closeness rather than feeling like this was a group of people that were family.
I will say the romance subplot wasn't terrible! It had its cute moments! This book also has this open ending that I was not really a fan of mostly because the story that could take place exploring the consequences of the actions of the this novel is far more interesting than the story we get. Plus the villain monologue we get at the end.. idk chief
Also I kinda think this wanted to be a character driven story about what it means to be human but honestly... the character work simply was not there, the plot was at least a little interesting and some of the things introduced like I kinda wish we got to explore more about the with maya. Now if this had been a space opera about the fight between the ... I would be listening. Honestly I think I would even be more interested in a story set in the habors with more interesting characters, maybe when they first came into contact with the crystals. But I did not get these things, also this open ended ending, I personally didn't enjoy it very much, the potential was there but overall this book, as much as I hate to say it, mid.
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