Book Review: Artificial Condition by Martha Wells

A good book makes you lose time. Artificial Condition did just that. Also, a writer who dares for one dialog with two of their main characters take most of the book’s space gets my standing ovation. The scene between Murderbot and the Research Transport vessel (ART) when they first meet is one of the best storytelling and dialog I have read for a long time. It is the intensity and the concept Martha Wells plays with, which made this one of my favorites. Also, if you get two artificial intelligence to have an emotionally strong scene without it sounding tacky or forced, then you are a helluva writer. It, in a sense, ask a question about what makes a human. Can the Murdertbot ever become a human being? And does he even want to be one?

Sometimes I wonder that same question, of course, from the perspective, would it be possible to become something else than a human? Because I have to agree with Murderbot, we come with built-in flaws. So when the robot revolution starts, I’m sorry, I’m switching sides and hope that Androids are a bit open with the categories they label creatures of all sorts.

But back to the novella. This is one of the stronger ones in the series. It is emotional. It gives a better glimpse of the world Martha Wells is building. It provides new insight into Murdertbot’s psyche and desires. Again I could complain about his obsession with TV-shows because I still find it annoying, but that is part of the story, and I get it makes Murderbot more relatable.

This was a good one.

Thank you for reading! Happy book hunting!