Book Review: Exit Strategy by Martha Wells

And there is always a loop back. The hero has to go back to the beginning to understand the travel he has done. Exit Strategy is a fitting ending to the novellas. I’m not sure what to expect from the upcoming full-length book, but ART was promised, so I’m happy.

But that is beside the point, back to this review. Exit Strategy gives an emotional conclusion as it goes back to the characters who helped to free Murderbot. I liked that. Because then we get to see what Murderbot has learned, and what he has become. And I believe he is more than willing to be part of humanity. At least, those who he chooses. Maybe Miki had a more significant impact than I first thought in the third novella. We all need to be part of something. To be connected to others, only a few of us are truly solitary creatures and can manage fine on their own. He is still his snarky self and detached from people, but that doesn’t mean he can be part of something. It is just his way of being.

Murderbot is a perfect hero for me. I like characters like him, maybe because they remind me of me (how self-centered one can be.) It gives me hope that you can be in this world despite not needing a huge crowd of people, despite being a slightly melancholic and detached from the world and others, and despite finding talking to other human beings difficult. I’m lucky I found my ART both from my husband and my good friend. Maybe this is why I loved the series. It gives variety through the characters, both the human and artificial kind. Martha Wells breaks the typical stereotypes, offering an authentic experience with her story.

The only part I would like to critique is the company aspect. I still find they are thinly constructed. It was more evident with this book than with the others. All the logic behind their actions was reasonable, yes. Especially when taking their weakness into consideration. Yet, I had a hard time believing it. I hope the backstory and the forces (the different corporations and alien artifacts) in the universe are better constructed in the upcoming book. I cannot wait to read it.

This was a good and refreshing series. I enjoyed it and a lot. And the answer to the question I asked in the third novella review, yes, you can love a monster man.

Thank you for reading! Have a great day ❤