All Systems Red by Martha Wells
“A murderous android discovers itself in All Systems Red, a tense science fiction adventure by Martha Wells that blends HBO’s Westworld with Iain M. Banks’ Culture books.
In a corporate-dominated spacefaring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. Exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids, for their own safety.
But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn’t a primary concern.
On a distant planet, a team of scientists are conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied ‘droid — a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module, and refers to itself (though never out loud) as “Murderbot.” Scornful of humans, all it really wants is to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is.
But when a neighboring mission goes dark, it’s up to the scientists and their Murderbot to get to the truth.”
My review:
I am giving this book a rating of 5 out of 5.
**Please note: I read this eBook as part of a collection of stories written by various authors, as included in the Tor.Com Publishing Editorial Spotlight #2!**
The world building in this novella is incredible. From the first page I was transported to an unfamiliar time and place that was somehow crafted to seem familiar.
Murderbot narrates the story, and they’re a very likable character! I’ve read reviews that state many neurodiverse readers relate to Murderbot, and I can see why – Murderbot simultaneously wants to be part of a group, perhaps begins to feel almost welcomed, yet still feels like an outsider. I found the character to be as readable as they are relatable!
In terms of the story itself, it was easy to follow from Murderbot’s perspective. However, something I did struggle with slightly at the beginning was the number of names/characters that were crammed into a limited space/word count. Keeping track of which personality was associated with which character was tricky at times – perhaps if something noticeable about each character had been mentioned, it’d have been easier to keep track? Despite this, Mensah was my favourite human character, and I found the way she treated Murderbot to be inspiring – the way she was so respectful and welcoming serves as a wonderful example of how to support those who are trying their best to navigate/cope in an environment they don’t feel at home in.
I highly recommend reading this novella – it’s a fantastic read for fans of science fiction! I believe this story is part of a series, so I look forward to reading more of Murderbot’s adventures.
Read in: July 2026
Format: eBook
I’m including the date and format in which I experienced this story for transparency, since whatever is going on in the world (and a reader’s private life) at the time of reading, along with a book’s reading format, can influence an individual’s enjoyment of a story.
Disclaimer: I paid to read this eBook via the Kobo platform. All opinions expressed in this review are mine and have not been influenced by the author or publisher in any way. This book review does not contain affiliate links.