All Systems Red

 All Systems Red by Martha Wells, 144 pages.

Murderbot (formally known as a SecUnit) has hacked its regulator and is now outside of anyone's control. Luckily it isn't interested in doing any actual murder, preferring to watch trashy TV and do enough of it's job that nobody realizes it's not under any real obligation to take orders anymore. Unfortunately for its commitment to do as little as possible, a series of dangerous and unpleasant coincidences seem to be increasingly pointing to someone trying to kill the research team it has been assigned to protect, and it is now obligated to get involved. Especially since it is getting troublingly attached to this team.

This was a really fun little novella! Murderbot is a really funny character, and its perspective is a unique twist on the story. I'm excited to see where Wells is going with this, and luckily for me I'm coming to this series pretty late, so there are plenty of books to catch up on.

In the Lives of Puppets

In the Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune, 420 pages

Human male Victor Lawson lives in the woods with his dad (an android named Giovanni) and two refurbished household robots named Nurse Ratched and Rambo. Victor and Giovanni spend their days tinkering with robots, and hauling bits and pieces out of a nearby scrap heap to create all manner of robotic stuff. But when Victor pulls a dying android named Hap out of the scrap heap, he learns that his dad isn't exactly who he thought he was, and must confront his fears — and his dad's past — to save their little family.

Klune has quite the talent for creating amazing characters, and this book is no exception. Nurse Ratched's sociopathic tendencies and Rambo's enthusiastic goofiness are an absolute delight, and add just the right amount of levity to what, in other hands, could be a tough story. I loved this science fiction take on Pinocchio, and really dug the ruminations on power, kindness, trust, and emotional strength. Another amazing book from Klune.

The Mountain in the Sea

The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler, 456 pages

Marine scientist Ha is whisked away to a remote island to study a population of octopuses that live there. Once she arrives, she discovers that her only human (or human-equivalent) companions are a war-hardened security officer and her fellow researcher Evrim, an android that actually passed Turing's final test of artificial intelligence. As they begin studying the octopuses, however, Ha and Evrim realize that this population is much more advanced than anything humans have ever seen — they have a discernable visual language, as well as what appears to be culture beyond family dynamics. Interspersed with Ha's storyline are plots that focus on Rustem, a hacker who has been tasked with finding a pathway into the most complex system he's ever seen; and Eiko, a man who was relocating to seek a high-tech job when he was captured and enslaved on an AI-controlled fishing boat.

While the three storylines certainly give context to the world in which Ha is working, jumping back and forth between the plots is a bit jarring and confusing, particularly combined with the (fake) book excerpts that start each chapter. While I enjoyed this hard science look at consciousness and environmental impacts, I think it would have been better if it was structured slightly differently. Still, I'll happily recommend it to those people who are convinced that one day the octopus will rule us all (that's not just me, right?).

All Systems Red

All Systems Red by Martha Wells, 152 pages

An android (with some organic parts) that calls itself Murderbot has been rented out as the security detail for a small surveying expedition on a far-off planet. Unbeknownst to the humans in the expedition, Murderbot has hacked its own governing module, allowing it to do as it pleases. For the most part, this means doing its job as normal but watching soap operas in the background. But when communications with a second surveying crew go dark, Murderbot's abilities become apparent to the crew.

This is the first in four novellas that make up the Murderbot Diaries, and while I'm not quite as taken with the book as all of the praise and accolades suggest I should be, I am intrigued by the main character's personality. There are elements of the autism spectrum that pop up in it, and I very much look forward to discussing this on Monday with the Orcs & Aliens book group.

The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells ; 637 pp

     All Systems Red, 149 pp
     Artificial Condition, 158 pp
     Rogue Protocol, 158 pp
     Exit Strategy, 172 pp

In a corporate-dominated future, Security Unit bots must accompany all approved planetary missions to guarantee the safety of the humans on the mission. One SecUnit that calls itself Murderbot has hacked its own governor module, yet continues on with its job because it has plenty of time to surreptitiously watch media. (Its favorite show is Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon.)
        "Confession time: I don't actually know where we are....In my defense, we'd been here twenty-two planetary days and I hadn't had to do anything but stand around watching humans make scans or take samples of dirt, rocks, water, and leaves. The sense of urgency just wasn't there. Also, you may have noticed, I don't care."
Then an emergency happens and Murderbot actually has to decide whether to do its job....

Murderbot is snarky and anxiety-ridden and unsure what to do with itself when humans try to talk to it. It's also great fun to read about. These novellas feature action and intrigue as well as introspection and growth. The fourth title ends the story arc begun in the first title, but there's a novel coming out in 2020 to look forward to. (Woo!) I can't wait.

Cinder/Marissa Meyer

Cinder by Marissa Meyer (Book 1 of the Lunar Chronicles); young adult, science fiction, fairy tale retelling; 400 pages

In this retelling of the classic fairy tale, Cinder is a teenaged cyborg living in New Beijing, over a century in the future.  A brilliant mechanic, Cinder only dreams of finding freedom from her domineering stepmother and her stepsisters.  She has no worries about the prince's upcoming ball, the war brewing with the colonists on the Moon, or the mysterious disease that's slowly devastating Earth's population. 

I didn't expect to enjoy this nearly as much as I did.  This is a really fresh take on the Cinderella story, and I found myself getting completely sucked in.  Cinder has a lot of obstacles:  she's under age, so her stepmother has total control over her life; she's a cyborg, which means she's not considered "human," and so she has even less freedom and acceptance that other people; her youngest stepsister (and her only real friend) has been infected with the plague; and finally, the guy she likes a) is the freaking Prince, and b) has no idea that she's part machine.  Meyer throws in enough politics to keep things interesting, and the setting is unique, so this manages to be more than a simple love story.  And while the twist was something I saw coming fairly early, I didn't see the resolution (or lack thereof) that will lead neatly into the next book.  In fact, I only have one complaint about this book:  the Lunar kingdom kept triggering flashbacks of my childhood obsession with Sailor Moon.  I mean, part of that was the names:  the missing Moon princess is named Selene--which is pretty close to Serena from the American dub of the show; part of it was also the descriptions:  the evil Lunar Queen in the book bore a striking resemblance (in my head, at least) to the Queen Beryl, the villain of season one.  All of which has resulted in my having the Sailor Moon theme stuck in my head for days.  So readers, ye be warned.  

Resurging geek tendencies aside, this was a great read, and I was happy to have it on hand for a day of feeling under the weather.

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Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep vol. 6

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep vol. 6 by Philip K. Dick  144 pp.

This is the final installment of the graphic novel version of Dick's novel. The lonely Isidore has befriended the androids being hunted by Rick Deckard. The beautiful android, Rachel, tries to stop Deckard from killing those androids. Mercerism the pseudo-religion developed for the androids is announced as a fake. After successfully completing his mission, Deckard has a sort of religious epiphany involving Mercer and Mercerism. Deckard's expensive real goat had been killed by Rachel but he finds a toad, believed to be extinct, in the desert and brings it back to his wife who then discovers it to be artificial. This all sounds like a bunch of nonsense but it makes sense in the context of the other five volumes. As in the other books, there are articles about Philip K. Dick and his work as well as an interview with Isa Dick Hackett, daughter of the author.

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sleep Vol 6

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sleep Vol 6/Philip K. Dick 144 pages

The final volume in the graphic version of DADOES is as fabulous as the previous volumes.  The art is fabulous and the story reminds me that I have to re-read the original.  This volume also includes an essay by Dick's daughter which is a bonus.

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Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? vol. 5

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? vol. 5 by Philip K. Dick  144 pp.

In this fifth volume of the graphic novel version of Philip K. Dick's classic book, Bounty hunter Rick Deckard and his dysfunctional wife revel in their newly purchased goat (live animals are virtually extinct and very expensive). Deckard is
ordered to go after the last three renegade androids and he enlists the help of android Rachael Rosen. After a brief sexual encounter with the android, he sets out to find the renegades. And now I await the final volume in the series.

As in the other volumes, there is added material about Philip K. Dick, written by authors & artists who knew him. This is the first time while reading this series that I could "hear" Harrison Ford saying Deckard's dialogue as if it was the movie "Blade Runner."

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Vol. 5

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Vol. 5/Philip K Dick 144 pg.

Continuing on our android hunt, this volume takes a little break to consummate the relationship between Deckard and Rachel. This series continues to impress me with its artwork and it has been such a long time since I've read the original, the story even surprises me as I've forgotten some of the details. At this point I want to finish this graphic novel series before going back to the original but I won't wait too long after vol. 6 which I understand to be the end. The essays at the back of each volume are also very interesting as a variety of people talk about PKD himself and his writing.

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep Vol. 4

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep Vol. 4 by Philip K. Dick  144 pp.

In this installment, Rick Deckard administers the empathy test to bounty hunter Phil Resch so they can both find out if he is an android. Isidore, the "chickenhead" continues his infatuation with the newcomer to his derelict building, Pris. He brings her food and while at her apartment two of her friends arrive. They have a discussion of how the bounty hunters have killed the rest of their group of android escapees from Mars. They make plans to protect themselves. Deckard takes the bounties he received for his last kills and uses it for a down payment on a real live goat.

This volume also contains articles by three other authors about how Dick's writing influenced them.

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep Vol. 3

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep Vol. 3 by Philip K. Dick  144 pp.

At the end of the previous volume, bounty hunter Rick Deckard was being held at laser gunpoint by the android opera singer Luba Luft. She calls the police who take Deckard into custody. Instead of being taken to the building that houses the department he works for, Deckard is taken to an alternate Police Dept. building that is populated by androids. There he is investigated by another bounty hunter, named Phil Resch, who Deckard has never met. Eventually they both come to the realization that Resch is an android also. After partnering to hunt down and kill Luba Luft, Resch is left to decide what to do about himself. This volume also includes writings by Jonahtan Lethem, an author and long time fan of Dick.

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? vol. 2

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? vol. 2 by Philip K. Dick  112 pp.

The second installment of the graphic novel version of DODOES. Isidore and Mr. Sloat have to make a decision on what to do about the real dead cat (dead real cat?). In the mean time Deckard searches for the Nexus-6 android that killed a fellow bounty hunter after which he will seek out and kill the remain Nexus-6s on Earth. This installment ends with a cliffhanger--Deckard facing down an android with a weapon. As in the first volume there is commentary at the end about Dick and his writings.

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? vol. 1

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? vol. 1 by Philip K. Dick, art by Tony Parker 144 pp.

This the first volume of the graphic novel adaptation of Dick's classic book which was the basis for the movie "Blade Runner.". Bounty hunter Rick Deckard makes his living killing off rogue androids that have come to a post-apolcalyptic Earth. Most humans have left the planet to escape the radioactive dust that will eventually kill those that remain. Most animal life has been killed and it is considered a sign of prestige to own an animal. Deckard has been fooling his neighbors with a mechanical sheep but worries he will be found out. In the mean time there is concern that a new breed of android, one that is harder to detect, has been invented and Deckerd must find them and eliminate them. And it's on to volume two.

In addition to the story, there is also some brief biographical information about Philip K. Dick including his childhood and later mental illness.