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Artificial Condition
Artificial Condition
Artificial Condition
Audiobook3 hours

Artificial Condition

Written by Martha Wells

Narrated by Kevin R. Free

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

4.5/5

()

About this audiobook

The follow-up to the hugely popular science fiction action-adventure All Systems Red Artificial Condition continues The Murderbot Diaries, a science fiction series that tackles questions of the ethics of sentient robotics. It appeals to fans of Westworld, Ex Machina, Ann Leckie's Imperial Raadch series, or Iain M. Banks' Culture novels. The main character is a deadly security droid that has bucked its restrictive programming and is balanced between contemplative self-discovery and an idle instinct to kill all humans. "As a heartless killing machine, I was a complete failure." It has a dark past-one in which a number of humans were killed. A past that caused it to christen itself "Murderbot." But it has only vague memories of the massacre that spawned that title, and it wants to know more. Teaming up with a Research Transport vessel named ART (you don't want to know what the "A" stands for), Murderbot heads to the mining facility where it went rogue. What it discovers will forever change the way it thinks.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateMay 8, 2018
ISBN9781501977831
Artificial Condition
Author

Martha Wells

Martha Wells is the author of five previous novels: The Wizard Hunters, the first book of the Fall of Ile-Rien, The Element of Fire, City of Bones, Wheel of the Infinite, and The Death of the Necromancer, which was nominated for the Nebula Award. She lives in College Station, Texas, with her husband.

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Reviews for Artificial Condition

Rating: 4.375917961138311 out of 5 stars
4.5/5

3,268 ratings124 reviews

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Very well narrated. Murderbot continues to be frustrated by stupid humans. His internal struggle between his job and his newfound 'friends' proves to be interesting.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    It was Ok. I really haven't clicked with the MB series. It was fast and short.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Loved the reread, the character development Murderbot goes through and getting to meet ART
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    the writing style is excellent, entertaining, funny, fresh. too short.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    In this sequel to All Systems Red, the plot suffers from failure to execute strong punchline. It doesn’t quite add much to the story already mentioned. But where it shines is the interaction between MurderBot and ART. And through these two characters the author explores friendships, independence and being human.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Another excellent novella! The pace here is a little slower than the first one, as Wells takes some time to build more back story for our hero Murderbot. But I am loving the overall story arc of the series, both the plotline and the characters that Wells has given us so far. Can't wait to continue binging my way through these stories!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Came from the BoBiverse and robe t Hail Mary to this. I love the story and wish it wasn’t so short!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I Love it
    love it
    love it
    love it. Recommend. :)
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Murderbot and ART are the best cybernetic odd couple.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This series is an absolute delight. A fun romp, with clean smart language.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Even better than the first one! I loved Muderbot and ART’s relationship.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I'm addicted to this series. I find myself listening to them over and over again.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This little book is good. If you like the first book you will like this too.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I think I’m really starting to looks Murderbot. I even liked all the characters in this book as well as the first one.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Awesome concept and love the main character. Already hooked on this series. Looking forward the next installment.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    It’s read too fast. The narrator could have slowed down a bit
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Bot-noir - I just hope for many more installments!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ THIS BOOK ABSOLUTELY BLEW ME AWAY. IT WAS UNPUTDOWNABLE, AND IT WILL HOLD A PLACE IN MY HEART FROM HERE ON OUT -- I don't hand out 5 star ratings very often; in fact, if I do rate a book as 5 stars, it'll go onto my favourite books of the year list every time. After reading this book, I wanted to stop people on the street to tell them to read it. Generally 5 star books are unique in some way, they are gripping, and the writing makes the book play out in my head like a movie. It's not uncommon for me to go back and reread 5 star books, and some of them become like comfort reads for me. Don't miss this book!

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    My ranking criteria (✅= Yes, ❌= No, ➖= Kind of/a little bit):

    *Bonus points if I can't put the book down, it makes me feel strong emotion, or genuinely surprises me in some way.
    *Penalty points for editing errors (spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc.), for children who act too mature or too young for their age (this is a bugbear of mine), or if there is something in the book that just really pisses me off for any reason.

    1. I was sucked into the story from the beginning ✅
    2. The story had a proper beginning, middle, and end ✅
    3. The writing evoked a feeling of suspense ✅
    4. I was engaged the whole way through/didn't get bored ✅
    5. The characters were interesting ✅
    6. There was some form of character development ✅
    7. The book wasn't predictable in terms of relying on tired tropes, clichés, themes, stereotypes, etc. ➖
    8. I cared about the outcome of the story ✅
    9. I didn't work out the ending/the ending surprised me ➖
    10. The ending was satisfying ✅

    ? Bonus points: None.
    ☠️ Penalty points: None.

    ? OVERALL RANKING: 9/10 (4.5/5 stars)

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    Thoughts, Conclusion, and Recommendation:
    In book 2 of the Murderbot Diaries, Murderbot is on it's way to Ravi Hyrule to investigate the events that led to it last having it's memory wiped, and hacking it's governer module. Along the way it meets ART (Asshole Research Transport), and then picks up a contract to enable it to get passage to where it needs to go.

    I first read this book on 30th of July, 2021. I'm listening to the audiobook version now because I suggested it for my book club, and after reading the physical copy before, I wanted to do something different this time. At the time of my first read of rtificial Condition, I gave the book 4 stars. This time around however, I'm giving it 4.5 stars. As I said after my second read of All Systems Red, I think the difference for me is that having read the entire series (that is currently available), I have a deep affection for Murderbot, ART and all the others. Additionally, listening to the audiobook adds a lot to the "reading" experience. The suspense is a lot more visceral, and some of Murderbot's reactions to things made me laugh out loud.

    I'm trying to decide whether to knock this one up to 5 stars, or down to 4. I'm just so fond of Murderbot at this point that I don't think I'm objective anymore ??‍♀️. In Artificial Condition specifically, I really liked Murderbot's relationship with ART, as well as watching it navigate the situation of having its first individually chosen contract. I love reading about/listening to Murderbot interact with "it's humans" too. So yeah, I'm probably going to round this one up to 5 stars. I don't usually rate short books/novellas at 5 stars just because they are so short, but Martha Wells does such a fantastic job with the art form that I think I will this time (again I'm aware I'm biased towards Murderbot ?).

    If you liked the first book, this one is even better. And if, for some reason, you're looking at reviews for Artificial Condition before reading All Systems Red, go back and start there. These books are fantastic. 4.5 stars (rounded up to 5 stars for the purposes of Goodreads).

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    Series ratings:
    1. All Systems Red - 4.5 stars
    2. Artificial Condition - 4.5 stars
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I enjoyed it but not quite as much as the first one.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Great story. Fantastic narration by Kevin Free. I love murderbot. It's interesting to see how it's growing as a person and how it's horrifified by that idea.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    With each book I love Murderbot a little more.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Artificial Condition
    by Martha Wells
    (The Murderbot Diaries)
    Science Fiction
    Short Story
    Scribd Audio

    In book two of The Murderbot Diaries, we catch up with Murderbot, the self-aware security droid, as it hitches a ride on a research transport vessel doing auto supply runs to help its owners pay for maintaining its upkeep when not on a research mission. Murderbot is retracing its past, to find out about the massacre, (the reason he named itself) if what the memory wipe left was the truth or something else.

    To get on the surface of the mining planet, Murderbot takes a job as a 'human' security officer to help a young group of researchers, by keeping them alive.

    Murderbot is still growing as a self-aware bot, struggling with what it is, and isn't, and what it thinks it is, so it thinks its past might hold some answers.

    There is a new group of characters it interacts with, though other than ART, the 'human' characters seem pretty similar to the researchers from the first book.

    A very quick, and entertaining read, but I still feel that more details about the characters and settings, would do a lot for this book.

    Once again, just a few pages of descriptions short of that next star.

    3 Stars
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Very fun just like the first one. I just want to keep reading though!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Good but not Better than the first one i had fun
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Short but sweet. Needs perhaps a subplot or two.

    Great
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is a most satisfying follow up to the first MurderBot book. Our hero finds out what happened in the mass murder in the past. Unintended consequences of actions are reminiscent of the denouement in the movie Serenity.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    These books are so much fun!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Conversations between Murderbot and Transport ship are interesting and have potential.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Book two of the Murderbot Diaries series, another short book, really a novella. Our protagonist murderbot, now free, has hitched a ride aboard an automated ship to try to learn more about his murderous past, much of which was wiped from his memory. He finds an unexpected ally in the sentient bot that controls the ship (basically it IS the ship), and which helps him on the current adventure.To get to the surface of the planet, Murderbot has to take on a job as a security consultant, which leads to further adventures with his new client while he continues to try to hide his true nature and pass as an augmented human.The author does a wonderful job balancing action and dry humor, as the Murderbot narrates the story in the first person. I rated this one a half star higher than book 1, but I think that's more because it's growing on me than that it's actually better. Easy read, lots of fun, and looking forward to jumping right into the next one.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I never knew Bot conversations could be so much fun!