Artificial Condition

This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: Artificial Condition

Murderbot is determined to find out the truth about its past. It's heard about the horrific tales of a mining massacre but thanks to the company wiping its memory, can’t remember what happened that day. Was the mining incident an accident, or did it want to kill all those humans? Posing as an augmented human, Murderbot takes on a security job for a group of researchers in order to reach the mines. But helping them claim their stolen research isn’t going to be easy. And as Murderbot searches for answers in the mines, it will discover a lot more than it’s past.

Artificial Condition picks up right where the previous novel left off. Murderbot is trying to pass for an augmented human while it plans a route to the mines. Along the way, it encounters a sentient transport bot that it deems ART. If you thought All Systems Red was hilarious, wait until you read about ART and Murderbot trying to figure out humans. Between Murderbot’s knowledge from watching TV and ART’s ability to run searches and compound data quickly, they help each other understand human social cues and body language.

The evolution of Murderbot as a character is so clever. Bit by bit Murderbot’s outlook of the world and those within it is expanding. And it’s not only humans it's learning about, but other AI as well. Murderbot is guilty of putting AIs into categories based on type, even though it’s a unique individual. Of course, that is until ART comes along and rewrites how Murderbot views its own kind.

An introvert after my own heart, Murderbot is a character I cannot get enough of. I am eager to see how else Murderbot will evolve as the series progresses. If you haven’t tried the Murderbot Diaries yet give them a try. They are fast-paced sci-fi reads that are filled with action, sarcastic humor, and great storylines. ( )

Murderbot becomes a bit more human like. Searching for information of what happened in its past. ( )

I love the ongoing world building in this book, and the new AI character is a great addition. Murderbot has a great humanity to it, while still retaining that inhuman artificial character that it should have. Can't wait to read more. ( )

A lovely follow-up that explores more of the world of Murderbot, introduces fun new characters, and provides a very satisfying adventure all on its own. ( )

I enjoyed the second book in this series as much as the first.

Murderbot is a very relatable protagonist without loosing the feel of an AI. ART and the other new addition to the AI world of the book (won't name for potential spoilers) are great and I really like where the story is going and what we learn about Murderbot's world in the process.
The author has a talent for laying out a world through the progress of the story, without long descriptive paragraphs that interrupt the action, which is refreshing, specially in sci-fi.

I can't wait to read vol. 3. ( )