Compulsory {short story}

The piece is Murderbot Diaries microfiction, no more than a vignette, and chronologically a prequel to All Systems Red. I read it afterward, however, fearing spoilers. There were none of the plot variety, but I'm glad my introduction was the novella and not this.

Originally published in WIRED magazine, part of a themed collection of eight pieces on the future of work, and the story title gives the game away. Interestingly, the story itself doesn't address this theme explicitly, so when reading the story in isolation that aspect of context likely is obscured if not missing outright.

Suggests a useful reading of the series is with an eye on the history of compulsory work over human history: vassal / peasant labour, slavery, indentured show more servitude, caste systems, proletariat functions, all manner of social roles. There are myriad hints in the the main series world-building about how constructs fit into that history, viz ComfortUnits and the parallel to sex slavery in the Imperial Japanese Army.

There is an interesting tidbit on The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon.

Apparently getting free will after having 93 percent of your behavior controlled for your entire existence will do weird things to your impulse control. show less

(Very) short story about Murderbot after it has hacked its governor module but before All Systems Red. I liked it because it's interesting to see where Murderbot is at the start of the series and, having read the rest of the series, how the seeds of the character I adore are present, just waiting for the chance to grow.

Even though I generally avoid both very long and very short stories, I will always make an exception for the "missing scene" tropes. In this case: a small glimpse into a freshly-hacked Murderbot's state of mind. And it truly is all sorts of funny and heart-breaking. And that's with four casual death threats in what is a less than a 10-minute-long stream of consciousness.

To be clear, my excitement for these types of stories only happens when I'm already a big fan of the main series... or of one of the characters, at least. Any YA trilogy I've wishy-washily thrown a "meh" rating, is unlikely to squeeze out some more dough for yet another short story.

So if you're new to The Murderbot Diaries series, come back after reading the first four show more books (which would put you in publication order). Trust me, the whole thing will hit differently.

Score: 4/5 stars

... we're creepy and we make everybody nervous and uncomfortable, and if we didn’t have governor modules to flashfry our brains if we refuse an order, we’d rampage and kill all the humans and augmented humans. Or maybe we’d just watch entertainment media for the rest of our hellish existence. Personally I could go either way.

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Review of book 1: All Systems Red
Review of book 2: Artificial Condition
Review of book 2.5: Rapport: Friendship, Solidarity, Communion, Empathy
Review of book 3: Rogue Protocol
Review of book 4: Exit Strategy
Review of book 4.5: Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory
Review of book 5: Network Effect
Review of book 6: Fugitive Telemetry
Review of book 7: System Collapse show less

Look what I found! A Murderbot short story I haven’t read! Yay. It’s very very very very very short – but it works splendidly when you are still wondering what to read after having finished two longer Murderbot books.

Life is not easy for a SecUnit with a hacked governor module – free will is doing strange things to you, while you have to pretend to be a cyborg without free will.

“Nobody likes SecUnits. I am one, and even I don’t like us. […] and if we didn’t have governor modules to flashfry our brains if we refuse an order, we’d rampage and kill all the humans and augmented humans. Or maybe we’d just watch entertainment media for the rest of our hellish existence. Personally I could go either way.”

Murderbot rescues show more a human in a mine: “Sekai made an “eep” noise. I wanted to make an “eep” noise too but I was busy.” Then it can go back to episode 44 of Sanctuary Moon... show less

The original Murderbot pilot give an extended cut!

By now we all know how much Murderbot loves their shows and making a nuisance of themselves by trying to do the right thing. This is, presumably, the first time that happened.

We also know: Murderbot good. Capitalism bad.

This is a fun, very short story giving a glimpse into Murderbot's past, both in a chronological sense, but also as a character. The Murderbot in these pages is familiar, certainly, but there is something a little more actively dismissive and checked out in the personality of our binary composited, non-binary reluctant hero.

Having a lifelong obsession with the lore, but vacillating interesting in the games and books of the various Warhammer iterations, I am very show more familiar with the 'absolutely non-essential reading/ listening, but adds a bit of colour and gives you a bit more of something you like' (ANER/LBAABOCAGYABMOSYL for short), which is exactly what this is. I wouldn't recommend it as the place for anyone new to the series to start, regardless of the 0.5 designation, but as an amuse bouche between books or a treat for finishing all the current ones, it's definitely worth checking out.

It's just not going blow anyone's minds, but this is because of how much Wells has developed their character and universe, since its inception. show less

"A prequel short story shows SecUnit guarding a mining operation, forced to choose between following orders and saving a miner in peril, revealing its developing free will and internal conflict as it decides to intervene despite the risk of discovery, all while trying to watch The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon." I don't really remember this one; but I'm sure I would have been bummed by how short it was. Love reading about Secunit's decision processes at whatever stage of its evolution.

It's a funnier title as "The Future of Work: Compulsory." Wells has a lot going on with Murderbot a rich blend of humor, action, sci-fi, mystery, caper, neuro atypical viewpoint, and of course a scathing extrapolation of late stage capitalism. I've been a fan of that sort of think since at least Robocop.

Read it at https://www.wired.com/story/future-of-work-compulsory-martha-wells/