Network Effect, by Martha Wells

[sophia_sol]

So you'd think when you're having a bad day that it's the right time to read a book you've been looking forward to, right?

Unfortunately when you're me, having a bad day apparently means not having the spoons to like, follow plot and stuff. And concentrating hard enough to parse long terms in camelcase is also not on the docket, which is particularly unfortunate when I'm trying to read about Murderbot given its tendency to call things names like TargetContact and targetControlSystem.

Also the names Arada and Amena are too similar and it's just unfair to make a reader keep track of that.

(I should have done the equivalent of rewatching episode 172 of Sanctuary Moon last night instead of trying something new. Murderbot is very relatable.)

Anyway Murderbot's idea of how to have emotional conversations is much more my speed to read about than the last book I read. "I don't want to not see you again" YESSSSSS I have a lot of feelings about how Murderbot's relationships with both Mensah and ART are important to it even if it doesn't like the word "relationship"! Also I love Amena and the way you can SEE Amena recognising Murderbot having all the feelings it doesn't want to talk about. (And also Amena having feelings about Murderbot.)

I care a lot about Murderbot and everyone Murderbot cares about!

The plot...I have literally no clue, I'm all at sea as to who was responsible for what and what actually happened. Pretty sure this is a me problem though. Maybe at some point I'll reread this book and it'll all make sense because I'll have the brainpower to actually pay attention.

Sorry y'all about this disaster of a book review but here we are!

Comments

[conuly]

The plot IS a little convoluted. Once you get to the end, if you've been able to focus, it all makes big picture sense - but from the start and the middle Murderbot totally lacks the context to understand what's going on.

[sophia_sol]

I'm glad to hear both that it does make sense in the end, and that it's perhaps harder than some to follow so I wasn't AS much of a disaster as I was thinking I was!

[flamebyrd]

I was talking about it with a friend yesterday and we both agreed that we weren't entirely sure what had happened at the end, so it's not just you! I'm rereading in the hope it will all fall into place.

I enjoyed the book a lot though!

[sophia_sol]

Oh wow, ok, good to know! Hopefully things will be clearer to both of us on reread :)

I enjoyed it too - there's plenty in there worth reading for beyond the plot

[holyschist]

I didn't really get super into the plot until several chapters in (and then the library wanted it back after chapter 11, and I just bought a copy yesterday but haven't finished it yet). I feel like it takes a bit to really start get going, compared to the novellas.

I have so very many feelings about Murderbot and ART's mutually beneficial administrative cooperation or however Murderbot framed it. In some ways I feel like Murderbot is still at sort of a toddler level in figuring out how to feel and manage feelings (I'M NOT TIRED I DON'T WANT A NAP / ZZZZZZZ) even though it has enormous processing power and a full vocabulary - it just wasn't programmed with that...feelings...vocabulary, and learning about feelings from watching soaps is probably gonna predispose one to some weird communication tendencies.

I just love Murderbot so much and relate deeply to the desire to watch soaps and enjoy fictional drama instead of dealing with...things. (I only WISH I had hundreds of episodes of SF soaps to watch, though.)

[sophia_sol]

yes murderbot is SO relatable! feelings are hard and weird and dealing with them sucks. I love the implication that murderbot is weird about feelings even for rogue secunits though, after Three shows up. Relatable even more!

[jesse_the_k]

I am so there with you re: plot that I asked the universe to explain it to me. I’m waiting til after my Hugo packet to reread and, this time I hope, follow along.

[sophia_sol]

Hah, makes sense to wait till after the Hugo packet -- there's just so much to read for the Hugos! I went and took a look at your post about Network Effect in the hopes that your readers could make things clear for me too, but unfortunately it looks like it was different aspects that confused you and me so I'm still at sea :P I followed the various Murderbots, it was the actions and motivations and previous events of the rest of the universe that I had trouble following. Hopefully next time I read I'll be in a clearer headspace and will be able to figure it out.