Rogue Protocol

In my reviews of the first two novellas, I mentioned that I've grown wary of works that get a whole lot of love from critics and go on winning genre awards. Too often, it seems, politics have become part of the selection process and that leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Still, when Martha Wells' Murderbot Diaries won every major SFF award out there, I had no choice but to pay attention and ultimately give those books a shot.

It took me a while, true, but I did it. As mentioned, I felt more than a little stupid for waiting this long. But on the other hand, I don't have to wait months between each installment. So my stupidy paid off. Sort of.

Like its predecessors, I went through Rogue Protocol in no time. And though it was as entertaining as the previous volumes, I have to admit that I'm getting tired of always having Murderbot babysit a new group of well-meaning and naive do-gooders. Hopefully this plot device will be put to rest after this novella.

Here's the blurb:

SciFi’s favorite antisocial A.I. is again on a mission. The case against the too-big-to-fail GrayCris Corporation is floundering, and more importantly, authorities are beginning to ask more questions about where Dr. Mensah’s SecUnit is.

And Murderbot would rather those questions went away. For good.

Given the novella-length format of Rogue Protocol, the worldbuilding facet is once again kept to a bare minimum. If anything, this third volume might be the one in which we learn almost nothing new. Although not problematic in and of itself, at least regarding this book, I'm getting more and more concerned about the episodic format of the Murderbot Diaries. There seems to be more than meets the eye, true. Limited in scope and vision as the first three installments appear to be, numerous signs hint that there is a depth to the storylines that will be explored in the sequels. Just how ambitious and multilayered the series turns out to be remains to be seen. Personally, I would have thought that this volume would have moved the plot further than it did. Yes, I'm well aware that this is more about Murderbot's perspective and its interactions with humans and non-humans. But at some point, hopefully sooner rather than later, the overall story arc will have to gain definition.

Feeling bad about running away from Dr. Mensah, Murderbot wants to find evidence of illegal wrongdoing on GrayCris' part to help convict them. Hence, the rogue SecUnit heads off to Milu, a deserted terraforming facility recently abandoned by GrayCris. Murderbot feels that this operation may have been a cover meant to allow them to search for artifacts from alien civilizations. Problem is, there is no way it can just show up there and snoop around. Posing as an augmented human security consultant, Murderbot will follow scientists from the GoodNightLander Independent company and their security team, on their way there to make an initial assessment of the facility. The SecUnit believes that it can explore, find what it believes is hidden there, and return to the shuttle with no one the wiser. Sadly, when the proverbial shit hits the fan, Murderbot has no choice but to save them from certain death if it is to accomplish its mission. Nothing is ever easy for this poor AI.

First-person narratives are always tricky, yet Martha Wells created an extremely engaging and endearing main protagonist. Murderbot's perspective definitely gives these novellas their unique flavor and makes this antisocial SecUnit one of the most interesting protagonists in science fiction today. Its interactions with the childlike robot Miki make our introspective narrator reconsider relationships between humans and non-humans. And while the back and forth between Murderbot and ART was hilarious, this time around we are served with a number of touching moments.

All Systems Red was an introduction meant to allow readers to get acquainted with Murderbot and Artificial Condition provided answers pertaining to its past. Rogue Protocol looks like it will be the one that bridges the first two and Exit Strategy, fourth volume and final chapter in this first Murderbot story arc. Short fiction pieces mean a more episodic format, which isn't always optimal. There's no helping that, I know. When each new novella builds on the groundwork laid by its predecessor, I have no problem with that. But this latest one doesn't appear to cover a lot of ground. Rogue Protocol may be as good as its predecessor, yet my expectations have grown with each one. Martha Wells needs to find a way to elevate her game and not fall into the trap of giving us the same old recipe.

Thankfully, the novella-length format precludes any sort of pacing issues. Regardless of its faults, Rogue Protocol is another page-turner. Let's hope that the author can close the show with a bang!

The final verdict: 8/10

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