System Collapse Audiobook By Martha Wells cover art

System Collapse

The Murderbot Diaries, Book 7

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System Collapse

By: Martha Wells
Narrated by: Kevin R. Free
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The million-copy, New York Times bestselling Murderbot series is back in another full-length novel adventure!

Am I making it worse? I think I'm making it worse.

Everyone's favorite lethal SecUnit is back.

Following the events in Network Effect, the Barish-Estranza corporation has sent rescue ships to a newly colonized planet in peril, as well as additional SecUnits. But if there's an ethical corporation out there, Murderbot has yet to find it, and if Barish-Estranza can't have the planet, they're sure as hell not leaving without something. If that something just happens to be an entire colony of humans, well, a free workforce is a decent runner-up prize.

But there's something wrong with Murderbot; it isn't running within normal operational parameters. ART's crew and the humans from Preservation are doing everything they can to protect the colonists, but with Barish-Estranza's SecUnit-heavy persuasion teams, they're going to have to hope Murderbot figures out what's wrong with itself, and fast!

Yeah, this plan is... not going to work.

©2023 Martha Wells (P)2023 Recorded Books Adventure Science Fiction Witty Feel-Good Suspenseful

Featured Article: The top 100 series of all time


The feeling of discovering that your favorite new listen is actually the start of a series is euphoric. That you can immediately hit play and re-enter a beloved new world, or love story, or era from history is a gift to the devoted listener. But how to pick just 100 of these unique and immersive listening journeys? We defined a series as having a minimum of three books, and—after some debate—we decided the titles had to be anchored in fiction. From YA to horror to historical fiction, from fresh voices to seminal tales, hours of discovery await.

Featured Article The top 100 series of all time
Engaging Character Development • Witty Dialogue • Engaging Protagonist • Complex Relationships • Emotional Depth
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Loved it! Snarky, thoughtful, full of both action and introspection It is everything we have come to expect from our favorite Sec Unit, ART and their people.

Murderbot FTW

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Seriously, this is the best sci-fi series I’ve ever read, and Kevin R. Free does such an amazing job that when I’m reading the hard copies I hear his voice.

My only complaint is how short each story is (Network effect excluded) but that just means I have time to listen to the whole series from start to finish every time there is a new release. It takes about 2 days.

Get a physical copy too!

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writing style, humor, honesty. Learning to feel can be so difficult for the traumatized. Wells does a great job of showing the struggle.

Murderbot's self awareness

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This book picks up right where Network Effect leaves off, which is book 5 in the series, so there’s book 6 (Fugitive Telemetry) in between. Definitely read book 5 right before this one.

It’s a pretty good story, though I think there could have been more exposition about Murderbot’s ongoing trauma and less about the various factions in the conflict. It’s Murderbot and its struggles that make this book (and series) good. And the plot of this one is the weakest of all the books, imo. I don’t think this is the best book in the series, overall. Still, it’s worth reading, just for Murderbot’s wry sense of humor!

Pretty good but not the best of the series

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Genuinely fun and hard to wait for next installment. We need Sanctuary Moon stories. MurderBot fun.

Dont Miss This Series

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This book is an amazing continuation of the Murderbot series! The characters are entertaining and lovable (even ART, lol) and the plot kept me on the edge of my seat. A fantastic sci-fi adventure and a must read for Murderbot fans!

This series keeps getting better with each book!

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Murderbot is my snarky AI hero. I also really enjoy Art. I probably should have relistened to 7 before this, but it didn’t matter that much. And Kevin R Free’s narration is exquisite. I especially live his interpretations of Murderbot’s exasperated noises.

Dear Martha: MORE!!!

More!!! Wish it was longer

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Kevin R Free is a brilliant reader. I don’t know if I would have figured out the action in this book without his narration.

Fun, fast paced and fascinating!

This one is tough to get into but WORTH IT

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This is not the novel with which to begin the series. All the delicious development of MB's character will be missed, as well as important foundations of the plot. In particular, "Exit Strategy" and "Network Effect" should be recent reads/listens to get the most from "System Collapse."

Having said that, "System Collapse" is pure joy. There was no slow start or plot confusion for me, but then I've been reading/listening to the series on repeat (at least four times) in the month preceding enjoying this book. Except for "The Hobbit" and "Lord of the Rings", I've never before repeated reads. ”System Collapse" ensures I'll never stop enjoying the Murderbot Diaries, and I greedily await another installment.

Another MB Gem!

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It is so unlike any series I have read in that it gets better with every new book. The tone, Murderbot’s attitude (and Art’s) and the complexity and action are funny amazing, and dazzling. The narrator IS Murderbot.

It just keeps getting better!

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