Publication Order
| # | Title | Year | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | All Systems Red | 2017 | Martha Wells | Buy |
| 2 | Artificial Condition | 2018 | Martha Wells | Buy |
| 3 | Rogue Protocol | 2018 | Martha Wells | Buy |
| 4 | Exit Strategy | 2018 | Martha Wells | Buy |
| 5 | Network Effect | 2020 | Martha Wells | Buy |
| 6 | Fugitive Telemetry | 2021 | Martha Wells | Buy |
| 7 | System Collapse | 2023 | Martha Wells | Buy |
The Murderbot Diaries follows a self-aware security robot (a SecUnit) that has secretly hacked its own governing module and gained free will. Rather than go on a rampage, it calls itself Murderbot and would really prefer to be left alone to watch soap operas.
Set in a corporate-dominated far future, the series begins when Murderbot is assigned to protect a team of scientists on a survey mission. When things go wrong, it must use its combat programming and newly independent judgment to keep its humans alive, all while hiding its rogue status and dealing with its own social anxiety.
Martha Wells writes Murderbot’s first-person narration with dry wit and genuine emotional depth. The series explores questions of autonomy, identity, and what it means to be a person, all wrapped in fast-paced science fiction action. Murderbot’s voice is distinctive: sarcastic, introverted, and deeply relatable to anyone who has ever wanted to skip a meeting to watch TV.