Artificial Condition by Martha Wells is book two in The Murderbot Diaries. It’s back! Our favorite media-watching, human-hating/loving-but-can’t-do-anything-harmful-to-them murderbot is flying solo this time. I admit that it has taken me a while upon finishing All Systems Red, which I loved, to get at Artificial Condition. One just can’t help but fall in love with the quirky attitude of murderbot. This diary follows murderbot in trying to discover what actually happened in the first book. Although it believes the best way to go at doing so is by going under the radar, murderbot soon finds himself partnering up with an unlikely companion AI along with taking on a contract that has mutual benefits to all parties involved.

I know, I said, if the humans were dead, who would make the media? It was so outrageous, it sounded like something a human would say.

Murderbot

Artificial Condition does seem like a filler or side quest story but because of just how the story is told, I actually didn’t mind at all! It’s just so hilarious to me because every time I think of murderbot or look at the cover, for those of you young enough to remember, it reminds me of the hilarious Youtube video series of The Adventures of Master Chief and Friends from the Microsoft Halo video game series! Let’s just say that I will definitely be continuing this series but savoring my time with it.