Platform Decay by Martha Wells, Murderbot Diaries Book 8.
Introduction
Platform Decay by Martha Wells is a short novel in the Murderbot Diaries series. The author set this story after the previous story, System Collapse. The protagonist of the series is a SecUnit (Security Unit), a part-organic and part-mechanical cyborg, or as it calls itself, a Murderbot. In the series, Murderbot is a Security Consultant to Dr. Mensah on Preservation Station. This story is about Murderbot’s rescue mission for part of Dr. Mensah’s extended family. Can Murderbot save its loved ones from an evil corporation?
Summary
Murderbot and its friend, SecUnit Three infiltrate the cargo bay on a planetary torus. Three creates a distraction so Murderbot can go to the rendezvous for a rescue mission. At the rendezvous are Mensah’s partner Farai, Mensah’s mother Naja, and Mensah’s daughter Sofi. They meet Supervisor Leonide who offers to help secure their escape if they do something important for her.
Murderbot must go through trials and tribulations to conduct the mission. Supervisor Leonide’s condition complicates the mission. They must battle the hostile corporate people from the Barris-Estranza Corporation.
Murderbot had a mental health module installed that is based on what they use to help augmented humans. The health module checks Murderbot’s mental state, and it has snarky comments on the observations. Murderbot also checks treat assessments as it goes. The threat assessments help it remember its goals.
Recommendation
Platform Decay by Martha Wells continues the story begun in System Collapse. Reading System Collapse first would help the reader to understand the relationships between the characters at the beginning of this story but it isn’t necessary to follow the plot of this novel since it is a straightforward rescue mission. The story comes to a satisfactory conclusion, but Murderbot will no doubt be challenged by Barris-Estranza again in the next episode of the Murderbot Diaries.
Links
This is the link to the Goodreads page for Platform Decay by Martha Wells.
Platform Decay (The Murderbot Diaries, #8) by Martha Wells | Goodreads
System Collapse by Martha Wells is the seventh story in the Murderbot Diaries series. This story starts with the Preservation group investigating a planet. Part of Murderbot’s memories are redacted. Murderbot must find out why its memories are compromised to save the humans living on the planet.
Book Review of Fugitive Telemetry, the sixth book in the Murderbot series by Martha Wells. It is another great story. This time, Murderbot must solve a murder at the Preservation Station. This complicated case takes Murderbot’s special talents to solve.
Book Review of Network Effect by Martha Wells, Book 5 of The Murderbot Diaries, a novel. The series protagonist is a SecUnit (Security Unit), a cyborg, or as it calls itself, Murderbot. Murderbot must solve a complex mystery or risk the deaths of its human clients.
This is a link to my review of All Systems Red by Martha Wells, Book 1 of The Murderbot Diaries.
Book Review of The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells, a series of four novellas. SecUnit calls herself Murderbot. She feels a sense of companionship toward her human employers. What lengths will she go to protect them?