Where the second book is like the second gulp of coffee--just as good as the first

Artificial Condition by Martha Wells
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Just like the first book, this novella is fun to read from beginning to end. The voice of the first person narrator is so perfect one almost would believe the author was made for this series. The action is compelling, the protagonist is empathetic, and setting is full and well realized.

Highly recommended.

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Patrick Rothfuss* Told Me to Read This, And He Was Right

All Systems Red by Martha Wells
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a great read. Much fun.

The novella is told in first person by the security bot who calls themselves "Murderbot." (I read the character as female, but realized there was no indication and could be read as male, female, or no gender. Not sure why I made the leap I did. But I'm sticking with it.) The character is quirky and odd, inhuman in a way, but is still sympathetic and well drawn, which is key for me to like a book; I need to have someone to root for. Murderbot was fun to root for.

The action is quick and the internal monologue engaging and entertaining. (I don't always like first person narration. I liked it a lot here.) It's also a short work, but I feel like novella is the perfect length for this book. No down time. From the first moment of danger to the conclusion, things were in motion.

I have the second book queued up, and I'm glad to have that bit of entertainment waiting for me. :)

Recommended.

*In his review. Not personally. But that woulda been cool.

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