Review: Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells

Blurb:

Rogue Protocol is the third entry in Martha Wells's Hugo, Nebula, Alex, and Locus Award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling series, The Murderbot Diaries.

Starring a human-like android who keeps getting sucked back into adventure after adventure, though it just wants to be left alone, away from humanity and small talk.

Who knew being a heartless killing machine would present so many moral dilemmas?

Sci-fi’s favorite antisocial A.I. is back on a mission. The case against the too-big-to-fail GrayCris Corporation is floundering, and more importantly, authorities are beginning to ask more questions about where Dr. Mensah's SecUnit is.

And Murderbot would rather those questions went away. For good.

Review:

It’s been a hot minute since I was last reading this series (January to be exact), so I was worried I’d have forgotten the gist of what was going on. Luckily for me, Wells had me covered with a sneakily inserted recap that doesn’t feel annoyingly obtrusive to the story if you’re someone who didn’t need it. And we’re back in action! I have missed Murderbot’s dry humor and sarcasm! 

‘They were all annoying and deeply inadequate humans, but I didn’t want to kill them. Okay, maybe a little.’

As I was progressing through Rogue Protocol I was thinking this could certainly be my second favorite in the series so far. But as I continued past the halfway mark that changed to “this is totally becoming THE favorite of the series!” Seriously the easiest five stars I’ve handed out in awhile. This little volume was everything! 

Like I previously mentioned, Murderbot’s humor and sarcasm makes for some of the most hilarious reading. I have really missed it. His inner monologues are often quite relatable as well from an introverted perspective. He’s constantly doing everything he can to avoid dealing with people and having to help them sort out their issues, or you know, thwarting death and maiming. His frequent grumblings about “soft humans” is always good for a laugh. 

‘(SecUnit clients… only assured each other that everything was fine while you stared at the wall and waited for everything to go horribly wrong.)’

In Rogue Protocol we continue on with his investigation of his previous employer’s near death at the hands of a corrupt entity, which leads to an eerie abandoned terraforming facility hovering over a distant planet on the outer rim. This one was so atmospheric and offered plenty of creepy vibes, keeping you hooked as you (along with Murderbot and the assessment team sent to reclaim the facility) wonder what is going to jump out and murder them from the deep shadows where the only things present should be terraforming equipment powered down in sleep mode. Turns out, that can be quite a few things. 

‘Who knew being a heartless killing machine would present so many moral dilemmas.’

The plot was absolutely riveting, especially compared to the previous installment where I was a little bored at times. Rogue Protocol keeps your attention with the corrupt machinations of a powerful company, and what lengths they’d go to to cover up their illegal operations. They already have so much dirt on their name, and Murderbot is determined to dig up so much more to help out Dr. Mensah, his previous contract. I love how he’s rather protective of her, doing his best to find what he can to aid her and keep her safe, even from such a great distance. I enjoyed seeing Murderbot’s continued growth as a character as he continues to navigate and adapt to his freedom in a human world, and what it means to be free and to care. There were quite a few moments where we see some emotion leaking through, so reminiscent of the character Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation. I have always had a weak spot for characters like these; constructs that wish to be free, wish to experience life outside a preset role they were intended or designed specifically for. It’s such an engaging premise, and thankfully there’s more volumes for me to delve into! 

‘I was having an emotion again. An angry one.’

In addition to the machinations and intrigue, Rogue Protocol delivers so much more with betrayals and conspiracies, touching moments, plenty of action, humorous quips and near deaths. This series has deceptively slim volumes, but they seriously pack a powerful punch! Honestly, I would’ve loved it if this one was a bit longer, at a mere 150 pages I definitely wanted more! Also if they ever adapted this into say a TV series I would be the happiest fan.

‘I know in the telling it sounds like I was on top of this situation but really, I was still just thinking, Oh shit oh shit oh shit.’

I highly, highly recommend giving the Murderbot Diaries a try if you haven’t already. If you’re new to Sci-Fi, these books are a great place to start. Even if you’ve been reading Sci-Fi for ages you need to pick these up. They are pure entertainment!