Reading: Rogue Protocol

In the third of Martha Well's Murderbot novellas, Murderbot is headed outside the Corporate Rim to investigate an abandoned terraforming project run by the GreyCris Corporation in hopes of finding some evidence to support the legal case being brought against them by Murderbot's former clients at PreservationAux. Of course, Murderbot's luck being what it is, it also finds another crew of humans it can't help but take responsibility for, and a peppy pet robot who really wants everyone to be friends.

This was as delightful as the others in the series; Murderbot's snarky, grumpy narrative is hugely enjoyable and their complicated relationship with the humans they interact with - part irritated and introverted and wanting to be left alone to watch TV, part painfully conscious of their difference and isolation and keeping everyone at arm's length to avoid rejection - is deeply relatable to this human at least. I'm looking forward to the next instalment, which is due in a few weeks, and am excited by the recent announcement that there will also be a full-length Muderbot novel next year.